The way some immigration hardliners describe Latino immigrants these days is enough to make anyone uneasy.
Immigrants, especially the undocumented, are painted as lazy, invading, thieving, mooching and wholly anti-American. Fox News anchor John Gibson infamously pleaded with his audience to “do your duty” and “make more babies” in the face of a growing percentage of Latino children.
But, for all that nativist groups like the Minute Men and the Federation for American Immigration Reform say about undocumented Latino immigrants, you know who really hates the undocumented? Other Latinos.
Surf any discussion board on immigration or the Facebook page of an intellectually entertaining Latino magazine, and you’ll find Latinos foaming at the mouths over the very thought that undocumented immigrants may be sleeping next door. Whatever racist epithet flung at Latino immigrants by flag-hugging, God-fearing Alabamans is just as easily uttered by the Latino Jüdischer Ordnungsdienst (the Jewish Ghetto Police), and it’s usually done with more fervor and less hesitance.
It seems some people with Spanish names think they’re given free license to abuse other people with Spanish names.
Exhibit A: My good friend Elissa Roberson over at The College Conservative, who in March of this year published the piece “Confessions of a Hispanic Racist.” Given the title, you already know what Elissa has to say about “Hispanics,” but “mainly illegals.” When she’s through describing the American Southwest like four-star generals describe the Afghan-Pakistani border, she complains that immigrants receive too much financial aid, have too many babies, have too much pride in their culture, do too many drugs and are too violent.
She calls these things (and more) her “problema,” though she admits, “Granted, I was a rebel and didn’t learn Spanish because I didn’t want to be lumped into a stereotype or category.” I’d love for Elissa to explain which category she’s referring to. Is it the “Latino” category?
But it’s not just my dear Elissa. There are plenty of Latinos who feel exactly as she does; some even harbor more sinister views toward Latino immigrants.
Their hatred for people they could just as easily have been stems from a bully culture in which people feel they must choose sides: either you’re the bully, or you’re the bullied. You see it everywhere, and it’s occurred during each time nativism reared its rabid head in America – against the Irish, the Jews, the Germans, the Italians, the Blacks, and now, the Latinos. As soon as a community is lambasted from above, some members of the community look to distance themselves by showing the bullies that they too can bully with the best of them.
That’s how they hope to gain acceptance from the in-crowd, saying, “Look! I hate them too. I’m more like you than like them.”
Making derogatory generalizations about a group of people millions strong and then using those characterizations to make their lives a living nightmare in hopes that they’ll “self-deport” is bullying writ large.
Personally, I can relate easier with a fifth-generation Republican than I can with someone who arrived yesterday from San Pedro Sula. But my side will always be with the bullied, because I refuse to be lumped in with the bullies.
About Hector Luis Alamo, Jr.
The article is pretty vague as to what is acceptable criticism of illegals by other Latinos and what is hate filled bullying. Hatred is wrong. Bullying is wrong. But there is nothing wrong with criticizing individual adult illegals for their knowing decision to break the law. Where is the line?
Finally didn’t you get the memo from Jon Stewart? No more Nazi references to people you don’t agree with. What’s next are you going to start labeling Latinos who work in law enforcement, or God forbid ICE, as Sonderkommandos?
This article is sooo disheartening.
I would say it’s unnerving. While I point out that some Latinos like to bully other Latinos, I’m also saying that there are some Latinos who will stand up for the bullied. But I’ll start ending my pieces with: “Now, everybody, conga!”
I think immigrants and esspecially the illegals are way more hard working then most americans…
I wouldn’t say one group is more hardworking than another. All groups are so diverse that anything can be said about them that would be true for some of its members. I know lazy Americans and lazy undocumented immigrants, just as I know hardworking, patriotic Americans and hardworking, patriotic undocumented immigrants.
sad but true.
Illegal immigrants are 10xs more hard workers than any other group, they have to maintain a family even being here illegally, they have to work very hard to give their kids what they need. They come here without NOTHING, and many times with no family for them to lean on when they have no money for their rent, they are willing to work two jobs or three if necessary, that is why you never see an illegal begging for money. I admire them more than any other group, if they made it in the USA, so can these welfare food stamp takers of US Citizens.
Go figure, I am 100% Puerto Rican, I get nasty remarks from other latino’s just because….. cant we all get along???? Seriously
For anyone going to check out Elissa’s piece, do be respectful. She’s a close Twitter buddy of mine.
