Across America, Latino Community Sighs With Relief

[Big Don]

Across America, Latino Community Sighs With Relief

by Daisy Hernandez NPR EXCERPT:
January 12, 2011

I wasn't the only person on Saturday who rushed to her Android when news came of the Tucson shooting. I wasn't looking however to read about what had happened. My auntie had already filled me in — "Someone tried to murder una representante. People have been killed," she'd reported. What I wanted to know was the killer's surname.

My eyes scanned the mobile papers. I held my breath. Finally, I saw it: Jared Loughner. Not a Ramirez, Gonzalez or Garcia.
It's safe to say there was a collective sigh of brown relief when the Tucson killer turned out to be a gringo. Had the shooter been Latino, media pundits wouldn't be discussing the impact of nasty politics on a young man this week — they'd be demanding an even more stringent anti-immigrant policy. The new members of the House would be stepping over each other to propose new legislation for more guns on the border, more mothers to be deported, and more employers to be penalized for hiring brown people. Obama would be attending funerals and telling the nation tonight that he was going to increase security just about everywhere.
<<<SNIP>>>
As Sheriff Clarence Dupnik of Pima County, Ariz., told reporters: "The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous, and unfortunately Arizona has become sort of the capital." I admit sadly that it was only after I saw the shooter's gringo surname that I was able to go on and read the rest of the news
END EXCERPT

The anger, the hatred, the bigotry

It's safe to say there was a collective sigh of brown relief when the Tucson killer turned out to be a gringo.

Yep, it is a good thing there was no bigotry...

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

I want to actually play into this a little bit, as I think it is telling, at least about this person's belief.

Gringo, as defined by Dictionary.com is "a foreigner, esp. one of U.S. or British descent."

Now why would an U.S. citizen, living in the United States, call another citizen and resident of the same country, but different ethnic background, a foreigner? is it possibly because she doesn't think that he "belongs" here?

What's funny is that she is allowed to use what is an obstensibly pejorative while writing and working for NPR, while Juan Williams, who expressed a personal belief about Muslims which he stated was emotional, not necessarily rational, gets fired.

 

[Big Don]

I want to actually play into this a little bit, as I think it is telling, at least about this person's belief.

Gringo, as defined by Dictionary.com is "a foreigner, esp. one of U.S. or British descent."

Now why would an U.S. citizen, living in the United States, call another citizen and resident of the same country, but different ethnic background, a foreigner? is it possibly because she doesn't think that he "belongs" here?

What's funny is that she is allowed to use what is an obstensibly pejorative while writing and working for NPR, while Juan Williams, who expressed a personal belief about Muslims which he stated was emotional, not necessarily rational.

$20 says she doesn't get fired for this.

 

[granfire]

erm, isn't Arizona where the folks with roots south of the border are enemy number 1 at the moment, with all the new laws and stuff?

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

erm, isn't Arizona where the folks with roots south of the border are enemy number 1 at the moment, with all the new laws and stuff?

No, not at all. What makes you say that?

Or is it just because they want the Federal government to enforce the immigration laws to keep out illegal aliens that they are supposedly classifying "folks with roots south of the border enemy number 1".

 

[Carol]

I want to actually play into this a little bit, as I think it is telling, at least about this person's belief.

Gringo, as defined by Dictionary.com is "a foreigner, esp. one of U.S. or British descent."

Now why would an U.S. citizen, living in the United States, call another citizen and resident of the same country, but different ethnic background, a foreigner? is it possibly because she doesn't think that he "belongs" here?

What's funny is that she is allowed to use what is an obstensibly pejorative while writing and working for NPR, while Juan Williams, who expressed a personal belief about Muslims which he stated was emotional, not necessarily rational, gets fired.

Is calling Latinos "brown" a racist statement? People of Hispanic or Latino origin can be blond haird blue eyed (such as actor Emilio Esteves) or black (such as Olympian Marion Jones) or a mix of colors in the middle.

 

[Big Don]

Is calling Latinos "brown" a racist statement? People of Hispanic or Latino origin can be blond haird blue eyed (such as actor Emilio Esteves) or black (such as Olympian Marion Jones) or a mix of colors in the middle.

Just like all African Americans are not black, meet Trevor

. Meet Paulo. Rejoice in the tolerance they experienced.

 

[Carol]

Just like all African Americans are not black, meet Trevor. Meet Paulo. Rejoice in the tolerance they experienced.

I'll see your two and raise you two.

Need a highbeam subscription to read the entire article, but I think you can get the thrust of the article from the free previews they provide. This went down when I was in college.

State Sen. Bill Owens and several black community health leaders yesterday called for the removal of the new medical director of Boston City Hospital, saying that despite Dr. Michael Eliastam's longtime activism on behalf of black and poor people, his being white and South African-born makes him unfit for the job.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7644666.html
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7643756.html

Boston City Hospital (BCH), is located in a historically black neighborhood. It can be compared to Charity Hospital in New Orleans -- the hospital who will treat everyone regardless of their insurance or ability to pay.

The controversy ended with Dr. Eliastam stepping down from the post.

Boston City Hospital as a charity hospital closed in 1996, merging with Boston University to create a teaching hospital. Dr. Eliastam practiced in Boston for a good 12 years longer, then returned to South Africa to chief a hospital in Johannesberg.

http://www.southafrica.info/ess_info/sa_glance/health/update/donaldgordon.htm

 

[5-0 Kenpo]

Is calling Latinos "brown" a racist statement? People of Hispanic or Latino origin can be blond haird blue eyed (such as actor Emilio Esteves) or black (such as Olympian Marion Jones) or a mix of colors in the middle.

