Survey: Latinos want to keep culture while integrating into U.S. life

Published: 2004-07-26

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Many Latinos believe that they can be a part of the U.S. mainstream and still retain a distinctive culture and language, according to a national survey. The poll of 2,288 Latino citizens and noncitizens showed that 83 percent view the United States as made up of many cultures. Only 10 percent agreed that "the United States has a single core Anglo-Protestant culture." Regarding assimilation, 38 percent said it is very important for "racial and ethnic groups to change so that they blend into the larger society, as in the idea of a melting pot of cultures" and 35 percent said that such blending is somewhat important. However, 66 percent said that it is very important for Latinos to maintain their distinct culture and 63 percent said that it is very important that future generations of U.S. Latinos speak Spanish. The national survey was conducted by the Pew Hispanic Center and the Kaiser Family Foundation to report on Latino political views. It was based on telephone interviews conducted April 21-June 9. The survey was released at a Washington news conference July 22 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2.83 percent.

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