Why are there so many Hispanics?

Dear Gabacho,

Why are there so many Hispanics in the US? Also, is that cool to say? Hispanics?

White guy in Washington

Dear White Guy, there are 3 main reasons for the large and growing Hispanic population in the U.S. First, sharing a border with Mexico, a nation that pays 1/11 the U.S.' minimum wage ($5.85 / hr in the U.S. vs. $4.15 / day in Mexico) is significant incentive for many to travel to el Norte. That would be like you moving to Canada to make $60/hr as a minimum wage. Second, there have been Spanish speakers in the U.S. since the Spanish explorer Pedro Menendez de Aviles founded St. Augustine (the oldest continually populated city in the U.S.) in 1565. In fact, much of the U.S. has always been Spanish speaking. Present-day Arizona, California, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado, Nevada and Utah were Mexico before los gabachos claimed the land as spoils of the Mexican American war. On February 2, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, ceding 55% of Mexico in exchange for $15 million dollars. Third and finally, Latinos are reproducing at a rate of 3 births per latina, compared to 1.8 births per gabacha and 2.1 birth per african american.

Whether or not it is cool to say, "Hispanics" is a matter of perspective. I find myself saying "Spanish speaker" a lot, because often times that is really the qualification that is relevant, and there is no disputing "Spanish speaker".