This was meant to be a blog for yesterday but I just got home. I know I've touched on the topic of accepted racism before but whenever I am confronted with it in life it still takes me by surprise and frustrates me to high heaven. To recap, it really bugs me when I am with a group of non-latinos shall we say and someone says out loud "oh yeah I know a Mexican" or "Mexicans are great I used to work with one and he was cool", my personal favorite was back in the day I was having a fight with a boyfriend and I screamed "I bet I am the only Mexican you have ever known in your life!" and he screamed back "That's not true my nannie was Mexican!".
Today I was on that topic with a group of people my age and another woman who was "listening" to our conversation and was talking about how she had been to Acapulco and how she enjoyed Mexican. She found them to be "Primitive" (I am not making this up, she used that word) and "yet with this wonderful sophistication layered over it,(I think she was mistaking them for a Burrito) topped with an ability to work hard (they always through that in there using it like a "no offense" line and well and still know how to have a good time (meaning we make Tequila right)." I don't know if I mentioned this but she was older and white. But, all I could do is stare at her like "Did you really have to open your mouth at all?" And she didn't seem the least concerned that something she had said could have offended me.
It never fails that whenever this happens people tell me "oh she didn't mean it like that" or "It was just a joke." To me, that shit is just not funny. I don't get the joke and I have a low tolerance for ignorant people with no desire to learn that it is wrong. I'm not saying everyone should be overly P.C but give me a break. I don't understand how some people will be so careful not to say anything that might seem offensive to African American people (Even though I do see the backhanded racist stuff the Republican party does to Obama), but will call me a Spic to my face or stretch his eyes out to my Asian friend.
This is wrong we all are on this green kick and loving the earth but we can't even respect our fellow man. Like when Vogue came out with their stupid "Green Issue" and all these chicks were carrying around tote bags that said "not a plastic bag" made by some over-priced designer. Maybe Vogue should put out a "Brown issue" or "Rainbow issue" and all these Backwood mentality/Waspy bastards will learn that it's cool to not talk out of your ass even though you "mean no disrespect." Yeah read my bag it says "It's not cool to call me a Beaner even if that's what your mom calls me!"
Love and Respect people give it and get it.
2 comments:
Really, I'm sure she didn't mean anything by it! Lol...(just kidding)...
This post just reminded me of an incident when I was just beginning my ultra-PC days, in middle school. I can't remember the name of the book we'd been assigned for English class, which is a shame because now that I remember it, I'd like to re-read it. My dad saw it, got excited, and said "That's the one about the guy who goes to live with the Indians, right? I read it when it first came out; it was great!" And then I got all huffy and said "Native Americans, he didn't go to India." Which is a little bit funny in retrospect, because the story took place in Canada, so they'd be Native Canadians, right? And a little bit sad, because I realize in retrospect that he was just trying to connect with his daughter, and I was a total bitch to him. Anyway, that doesn't actually have much to do with your post, but it reminded me and I wanted to share with someone.
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