Did the Latino vote matter in 2012?

Being a second-generation Latino, I heard Latino being defined by the Republican Party as illegal immigrant. Was there any senior Republican politician willing to make a correction with this definition?

Definition Latino: A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent.

For Latinos born in the United States we found this definition rather insulting. A majority of U.S.-born Latinos understand the struggles that the immigrants have endured while being in the United States.

The Republican Party didn’t define Latinos as a civil servant, policeman, fireman, senator, congressman or woman.

I have a father (first generation) who served in World War II and was awarded a Silver Star, a brother who served in Vietnam, another brother who played a major role in Desert Storm, and a nephew who served three tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. This story is told throughout the United States with many Latino families that have served our great country.

This definition deficiency that the Republican Party displayed during the election went to an extreme by trying to define our president. We did not see senior Republicans standing up and denouncing remarks of our president of being born outside of the United States, or remarks calling him a communist, and a Muslim. When will the adult come out of the Republican Party?

Benito Tapia

Marion