Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Julian---And you don't think that there is an obsession with race in Puerto Rico? Really?
You, of course, know about the term "blanquito" and you know how it is applied, right?
In the old days a "blanquito" was not necessarily a person of European heritage. Quite often "blanquito" meant someone from "La Loza" and many had olive skin.
Quote:
You also know how much fair skin is admired by Puerto Ricans. I'm the lightest one of my siblings. One thing that surprised me was how many people would approach me when I was out with my father and comment about my coloring. They would always ask my father if my mother was Puerto Rican. Living stateside, I never had anyone approach me and comment on my coloring.
Sure, that has been going on forever in all ethnicities of the world. No one wants to be "prieto". This is true among folks in India and among caucasians in America and Europe. A white person with brown hair and eyes is considered "dark" or swarthy.
I have seen people say "parece americano, que lindo" in PR but is is not said as a form of discrimination. Most people in the planet naturally want to be of light skin.
Quote:
How is the census classification of "White of Hispanic origin" and "White of non-Hispanic origin" offensive to you?
Oh, please, this is racist to the core. It is a subtle way to say that those Latin Americans of European heritage must be "high Yellow". So they must find a way to classify them. I am surprised you cannot see that. In reality there should be only one race, the human race.
Quote:
Yes, "Hispanic" is used as a catch-all phrase to describe native Spanish speakers. And, yes, not all "Hispanics" are the same.
That might be the intent, but the term Hispanic is asociated with people that look like this:
As a said, a Hispanic is the guy that does garden work. Thankfully it is getting better. These folks are now moving up the ladder.
Quote:
Again, Julian, how long has it been since you've lived on the Island?
I moved to the states and I am happy to report that the obsession with race is much less than in the old days. Or perhaps I do not see it.
But its not only nicknames that are just straight forward like "Little chubby" "little skinny" "little shorty" etc. For example if you are a big guy who is a very kind person, you might be called "Panda" or "Bear"...animal nicknames.
IN the old days some folks would call each other "negrito or negrita" even if they were not black. It was used as a term of endearment.
When it is done within the family that is an entirely different situation. Many kids in ALL cultures get saddled with a nickname from little upon. Though I think if you choose the name for your child, that is what you should use. Nicknaming a child by relatives probably in most cases is not meant to hurt. Still, I have known kids who hated being saddled with an epithet of any kind.
It is a totally different situation when unacquainted adults call one another names. That has nothing to do with cultural mores but is racism, discrimination, or a (usually) negative way of putting down another. Unacceptable by the standards of any polite society.
What is so hard about all this? Is it so difficult to be nice to one another? There are far more commonalities amongst even disparate persons and cultures than to look for differences upon which to hang an epithet.
We are talking about Latin American cultures, so that is the reason for my comments about Latin America. There is no bias,as the above suggests.
Ok, here is a similar issue from Thailand. Some persons take it upon themselves to call European whites "falan". When called on this (it actually means "white devil"--some do not realise this) they stop and probably desist from future name-calling. Same issue with "gringo"--drop it if you are a decent person who wishes not to offend.
When it is done within the family that is an entirely different situation. Many kids in ALL cultures get saddled with a nickname from little upon. Though I think if you choose the name for your child, that is what you should use. Nicknaming a child by relatives probably in most cases is not meant to hurt. Still, I have known kids who hated being saddled with an epithet of any kind.
It is a totally different situation when unacquainted adults call one another names. That has nothing to do with cultural mores but is racism, discrimination, or a (usually) negative way of putting down another. Unacceptable by the standards of any polite society.
What is so hard about all this? Is it so difficult to be nice to one another? There are far more commonalities amongst even disparate persons and cultures than to look for differences upon which to hang an epithet.
We are talking about Latin American cultures, so that is the reason for my comments about Latin America. There is no bias,as the above suggests.
Ok, here is a similar issue from Thailand. Some persons take it upon themselves to call European whites "falan". When called on this (it actually means "white devil"--some do not realise this) they stop and probably desist from future name-calling. Same issue with "gringo"--drop it if you are a decent person who wishes not to offend.
When a unacquainted adult calls you a name then that is not acceptable. But friends and people you know are different. Heck we Americans do the same thing!
I could argue with you about nicknaming but it's just not going to go nowhere because we were born into different cultures. I am not going to convince you that nicknaming is ok and you are not going to convince me that we should all just call each other by our first names. You might think nicknaming is discriminating. Nicknaming has been going on for thousands of years. The Native Americans gave each other nicknames.
But yeah calling someone names is wrong. I just don't see nothing wrong when friends and people you know give you a nickname.
The whole issue with the word "gringo" is just the same when Americans call Mexican-Americans "Mexican" or Italian Americans "Italians", when they should just be called "American". Some people find it offensive while others are proud of it. It just an issue that depends on how you look at it. Like all things in life, we see things differently.
When I recently joined this forum expecting enlightened discussions about my home, Puerto Rico, I was astonished to discover the cavalier use of the negative epithet, "gringo" to describe a white person originating usually from mainland USA.
Often it was used by members as a way of calling a mainlander a less-than-nice name. You could tell this was so by the tone and content of posted messages.
Sometimes an individual called himself this name, probably not aware that it was a derogatory term.
Some groups of people like Blacks, for example, will use an epithet to jokingly describe themselves, but woe to anyone else using it on them.
"Gringo" was and is used in derogatory fashion usually by Mexicans and Central American people who strongly dislike the USA--rightly or wrongly.
The term has no application in Puerto Rico. First, we are all fellow citizens. Secondly, those of us who live here usually love Puerto Rico and the people. Thirdly, Puerto Rico is blessed with high toleration of racial differences in human beings. Fourthly, our population is of all colours from blonde and red-haired whites of European stock to dark-skinned people of African ancestry to the Taino blood that still flows in many.
When it becomes necessary to categorise someone by race or origin there are innocuous words. People who moved from the States to live here were kindly referred to as "Continentals" in past times.
"Anglo" and "Hispanic" work as terms to describe the linguistic background and heritage, words which transcend racial profiles.
Only the uninformed or those who wish to drive a negative wedge amongst our residents will employ words like "gringo". These are the same people who would be appalled to be themselves called a less than complimentary epithet or cognomen.
Let's put an end to calling one another names. On this forum that means "gringo". If you are new here and asking questions, please do not call yourself thus inappropriate name, as it only feeds the enjoyment some have of putting you down!
Islanders everywhere usually have words for mainlanders of the same country. For instance Canary Islanders call mainland Spaniards godos. It's not a racist epithet and definitely no reason to get your panties on a twist. Something tells me you're dying to cry reverse racism.
Yes, it is about closeness. We do not call people we do not know names. That is nothing about culture--it is common courtesy. Maybe it is also socio-economic status showing its ugly head when slang names are used.
The words you mention--like Mexican--are legitimate words. I am talking about discriminatory slang used to demean another person. There is never an excuse for this. Nothing to do with culture just ignorance and not caring if you hurt another's feeling.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
