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I do assume he has some central European ancestors, though.
Yeap. But he's still a HISPANIC! A minority in the USA lol!
I would probably recommend getting rid of the "Hispanic/Latino" classification in the United States altogether. The Mexicans can keep "Chicano" if they want.
-Creates a "you" versus us "mentality". On both ends.
-Does not encourage assimilation, rather segregation
-Groups all Latin Americans into the largest American group in the USA, by far Mexican. Yes it is always assumed.
-Every group has it's own concerns, needs.
-Groups very independent cultures as one, Latin America is as diverse as Europe.
-Not all Hispanic/Latinos are Spanish. Other Euros, Arabs, Asians, natives, Blacks anyone?
Also:
-The Arabs are grouped as well, hence Arab.
-Mexicans would have obvious representation.
-We are Americans! Our issues are American issues, or should be. The immigrants should have little representation as is, they are a small popution compared to the native born and yes will have their own representation. That might not be as clear as I want it.
Mapping can be and already is done by nationality.
In the USA people do think of Latinos as a race. Even "professional" American medical reports list Latinos v Whites v Blacks. How is this possible if Latinos are of different genetics, diets, customs? I know many Latino American people that even think they are a race. It's nuts. You are American, an immigrant or citizen of somewhere else/expat/visitor.
That forum may be better, up to the mod.
You say latin america is as diverse as europe than do you consider the term white damaging? Also arabs are counted as white by the census. Look up the numbers according to the census arabs don't exist.
You say latin america is as diverse as europe than do you consider the term white damaging? Also arabs are counted as white by the census. Look up the numbers according to the census arabs don't exist.
It's the same situation as Latinos; not all Arabs are white.
This touches on the period when Mexican-Americans were classified as White.
Quote:
The U.S. Labor Department responded by noting the Mexicans were generally considered to be of “white stock.” Still, the question about whether or not Mexicans were “white” remained unsolved. For one thing, even if considered “white” for the purpose of citizenship and the census, they were not treated as equals by members of the Anglo-American population.
According to the latest census, 65% of Cubans are white, just 10% black, and 25% mixed.
You truly are naive if you believe these "stats"
Even people who have visible African features and coloring as well as known African ancestry (as in all they have to do is look at their grandma) will classify themselves as "White" in many Latin American countries because there is a privilege to "Whiteness" that runs very deep in those countries.
I have a friend who is Panamanian (Afro Panamanian, dark skin, Afro-textured hair...she looks a bit like Garcelle Beauvais but a few shades darker) who married and had a child with a White Cuban man (reminds me of cross between Desi Arnaz and Andy Garcia). The child was born the complexion of Halle Berry (maybe shade lighter, but has since darkened a bit more as she has gotten older ) I remember going to her home with a mutual friend to visit her after the baby was born and the first (and most important) thing that she declared was "Oh, my baby is White. She is so pretty. She is White." Now, unless you think that someone a shade or two darker than Halle Berry looks like a White woman then I think it is naive to believe the racial census statistics of most Latin American countries.
A great documentary about Blackness in Latin America...
The USA is the only place i've been that has a seperate category for Latinos/Hispanics. It's amazing how many Americans think it's a race, even Mexican Americans. It's all that political Brown Pride B.S. the Mexican political community preaches. Once upon a time Mexicans were considered simply White, until the more indigenous population started to immigrate. Now bigoted hicks want them all out (and all Latin Americans get lumped in due to the overwhelming numbers of Mex). All that does is self isolate and prevent assimilation of all Latin Americans. I am an American who's parents were born in Puerto Rico (still America, to my knowledge never a country) with Spanish ancestry. I am not "brown" either, i'm no tanner then any Southern European I know nor are my facial features different. I hate that terminology.
Latino/Hispanic/Brown, NOT A RACE.
So tell people who are "Latino/Hispanic/brown" to stop identifying themselves that way, then. Would it stop being an issue if they did that? Because I've heard them refer to themselves as those things more than any other people.
Frankie Munoz (Puerto Rico)? Carmen Diaz (Cuba)? Christina Agulara (Ecuador or Costa Rica?) Alexis Bledel (Argentina)? Martin Sheen (Puerto Rico?) Last time I checked they are of Latin American ancestry.
