Tacos? Really?

The section 1 of the 14th Amendment to our Constitution, added in 1868, reads:

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

For almost 150 years, this law has stood.  You would think that by 2012, people would no longer violate this law.  Unfortunately, discrimination and bigotry still run rampant.  People's lives and liberties are being affected even today.

I recently read this article, telling of the racist remarks of Joseph Maturo, Jr., mayor of East Haven, Connecticut.  The mayor, when asked how he would respond to the discrimination against the Latino community in East Haven, said "I might have tacos when I go home, I'm not quite sure yet."  THIS MAN IS IN CHARGE OF AN ENTIRE CITY.  Will Latino people in East Haven receive "equal protection under the law" (14th Amendment) when a politician--who votes on law-- is so clearly insensitive?  I cannot imagine it possible.

The Huffigton Post says that Hispanic (I am not using the terms Hispanic and Latino interchangeably, but they relate) people, moreso than any other group, are discriminated against in America.  61% of people surveyed believed that Hispanic people faced "significant discrimination."  Racism is alive and growing, it seems.

I am saddened that racism still exists, and that people's liberties are being denied.  I do believe that racism restricts liberties, and that violates the Constitution.  With laws against it already in place, what more can our nation do to stop discrimination?