The man who called Spanish the language of the ghetto, now has a Twitter account in Spanish. From the Newt himself:

"The American people believe English should be the official language of the government. … We should replace bilingual education with immersion in English so people learn the common language of the country and they learn the language of prosperity, not the language of living in a ghetto."

My question:

This is something I've addressed again and again over the years:  keeping one's traditions vs. assimilation.  With most 'hot buttons' this topic follows suit and lines up the ranks either for or against.  While I never understood why the lines had to be so trenched in the ground, it seems to me that both sides are skewed and serve to only slide it's proponents into a hole instead of maintaining a plateau.  Thankfully, there is now proof to support why Latinos should embrace US culture.

In a recent study, we see what does work is a revolving acceptance of the former and new, namely keeping one's Latino culture while embracing US culture.  This not-so-common, common sense method maximizes the benefits of both cultures and let's one successfully apply themselves in the real world - a world of diversity.

These same thoughts can be found at the heart of social media.  To limit oneself in social media to their own natural tendencies, one would have to put up many safe guards, namely locking their account from general public view and filtering content to select friends.  This is not what social media is and works against the social media movement.

How can one possibly restrict themselves to their limited sphere of influence and not expect to understand and grow with the world around them?  Social media breaks down real and perceived barriers.  It gives people the chance to softly engage other cultures and pursue new connections.  It is through social media that one gets exposed to the fast track of what being social is all about, and have the ability to connect to one's peers, both upwardly and laterally.  For Latinos, who are culturally social, I have hopes that social media can help bridge the gap between the traditional and the new without losing the essence of either.

(This is cross-posted at LouisPagan.com)

Update 07/01/09:  This was posted in the comments section by me in the cross-post site - see above:

...the term of ‘cultural assimilation’ with it’s allusion of domination, superiority and displacement forces some Latinos to take a rebellious stance instead of incorporating an advantageous tool to better fare in society that we consistently find ourselves at a disadvantage economically, as well as other vital areas.

I for one, by no means wish for anyone to abandon their language, food, music, customs and traditions. What you read here is not a call of abandonment, but a push towards adoption and utilization.

There's a piece by Albor Ruiz, in the Daily News yesterday that is titled "Hispanic voters Say Immigration's No1."   But, No1 what?  I've enjoyed Albor Ruiz's articles for years and can not recall any disagreement on my part.  But as much as I would like to think that my fellow Hispanics actually give a crap for their hermaons y hermanas, and developed an altruistic attitude to fellow human beings, I am unconvinced.  Here's why...

Just last year from the Pew:

Latino registered voters rank education, the cost of living, jobs and health care as the most important issues in the fall campaign, with crime lagging a bit behind those four and the war in Iraq and immigration still farther behind.

That was just July, of last year.  So when I read Ruiz's article title I became skeptical and found another account of the same study:

Respondents were also asked about their views on national problems. Fifty-six percent said the country's weak economy weighed most heavily on them, and 13 percent cited wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other worries included lack of access to health care, illegal immigration, the housing crisis, and low quality of public schools.

Hispanics are just like anybody else - we have a unique culture - we are not from another planet.  So, to think that in the lapse of little under a year that Hispanics became embassadors of empathy would be a far cry.

The point Ruiz's article is based on that I feel he did not bring home strong enough is that Immigration is NOT the # 1 Hispanic concern at the moment, but it would be a deciding factor in the upcoming 2010 election say it is still a national issue:

75% of those interviewed for the Bendixen report said they thought anti-immigrant sentiment against Hispanics - not just illegal immigrants - was growing. Fifty-nine percent said immigration was a very important issue to them and their families.

[...]
But with 69% saying they knew undocumented immigrants as friends, relatives, neighbors or co-workers, immigration is an issue that affects Latino voters in very intimate way. Actually, 87% of respondents said they would not vote for any congressional candidate who was in favor of forcing illegal immigrants to leave the country.

You see, if you read these two parts it is not that Hispanics are saying that they are genuinely concerned here, but because they see that it affects or will affect them that they are now concerned.  If you read "...thought anti-immigration sentiment...was growing," and 69% say they knew undocumented immigratans as friends, relatives..." etc.  So now it's become personal, becuase now they may experience this first-hand.  This is psychology 101. 

