Mexican-American

[SHRED]

What a ridiculous term considering citizens of Mexico are every bit as American as United States citizens.

In fact, terms like African-American or any "(fill in the blank)hyphen American" term is strange to me.

How'd that all get started?
Who approved it?

[RagingInMiami]

1. Maybe it started after the Spanish-American War

[babylonsister]

2. I think it started in Texas as Tex-Mex, but they were talking burritos. nt

[Clark2008]

3. Wanna funny?

My fiance (husband in a month and less than a week) is white. He's of Semitic heritage from his Mom and Swedish from his Dad. BUT, he was born in South Africa because his parents were working there at the time.

Guess what - he's African-American!! Literally.

And, yeah, I also don't like the hyphens unless you're really patriated. Otherwise, I'd be Irish-Dutch-German-Scotch-Native-American. :crazy:

[Catherine Vincent]

4. White folks.

[Clark2008]

5. Black folks

White folks, black folks - we're all just folk. My gran'dad used to sing a folk song similar.

:hi: cat. I'm still in love with your sig pic. ;)

[Catherine Vincent]

7. Thanks!

I don't get to type "white folks" too often, so I thought this was my chance. :hi:

Isn't he a cutey? I'll be changing it soon with another childhood pic...if I can figure out how to do it.

[Clark2008]

9. Well, then... I need to steal that sweet face before you

take it away!

:7

[SemiCharmedQuark]

6. Hey, considering some of the terms I've heard directed at us, I'll take it

[Clark2008]

8. Are you of Hispanic heritage?

I'm curious... do you like being called Hispanic? Or Mexican. Or Mexican-American.

And, most importantly, does it matter? To you, of course.

I never answer the race thing on questionnaires, myself. It doesn't matter to me.

I am a student of Dr. William Bass - a premier anthropologist - and he says that in 50 years or so, the "races," as classified by bone structure (not by skin color) of Mongoloid, Negroid and Caucasian, will be null because of the blending already going on.

I hope future generations don't even care what the fuck color their skin is. I DO, however, believe in understanding one's history.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

10. It matters in that I feel I have an obligation to defy the stereotype.

The stereotype of the lazy, child-bearing, ignorant Mexican. I also feel I have an obligation to correct all misconceptions that I see...that the original inhabitants of mexico were stupid because they didn't invent the wheel, that mexicans are arrogant...etc etc. And finally, I feel I have the obligation to make sure the traditions of my family are not lost in the modern age. I shudder whenever someone refers to Taco Bell as "Mexican food"

It doesn't matter to me regarding what the classification is, because I know that by and large, people are attempting to be considerate with words like that. However, I can understand how some people would have a problem with Hispanic. I do have Spanish blood in me. My family is Mestizo. In the face of the Spanish, who were by no means friends of the people of Mexico, the mestizos (which are a large portion of modern day Mexicans) forged a culture that is all their own. Hispanic kind of...takes that away.

[Clark2008]

15. Thanks for the explanation.

The more we can have rational discussions about race that don't turn into flame-throws, the better educated we all become. :)

Oh - and I also shudder when people call Taco Hell "Mexican food." ;)

[Fountain79]

17. But mestizo would not have come to be...

without the Spanish. And hey...I kinda like Taco Bell.

[bigwillq]

11. My boyfriend likes to be called "Puerto Rican"

He feels this way b/c if he's called "Spanish" he says well I'm not from Spain.
And to be honest he only came to this country 10 years ago and they never called people Hispanic in PR, at least this is what he tells me.
He never heard of the slang term "spic" before I told him a few years ago what it meant.

[mitchtv]

13. my partner likes the term

He doesn't want to be confused with a Gringo American or a Border Brother

[bigwillq]

14. What term?

:shurg:

[mitchtv]

18. Mexican American

and I should have said Anglo American, sorry, I reverted to at home speak

[Ms. Clio]

12. The term was originally popularized by people of Mexican descent

particularly intellectuals and activists, in the early 1900s, in order to claim and reinforce their American citizenship, because so many Anglos in the Southwest scornfully referred to all people of Mexican descent as "Mexicans." In fact, I know Texans who still do.

[Fountain79]

16. I'm half Mexican actually

Personally I don't get too caught up in the whole terminology thing. As long as a person does not call me a spic or a wetback I'm happy. However perhaps I can shed some light on the terminology that is being confused here.

In my mind, Mexican-American or Chicano is a distinct group of people from those of Mexico. That's why there are at times there are conflicts between those from Mexico and already established Mexican-American communities.

The term Latino or Hispanic refers to a larger group of Spanish speaking people as a whole. A Nigerian and a Kenyan are both African, just like a Cuban and a Mexican are both Latino/Hispanic. I've known some friends who refuse to use the term Hispanic because that is the term given to us by the Government. I've identified myself as both Mexican-American, Hispanic and Latino.