What’s the deal with this Hispanic Heritage Month? What we need is a White History Month, and our own soft drink!
PREVIOUSLY ON RACISM TECH:
hispanic
Who are these so-called U.S. ‘Hispanics’? They’re Mex to the max
Mexican-Americans — all 34 million — make up over two-thirds of the U.S. Latino population according to the Pew Research Organization:
Mas…Who are these so-called U.S. ‘Hispanics’? They’re Mex to the max
What’s in a trend? Google tracks ‘Latino’ and ‘Hispanic’ over time
Hispanic or Latino? This question comes up all the time, and not just during Hispanic Heritage Month, which we insist on calling Latino Heritage Month.
Is there a trend? We asked the Google NGram Viewer to search their big index of published books to see how many times the word “Latino” and the word “Hispanic” were used over time.
Mas…What’s in a trend? Google tracks ‘Latino’ and ‘Hispanic’ over time
Official spokesman for U.S. Hispanics quits: ‘It’s a bullshit job!’
(PNS reporting from MIAMI) Gerardo Lamas, the official spokesman for all Hispanics in the United States, resigned Wednesday night.
“This is a bullshit job and I’ll never be able to please anybody,” he told PNS in a late-night phone call. “I mean, I’ve been at this for a while, and let me tell you, it hasn’t gotten any easier. Que effin’ lastima, right? I’m throwing up my hands!”
“The truth is it’s ridiculous to expect one person to be able to speak for millions from diverse backgrounds, geopolitical situations, economic castes and region-specific cultures,” he said. “Rachel Maddow calls, Fox News calls, Esteban Colberto calls, and even your guy Al Madrigal from The Daily Show calls. Thank God for Caller ID!”
Mas…Official spokesman for U.S. Hispanics quits: ‘It’s a bullshit job!’
Anjelah Johnson: No, sorry, I don’t speak Puerto Rican (4 videos)
Pocha Anjelah Johnson from San Jose (408 shout-out!) may not speak Spanish, but she doesn’t speak Puerto Rican either. [This video was one of our most popular and then got yanked from YouTube. We just found this alternate version online, apparently video’d right off someone’s TV.]
Over at LatinoRebels.com, Bella Vida Letty says Anjelah’s new video has her performing in “brown face.”
Here’s the video she objects to. What do you think?
Mas…Anjelah Johnson: No, sorry, I don’t speak Puerto Rican (4 videos)
Local Chicano decides to start calling himself ‘Hispanic’
(PNS reporting from IRVINE, CA) Roland Vega, 33, formerly known as “Rolando,” has come to an important moment in his life: He’s transitioned from a “Chicano” to a “Hispanic.”
The decision to change the way he self-identifies came as somewhat of a shock to his family and his homeboys, but not necessarily to Vega’s former Hispanic fraternity brothers.
He made the announcement on Facebook Sunday night.
“You know, Roli — er, I mean, Roland — was always the most radical Chicano in the fraternity, but c’mon man, he was studying accounting. I kinda always knew he was going to end up a Hispanic,” said Ed Taboada, Vega’s college roommate.
Mas…Local Chicano decides to start calling himself ‘Hispanic’
NPR: Who are the refugee kids at the border? (audio, video)
Researcher Elizabeth Kennedy interviewed a 12-year-old boy who returned to El Salvador barefoot; he had been robbed of everything he owned.
"I asked him if he was going to try again," says Kennedy, "and he just burst into tears and said, 'What would you do if you were me? I haven't seen my mom or my dad in 10 years ... and no one here loves me.'"
Since October, a staggering 57,000 unaccompanied migrant children have been apprehended at the southwestern U.S. border. Sometimes, they’ve been welcomed into the country by activists; other times they’ve been turned away by protesters.
Mas…NPR: Who are the refugee kids at the border? (audio, video)
As the Illegal Mexicans and Muslims Invade (a poem)
AN ILLEGAL POEM
By Illegal Immigrants
I cross river,
Poor and broke,
Take bus,
See employment folk.
