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One of the most unexpected and decisive elements of the US electoral results is represented by the so-called Latino vote, from a varied and complex universe that often only has language and religion in common. It is superficial, if not entirely wrong, to consider it homogeneous, and even the Latin name generates discussions: many prefer the term Hispanic.
“I have never had any problem about it – says the naturalized Dominican American writer Junot Diaz, from Boston, where he teaches at MIT, but I prefer to respect those who think otherwise. “He agrees to comment on the note:” These days I am teaching a course entitled Apocalyptic narration, nothing more appropriate ”, he smiles.
Did you expect all these twists?
“No, like many, I was convinced of a blue wave, which has not arrived.”
In Florida, the Hispanic electorate has turned their back on Biden: what do you think is the reason?
“Triumph was able to dialogue with the most conservative part of the electorate of Cuban origin, which did not follow Biden. In the city of Miami Hillary clinton, which lost both the state and the elections, reached 64 percent, while Biden stopped at 53 percent. One of the elements of Trump’s success in Florida is his bet on anti-Castro supporters, suggesting that a vote in Biden would be a vote in the same world he came from. Castro: It gives the impression that such a discourse took root more than sixty years after the Cuban revolution. I want to add that one of the most disturbing elements is that Trump has managed to seduce even communities against which he has shown open hostility. It is not news that in this country there are those who vote against their interests, and the enormously popular rapper comes to mind Ice Cube, who openly sided with the president: one of the many victims of the so-called Trump Mystique. “
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Florida unknown, so the Hispanic vote can decide the race for the White House
How do you explain the decision to go against your own interests?
“This country is much more conservative than we imagine, and sometimes this ends up being imposed even on the cult of the individual and the small community.”
However, not long ago voters voted twice for Obama, and before Bush it was Clinton’s turn, also for two terms.
Since then the country has changed: today there is an unthinkable polarization at that time and above all there was the explosion of social networks, which ended up generating the opposite result to the democratization for which they seemed to have been born ”.
In Arizona, the Hispanic community guaranteed Biden’s victory.
“This is another element that shows how unequal the community is: in this case they are mainly Mexican. It is a state that has not voted democratically since the time of Clinton, and that thanks to John McCain It has been firmly in the hands of Republicans for decades – perhaps it is more than a coincidence that McCain showed his utter hostility to Trump before he died. I believe we must learn from both defeats and successes, and in this case I hope that Arizona will represent a laboratory for the future of the Democrats. “
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Are there any characteristics that culturally define the Hispanic community?
“In reality there is very little beyond common language and religion: let’s be clear, they are two fundamental elements, but we are talking about an absolutely varied world that comes from very different places such as Mexico, Puerto Rico, Honduras and Venezuela, and that shares the trauma of immigration and the poverty in which he lived in his country of origin ”.
In Michigan and Wisconsin Biden managed to regain the vote of the white workers who voted for Trump four years ago.
“In this case, the social element hits me before the racial element: Trump was able to talk to people who should have the left as a point of reference. If this is confirmed, I think this is Biden’s biggest success.”
The fact that there was no overwhelming blue wave suggests that Biden’s attempt to form a minority coalition did not work. Some argue that Hispanics did not like Biden’s proximity to the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I reject this narrative: it is a misleading way of pitting one minority against another and implicitly defining the Hispanic community as racist.”
What can the American left learn from these elections?
“I would like to substitute the verb: cannot”, but he “must” learn to be less elitist, less snobbish and be able to speak in a clear and smoky language. The narrative offered by, for example, white supremacists is abominable, but it is certainly clear. It would be nice if leftist leaders could communicate forcefully, giving sentiment even to the last of the voters who are speaking personally to him. incompetent”.
However, it turns out that Trump did better than expected: In your opinion, what is convincing in his proposal?
“A simple and brutal language, many promises and so many shortcuts. The skillful and unscrupulous use of fake news and the fact of detesting the system as an integral part of it. All within a terrain marked by frustration and revenge.”
Does this electoral step mark a moment of crisis or of rebirth with respect to the American promise?
“Let’s see how it turns out. At the moment I think these are depressing elections, although we seem to be heading towards Biden’s election: it is amazing that the voting is so close after four such disastrous years.” The results on television, I had the feeling that they were pouring cold water on my face. “
Is there a possible point of dialogue between these two Americas?
“The polarization of recent years has made everything worse, however, I sincerely want to believe it, because I am one of those who believe that in the vast world that Trump voted for there are many worthy people, far from being deplorable.”
