Saturday, August 1, 2009

Racial Profiling and Latinos

"Pinche Gringos" are continually stereotyped in Mexico and that leads to:
IMPROPER RACIAL PROFILING


I travel to Mexico for work and am CONTINUALLY PROFILED by the Mexican police and discriminated against by the Mexican people because I'm a "Gringo". It's not fair and it's not right. Latinos in the US feel they are profiled by the American police (click here) but nobody from Mexico seems to feel that once I cross the border the shoe is on the other foot.

I have yet to see public outrage in Mexico at profiling Gringos. They just do what they do and no matter how much we puff and sputter, you really have no rights at all...unless you buy rights from the police. That works remarkably well.

Edward James Olmos would disagree with me - and I don't care.

Social scientists write papers like this one all the time on skin color. (click here for more) The study abstract includes this quote, "darker-skinned Mexicans and Cubans face significantly lower occupational prestige scores than their lighter skinned counterparts..." Yet I have yet to see a study discussing stereotyping by Mexicans of their caucasian neighbors from the north. Why is this. Shouldn't it cut both ways?

11 comments:

Stephanie Faris said...

My boyfriend watches Cops and every time I sit down with him to watch it, it amazes me the police treat people. I don't see much racism there...they seem to treat every race equally like crap! But they are in front of the cameras so I'm sure they're on their best behavior.

WoFat said...

You should take the money you make in Mexico and give it to the poor Latinos trying to steal a living in your hometown. Those who are working their asses off don't need the help.

WoFat said...

Cops are like snowflakes. No two are alike.

LL said...

Most police officers learn not to like people of any race. Dirtbags come in all sizes and colors.

Anonymous said...

One thing that I cant stand are the Mexicans who live here in America who sport their Mexico flags or Mexico t-shirts. If you are so proud of being from Mexico, then take your happy ass on back. If you want to live in America illegally, shut your mouth, dont be seen or heard, and respect America and its flag. B.F.

Anonymous said...

One thing that I love as well, is when people ask me if I speak Spanish. I always reply, "No, its America we speak English not Spanish." Its funny how these people from Mexico who are here illegally and dont pay taxes, but except us to accommodate them. B.F.

darlin said...

Quite the tan lines this one's going to have! I feel that people, regardless of their race or culture, are treated according to how they act and or react to others within society.
I'm not at all prejudiced either, I hate everyone equally! And before anybody freaks out at this comment... it's a joke!

LL said...

Darlin - I'm with you. Hating everyone equally tends to solve the problem. And that's the point with the police, isn't it? In Mexico the police pre-judge me (not Latino) based on my nationality and the color of my pink skin and nobody feels outrage...not even me.

It's part of the HUMAN CONDITION. Roman policemen 2,000 years ago judged people based on their nationality and looked at them skeptically too. To some extent it will always be there.

I'm seriously not upset when I'm profiled in China, Mexico, Argentina, or in Britain where I'm simply "a dumb Yank". It goes with the turf.

darlin said...

Stereotyping, yes it will most likely always be here. I have seen it happen time and time again in Alberta with our Aboriginal population. I do believe that the highest number of children removed from their homes in the world are the Native children here. The largest number of inmates are also Native. Many Native people are passed over for jobs when it is between a non-Aboriginal person and an Aboriginal person. Qulafications do not matter when the end of the day approaches. There have been marginal changes brought about here, yet discrimination is blatantly obvious. What is really sad to see is the lateral discrimination and lateral violence, both of which in my opinion, are on the rise.

Sad state of affairs our world is in when a person is judged by the color of his/her skin. I believe in equality, until a person shows me different this is. The talk is the talk and the walk is the walk, to do both one must be secure in knowing who and what they are and what they are willing to do in life. I think that I just described my opinion of you! You walk the walk and talk the talk and don't back down to nobody or nothing, I must say that I admire this quality in an individual.

It really does not matter to me how anybody wants to profile me. I am Metis, one of my nationalities is Polish, the other is Cree. During childhood it mattered, then a few years ago I grew up, today I don't give a damn. I am a proud Kobasquaw, and Canadian as well. :-) I'll tell ya one thing though, I make the best darn perogies on this side of the boarder and my homemade soups are to die for! I'm still working on mastering bannock but at least it's not like hockey pucks anymore. The Oiler's have had to go elsewhere for their pucks this past few years!

Az said...

LL, its no different here. During the Apartheid regime, we weren't white enough, but still considered a class above the blacks (who weren't even considered a race).

Now its like reverse racism...because the blacks are in power, but now we're not black enough. It makes me sick.

Why can't we just BE?

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