Slowly Hispanics, are finally waking up to the fact of the underlying attitudes that surround the immigration issue that has been used as a backdoor racists tool.  Better late than never amigos!

NOTE:  To see some true altuistic Hispanics on the front line, go and visit: Citizen Orange, Latina Lista, Latino Politico.

 

Here's a comment I received 3 days ago:

Dear Mud Faces: Let the whites pour into Mexico, announcing their intent to take over Mexico from the Mexicans, proclaiming the Reconquista and soaking up freebies from the Mexican taxpayer, and then we will see if you buy it.

John Thames
billguru1@gmail.com

(Editor's note:  John Thames, aka Bill Guru...somewhere in Delaware, OHIO.)

Sad to see that there are people calling others names like this...no thanks John (or Bill, or if that is your real name or not), but I graduated High School a looong time ago. 

Mud face, huh?  I only wish that I could be a little more darker year round.  BTW, I've only heard that term on TV, maybe because I dwell in a large city up east.  Brown is a genetically dominate gene color, and is a beautiful color that we take pride in.  So, if you meant that as an insult, you are only giving a compliment.  After all, everything grows from the brown soiled earth.  (side note:  there are white Mexicans...and brown white people...GASP!...this is a little confusing, I know.)  This is too remedial, so I'm not going to waste any time on this.

What you need to do John, is take this issue up with your President (who is browner than me), and have him address the immigration policies of this country.  As a matter of fact, I believe he is planning to do this right now.

By the way, since you like to exchange dialogue I've included your email address as it appeared to me here (if this is even you), in this post so you can happily volley questions or comments from readers if they feel so inclined. 

Thanks again, for your participation.  Feel free to comment again.  Bye.

...and Walgreens pulls it!

For those of you who don't Twitter, I first posted this there.  I had some more thoughts (or rants), about this and had to put it here because Twitter is a microblog and only allows 160 characters.

I looked at the 'Chia Obama' and saw nothing inherently racist.  As you may have guessed the perceived racist part is that the flower portion of the Chia Obama grows as a set of hair.  Nothing racist here.

However, many may perceive this as an Afro.  But, an afro is a specific hair style "in which the hair extends out from the head like a halo, cloud or ball."  You see, it's not a term for African hair.  Now I can see how someone may be concerned about people making fun of Obama by growing an Afro on the Chia Pet, and how that can be perceived as racist. 

What I am concerned with here is certain things becoming taboo when it concerns race.  Should we start banning everything that could be deemed racist?  Should we shut down the Obama fried chicken and Southern food stores as well?  (Okay, those I think are just silly.)

I wrote earlier that sometimes white liberals offend me more than white conservatives because they mean well, even as they say something stupid and manage to shove a foot in their mouths.

White conservatives, however, are a little more reliable when it comes to making stupid bigoted statements.

Fernando de Baca, 70, told a different story. The chairman of Bernalillo County Republicans argued that the Latino emphasis on hard work and family values, plus the Catholic church's opposition to abortion, made the community naturally conservative.

He offered another, blunter, reason why he believed John McCain would do well in New Mexico.

"The truth is that Hispanics came here as conquerors," he said. "African-Americans came here as slaves.

"Hispanics consider themselves above blacks. They won't vote for a black president."

Emphasis added.  Or, "they'll vote for McCain because they're racist just like me."

The funny thing?  The line that comes right after that one in the blog, from the BBC reporter:

I wasn't sure about this, though. Virtually all of the Hispanic voters I spoke to told me they were supporting Obama.

Emphasis added.  That is what I would call "being clueless on your own turf."

Soon...in a few years...whites may be a minority in a few states here and there.  But still, <strike>sadly</strike> ironically (for the future majority), they probably will maintain their status as the economical bottom.

I don't know what is going on oversees, but a child as young as a toddler can be deemed racist even when avoiding foreign foods.   Seems a little extreme.

While this is true, "Report: Vast Majority of African American and Latino Middle-Class Families Are on Shaky Financial Ground," I think my statement holds more true. I mean, to not include Whites in the study almost implies only Blacks and Latinos are having problems.  But, I see where they are going with this; Latinos and Blacks are being hit harder statistically. 

