Ahh...the Hispanic vote

I know that they "can't tell us apart either", but even our votes have been given a singular term as if all hispanics, legal or illegal, mexican or puerto rican, rich or poor, Central American or South American, (OK you get the point) meet up, select a candidate and set a time when they all walk to the polls in unison to "tip the balance" of the votes.

Obviously, it's not just hispanics that get categorized; almost every ethnicity gets the same treatment from the press. I never had a problem with it until Professor Reisner brought it up in our class discussion, then I read an article from the ABC News site - Could Hispanics Tip the Balance in Key Races?

The article analyzes every important election going on all over the country by demonstrating poll results and comparing them to hispanic vote history. Needless to say, it makes reference to "THE HISPANIC VOTE" or "THE LATINO VOTE" several times. It also examines key issues that can influence THE HISPANIC VOTE such as immigration. Here is a good one:

 

The article mentions this ad in its analysis because evidently we are all creeping behind fences with our flashlights trying to get across to the US and take jobs away from people. Many hispanics, even the illegal ones, didn't get here through a fence. 

Although I have to admit, seeing that ad does sting a little bit. However it's not because I'm hispanic, but because I can't imagine how hurtful it must be to be for illegal aliens to be portrayed as a pest to society.

So back to the original subject, THE HISPANIC VOTE. Does the term really bother me? Not really, and I don't know why. Something about it sounds off, but I think there are instances in which it is appropriate and others when its not. 

I don't think the article is deliberately trying to be offensive and for the most part it's not. But maybe it's because I am different than all those other hispanics, and I have different interests and issues that I care about. Maybe someone else might feel a bit offended by the statistics and conclusions that this article draws. 

I guess it's every hispanic for himself.