By Roy Gomez
A Spanish-language newspaper nearly always refers to mainstream Americans in
deprecatory, unflattering terms: Aryan; Anglo-Saxon; WASPS. For years I
have begged them to address them with some degree of respect, deserved or
not, as angloparlantes (English-Speakers); blancos no hispanos (non-Hispanic
Whites), and mainstream (all citizens, regardless of their ancestors' or
present race, culture, or national origin, who embrace a common language and
making the United States the cultural, economic, educational, scientific,
social, and spiritual ideal of the world). "Non-Mainstream" are those
elements or groups within the nation who don't embrace all aspects of that
ideal, or who desire to attain it while remaining entirely outside the
"Mainstream's" collective identity. They may or may not be "good,"
depending on their individual collective goals. For example, could you
support the collective goals of our criminal population? I feel that all
law-abiding elements in this or any other country, mainstream or not, should
be treated respectfully and not degraded by such terms as "Nigger, Kike,
Anglo-Saxon, Jigaboo, Aryan, Haimie, Spic, Christ-Killer, Jap, Jew-Boy,
Greaser, Chink, WASP, Gook, and the like. I have always felt that degrading
epithets against certain groups deny them their dignity and humanity. The
editors of the Los Angeles Spanish daily La Opinión have never agreed with
me. They insist that mainstream citizens and non-citizens are allegedly
trash and should be treated accordingly.
I want to inquire whether or not, in this, the beginning of a new
millennium, all individuals, groups and nations, in this or any other
country, should wipe the filthy slate of history clean, adhering to the
highest standards of respect for and consideration of one another? Or
should we defecate on mankind's dreams and hopes as we did in previous
millenniums?
Many years ago, much of this newspaper's alleged hate and mean-spiritedness
was enthusiastically inflicted on the Jews who, one reporter wrote, never
felt any sort of patriotism for this or any other country. However, over
the years, the "hate" reports have narrowed down to just Anglo-Saxons,
Wasps, and Aryans - more often than not including Black Americans and their
leaders. Right now, their current Afro-American "naughty boy" is Kweisi
Mfume. One writer, Juan Jose Gutierrez, stated in the 1-16-00, 2B edition,
".the problems caused by the actions of Kweisi Mfume.threaten to widen the
distances which have historically kept these communities divided,
principally the Latino and Afro-American communities."
I copied the following quotes from the weekly column written by the
admittedly Marxist-oriented writer, Mrs. Chris Villarreal Navarro, one of La
Opinión's favorite and most popular contributors: ".Anglo customs are
deathly dry. When you cordially extend the hand of friendship to a Gringo,
you immediately notice his nervousness. The physical closeness of another
person makes him uncomfortable..I remember when Jessie, my oldest daughter,
came home with her Anglo friends. These passed through the living room in
front of us as if we didn't even exist..not even a 'Hi!'..(The following)
extreme of Anglo-Saxon insensibility was that of a Mexican neighbor in the
student residences of the university. Lily had married a Gringo, a
beautiful physical example, but sorely lacking as a companion. One morning,
we were awakened by the lights of police patrol cars.This countrywoman.in a
moment of desperation, tried to commit suicide..because of the lack of
affection..that until then.even in intimate moments, her husband refused to
give her. (1-2-00; Section B; Page 4.)
The following is what she stated in her column in the Sunday, 1-16-00
edition, B4. She was complaining bitterly about the government's
encouragement for Latinos to become citizens: "Only in this way can we
progress in this land of opportunities which, until now, have been only for
the immigrants of the Aryan race." She continues to explain that her
decision to become a citizen is on hold because of ".those promises of
proletarian internationalism that I learned in circles of Marxist
studies.(we) the workers of the world are not separated by borders; we don't
have a single fatherland."
This woman and other writers for La Opinion have often vented their rage on
the modern descendants of the "villains" who robbed Mexico of most of its
national territory and upheld the institution of slavery. Yet, the
forefathers of over two-thirds of present-day Americans entered America
after the Civil War. Must most Americans suffer for what their innocent
forefathers never did?
Snide remarks about gringos (this term, believe it or not, is NOT
derogatory. It's an archaic Spanish word for "Greek.") appear week after
week, month after month, year after year, allegedly planting the seeds of
hate and mistrust in the minds of Spanish-speaking readers of their
newspaper.
My Mexican wife and I once visited the offices of La Opinión. Both of us
begged a junior editor who talked with us to stop brainwashing readers to
hate and mistrust Americans. I told him that the people he calls
Anglo-Saxons, WASPS, and Aryans are not all from England and Germany.
I said, "The origins of the people we call "mainstream' are England, Wales,
France, Scotland, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria,
Rumania, Russia, Poland, Chekoslovakia, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Denmark,
Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Australia, Iceland, Israel, Germany, Holland,
Luxemburg, México, Cuba, all the other nations of Latin America, Hungary,
Israel, Yugoslavia, Albania, the Arab nations, China, Japan, Native
Americans, African-Americans,, etc., etc., etc. Elements of some of these
groups may even prefer to remain exclusive. What makes us "Mainstream" is
our common acceptance of English, and certain values and goals. Of course,
we haven't yet achieved perfection. Many injustices still exist in America.
But even the eradication of the remaining injustices and frauds within our
system is a common goal."
My wife said, "I've always felt that by calling my husband's nationality
"Anglo-Saxon," we are unconsciously revealing that we feel inferior ro
them."
This editor refused to accept us as a diverse people unified by one English
language. He insisted that all "mainstream" elements and groups in the
United States are Anglo-Saxons from Northwestern Europe, even if they came
from the easternmost extreme of Russian Siberia.
This newspaper will keep on seeding hate until responsible individuals and
organizations demand that they adhere to the same high standards they demand
of us. If you believe, as I do, that Mainstream Americans do not all
conform to the base stereotypes which this newspaper uses to degrade us, and
that their reporters should adhere to higher standards, tell
them - right now!
La Opinión, 411 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90013, or E-mail:
administration@laopinion.com.
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