I've never been to Cuba. I've been to Spain twice. In Madrid, 2004, we stayed at The Sheraton & The Plaza Hotel. I later returned to Ribeira, Spain for two festivals. Fiesta de Ribeira & Fiesta de Vino. The Kingdom of Spain honors a Spanish passport, and by all definitions am Spanish. Apparently on the box, I am not Spanish, I am Hispanic.

Cuban history and the regime today makes me hesitate even identifying as Cuban. I like to say, heil to Spain. The Spanish Kingdom. I am Spanish. In fact, I was raised to not go to Cuba or support the Cuban regime. My family was once Cuban, I have never been. I root to the same Spanish that embarked on naval, or pirate, ships to the New World.

My mother rode horseback through our family's rural stomping grounds. My grandfather was raised wealthy. His Cuba was synonymous of that which Hemingway and others enjoyed. It wasn't until Fidel Castro that he would lose his wealth. He would be tortured. He would fight for his right to come to America. His wealth seized, redistributed among the poor.

I do not like the word Hispanic. There are a few reasons why. I grew up in the very wealthy New York City suburb of Warren, New Jersey. I have been called "spic" since middle school. The other kids learned this word, likely from their parents. This is a subconscious reason as to why I cringe at the word "Hispanic" today. I wonder if not for "spic", I'd care.

I was one of a handful of Spanish children in the very wealthy district. I would be asked, "is your father a landscaper" or be called "Mexican". They never heard of 20+ nations. Little did they know my father was in international finance. He would tell me growing up, that a) "we were white" and b) "there used to never be a term Hispanic, it was Spanish or Latino". 

If not for the subconscious pain of hearing "spic" when I read Hispanic, I probably wouldn't think anything of it. In reality, the term "Spanish" clearly wasn't enough for the US Census. If Latino worked, it became insufficient. I really believe there is a subconscious ploy in how the US Census deployed the word. "His-Panic" or "His-Pan&Pick". Defame Spanish.

There is an entire Spanish speaking continent that rallies behind Cuba. Cuba fell as a country following US intervention, or lack thereof. There, the Spanish are simply the people. The majority. I may say the people who claim a hispanic is not white is simply unintelligible. It may be rooted in the Spanish-American War. Look at white Argentinians or Spaniards.

Striking to me in my personal identity is the American concept. Born here, raised here, and I speak English. I think in English. I respect my parents lineage, of which includes being sponsored to come to America by relatives in America. I am American. A Spanish American. By definition, a Hispanic American. The latter term is difficult for the reasons above.

I introduced legislation to amend the census. In every job application, there is "are you Hispanic or Latino"? The Spanish check no. With a Spanish passport it is officially NO. I flip flop. Some questionnaires are so distinct, if you select "Yes" you omit the option of "white". Choosing between the two for college, I chose "white". What of "brown"? The brown spics!

Selecting "Hispanic" on certain applications indicate you be entitled to greater welfare benefits or that you don't speak english. I find this offensive and as reason to reject the term. Yes, I have a natural tendency to think in two languages. No, I do not think my racial demographic calls for a greater need for social welfare. Will I earn less, too? Do I need more?

I select white. I am raised an English speaking male, literally a pale white winter face, with a Spanish last name. I did not just immigrate here, my family has been in America nearly 100 years. Some hardcore fuckers will tell me I'm not. I can understand the distinction, and will ask the Italian, or the French, how the Spanish European is different? "The war".

The idea is to assimilate. The Hispanic Exit. Regardless of jargon, Hispanic peoples flee Latin American and South American countries in droves to come to America. Often for a better life. A more advanced country. A safer, stronger country. A healthier country. Governed by better laws. I recall teenagers, legally, drinking in the streets of Spain. Vino.

Hispanic as a term does encompass all South & Latin Americans [quien ven aqui]. The Spanish of Spain reject this term. They will actually prefer to distinguish themselves from their once colonized states. It is critical to remember the blessing it is to be Spanish, Hispanic in America. We did survive war, exile, & migrate. In volume, the US Census prioritizes us.

The history of English-Spanish conquest in the new world exists today. History was made upon defeat of the Spanish in The Great War. The two countries would charter America as a trading colony on behalf of the great European kingdoms. The Spanish won the South and the English the North, making up the Americas today. This war still exists. In jargon.

