"NON-WHITES"?
The following quote is from the the last issue. "Latinos have made tremendous economic gains in recent years, their economic status still leaves them well short of whites and far more vulnerable during downturns."
This is a racist remark. Latinos come in all colors and races. We are Caucasian, Central & South American Indian, Black, Asian, etc. How would the Argentineans feel about being classified as non-white or the blacks from Esmeraldas in Ecuador like being classified as Browns, for example? The term Latino refers to a widley diversified group with a common cultural heritage,languages and geographic background.We come in all colors and races and quite often, several mixtures thereof. We should never be classified by color or race. That is racist! Proud to be a Latina!(period)Ximena Espinoza
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This is certainly confusing, isn't it? :)
I speak Spanish as do many of us here.
Our divisions are not so stark my friends.
Who are the Spanish speaking people in the world?
More than 355,846,832 of us thus far.
Mexico has over 92 million Spanish speakers as opposed to Spain at under 40 million.
Who are the pure breeds among us?
There was never a first Spaniard or Spanish speaking Mexican, only famous figures in history.
No one Spanish speaker has to imagine divisiveness between themselves or anyone else. Leave Spain and come to West New York New Jersey and speak Spanish; feel as if you never left home.
Come to America and attend your child's first communion, in Spanish.
Have a Cuban Sandwich in Union City, NJ and bring up politics or economics regarding any Spanish country - you will find friends.
Or forget about religion, heritage and morality; sever all ties to all Spanish speakers altogether and remain a contented blank human being if you wish.
The freedom here and the point of this discussion is that SPANISH cannot be profiled or distinguished as one society or anthropological finding.
We are all the same in that we are different.
Draw a Venn diagram here and what is the commonality: LANGUAGE.
In that commonality there is a common culture whether you choose to believe it or not.
I've met Spanish speakers from every Spanish speaking country in the world and inevitably when the conversation turns to childhood, principle, morality, discipline and religion the commonalities begin to show.
NEVER FORGET THAT LANGUAGE IS A PROTOCOL, then forget whether you are or Indian descent or from Spain or some incredibly beautiful island like Puerto Rico. Language is a world heritage as is all of nature. Let's get over ourselves and really start communicating as equals.
I traveled to Montserrat in Catalonia and prayed on the white marble stones at the summit. I felt my prayers were heard as well as any native.
I agree with the first writer
what ever happened to "proud to be an American"?
White by convenience
It doesn't seem like you've had the mispleasure of ever being discriminated against based on your ethnicity.
Be careful you do not become white by convenience, or for lack of a better definition label yourself so. You are correct in that Latinos come from diverse origins; skin tones will vary as well as hair color and eyes. Yes, many of us can stand side by side with a classic blond haired and blue eyed, white Dutchman or Viking descendant and be indistinguishable from them. Correct, ingesting rice and beans, churrasco al parilla and coca tea will not change your genetics so as to change facial features to that of Hernando Cortez or some other Spanish stereo type. However, be careful you do not become white by convenience.
By this I mean, when you are polled as in a census or questioned about your heritage can you really declare yourself Caucasian? If you do, it's like a black reclassifying herself as brown - "No sir, I'm not black - I'm a brown American!" Convenience. When I travel to other countries and encounter anti-American sentiment, speaking Spanish helps me to obfuscate and say, "No I'm from Chile or Colombia or Cuba!" It has kept me safe on many an occasion. I admit some part of me idealizes the fight for Latino rights in this country - some part of me has thought that I should die a Christian death at knifepoint rather to declare I'm something I'm not. By convenience, I remain an American in America and other countries so long as I am not threatened with my life which is when race and nationality becomes and intangible.
However, in this country I am not white and can never be white by convenience. I've experimented with how people look at me when I say I'm from somewhere else and the freedom has its allure. However, let's adjust the contrast of the conversation. You are Caucasian but will never be white and this is not as convenient. When I was a child I asked a white American friend, “Where are you from?” He said, "I'm an American?" Then I asked him "Where do you think I'm from?" to which he replied, "Oh, your Spanish, right?" He was wrong as I am Puerto Rican; I am American.
Question: What is your perception of self? Being Caucasian has it's convenient advantages as does being tall or short in some circumstances. Please note that since I'm not Caucasian, I don't have the problem of needing to point out that Hispanics can also be white. I can refer to Whites as a group and not feel a twinge of bother thinking, "but I'm white too, what's the difference between me and them?" I just say WHITE. If I met you in this country my first thought of you would be that you were an American. As soon as you told me where you’re from I would think, "Oh, Hispanic-American." I would never think, "Oh she's a white American originated from that vast Latino melting pot of a culture...that's cool [no it's really not]."
Latinos - "Non-white"
Growing up in a Houston suburb, I was taught that I was a Mexican American. My grandfather's parents were from a small community outside Madrid, Spain, my grandmother, Mexican American.
Years ago, I was considred the "white race" now people are saying that we are the "Hispanic race." Since when did "Hispanics" become a race? We were taught that God, or whatever the higher entity you believe in, made three races, White, Black and Oriental and now Aborigineas. That covers every nation and every person in the world.