Depends on who's being asked the question, I guess.

I'll actually do you one better. Classify to me who is actually a "Latino". Are Latinos those that speak a Latin based language? If so, that would include the Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italians, Romanians, etc. Ethnically speaking, I don't thing Mexicans have anything to do with these people.

Or should we term Mexican's as Hispanic, though they have no geographic ties to Hispania, which include Spain, or more completely, the Iberian Peninsula.

To some extent, "brown" would be a more accurate characteristic as a group then either of the above examples.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Just like all African Americans are not black, meet Trevor

. Meet Paulo. Rejoice in the tolerance they experienced.

Wouldn't that be a South African American?
Sean

 

[Big Don]

Wouldn't that be a South African American?
Sean

Do we specify which state of Mexico Mexican Americans come from? No.

 

[Empty Hands]

"Thank God this lunatic wasn't one of us, we might all be collectively blamed."

"BIGOTRY!"

WTF? The actions of people posting in this very thread holding all Muslims responsible for the actions of some of them during the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy demonstrates that this woman was absolutely justified in her worry. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Do I really need to start digging up posts and shoving your hypocrisy in your faces?

 

[granfire]

Do we specify which state of Mexico Mexican Americans come from? No.

Like Guatemala?

 

[Big Don]

Like Guatemala?

No, Guatemala is a country, I said states, like Oaxaca, Sonora, Durango, etc.
Note that African American refers to a CONTINENT, while Mexican American refers to a nationality, there is a difference, the only nation that IS a continent, or continent that is a nation, is Australia...

 

[Big Don]

"Thank God this lunatic wasn't one of us, we might all be collectively blamed."

"BIGOTRY!"

WTF? The actions of people posting in this very thread holding all Muslims responsible for the actions of some of them during the "Ground Zero Mosque" controversy demonstrates that this woman was absolutely justified in her worry. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves. Do I really need to start digging up posts and shoving your hypocrisy in your faces?

Did you miss the part of the article where the author uses a racial slur? Or are racial slurs OK for some people to use?

 

[granfire]

No, Guatemala is a country, I said states, like Oaxaca, Sonora, Durango, etc.
Note that African American refers to a CONTINENT, while Mexican American refers to a nationality, there is a difference, the only nation that IS a continent, or continent that is a nation, is Australia...

^_^ yes, I was being a smart alec.

because oh so many 'Mexicans' come from far further down the road. But hey, they are short, dark skinned and speak Spanish, it's all good, right! <heavy sarcasm>

But seriously, didn't the past year bring a lot of polarization in regard of that segment of the population? (and yes, worded with care)

 

[Empty Hands]

Did you miss the part of the article where the author uses a racial slur? Or are racial slurs OK for some people to use?

Gringo is not a racial slur, since it does not refer to a race. It is more similar to "goy", "gaijin", or "gwailo" and essentially means "outsider". Whether or not it is used as a slur is going to depend a lot on context and intent. I could make "Californian" into a slur if I wanted to. It has no similarity to words like "******" or "kike" since those words through long consistent usage are only thought of as slurs.

 

[billc]

Generally speaking there is not "anti-immigration" policy here in the states. There is an anit-"illegal"-immigration policy here in the states, which is of course ignored by the pro-"illegal" vs. pro-"legal" immigration crowd.

I have to say that discrimination against muslims in this country is by far non-existent. The ground zero mosque was no different than when catholic nuns tried to built a convent near a nazi death camp in part to pray for the victims lost at the camp. There was anger about this and the pope told the nuns they needed to move their site. The attempt to build the mosque by a man with a shady background, shady funding and with their being a history of mosque building at the sight of "muslim victories" was causing concern, especially among the victims of muslim terrorists. As much as you want to deny the muslim part, they were muslims, not eco-terrorists, or swedish terrorists. At the same time, there have been no violent protests about the mosque, just discussion. There have been no attacks on muslims because of the mosque, just debate. If you look at the reaction of muslims around the world at percieved slights to their religion versus an actual attack by muslim terrorists that killed 3000 American and foriegn visitors to this country, there is no basis for claims of discrimination or bias against muslims. Let's be fair and think about the reality of the situation.

 

[elder999]

I have to say that discrimination against muslims in this country is by far non-existent.

Ri-ght

And you do remember this guy, dontcha?


By 09/25/01 three weeks after the attack, there were many assaults on Muslims in the U.S. In addition, Sikhs were targeted because some were mistaken for Muslims. Hispanic-Americans were harassed, presumably because of their skin color. One Egyptian Copt was murdered. Even members of the Baha'i Faith were harassed. It is ironic that Baha'is are themselves viciously persecuted in Iran, and Copts-Christians-are oppressed in Egypt.


And this guy wasn't even Muslim-they just thought he was:

[yt]EwaNRWMN-F4p[/yt]

 

[Steve]

Depends on who's being asked the question, I guess.

I'll actually do you one better. Classify to me who is actually a "Latino".

I don't have much of an opinion on this thread one way or the other. I think it's making a mountain out of a molehill.

But if this is a serious question, I have a couple of employees who are Puerto Rican and this topic actually came up. According to them, there is a strict definition of Latino/Latina and then a common use definition. Strictly speaking, latino refers to someone from a Latin American country. Technically, then everyone from South America, the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico would be latino. Spaniards, Italians, etc are not.

Commonly, though, according to these guys, in a broader sense, it's typically limited to spanish speaking people from latin america, which would exclude Brazilians and most of the Caribbean.