Hispanic Heritage Month

Question

I'm not even really sure what Hispanic means, I think the general concept (in modern times) is anyone with any cultural ties to Spain. Originally it referred to people of lineage to the people who lived in/on the Iberian Peninsula. An article found here says that one of the two ways the U.S. Government identifies Hispanic is as "Americans of Spanish origin or ancestry." Of course, the other identification is "a Hispanic is whoever says that he is a Hispanic and that no one who denies it can be considered one."

Well, I wish I had known that, maybe I could have gotten some help on my college applications and listed myself as a minority.

But, anyway, September 15th through October 15th is considered "Hispanic Heritage Month" in the U.S. I would be interested to know anything anyone has to say about it, especially the opinions of those outside of the U.S.

I might have considered myself Hispanic if my grandfather hadn't died when my father was young. Perhaps if he had any cultural ties to share they would have been passed to me, but unfortunately this is not what happened, so I merely consider myself white.

Maybe I am wrong, but I have never considered Hispanics other than white. I thought the word Hispanic only had to do with the language. - Lise-Laroche, SEP 6, 2009

And, of course, the culture. - Lise-Laroche, SEP 6, 2009

White is a race, Hispanic is an ethnicity. A Hispanic person is a specific type of white person. At least this is my understanding of the terms so far. - Fredbong, SEP 6, 2009

Actually, I should qualify this, originally it was a type of white person, now however with the mixing of races it can be more than just white. - Fredbong, SEP 6, 2009

Answer 1

I am in the military and on our EO paperwork, when it ask race, doesn't have hispanic. That is in the ethnicity category. Also the military recognizes and has events for Hispanic Heritage month.

Answer 2

I think there might be some confusion with the way I wrote this, I never meant to imply that hispanic was a race, only that I don't consider myself anything other than white. I am "merely" white, and not "white + hispanic."

Maybe the minority bit added to the confusion, but as far as I'm aware ethnicities can be considered minorities.

You can pick your ethnicity (to some extent) but you can't pick your race. Race is a set physical characteristics and ethnicity is more of a cultural thing that is affected, in part, by race.