It does not matter that you are literate in Spanish. that you have been educated in civics and government in your school in Puerto Rico. It does not matter that you read a Spanishlanguage newspaper in New York which carries most of the major syndicated American political columnists. that you listen to Spanishlanguage programs of news and information on the radio and television. You cannot vote in our State unless you speak English. and we will not allow you to show your education as evidence of literacy even though we do allow your Englishspeaking brother to show his education in place of taking the literacy test." There are about 730.000 Puerto Ricans living in New York City. about 480.000 of whom are of voting age. Less than onethird of theseor approximately 150.000 are registered to vote. No doubt many of those who are registered have failed to participate out of apathyout of lack of inclination to participate which characterizes the disadvantaged generally. But the point is that there are thousands who do not participate because they cannot pass the Englishlanguage literacy test which New York demands. or what is worse. because they think they cannot pass the literacy test and are afraid to try. What a blow it would be to their efforts to assimilate if they were rejected in so blatant a way. So they do not try.
Identified stereotypes
Generalizing that Puerto Ricans cannot vote because they cannot pass the English-language literacy test.