Yo, por mi parte, profiero esos motes a diestra y siniestra entre mis queridos… a esto se suma que a quienes somo morenos -morochos en argentino- nos dicen negros.

Yo en mi mundo, soy la Negra o la Morocha, y me queda clarísimo, todos me lo dicen con la mejor intención, y lo disfruto.

A lo que voy es: si, discriminamos y cada vez más, en Argentina, en México, USA, Europa… probablemente con diferentes niveles de sutileza y asentando nuestro racismo en los diferentes aspectos significativos a cada sociedad -clase, raza, formación, estética-.

Pero esto tiene que ver con cuestiones más complejas como la construcción histórica del mundo, de la perspectiva sobre lo diferente y la propia identidad… lo que se refleja, hoy en día de manera ya incosciente y repetitiva, en los términos que las acompañan y describen -en México indio o gringo, en Argentina peruca o yankee, en Europa sudaca, en USA nigger-.

Entonces, habría que empezar a pensar justamente en la historia que esconde cada uno de esos términos, en su significado, y en sus efectos a corto y largo plazo en la manera en que vivimos y nos tratamos entre nosotros, claro, pero también en cuestiones de mayor alcance, ¿algunos ejemplos? la reelección de bush, la reelección de menem y el corralito argentino, los 72 años de “la dictadura perfecta” del PRI en México, el gatillo fácil en toda américa latina, Columbine, etecé, etecé.

And we’re not supposed to respond defensively to such a load of c__p? Please! Show me the statistics where it says our population has a higher incidence of racism than other countries and then we’ll have something to talk about. I guess one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel.

Are Latin American societies racist? You bet they are – and those who are free of sin should be welcome to cast the first stone (not sure the US qualifies – within many people’s lifetime segregation was enshrined by law in many parts!).

LatAmerican racism is perhaps a naive, paternalistic form of racism (not the militant, KKK sort), but it is racism nonetheless and should be exposed for what it is.

Of course, both countries have such different histories and racism functions so differently in each, that it is not necessarily productive to compare them, except to say that in both, white people still hold most of the money, power, and mobility.

Although the “Negrito” snack cakes and images of Memín Pinguín would never fly in the 21st century in the United States (which, for the record, doesn’t mean that racism agaist black people has been eliminated), we still have our own marks of shame. The logo for the Cleveland Indians, perhaps?

Just because these types of images have become so ubiquitous that most Mexicans and Americans don’t even think about how racist they are doesn’t make them OK. Both Mexico and the United States have a long way to go in “admitting” the racism that we live in and/or perpetuate every day, and I second Suzanne in saying that admitting is an important first step.

I can’t stand it when people use “politically correct” as an insult. If “political correctness” means making an effort to use respectful language and images, then why try to mark that behavior as damning? I suppose it’s not as hip as watching a Quentin Tarantino movie and relishing as his white characters use the forbidden “n word” over and over and over again. Give me a break. Can political correctness become a nauseating competition between white people trying to win the “best anti-racist ally” contect? Of course. Does that mean we should grin pleasantly at how “refreshing” the absence of political correctness in Mexico is? Of course not.

Also, David, I think you opened a real can of worms by bringing the word “gringo” into this. I really don’t think you can compare Mexicans’ use of the word “negrito” to their use of the word “gringo”. The power dynamics are not at all alike, and unfortunately you come off as whiney (whether you really have the audacity to be offended by the word “gringo” or not).

Also:
“Novelas are for entertainment and Indios are better off not being in them.”
Please, leave your paternalism at home. It’s about representation, dignity, and smashing the idea that it is ugly to be brown, to be short, to have “indio” features. Of course there are physical requirements to be on television, but if those requirements are racist, then, like the Negrito snack cakes, they those requirements are not “OK.”

this guys logic is archaic and counter-productive: instead of listening, he get’s offended and simply neglects facts, combining it with ridiculous stereotyped accusations.

if i’d say to an american that would complain about germany “yeah, but first shut up and look what monkey you have as president, and what about the indian genocide, and the slavery and the KKK”.. or to a turkish guy, happy camper would probably say if he’d be a german: “how do you dare to criticize, liar, so what about woman rights and gay people?”

it’s a childish way of responding, and with this attitude nothing will ever change nor people living abroad will integrate. every problem has it’s right for discussion, but one bad thing doesn’t relativate another one.

as judy says, the best is to face it, name the issues by it’s name, and to make the situation better — everywhere, and for everybody.

and now i’m out here.