"I think one of the things that I noted in the report was how much of whatever assets African Americans and Latinos have are tied up with whatever equity they have in their homes, as opposed to any other kind of assets, whether it’s cash in the bank or stocks or bonds or whatever, but that essentially the wealth that exists in black and Latino America is basically the wealth in the equity of their houses, right?"

But, isn't it funny (even sad), that in a downed economy such as we are experiencing now, we still find away to say that we are more shortchanged than everyone else?

Someone over at MichelleMalkin.com, is leaving California in the hopes for a more whiter pasture.  I am sure most of California won't miss you.

(edited)

The latest pride and national bandwagon award goes to Corona and their attempt to alcoholize Latinos. 

Right on...Rah-Rah!  Corona! Latinos!!!  "...que linda la botella."  Yeah.

I actually wanted to title this entry "Sometimes, It's the White Liberals Who Get on My Nerves" but since I am not certain of this guy's race - although I venture to say he's most likely white - I'll edit myself for accuracy's sake.

Part of the problem is that some white liberals carry with them racist attitudes and they end up bubbling up in the weirdest of places.  And it's usually the weirdest of places because, unlike other non-liberal whites, they try not to sound act or be racist.  Which is a good thing.  Having good intentions is 90% of the way there.

But you have to cringe when you read entries that start like this one:

Wow, We Nominated The Black Guy

"The Black Guy"?  Barack Obama has been trying his best to get past race or at least try to make race as irrelevant as possible.  He has shown, smarts, charisma, resilience, and an uncanny ability to inspire people.  Even Mr. Latino Pundit himself is an Obamaniac.  And now that he has all but won the Democratic nomination for President he's "the Black Guy."

I thought it was a poor choice of words but then there's this little nugget here.

For quite some time, the Democratic Party struggled with a "loser" image nationally. Given its minority heavy, downtrodden heavy, freaks and geeks membership, it isn't a huge secret how it developed that negative brand. . .  A shift of electoral power toward the Democratic Party actually means a broad shift toward more pluralistic control of our government. The minorities, the downtrodden, and the freaks and geeks are taking over.

So, being a Latino automatically lumps you with the "downtrodden," the "freaks," and the "geeks."  And you're born with a "loser" image too!!  But that's OK because we're "taking over."  Good grief!

I never thought of myself as a freak, for being a Latino, that is.  The verdict still out on other stuff.  And I never wanted or expected to "take over" anything.  I'll leave that to Pinky and the Brain.  The only thing I've ever wanted, expected, and demanded - and will continue to do so - is the opportunity to do the best I can with my God-given skills.  That's all.  I find this whole thing unintentionally insulting, but insulting nonetheless.

And this is a guy who likes us!

Like the old Prego commercial: “It’s in there.”

He tested the DNA of his relatives, along with some of the parishioners at Albuquerque’s St. Edwin’s Church, where he works. As word got out, others in the community began contacting him. So Sanchez expanded the effort to include Hispanics throughout the state.

Of the 78 people tested, 30 are positive for the marker of the Cohanim, whose genetic line remains strong because they rarely married non-Jews throughout a history spanning up to 4,000 years.

I don't know what is wrong with some Latinos - I embrace my mix, how 'bout you?   I'm not asking anyone to don a kippah, but just acknowledge that if it wasn't for those genes some of you wouldn't be here today.

One thing that I don't promote is racism in any shape or form.  I believe that we should embrace and accept our differences and then go home; harboring ill will towards others is just not healthy, balanced or acceptable in the great scheme of things.

I write the above for anyone who may misinterpret, misunderstand, or misuse some of my posts on this area; for any one who may see the next link as a contradiction; for anyone who may not value a paradox.

Stuff White People Like:  a satire, or soft racism? I don't know; but it is sure damn good.

UPDATE:  I just had the thought that it would be great if they would put up some sister sites:  Stuff Hispanic People Like, Stuff Black People Like.  There would then be some sure controversy, as I can think up quite a few stereotypical things to  list.  Ha!

If you rant and rave about you being Latino or the Afro-Latino connection, then you have to accept your WHITE heritage as well.

European coloni(z)ation of Latin America resulted in a dramatic shift from a native American population to a largely mixed one, a genetic study has shown.  It suggests male European settlers mated with native and African women, and slaughtered the men.