Some blame Latinos for Hazleton’s COVID-19 outbreak, echoing divisions that once roiled city – By Charles Thompson (Pennlive) / April 20 2020
HAZLETON — This small city in northeastern Pennsylvania just may be seeing the highest per capita coronavirus infection rate in the state.
That presents a problem on two fronts in this old anthracite mining hub:
First, there’s the immediate concern that the city’s health care system — including its single hospital — could be unable to keep up with a surge of patients needing critical care.
Second, and perhaps even more critical to Hazleton’s long-term well-being, is whether two groups who are still learning to peacefully co-exist – the mostly white sons and daughters of Irish and Italian immigrants who came here a century ago, and the new guard of mostly Latino immigrants who are giving Hazleton a future – will be able to keep this strange little virus from ripping their community apart.
Janiliz Arcelay, left and other customers stand outside the Hazleton Food Super Market on Wyoming Street on April 15, 2020. Only five people are allowed in at a time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com
In interviews in the past week, Latinos living and working here expressed frustration and alarm at an undercurrent of statements — mostly captured on social media channels — that they say have unfairly blamed them for the city having one of the highest per capita COVID-19 infection rates in Pennsylvania.
It’s a distinct echo of the tensions felt here 15 years ago, when then-Mayor Lou Barletta was leading his nationally-noted crusade against illegal immigration.
But what’s different this time is the Latinos already know how the story ends.
Hispanics are now the majority of the population here, so the complaints about “them” no longer really seem to pack as much punch. And where the pushback against change was at the very core of a political movement 15 years ago, this time around the white elected officials and business leaders seem to be mostly pushing back against the divisive rhetoric.
Rosanna Gabriel, right, executive director Hazleton Integration Project, talks with residents after a food distribution session on April 15, 2020. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.com
Continue to article: https://www.pennlive.com/coronavirus/2020/04/hazletons-coronavirus-outbreak-spurs-anti-latino-rhetoric-echoing-past-divides-but-todays-leaders-are-pushing-back.html