Nice man
Treat me good in there,
Say I need
Go see Welfare.
Stop the gay Muslim Chinese terrorist illegal aliens! (video)
Conservatives explain how gays, Muslims, Mexicans and President Obama are all working together to destroy the moral fabric of America. Video’d at an anti-immigration protest in Houston, pro-immigration supporters also chime in while dancing.
Watch: A song – ‘Besame Mucho’ – grows in Bushwick, Brooklyn
Peep this sweet, short video: Singer Juan Bautista sings Besame Mucho while waiting for the G train and director Randy Gordon-Gatica adds footage of openly-Latino Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York.
Americans demand answers: Is my new neighbor Latino? (video)
What do they look like? How can we tell? Is my new neighbor a Latino? Please tell me #whatlatinoslooklike.
PREVIOUSLY ON WHAT ARE YOU…
Mas…Americans demand answers: Is my new neighbor Latino? (video)
Census Bureau considering new race/ethnicity questions
The tricky choose-your-own race/ethnic questions in the 2010 United States Census didn’t work out as planned.
“As many as 6.2% of census respondents selected only “some other race” in the 2010 census (photo, top), the vast majority of whom were Hispanic,” the Pew Research Center reports.
The 2010 Census form asked two questions about race and ethnicity. First, people were asked whether they are of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin.
Then they were asked to choose one or more of 15 options that make up five race categories — white, black, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander.
A separate question about Hispanic origin has been asked of all households since 1980, and the census form specifically instructs respondents that Hispanic origins are not races.
To address concerns about a rising share of “some other race” selections, a combined race and ethnicity question is under consideration for 2020 (photo, bottom), in which people would be offered all the race and Hispanic options in one place.
They could check a box to identify as white, black, Hispanic/Latino/Spanish origin, American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander or some other race or origin.
Don’t call me a ‘Mexican,’ America! Also, I’m not a ‘Latino’
It’s a phenomenon older than the United Estates of America. We’ve named it Looking Down On More Recent Immigrants Syndrome:
- In 1751, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, a North American colonial with British roots, disparaged “stupid” and “swarthy” recently-arrvied German immigrants, who, he wrote, were too dumb to learn English, and did we mention they were “swarthy”?
- Discrimination against Irish Catholic immigrants by their English Protestant predecessors was one of the reasons 200 fresh-off-the-boat Irish United States Army draftees switched sides and fought for Mexico in the Mexican-American War of the 1840s. These deserters/heroes formed the famed Saint Patrick’s Battalion (Los San Patricios.)
- Hoity-toity German and Sephardic Jews who immigrated to the U.S.A. in the 18th and 19th Centuries were ashamed of the Hebrew homies who arrived later from Eastern Europe; the assimilated Jews banded together to “Americanize” the Russian and Polish immigrants in the 1880s.
Last week three latter-day Looking Down Syndrome sightings lit up our screen, INSISTENT MESSAGES from people who want you to know THEY ARE DEFINITELY NOT THOSE OTHER PEOPLE OVER THERE — those Mexicans and/or Latinos.
Mas…Don’t call me a ‘Mexican,’ America! Also, I’m not a ‘Latino’
Lowe’s Home Improvement, Latino style (Vine video)
It’s Rudy Mancuso, for Lowe’s. [Hover and click on the top left corner of the image to hear the audio.]
PREVIOUSLY ON RUDY MANCUSO:
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Hispanic Superman! (Vine video)
Cold outside? Snow on the ground? Tied to the train tracks as a locomotive approaches? No worries? No makes! Hispanic Superman Rudy Mancuso is on the job! [Remember: The Vine videos need you to click on the top left of the image to hear the sound.]
PREVIOUSLY ON CRAZY COLD AND SNOW:
Mas…It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Hispanic Superman! (Vine video)
Um, excuse me…we prefer to be called ‘white folk’ (photo)
We can’t track the original of this photo to give its creator props, so we’ll just heartily thank all Internet-enabled photographers, wherever they are. And whatever they want to be called, tambien. After all, what’s in a name?
