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This is my country, get out.

By Patrick Osio, Jr./HispanicVista.com

  December 28, 2007

 

 

This is my country, get out.

By Patrick Osio, Jr.

The elderly gentleman stood bending slightly forward, head jutting out further, eyes bulging out, his white skin face tainted pink from the excess blood due to his anger while he yelled at some Latinos in front of him, “This is my country, get out, go back to Mexico.” The Latinos, the recipients of his words, were yelling back at him in English, there were too many of them to hear what all they were saying. This scene played out for a few seconds as part of an afternoon TV news segment on yet another demonstration.

What struck me was the “This is my country,” far more than the “go back to Mexico,” as the follow up was simply added words justifying the first part. So the question needing reflection is: what did he mean with the statement?

I would hope he spoke figuratively not literally – or did he? Did he, because he is “white” devoid of any ancestral culture through a generation or generations of solely being a part of the United States, mean that those who still have or cling to ancestral cultures and language are not part of the US?

Or was he taking exception to their demonstrating for immigration reform and since he opposes immigration reform those not of his opinion are to be excluded from “his” country? Or did he mean to say that because they are not “white” they are not part of the country? Or because they are of brown skin and participating int a demonstration demanding immigration reform, he considers them to be foreign with no loyalty to the US as evidenced by their seeming support of illegal immigrants?

Whatever the reasoning going through the man’s mind and motivation that would have him stand in front of US citizens, legal residents and possibly some undocumented immigrants in the lot, and in a state of rage scream that this was not their country,  was not an act of patriotism or even rooted in fact, though I am sure the enraged man would disagree with my conclusion.  

The man’s statement is worth discussing because he is one of legions that throughout the US are saying, screaming and writing the same line. A division continues to be created that truly is no longer about immigration rather about color of skin, usage of foreign languages in the US, practice of culture frowned upon and seen as inferior to the “American culture,” economic superiority of the multi generation “white” population and its companion, superior intellect or lack of intellect of those chosen as to not be part of “my country.” And the erroneous belief that only the descendants of European immigrants have contributed to the betterment of the US and fought for the country.

This mentality is reaching dangerous levels. Last November the FBI reported that hate crimes against Hispanics has risen 24 percent since 2004. And, as reported by Roberto Lovato’s well documented November 28, 2007, article, Anti-Latino humor has entered the mainstream, demeaning barb abuse of Latinos has become the fodder of late night comedians such as Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel, and even liberal Bill Maher.  

Much of their humor is reminiscent of the 1970s dumb-Polack jokes or the previous generation WOP (With Out Papers) moniker given to Italians who in great numbers entered the US either illegally or with forged or false documents and the subsequent jokes about their intelligence and mustached and hairy underarm and leg women. And before that the Pat and Mike jokes demeaning the Irish and so it has gone.

The mentality that produced such conditions and jokes were harmful to the psyche of those groups creating life lasting mental pain and resentment. Those groups, like today’s Latinos, are the ethnic groups who have not let go of their past roots or much of their ancestral culture, and many continue to speak their forefather’s language. Yet today, they are no longer the butt of jokes, or accusations that this is not their country.

People of non-white skin, be they black or brown, tell that the demeaning barbs and charges of not belonging and being less than the white society precede the Irish, Italians, Polacks and all others, but continues long after the insults to the other groups have disappeared in the age of political correctness. They don’t buy the “we are not against Latinos; we are against illegal immigrants” excuse for questioning their place in America and insulting language towards people from their ancestral country.

And worse yet, they say, is that many from the formerly insulted ethnic groups are now taking part of insulting Latinos. The formerly abused child becomes the abusive adult syndrome.

Clear to all but practitioners, this is racism disguised by numerous other names such as “love of country,” “patriotism,” “our sovereignty is at stake,” and a host of other labels. And just as clearly racism is one of America’s worst enemies as it eats away at the very essence of the nation’s soul.

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 Patrick Osio, Jr is the editor of HispanicVista.com (http://www.hispanicvista.com).  Contact at: PosioJr@hispanicvista.com

(The opinions expressed by Patrick Osio, Jr. are solely his and do not necessarily reflect those of HispanicVista.com, editorial board of advisors or it’s contributing writers.)

 

Patrick Osio, Jr. has written a short but intensive manual on the Mexican perspective on numerous issues between our two countries. The manual is an in depth primer on the culture and protocol for better understanding Mexicans that in turn allows establishing personal and business relationships, and how to avoid the most common faux pas that can ruin relationships and business deals.

The manual is available through Electronic delivery for $9.95 making it possible to download the manual for save on your hard drive, printing its entirety or particular sections while reaping considerable savings over printed copies.