Fox

Inflammatory Article Highlights Black, Hispanic Mistrust

CHARLOTTE — New census figures reveal Hispanics to be one of the fastest growing minority groups in the country, having reached parity with African-Americans as the largest minority groups and fueling speculation about what it might mean for race relations in the United States.

Artellia Burch, a reporter for The Charlotte Post, was assigned to get reactions from Charlotte's black community to the growing number of Hispanics in Charlotte.

"We are a black newspaper and our slogan is 'we are the voice of the black community,' Burch said. "We just wanted to know what [blacks] actually thought about the census information" showing rapid Latino growth in metropolitan Charlotte.

Burch's interviews with Charlotte residents resulted in an article called, "When Worlds Collide." Her story is filled with some extraordinary statements from some African-Americans about the influx of Hispanics.

— "I definitely think they are people to fear. They travel in packs. They like to play stupid acting as if they don't understand English when you know they do. A group of them will sit around and talk to each other in their language. They could be plotting to kill you and you would never know it."

— "We shouldn't fear them just because they outnumber us. Just because someone multiplies like a rabbit doesn't mean you should fear them. They need to fear us."

Some of the other quotes were even more inflammatory.

Fox News contacted the people quoted in Burch's story and, while they stand by what they said, they did not want to be quoted again. The Post, too, is standing by its portrayal of the growing friction between the black and Hispanic communities.

"I guess racism is systematic," said Post publisher Gerald Johnson. "And everybody is looking for someone to step on. And I guess black people are no different from anyone else from that perspective. The more we talk to people about this, the more we are finding out that it's a lot more rampant than we would have assumed."

The article has provoked howls of protest from some in the Latino community. Raul Yzaguirre of the national Hispanic organization Council of La Raza said, "I call on the African-American leadership to disavow it in the strongest possible terms."

But so far, the reaction has been muted.

Bob Lichter of the Center for Media and Public Affairs said, "In this instance, you had an African-American saying the kinds of bigoted things about Hispanic-Americans, that if a white had said something like this about black or Hispanics, they would have been run out of the country on a rail."

While the Post article focuses on the comments of a few people, black and Hispanic groups suggest the tension and misunderstanding between the two have been building for some time.

-- Anonymous, April 20, 2001

Answers

Charlotte Post

Blacks and Hispanics deal with fears and coexistence

Outreach on both sides is key By Artellia Burch
THE CHARLOTTE POST

Since The Post published "When Worlds Collide" in March, phone calls, e-mails and letters have poured in from all over the country.

Apparently the article struck a nerve.

Fox News sent a crew to Charlotte Tuesday to see if there is a rift between blacks and Hispanics. The article focused on African American reaction to Census information that revealed that Hispanics are on the threshold of becoming the biggest minority group in the U.S. Hispanics make up 12.5 percent of the population and African Americans make up 12.9.

Although comments by some African Americans were welcomed by Hispanics, others, which included slurs, were criticized. But in interviews this week with the aid of an interpreter, Hispanics have their reservations about African Americans, too.

Rudi Zetino, 24, says that when he moved to America he was warned about black people. "I was told that blacks will rob you," he said. "I was robbed by a black three weeks ago. They stole my cab, my papers and $400."

Cab driver Edgar Islus, 23, says he fears black people.

"I know that whites and Latinos are dangerous too but blacks are the most dangerous," he said. "When I see black people I don't want to pick them up."

Carlos Torres, a Charlotte construction worker, says that he hasn't had any bad experiences with blacks.

"I know there are good blacks and bad blacks," he said. "Just like there are good Mexicans and bad Mexicans. I haven't had any bad experiences with blacks but a black man robbed my cousin."

Lisa, a black 32-year-old dietician who didn't want her last name used, said Hispanics don't have anything to fear.

"We should fear them," she said. "When black guys hang out they hang with a crew of five or six people. Hispanics travel in armies. They travel 10, 12 or even 15."

Some blacks fear Hispanics are taking jobs that could go to them. Islus says that is absurd.

"A lot of our people are working on the streets," he said. "Blacks get good jobs. Most of us work with our hands to make money.

"I feel like a slave. We work very hard. And get paid less. If you hire a black brick mason, he may charge $300 for a job. We will only charge $250."

Lisa says she may have some strong opinions about Hispanics but she doesn't dislike them. "I just I just don't like how they like to play dumb," she said. "They are a lot smarter than they appear to be. Say something about money and I bet they know what you're talking about. Say something like "It's break time" and I bet they'll know what you're talking about."

Willie Ratchford, executive director of Charlotte Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee says just because some blacks and Hispanics have stereotypical views of each other doesn't mean there's a rift between the two communities.

"Usually people who make racial stereotypes are ignorant of the things that are going on in the community," he said. "You can't assume based on their perception the entire community feels that way."

Lisa says her beef with Hispanics is with the government.

"I just don't like the way the U.S. rolls out the red carpet for them," she said. "We've been over her our whole life. And when we need some assistance for social services they will dissect us like a frog. As soon as (Hispanics) step off the boat they call roll up to Social Services and get $200 in food stamps or a Section 8 apartment for $35 a month. But my mom and grandmother have problems getting Medicare and they're disabled and retired. Maybe they should just learn Spanish and lie about their nationality. Maybe then they could receive benefits we Americans have worked our whole lives for."

Madine Fails, president of the Urban League of Central Carolinas says that she doesn't see division between African Americans and Hispanics.

"I see a rift trying to be created by the media and some political bodies," she said. "I think as people of color blacks and Hispanics have more common issues than differences, such as disadvantages in education, low wages for employment and affordable housing. In fact there are groups around the city that are talking to each other about how they can address those issues collectively."

Ratchford says a number of positive things happening between African Americans and the Hispanic community in Charlotte. "For example go in the Grier Heights. They have a Grier Heights Latino initiative where the African American residents come together to welcome their new Hispanic and Latino neighbors to determine ways to work collaboratively for the betterment of the entire neighborhood.

"African Americans and Hispanics have a number of opportunities to work together and I hope they would take advantage of those opportunities."

-- Anonymous, April 20, 2001