PREVIOUSLY ON WHITE PEOPLE:
My friend’s stupid Chevy Nova has Hispanic GPS (Vine video)
Rudy Mancuso’s Hispanic-voiced GPS navigation amigo knows where Rudy needs to go, even if Rudy acts stupid. [With these Vine videos, there’s an audio/speaker/volume icon that pops up when you hover over the top-left corner on the video.]
Fashion Forward Victims: Miss Universe ‘National Costumes’ (photos)
The Miss Universe 2013 competition begins this weekend in Moscow and the pre-show festivities Monday included a photo session to show off the “national costumes” for each country’s entrant. Above is Miss Mexico, Cynthia Duque, (left) and Miss Ecuador, Constanza Báez.
Meet Miss Brazil, Jakelyne Oliveira:
Mas…Fashion Forward Victims: Miss Universe ‘National Costumes’ (photos)
La Cucaracha: Their month over, Hispanics get the sad (toon)
SPAIN AND ‘LATIN AMERICA’? IT’S COMPLICATED:
Mas…La Cucaracha: Their month over, Hispanics get the sad (toon)
Hispanic Heritage Month ends, many Hispanics unsure how to go on
(PNS reporting from BROOKLYN) Hispanic Heritage Month is over and without the corporate-approved celebration as a focus, members of the local Hispanic/Latino community aren’t really sure how they can go on being members of the local Hispanic/Latino community.
“Where do I go from here?” lamented Brooklyn native and prolific bloguera Marielena Gutierrez (photo, right.)
“Should I tell people to call me Mary Ellen for the remaining 11 months of the year? It’s not like they ever pronounce it right anyway,” she wrote on her PobrePickle blog.
Mas…Hispanic Heritage Month ends, many Hispanics unsure how to go on
Government shutdown halts Hispanic Heritage Month in mid-month
(PNS reporting from WASHINGTON, DC) Effective immediately, all Hispanic Heritage Month observations have been halted due to the current Federal Government shutdown.
HHM activities have been classified as “non-essential” and Washington has issued guidelines on toning down loud festivities and colorful displays as the U.S. Treasury runs out of funding.
As of midnight, October 15, all functions relating to Hispanic Heritage Month ceased, according to Felix Zaragosa of the General Services Administration.
“More than 2,900 Federal Mariachi Administration inspectors were initially furloughed, putting an end to inspections of mariachi uniforms and instruments. The FMA asked 800 employees to return to work last week,” he said.
Mas…Government shutdown halts Hispanic Heritage Month in mid-month
Unsung Heroes of Hispanic Heritage Month: President Jed Bartlet
They were ordinary people living ordinary lives, until one singular sensation of circumstance conspired with fate to make them UNSUNG HEROES OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH.
When a liberal Supreme Court justice retired in 1998, Pres. Jed H. W. Bartlet and his staff thought this was the perfect opportunity to increase approval ratings with a politically “safe” nominee, Judge Peyton Harrison.
The retiring justice was not impressed by Bartlet’s choice and urged him to consider another candidate. Bartlet asked his aide Toby Ziegler to review their decision. Ziegler, after walking and talking with other habitues of the West Wing, was uncomfortable with the prospect of losing the easy confirmation, but complied.
Zeigler learned that Harrison once argued against a Constitutional right to privacy, and told Bartlet a backup candidate should be vetted as a possible replacement nominee.
Mas…Unsung Heroes of Hispanic Heritage Month: President Jed Bartlet
Does this sound familiar? ‘You’re a Latina/o? But you speak so well!’
If you are Latina or Latino, you may have heard comments such as, “Wow, you speak so well… You are not like them… You are really smart… OR You are different and they will really like you.”
You might even be asked repeatedly where you are from if your first answer is a city or state in the U.S.
Remarks like these are called microagressions, according to Silvia L. Mazzula, PhD (Asst. Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY).
