By J. Noel Espinoza/RioGrandeInfo

COMMENTARY

Will this be the presidential election when Hispanics vote in larger numbers than other groups in the nation? It remains to be seen whether Latinos will show in force next week to cast their votes, especially after the Republican candidate Donald Trump has insulted and belittled Latinos more than any other candidate in recent memory.

Trump began his campaign by calling Mexicans “rapists,” and “drug smugglers. After an Indiana federal judge ruled against his Trump University scam, Trump again denigrated the judge’s impartiality due to his Mexican heritage. Trump also called a former Miss Universe of Venezuelan origin a “pig,” and shamed her over and over for gaining weight.

Brownsville Public Library is one of several early voting stations in Brownsville.

Let’s hope all these affronts will get Hispanics to vote and buried Trump in the annals of American history as just another populist demagogue who tried to force his way to the highest political office by demeaning minorities, women, Muslims, and the handicap among other groups.

Despite having an increase share of the voting population in the past four presidential elections, Hispanics voted at a lower percentage rate than their share of the eligible electorate will indicate, according to a study by the U.S. Census Bureau published in 2013.

The same study also shows in 2012 African-Americans voted at a higher rate (66.2 percent) than non-Hispanic Whites (64.1 percent) for the first time since the bureau started monitoring voting dynamics of the eligible citizenship population in 1996.

It’s obvious that African-Americans are voting in higher proportions despite their historical sufferings and current situation of mistrust with law enforcement agencies across the nation.

The system is imperfect but it still works. Let’s not forget that we can make a big difference in this election. By voting in greater numbers Nov. 8, we will contribute to the final defeat of Mr. Trump.