Comments on: Racial Amnesia:Debunking Ethnic Myths

By: » Happy Juneteenth - By The XP Report

» Happy Juneteenth - By The XP Report — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:57:13 +0000

[...] celebrating this day with our African American brothers and sisters, it will help wake us up from our own racial amnesia and take pride in our African heritage that runs through our veins and respect the struggles our [...]

By: Yanira Cortez

Yanira Cortez — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 08:05:06 +0000

This subject is all based on a time line. Depending on where you decide to jump on it, the bond between Latinos and “Aficans” widens or thins out. If the time line begins in present day, the relativity is minimal. At the moment music, language, religion, style are completely different and no longer related. At the moment the need to be superior as the major minority, has called for a distinguished behavior. We NEED to be different. But as we all recall we cannot deny our roots and out connection with Africa. We all descend of Africa. Our skin is simply based on geography. Our nature is a practical one. Skin color is defined by our geographical location and our proximity to the sun. There is not much to it but common sense which is apparently uncommon. I cannot understand how something so practical became so clouded with hate, envy, and ignorance as to lead to mass disasters which forever changed history. Our skin color has created the deadliest most revolting revolutions the world has seen. How are we still so unaffected by disaster to not see history continuously repeating itself in disaster. Who cares if Obama creates change or not that is not the point. The point is we are using ethnomethodology at its best. We are observing how our so city works by disrupting the norm. We are shaking things up with Obama. Besides, how much worst can it get? We are opening our doors to infinity, with Obama. He sells us a dream, even if he doesn’t come through we broke the standard for the standard that hope enough for me.

By: Violeta

Violeta — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 21:08:47 +0000

I’ve read all of above the true is that sadly to say there are many countries with this type of mentality about this issue. I’m from Panama here we make fun about this topic, because on the bottom part we could all be brothers or sisters here. Since this is such a small population we are 3.2 millions in the whole country. From the beginning of slavery Panama was the first country to start with this situation by the Spanish settlers, in where it was first with the native Indians. By suggestion of a Spanish priest which I do not recall his name, he told the Spaniard to use the black people as slave since they were not considered human. But than ofter many years Panama was the first one to abolish it. For your info the first Spaniard to settle the new world were Jewish. All of this drama was ruled under the Catholic church and Spanish Royalty umbrella.

By: Lorenzo waldrond

Lorenzo waldrond — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 02:28:07 +0000

You would think that by now the world would be intelligent enough to realize that (color is only a way for GOD to distinguish his unique creation called the human being).I am a black latino from Panama.And when we call each other more than often (MI NEGRITO/TA,it is with carino(love).In every Latin American country that i know of,you will always find your share of dark skinned people.We are proud of who we are,and it’s time that we stop being looked down on as minorities in America.I am happy for Barac Obama,i hope he becomes the next President of THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Just look at how unique the situation is,he is BLACK & WHITE.

By: vidal cortez

vidal cortez — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:06:50 +0000

As I watched Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez on her video clip I thought to myself, this woman has no idea what it is like to walk down a street, Dark skinned, hair that a comb will not run through, in a upper class white neighborhood. Before clicking on her video I saw a still of her and thought she was a white woman that may have had comments on this site. Yes Alisa, many Latinos/as will vote for Obama & yes Latin America had a slavery problem and yes there are white latinos, black latinos, Indian latinos and the beautiful “Triqueno” or a mix of all three but not every latino is Black or indian, there are some that are undeniably SPANIARD and that does not make them bad, it just means they did not play well with others. Me and many family members are without doubt well mixed, from light to reddish brown to black from straight to curly to kinky hair yet we are all latino. You yourself may be light/white skinned with an occasional tan but yes you are Latina. My girlfriend and I are from different Latin roots, She is Puerto Rican. Her mother is a white puerto Rican and her father a Black Puerto Rican. She is a light brown in skin color with kinky or grifo hair. My Family comes from Mexico. My mothers family is dark with curly to grifo hair from the coast. No one is completely sure if our roots were always Mexican. The older ones claim our family originated in Cuba but nonetheless our skin colors range from light to very dark. I am dark and take after my grandfather pelo grifo, (kinky hair) but we are still latino. Latino is not a color, it is a feeling, traditions, celebration, this is why a person as white as you and a person as dark as me can all be called LATINO which has nothing to do with the USA… If it did then you can actually say you have alot in common with Britney Spears, The both of you are white but the difference being is that feeling, tradition, celebration. That would be like me having alot in common with O.J. Simpson. We are both black in color, are hair is of the same texture but our feelings, traditions, celebration is not the same, not better just not the same. In Africa the different tribes are very much different from one another, alot of the tribes don’t get along. We speak differently, we celebrate differently yet we look the same. I am Latino he is American, Spears is American and you are latina/American, the both of you are white but your traditions are not the same, and please don’t take offense when I say you are white, it’s just a color. If a all points bulletin was out for me I would be described as a black latin, if the bulletin read a latin male they would never find me. If there was an allpoint bullentin for you it would not read a black latina, it would more than likely read a Female Latina or white female but if it read female black latina they would never find you either…. It’s just color. What you my girlfriend and myself have in common is not color, it’s being LATIN>>>>>> Muchisima Gracia, Vidal