I believe in higher education. The practice of attaining a well rounded education regardless of profession or intent is a lifestyle which inhibits failure and exhibits success. In higher education, alotted periods of time (4-6 years) enable people to develop skills, build personalities, and elevate their pursuits. In example, I find immense value in the laboratories afforded to students at Montclair State University. In return for the tuition I pay towards my degree, I have access to Montclair facilities. This is the hard value of a university many people tend to dismiss. 

I did not have $250,000 for my education at age 18. Like other Americans, I paid in a fee structure subsidized in part with student loans. I do not feel uncomfortable sharing this information. I DO feel uncomfortable expressing the pressure I felt to attend a $50,000+ per year university whilst I did not have $50,000 in my pocket. I have since evolved as a human, and here I say, GOD BLESS AMERICA & god bless state tuition. $50,000 per year became $50,000 total tuition. I highly recommend Montclair State for their selective sciences. Oddly enough, a $250,000 student loan for an intangible product requires no money down at 18 while a $250,000 mortgage requires money down at any age. The system is backwards.

Across the pond, Australia affords their citizens subsidized tuitions and income payment agreements. America's newest financing project is parallel to this stucture with consideration towards the 5% income payment cap. We are not Australia. We are speculatively 10X as dense in America when considering population. Perhaps they can afford it. Their practice may maintain culture and technological competitiveness with other countries and amongst themselves. Thanks for the student loan bite. I can appreciate the [Australianesque] income cap on payments. Proud to be an [socialist] American. 

In understanding FAFSA, it is by no means a handout but a loan cosigned by Uncle Sam. In America, everybody has Uncle Sam. As a young person independent from family, it is nice to have Uncle Sam. Although he can be strict and take money from me in the form of taxes, I have some assurance I am investing in America when he does and America will invest in me. Here's the kicker, I do not believe President Biden is investing in the American people as much as he is investing in, or bailing out, American academic institutions. In fact, this $400,000,000,000+ is not too far off from the bailout allocated to resolve sub-prime mortgage defaults over one decade ago. At $10,000 forgiven per borrower, it's not the whole pie but it is quite the slice. 

Unlike bankers jumping to their deaths in 2008, students may carry on. The classic case of little Susie went to Harvard or Cornell, failed, and took her life is too common. Beyond failing, these cases arise after the fact they have been unable to pay their $250,000 student loan balance (underwater basket weaving just doesnt pay these days). This is just a human-social consideration of collegiate pressures. There has become a belief among students that their higher education is the greatest component of value within themselves. These collegiate pressures are as social as they are economic. This is a fallacy. 

The truth of this dilemma is economic, as academic institutions can not afford a massive default. While students cannot technically default, payments can lapse and become unpaid debt carried by the lenders. Many unendowed may operate semester to semester on tuition payments. Sallie Mae wants her money or she'll quit [paying]! Imagine academics couldn't maintain their bills, campuses all across the country shut down, and millions of degrees were deemed worthless? This $10,000 forgiveness is marginal to the real deficit, in cases of $100,000s unpaid by borrowers. President Biden bailed out the Academic sector of the US in order to prevent a massive default on student loan payments. & it wasn't Biden, it was the taxpayer. [Sub] Prime example: My alma, Montclair, just financed Bloomfield College here in New Jersey through the remainder of 2022-2023! https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/good-news/small-nj-college-gets-saved-from-closing-thanks-to-unusual-partnership/3623834/

Given the post COVID-19 sentiment towards incomes and debt repayment, perhaps an academic student loan basket of default loans will be avoided. Let's thank the American taxpayer for saving American academia, and little Susie too. For what it's worth, colleges campuses could be coined college castles. Little Susie is but a Rapunzel. American education costs in volume are counted by the trillion. On the social extreme, if little Susie took her life, as is a common thing to see on college campuses, who will pay her student debt? Well maybe now Susie will be relieved be her $10,000 forgiveness, not take her life, and pay the remainder. The American taxpayer has provided little Susie with some breathing room, although maybe she should not have gone to college at all.

Enjoy this neutral analysis. Opinion: The money needed to be spent to keep the system moving. Now instead of post high school predatory student loans, there should be an equivalent class of post high school predatory business loans for tradesmen, entrepreneurs, & independent thinkers.

[Know your worth, add tax] Presented by Hult Prize on campus at Montclair State University.