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Latin@ Style Racism and Multi-Racial (Dis)Unity by Nolan L. Cabrera (revisited)

Written by Foresight
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
The LA Times recently ran another story about Latin@ street gangs targeting and terrorizing Black communities . Allegedly, the gangs were trying to eliminate a Black gang from their community, but the violence has spilled over into terrorizing the general Black population in the barrio. {source}The actions of these people represent the extreme viewpoint with Latin@ communities, and my own people tend to fear them (even if sometimes they’re family). However, this extreme example of racial violence allows the rest of us to not critically examine the strong racial prejudices we frequently have against Black people. Advertisements Immigrants learn U.S. style racism quickly and this has been occurring for several generations. As Toni Morrison has described, the n-word is the second word learned by recent immigrants preceded only by “ok” . Latin American immigrants are not immune to this U.S. indoctrination of racism which is predicated upon fear and distrust of Black people. Many will say that racism against Blacks is nothing specific to the United States. One only remember the controversy surrounding Mexico’s incredibly racist Memin Pinguin stamp or President Vicente Fox’s comments that Mexicans would do the labor not even Black people would do. Mexico and other Latin American countries obviously have a number of issues with respect to race. However, my point is that upon migrating to the U.S., Latin@s learn U.S.-style racism. In Latin America, the racial caste is a continuum based upon pigmentation; the U.S. is binary (Black/White). Upon entering the country, we learn and unfortunately embrace the fear and hatred of the Black other in futile attempts to put ourselves above them. We have even adapted the Spanish language to demonize those at the bottom of the U.S. racial hierarchy (Note to Black people: mayate is not a term of endearment). The irony here is that under segmented assimilation theory, the more Latin@s assimilate into U.S. society, the more our social experiences mirror those of Blacks. This racism doesn’t stop with Black people as we tend not to like Asian-American people either. No matter the country of origin, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, etc., todos son chinos (they’re all Chinese). To drive this point home further, we use the diminutive chinitos in a futile, linguistic attempt at putting down others so we can feel superior to some group, any group, as long as we’re not at the bottom. I do not want this critique to overlook those who are proactively working to promote racial unity. Their contributions are extremely important, necessary, and timely. However, I challenge the rest (in my estimation the majority) of my people to look within at their prejudices against other communities of color. This sentiment is open to an obvious critique: if we live in a White supremacist society, doesn’t that mean people of color lack the structural power to truly be racist. I answer yes and no. I do not think we have the ability to be racist in structural terms, however, I think we can definitely impede racial progress (look how far backward people like Alberto Gonzales and Clarence Thomas have taken us). I’ve talked with some of my Brown brothers and sisters about this piece before writing it, and I’ve been discouraged from airing our community’s dirty laundry. The argument goes, it takes so much for our people to make meager gains that these statements can be used to further subjugate our people. This point has some merit, however, I feel that keeping these dirty little secrets to ourselves only serves to further entrench them making the problem worse in the process. Advertisements I come to this piece yearning for and working toward unity among communities of color (and even with our White allies). This sentiment has already been criticized because we have difficulty getting our own people to unify, so how can we unify across racial lines? I feel these sentiments while based upon social realities, are very limited in perspective. Dr. King talked about his dream of racial equality, but this was (and continues to be) far from a tangible reality. To limit ourselves to that which is immediately apparent limits our potential within the confines of the existing White supremacist structure is to continue reproducing the same structure that has oppressed our peoples for hundreds of years. There is a lot of heavy lifting and imagination necessary to continue pushing for racial equality, but who ever said social progress was easily attained? A first step in this process is checking our internal biases against the “other”, embracing our brothers and sisters across racial lines as fellow warriors in the fight against societal oppression; making their struggle our struggle (does anyone remember “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”?). This is specifically why I am calling on my Latin@ brothers and sisters to tie our destiny and progress to that of Black people. In the absence of this unity, we are reduced to crabs in a barrel, pulling down those who try to rise up. Racial prejudice not only hurts the person it is directed at, but it also the offender as it limits the potential for multicultural unity that can more effectively fight against racism than any of our communities can accomplish separately. Comments (7) ... written by Jackrabbit J , October 25, 2007 A lack of racial unity is the precise reason why we fail to have the proper voting power as well. Imagine the things minority groups can accomplish politically if they pooled their support on candidates holding their shared interests. Hell, I guess that opens up a larger problem: Harmony and unity WITHIN one's own race. That's sorely lacking as well and is probably a bigger problem. ... written by thablacksmith , October 25, 2007 good job nolan. i appreciate you airing out the dirty laundry because every once in a while it definitely needs a good washing. the courage to speak frankly about the root causes of our social ills is all to often missing. black-brown connections must be created, and reaffirmed where already established. together we have strength in numbers--which equals more power. words like your's will help spur the proper consciousness needed for progressive evolution, and a good life for those on the bottom. ~Be Conscious and Love Life~ ... written by Princess , October 26, 2007 I think that checking our own biases and committing to changing them is a great first step! There is power in unity in our struggles. I appreciate you writing such a critical piece; it is difficult for me to, to air out my dirty laundry. But now, what are the practical steps we, as peoples of color, should take to eliminate social oppression? When we lack direction, we continue to fight horizontally, and fall for "the man's" ploy to keep us fighting like crabs in a barrel. Let's start by having diversity trainings with each other! You wanna organize some with me? ... written by SMS , October 27, 2007 Interesting piece. I wholeheartedly agree with your conclusion of coalition building and uplifting people of color in unity. I wonder about some of your arguments prior to this conclusion though ... Specifically about immigrants learning US style racism quickly. It reminds me of an experience some of my friends had while doing research in Brazil and visiting other parts of Latin America. See the Global Affirmative Action Brazil Praxis Project at http://www.brazilpraxisproject.blogspot.com/ for more information on black/white tensions in Brazil. Interestingly, what Brazilians consider "white" is in fact what we consider "brown," and black is still black (and criminal: two of my friend were mistaken for "kidnappers" because they were black traveling with a "white" (actually Mexican) woman). Makes me wonder what you mean by "US style racism." White supremacy exists everywhere. Could it not be that immigrants may move to this country with their own racist attitudes firmly in place from their country of origin? I know my cousin, to my shame, is extremely ignorant and racist against blacks and other minority groups. But that's not something she adopted when she arrived to the US. It's something she believed before she moved here from the middle east. I've also met many people while traveling in Latin America who, sadly, share similar racist attitudes (but who have never traveled to the US). It never ceases to amaze me the extent to which the obsession with white supremacy and the strive for the privileges that come with being white have corrupted our people across the globe. I fully understand your argument about Latinos trying not to be at the bottom of the racial hierarchy, but I think that's true for every minority group. Excuse my language, but nobody wants to get shit on. People are willing to do whatever it takes to not be on the bottom. I just don't know that I agree with your reasoning that not wanting to be at the bottom is the reason Latinos adopt US style racism. Perhaps I'm misinterpreting your argument or simplifying it... Regardless, you make an excellent point about why communities of color need to come together and stand together in unity. ... written by LA , October 29, 2007 you make a good point in stating that Latin@s do not want to be "at the bottom" of the chain and thus take on the US system of racism. but another thing to account for as well--and perhaps this is airing too much dirty laundry--but there is also the factor of discrimination between the Latino community. ask a mexican what they think about someone from el salvador, and you won't hear the best account. there's a reason why central americans are referred to as "tres veces mojados", being as though they have crossed three (or perhaps more) borders. ask a puerto rican what she thinks about the rest of the Latin@s, and you'll hear another account. Ask a cuban, and again a different story begins to unfold. i'm thinking this same type of "hierarchy" also exists in the Asian community. i agree that building bridges and coalitions is the best way to move forward, but the money question is, how? ... written by DB , October 31, 2007 Nolan, I think this is an enlightened piece, and something that's needed to be said (written). Clearly, racism is the antithesis of progress, no matter the source. And I'm sure you're right on some level that racism on the part of Latin@s toward Blacks and Asians is a defensive expression -- not wanting to be on the bottom rung of the ladder as you suggest. But I also think that it's potentially a way of trying to identify with the dominant White culture -- if Whites are on top, and an observed aspect of White culture is being racist towards Blacks, than by being racist towards Blacks (and buying into that racism), we can move a step closer to the top. And what that shows, which is understandable on some levels, is really an insecurity. The question, therefore, becomes: how do Latin@s, like every other oppressed group, build confidence in who they are, without attacking the other? In other words, how do I feel confident in who I am, without comparing myself to someone else? Granted, this is an individualistic perspective. But racism, as you state, exists at many levels, and if you want to attack systemic racism, you first need to conclude, on a personal level, that it's just nonsense, that it doesn't improve me or my station to hate someone else. You have to love yourself, before you can learn to love others. True, this is extremely difficult when messages are constantly sent through the media, popular culture, etc., that Latin@s, Blacks, Asians, Gays, Lesbians, non-Christians, and every other "minority" group are inferior because they're different. But difficult or not, that's the task at hand, and we all have to find a way to rise above the fray. ... written by Jason W , April 06, 2008 Well from what I have seen any race that IS NOT WHITE, in this country is considered at the bottom; even today Latinos have it just as hard as many inner city blacks!! So i think Blacks and Latinos alike need to seriously realize that we're the same under the eyes of white supremacists haha...I laugh because it is we , US who need to unite, we need to make progress together, for we are genetically related and socially related!! Being black I can tell you as well that there are MANY blacks who feel Latinos are at the bottom of the chain being that they take on jobs congruent to that of a modern day slave if you will. So all of this MUST come to an abrupt end! I would assume that this is something those Supremacist would WANT, for all those below them in their eyes to be fighting over who's higher and who isn't when in REALITY we're the same!!!! 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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 05 March 2008 )

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