Hyphenated Americans

As the United States becomes increasingly Hispanic, Hispanics in the United States are becoming increasingly ambivalent about, well, being Hispanic.

The Census Bureau confirmed last week that the phenomenal growth of the Hispanic population — a 58 percent increase in the 1990s — continues to come mostly from Mexico. Americans of Mexican descent account for nearly 60 percent of the country’s 35.3 million Hispanics. That piece of the pie is shrinking as immigrants from all over Central and South America stream into U.S. cities. But even so, an increasing number of U.S. residents can claim Mexican ancestry.

The only question is, how much longer will they?

The census also notes that, for the first time, a large number of Hispanics — more than 6 million — declined to identify their country of origin or that of their ancestors. Some demographers have suggested that Hispanics are assimilating — or at least claiming to — and that they are becoming reluctant to define themselves as anything other than American.

That collective sigh you hear is coming from the descendants of previous waves of immigrants who, across America, have cowered at the thought that a new wave will change the flavor of their cities or towns — and not just by improving the food that is dished up in Mexican restaurants.

Now, if the demographers are right, those frightened Americans can come out of their bunkers. There may be more Hispanics in America, but more of them may actually consider themselves Americans.

But one can take assimilation too far. Put me in the camp of the 21 million Mexican-Americans and Mexican nationals in the United States who responded to the inquiries of nosy census-takers by declaring a Mexican ancestry.

Not long ago, Mexican-Americans were shunned by both Mexico and the United States. Now, they are being courted on both sides of the border.

Mexican President Vicente Fox sent the first bouquet. Last fall, in a dramatic pre-inaugural gesture that was intended to signal a warmer relationship between Mexico and Mexican-Americans, he declared himself to be the unofficial caretaker of the interests of 118 million Mexicans, only about 91 million of whom actually live in Mexico. By Fox’s estimate, the other 27 million — give or take a million — live in the United States.

Now, according to the census, only about three-fourths of them even see themselves as Mexican. The rest are busy learning the words to “Yankee Doodle Dandy.”

But even among those who do make a historical claim to Mexico, Fox’s proposal found few takers in a community that, while proud to be Mexican, is also equally proud to be American.

Many Americans may be surprised to hear that. All they know is that salsa has suddenly overrun the ketchup aisle at the grocery store, that President Bush recently celebrated Cinco de Mayo at the White House by delivering his weekly radio address in espanol and that President Fox has, since taking office, done more touring of U.S. cities than some rock bands.

It is no wonder that my mailbox is filled with correspondence from worried readers pleading with me to join the Yankee Doodle Dandies and declare myself — primarily, exclusively and loyally — an American. One letter-writer said that he had been “saddened” by a recent column in which I made some reference to my ethnicity. He implored me to be more patriotic in the future and think of myself — and other Hispanics — as coming in only three colors: red, white and blue.

Sold. I have never thought of myself as being anything but an American — albeit one of the hyphenated variety. If it would cheer up that reader and others, I could easily call myself “Mexican,” just as my friends in Boston casually refer to themselves as “Irish” without ever having their patriotism questioned.

America lets you have your culture and enjoy it too. The genius of this country is that it is confident enough in its majesty to not demand loyalty oaths or make its citizens choose between flags and bloodlines.

President Fox can keep his bouquet. Frightened Americans can keep their worries in check. And I’ll keep the hyphen.