Question About Mexico and Race Relations

[dorado0359]

Originally Posted by caribny

Do we? Any discussion about racism in Latin America and we hear how "perfect" life is. Never any nuanced discussions about why the massive difference in social and economic status between those of majority Euro ancestry from those of majority Afro, or the near absence of darker skinned peoples from media representation.

You nailed it! It's as though darker skinned Mexicans/Indians are totally ignored and treated as social outcasts. There are still a number of questions regarding the treatment of dark/indian Mexicans, which have not been answered, such as:

- Do dark/white Mexicans live in the same neighborhoods/communities, or are the segragated by skin color.
- Are is there hostilities between white/dark Mexicans (e.g., white Mexicans fighting dark Mexicans, as in the U.S. Southwest, where Anglo American youth have a history of racial conflicts/altercations)
- Is it taboo for white Mexicans to intermarry dark skinned Mexicans or is this a non-issue in Mexico.

[rosa surf]

Originally Posted by caribny

Do we? Any discussion about racism in Latin America and we hear how "perfect" life is. Never any nuanced discussions about why the massive difference in social and economic status between those of majority Euro ancestry from those of majority Afro, or the near absence of darker skinned peoples from media representation.

I repeat. I prefer life in the USA as a black man than to be a black man in Latin America. In the USA when racism occurs I have a much better ability to deal with it.


BTW if you seek to prove that there is less racism in Brazil you will need to show that there is minimal difference in socio economic status between blacks and others. After all some people might well be happy if they are treated "nicely" as "servants"!

Seriously? No one in this post said life is perfect in Latin America. We are saying that racism issues aren't so black and white. That they are diverse and different between the countries and even within a country. That ideas of race are different in the US.

I never said anything about there being less or more racism in Brazil. I was talking about the nuances within the country. In some areas, Blacks live well with minimal racism. Sorry you don't want to accept that. Servant mentality? What arrogance.

[citygray]

Well they are definitely discouraged from marrying the Indigenous Mexicans. They typically strive to Whiten their families up because it is customary and taught to many. Just in case somebody decides to bash me................

Social Stratification in Central Mexico, 1500-2000
books.google.com/books?isbn=0292778805
Hugo G. Nutini, ‎Barry L. Isaac - 2010 - ‎History
Many lower- and middle-class parents also encourage their offspring to marry lighter-skinned persons, usually through selectively giving or withholding approval .

[caribny]

Originally Posted by dorado0359

You nailed it! It's as though darker skinned Mexicans/Indians are totally ignored and treated as social outcasts.

To make this observation is to be damned as being "race obsessed" except of course if one is talking about the USA, in which case its OK to portray it as if nothing has changed since 1950.

[caribny]

Originally Posted by rosa surf

In some areas, Blacks live well with minimal racism. Sorry you don't want to accept that. Servant mentality? What arrogance.

It is arrogance on your part to suggest that people are seriously happy with being confined to the bottom of the socio economic ladder, a problem faced by blacks in Brazil to a far GREATER degree than that faced by blacks in the USA. This regardless as to what one or two black friends of yours might tell you.

The issue is in the USA we talk about the socio economic status of various ethnic groups and how that problem can be dealt with, to the extent that barriers still exist.

When one attempts to have this discussion in most parts of Latin America the response is just like yours. To accuse those who raise it as being race obsessed, and arrogant, and then others will add, intent on introducing US style racism.

You would rather the status quo remains and people accept their lot in life.

The fact that people might have cordial relations with others, within a context of being socially and economically subordinated, is irrelevant. They accommodate themselves to their reality, not daring to think that maybe there is a better way.