The election of Barack Obama to the US presidency meant that “change” was coming to America with respect to multicultural issues. However, the question remains: has positive change come to America? Many people would agree that there have been steps in the right direction; the United States’ image abroad has improved considerably, and we now have the first Hispanic Supreme Court judge with Sonia Sotomayor, but are these merely cosmetic changes with no deep fundamental value?
While the election of the first black US president has been seen as an overwhelmingly positive thing for America, there is still debate on whether minorities’ lives are really improving in today’s America. The most pervasive issue facing all Americans and especially minorities is the financial and economic crisis. While some people are protected from the economic downturn, it seems like a disproportionate amount of Hispanics and other minorities have been hit especially hard, and now in states such as California, poorer minority groups are getting a double-whammy of having to face a bad economy and the prospect of reduced state benefits and programs. While Wall Street gets bailed out time and again, minority groups are being left to fend for themselves. While there is some positive political commentary with respect to these and other multicultural issues, while some believe there seems to be little positive action being taken. Although the fact remains that these difficult circumstances were inherited rather than caused by the current administration, many Hispanics and other Americans are beginning to wonder when there will be a little more “change” rather than just “hope”.