By: vidal cortez

vidal cortez — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:15:13 +0000

I have not had my first comment moderated and I have already began my second comment. As I read Adriana’s comment on how we have more in common with Afro-Americans than we care to admit, I think is about as correct as saying we have more in common with Germans than we care to admit simply because Hitler wore a mustache. I believe we have alot in common with Afro-Cubanos, Afro-Peruanos, Dominicanos as well as Brazilians. While slavery of Africans existed in Mexico as well as Cuba, Puerto Rico, Brazil and yes the U.S. African slavery is the only common bond we have with Afro-Americans. The ultimate traditions, customs, as well as Language is very much a part of every latino including Brazilians. When a Quincinieta becomes a part of the Afro-American tradition or the ability to say yes, A King of an African tribe of Angola, namely NYANGA, was responsible along with the Indians of the region, for the free town known as Yanga in Mexico, Where to this very day a Statue of Nyanga (Yanga) stands in Veracruz, Meico. As the Cubanos still to this day are able to speak several of their tribal words of the YORUBA from Nigeria and still worship the Yoruba orishas Obatala, ChanGO, Sarabanda, Yemaya & Lucumi. Sure African Slaves were in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Republica Dominicana as well as Mexico, but what the Afro-Americans call OBAMA the first black president of the USA, Mexico’s second president was a Afro-Mejicano and the Gov. of California before it became a part of the U.S. Again was Afro- MEJICANO…. So again Adriana, Slavery is the only commonality between Afro-Americans & Afro Latinos…. The things Afro -Latinos Celebrate as well as our Latino traditions are different, not better, just different so yes we have plenty in common with other Afro-latinos but not as much as you would like to believe with Afro-Americans…. Vidal

By: vidal cortez

vidal cortez — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:46:39 +0000

All my life while growing up I always knew that some of my family were dark with kinky hair or light with curly hair and others with dark skin and straight hair. I have no doubt that Chicanos, Mejicanos have more African roots then they know about. We/I always assumed that this is the way Mexicans were… some dark & kinky hair or light, white and/or Indian but never gave it much thought. I think it should all come out and be known by all of us not just the ones who do a search. I believe it should be taught in schools and wen this happens some will deny it and others will embrace it but nonetheless it should be told. Emiliano Zapata was of Indian/African /Spanish heritage just as many of us are. The only problem I have is when Afro-Americans think because of our similarities we should know about the Afro-American experience. My girlfriend is Puertoriquena and a woman of Afro American Descent thought it odd that she knew nothing of Juneteeth day… Well I wouldn’t expect any Afro American to know about El Dia De San Juan Or Santeria from Cuba or La Bamba Being from a Afro Mejicano song about the Angolan tribe Bamba. Yes, we have an African slave common ground but we also have many different traditions as well as customs. I do not deny my African roots but they don’t have a whole lot to do with Afro American Traditions. We as well as Puerto Rico and Cuba know what tribe we basically belong to while unfortunately The Afro- Americans Tribe has been lost in the shuffle. We are all still brothers in a long history of slavery and prejudice but our Spanish/Latino Traditions are different…. Muchisima Gracia, Vidal Cortez

By: » Happy Juneteenth 2008!!! - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad!

» Happy Juneteenth 2008!!! - By ¡Para Justicia y Libertad! — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:59:23 +0000

[...] that divide. By celebrating this day with our African American brothers and sister, it will help us wake up from our racial amnesia and acknowledge our own African heritage and the struggles our own African ancestors went through [...]

By: XicanoPwr

XicanoPwr — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:12:15 +0000

Thanks Dee for the kind words and thank you for visiting my blog. I agree, it is very disappointing that too many people from this country are not aware of the African influence. I think it is because we are so disconnected from the world and really do think we are an island to ourselves.

By: Diane Outlaw

Diane Outlaw — Fri, 30 May 2008 01:18:28 +0000

I was not aware of the African connection in Mexico. How interesting… I was saddened to think about most people in this country that is not aware of the African influence in south america. I do wish more people were aware of this. I knew about Yoruba influence in Puerto Rican culture. I knew of the african influence in Brazil, Cuba, Panama, etc. but nNOT Mexico. Your post is so educational. Wish more will read it.
Keep up the good work.
DEE