Hispanics and Latinos are a demographic origin of people, not a race. It's a heritage that we bring from our families, our ancestors. When the Spanish came to the "New World" they mixed with the Native Americans and "Hispanics" were created." The Spaniards were part of the "white race."
Doesn't anybody remember your world history from high school?
The question that people need to answer is why is the "white race" afraid to acknowledge that Hispanics are part of the white race? If your skin color is darker than the "average" white person, are you considered white or black? My husbands' skin color is darker than mine, but we consider ourselves in the white race. But our heritage is Mexican American, but both of our families originated from Spain less than three generations ago.
Another question is to ask yourself, "How does the white race know they are really white?" or "Are "Whites" really White?"
Again, look back in your history books, during the Civil War, many white owners mixed with their black slaves and with Native Americans. In Texas history books, we know that many white families came over and intermarried with Mexican families. Were the children considered White or Black? Depending on how wealthy the families were, no one asked.
Another question to think about - "When can we get past this racial issue and become one?" Until we can come together and be one unified people, this race issue will end. It has to start with what you teach your children, and how you represent yourself.
My children were taught from any early age that there is no color in people. We have close friends from all races, White, Black and Oriental. They know they are of Hispanic origin, and they are proud of their heritage.
We need to look at ourselves first and believe that we are of a particular heritage then you can decide if you are of a certain race, whether it be white, black or oriental. (Proud to be a Mexican American -- C. De Leon)
SPANIARDS ARE FOR THE MOST PART WHITE
I AM DESCENDANT OF SPANIARDS FROM THE PROVINCE OF ASTURIAS. MY PARENTS CAME FROM SPAIN TO CUBA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY.
DURING THEIR YOUTH MY PARENTS HAD NEVER SEEN A BLACK PERSON. NOR AN ARABIC PERSON. SPAIN WAS INVADED BY ISLAM FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS BUT MANY PROVINCES IN THE NORTH WERE NEVER OCCUPIED BY ISLAM.
IN THE 1400, ISABEL LA CATOLICA AND HER HUSBAND QUEEN AND KING OF CASTILLE THREW THE MUSULMANES OUT OF SPAIN AND LIBERATED THE SOUTHERN PROVINCES. THOUSANDS IF NOT MILLIONS OF ISLAMIC/MUSULMANES WERE DEPORTED UNDER THE THREAT OF DEATH. TO THIS DAY, THE ISLAMICS ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO GET BACK INTO SPAIN IN NUMBERS. PLEASE NOTICE THE VERY LARGE ISLAMIC COMMUNITIES IN THE US., FRANCE, ENGLAND. BUT NOT SPAIN.
MY FAMILY IN OVIEDO TELL ME IT IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE. THEY EVEN SEND BOATS FROM MOROCCO FULL OF CHILDREN TO SPAIN. WHICH IN TURN ARE RETURNED TO MOROCCO THROUGH CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS.
IN NORTHERN SPAIN THE POPULATION IS DEFINITELY LIGHTER IN COMPLEXION, HAIR AND EYES. SO TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT FEEL THREATEN FOR WHATEVER REASON BY THIS. TOO BAD. LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF AND FIND OUT WHY DO YOU WANT TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE WHO THEY ARE. I DON'T CARE NOR WILL I DARE TO TELL YOU WHAT IS YOUR RACE. I DON'T CARE. I AM HAPPY WITH WHO I AM.
AND BY THE WAY, IF RACE DOES NOT MATTER AND DOES NOT EXIST. WHY DO WE HAVE SO MANY SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS LIKE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION BASED ON THE COLOR OF THE SKIN.
Latinos - "Non-white"
why on gods green earth would you want to be considered white? no matter what you consider your race to be it is not going to make you look like that race when you stand next to a person of that race. so sorry if i'm breaking your bubble of you not being white, but it's the truth. and who cares what history books say, i have a history book copyrighted 1901 and it lables descendants of african americans as the most uncivilized people. therefore if you want to be labeled white and think your race is the most civilized of all races go ahead. but at least i can say i am a puerto rican italian american, not white but perto rican and italian and only american by birth!!!!
HISPANIC IS NOT A RACE
HISPANIC IS NOT A RACE, PUERTO RICAN IS NOT A RACE, CUBAN IS NOT A RACE. AMERICAN IS NOT A RACE, SPANIARDS IS NOT A RACE.
GOT THAT? DUGH!
HOW COME THAT ONLY THOSE LATINS THAT HAVE AFRICAN OR INDIAN ANCESTORS TAKE TIME TO MAKE WHITE LATIN PEOPLE SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT THEY REALLY ARE. ARE YOU SO UNHAPPY WITH YOURSELF. LEAVE OTHER PEOPLE ALONE AND TRY TO IMPROVE YOURSELF. LEARN TO SPEAK PROPERLY AND CONDUCT YOURSELF WITH DIGNITY AND LEAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE HAPPY WITH THEIR ANCESTRY ALONE.
whatever happened
to proud to be an American?
Non-whites
No matter where you are from whithin North or South America, your family came from somewhere else before getting there..unless you are a native american...So I don't see what the confusion is...If you are a hispanic whose ancestors came from Europe, then your race is white...If they came from Africa, then your black...If both, then you are multiracial...It is kinda easy when you think about it...and we all share a similar culture &/or language which is why we are all "hispanics".