These …”subtle forms of racism,” she writes, “…communicate hostile and racial insults. Microaggressions are things said or done – many times unconsciously – that reflect a person’s inner thinking, stereotypes and prejudices. They are difficult to recognize because they are brief, innocuous, and often difficult to see. Why are they important to talk about? Because microaggressions are pervasive and have a detrimental impact on people’s psychological and physiological well-being.”
Mas…Does this sound familiar? ‘You’re a Latina/o? But you speak so well!’
Hispanic moms: Serve Jimmy Dean® for a dubious breakfast! (video)
¡Hola, Hispanic moms! Serving your Hispanic family a dubiously-healthy breakfast is just a button-push away with Jimmy Dean® Brand croissant, egg, sausage and cheese breakfast sandwiches. Not only are they graded F for nutrition but you can heat them in the microwave to pretend you care! Each delicious serving packs a generous 60% of the daily recommended fat allowance and that means 45% of the cholesterol quota AND 60% of the saturated fat limit.
Wait, there’s more! Each sammich features a full half ounce of protein and over a third of your daily allowance for salt. Jimmy mexplains:
CHICAGO–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–The Jimmy Dean brand (www.jimmydean.com), America’s favorite traditional breakfast sausage brand* will release a new Spanish-language TV commercial this month to promote its popular line of breakfast sandwiches to Hispanic consumers.
Mas…Hispanic moms: Serve Jimmy Dean® for a dubious breakfast! (video)
Breaking: Marketing to Latins? Talk Latin to us, activists say
(PNS reporting from UPTON ABBEY, MI) Frater Cassius the Yon was adamant.
“In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti,” he insisted in a rare English-language interview Sunday. “There is no such thing as Latin dancing, unless you mean the “dance of death” from the Black Plague. And Latin music is Gregorian chants, Enya and Necrodeath. Ain’t nobody got no time for that! Tempus fugit!”
Mas…Breaking: Marketing to Latins? Talk Latin to us, activists say
Moses y Jesús team up in ‘Prophetic Fight for Immigrant Rights’ (video)
When Moses attracts the attention of the MIGRA, he seeks out his amigo Jesús for some help. Can this Holy Tag Team come up with a miracle to defeat the haters? [Written and produced by: Josh Healey. Directed by: Yvan Iturriaga. Starring: Corey Fischer (Moses), Richard Montoya (Jesús), and Jeri Lynn Cohen (Zippy). Produced by: Favianna Rodriguez. Executive Produced by: Culture Strike.]
Unfunny ‘Latino’ sitcom debuts Sunday, people will watch anyhow
(PNS reporting from HOLLYWOOD) Newcomer John Gomez stars as The John Gomez Show premieres Sunday night, the latest sitcom starring a Latino that is destined to join the long line of Latino TV shows that suck.
John and his sweet, sexy wife Lisa are a happily-married couple with two children. Daughter Rosie is just turning the corner to teenager, and son Sam is a precocious — oh, forget about the plot line, it promises to simply suck big time.
“It’s a formula for failure,” declared Hispanic TV audiences everywhere.
“I will watch it no matter how bad it is. Juan Gomez is one of our own, even though he is the unfunniest Latino on the planet,” said Latina inactivist Vera Tellez.
Mas…Unfunny ‘Latino’ sitcom debuts Sunday, people will watch anyhow
They know what we want! Pocho Ocho trendiest Latino baby foods
BURNS: Smithers! The Latinos! With the demographics! And the babies! Quick, we need Latino baby food! It’s a goldmine of a wagon de band upon which we must to hop!
SMITHERS: But, Mr. Burns? Latino baby food? WTF? For God’s sake, man, we already have Clorox Latino. When will the madness end?
BURNS: It’s already happening, Smithers, and I just read on Fox Latino that “one of the concerns that Hispanic mothers have is losing touch with their culture and their culinary roots.” Cashing in on concerns is the capitalist way, Smithers. Release the perros!
What are these trendy Latino baby food items anyhow? We’ve got the deets on the Pocho Ocho:
Mas…They know what we want! Pocho Ocho trendiest Latino baby foods