On the other end of the spectrum; Nelly Furtado (Canada/Portugal), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), Jessica Alba (American, 100% Euro decent in DNA test), Benicio Del Toro (Puerto Rican of Italian and Spanish decent), Penelope Cruz (Spain), Antonio Banderes (Spain). These are examples of people with European ancestry who fit the stereotypical Latino/Hispanic look.
Selena Gomez? I know a Hungarian women that looks just like her. I know an American women of European decent from Norway with Black hair and naturally tan skin who is always assumed Mexican in the Mid West. I am an American of Puerto Rican decent, Spanish a generation before, 75% of the time guessed to be Southern European, 25% Arab or Latin American. I know many northern European decended Americans who could easily fit the stereotype. Southern Europeans almost always. When I was in Europe I met plenty of people, Europeans of many generations and citizens of where they were from who were considered White, who had what most Americans would classify Mestizo features.
Most Americans assume only those who are tan, with Black or Brown hair could be Latino.
2. When I say Latin America I am talking geography. Latin America is a collection of countries that speak Latin based languages. Hispanic/Latino is supposed to be used for linguestic/geographic reference. Instead it is used for race by many, improperly, in the USA. This even includes those that fall under the umbrella.
3. Yes even many American's of Latin American decent use the term improperly. As a race. Due to growing up here.
4. Americans of Mexican ancestry had the right to own property and conduct business. There was anti immigrant sentement but they were considered in the same category as the Irish, Germans, and Italians. The same goes for other Latin Americans.
Just look at historical pop culture for instance. Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy. A Cuban immigrant, and he even played the roll on TV married to an American women of European decent. There are tons of Latin American's and Americans of Latin American decent throughout pop culture in our history that were considered White.
5. Puerto Rico, Cuba, and DR cannot and should not be grouped as one of the same in history and immigration or demographics. An example of the differences between these places. The Europeans fled Haiti during the independence movement to DR, PR, and Cuba. When DR became independent many migrated to Cuba and Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico was "White washed" by European migration on several occasions. The Tainos? Are you kidding they were defunct in relatively short time. These are islands not South America where they could flee to the more western mountain areas. The populations were extinct early on and some were absorbed long, long ago. The cultures have more influences then the genetics. Understated is Middle Eastern influence as many of the Custards were Arab. Plus non Spanish immigration which was huge in relation to population. Also the native populations I have read were not short but TALLER then the European populations colonizing these areas.
I am against the terms Latino\Hispanic\Brown. Just another way to exclude. Another form of segregation, even self segregation among other points. Sorry about spelling errors I am on a mobile.
Another point to be brought. Many Americans who have knowledge that someone is Latin American or a decendent will be unable to psychologically see them as White. Something I have noticed.
Last edited by nykiddo718718; 10-26-2011 at 04:30 AM..
Even people who have visible African features and coloring as well as known African ancestry (as in all they have to do is look at their grandma) will classify themselves as "White" in many Latin American countries because there is a privilege to "Whiteness" that runs very deep in those countries.
I have a friend who is Panamanian (Afro Panamanian, dark skin, Afro-textured hair...she looks a bit like Garcelle Beauvais but a few shades darker) who married and had a child with a White Cuban man (reminds me of cross between Desi Arnaz and Andy Garcia). The child was born the complexion of Halle Berry (maybe shade lighter, but has since darkened a bit more as she has gotten older ) I remember going to her home with a mutual friend to visit her after the baby was born and the first (and most important) thing that she declared was "Oh, my baby is White. She is so pretty. She is White." Now, unless you think that someone a shade or two darker than Halle Berry looks like a White woman then I think it is naive to believe the racial census statistics of most Latin American countries.
A great documentary about Blackness in Latin America...
In my view Halle Berry herself looks more like a Latina, not so much African-American.
No doubt some people prefer to be white when they are mixed and feel like they have to decide which of their ancestries to pick. That is not their fault, but white people's fault because of the way they have systematically destroyed dark cultures' self esteem for centuries.
I think it would be legitimate for Halle Berry or Sade to refer to themselves as whites, after all they are 50-50. So black people could complain if they referred to themselves as black... And indeed many mixed people have the problem that they are not really accepted by either side.
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WTF is that supposed to mean?