Read it, and yes what she says is true, but what I’ve observed in my life living in Miami.(a wheel hub for all of Latin America to the rest of America) ive noticed most Latinos are racist towards other latinos because their whiter than the ones they are bullying. I’ve seen it time and time again how half breeds mock and make fun of and insult any latino/Latina(more common to be bullied by fellow Latinas) because of the purity of their blood. And how their looked down on because they don’t have (or superficial facial details) white blood running through their veins. And often enough a very big misconception of Latinos being white is a Latino. Example, up until I was 20 (25currently) alllllll columbians ive ever met were brown. And as far as I knew the only white columbians were just rich white folks(criminals) who moved to Columbia to start a new life. And they someone told me and said they only knew of white columbians their whole life!!! It was like wow!!! Opposite ends. And basically we were in a sense both right. Only in major cities do u see white columbians, the rest of the country consists pf brown columbians. Basicaly a racial divide and how they are viewd.
….And treated.
I believe it’s not only for the immigrants being bullied. But a Latino will bully another Latino for not being Latino enough, or because they are TOO Latino. A Latinos worst enemy is not themselves, it’s another Latino.
Bueno Esto Les Llega A Ustedes De Una Latina Muy Puertoriquena..Nuestra Raza Es Una Raza Super Orgullosa Con Altos Grupos De Personals Educadas En Todos Los Sentidos..Universitarios, Preparados Academicamente Y Con Suenos De Triufal..Listos Para Qualquier Competencia. Asi Que Qualquier Otra Raza Preparence Para El Reto..Y La Derrota..Tambien Este Universo Lo Creo El Todo Poderoso (Jehovah) Para Todos..No Solo Para Una Raza, Cultura, Nacionalidad, O Gente De Colores Nada Mas..Amen..I Rest My Case And MY GOD BLESS..!! I Love Being LATINA ,. )))
I completely disagree with this! The Latinos and the Hispanics are like any other group. They have similarities and have issues they don’t agree with him and can not connect with. Just like anything related to social conditions, you have to LEARN to get along and help out.
Back when I was a child Puertoriquenos were very big on hating Mexicans. Since they were legal and all us “Mexicans” cross the river to get here. I have also been told I am not “really” Mexican by the Mexican born simply cuz I don’t speak 100% in spanish. Or the “you don’t know the struggle” excuse that I have received. I know not all go threw this. But I have been on the wrong end of this racist crap from both my own and the regular white idiots.
I also don’t understand why I can’t be critical of Immigrants on their actions here. Where should my loyalties be? To country that has given me all the opportunities that I have? Or to a people who in my life have rejected me simply because of where I was born? I am proud to be an American. To rightfully be fluent in english. To also be an American via the culture of this nation. Would it be wrong of me to report an immigrant family. Both are working on fake SS numbers and at the same time collect all these food stamps free health care for their still growing family. They flat out lie and say they can’t work because they are undocumented. Then on the other hand we have legally born Mexicans who can’t get any help for their kids. Because the super low imcome they make still is to high to recieve any help. Can’t I be critical of that? Can’t I say to an undocumented that dude you did a crime to get here? That is an issue no matter what excuse you throw there. That is giving the gringos one more stupid reason to hate us. Can’t I be critical on that?
In my life, that has been perfect example of what undocumented people do. I know that my and my wife’s taxes goes to them and they are lieing. That is my beef. My money supports that. I don’t want it to. But some how I am a bad guy to want to show preference to legal residents. To see and hear them talk so proudly of the native homeland like it is so perfect does bother me. To hate this nations laws, people, and culture. Yet this is where they come. Makes no sense to me. You should show your gratitude not hate on your host nation.
In the end I so SO believe in learning your culture. My wife and I are first generation kids here. We have made it very well. I will make for dam sure my newborn will learn spanish. That he will learn the things my mother and my wife’s parents showed us what was important. But i will also teach my boy that this is the nation you live in. This is the nation that will give you all opportunities that your earn. This is the nation where most of your culture will grow from.
This is so frustrating, but sadly, it is true. I’ve heard these types of comments over and over again. I have a question regarding the latinos that hate on and despise undocumented latinos. If you are in the US, and you are not undocumented, someone, most likely undocumented, had to come to the US years prior in order for you to have the blessing of not being undocumented.
Second, another constant fight is the Mexican vs Texan/Chicano. This one really gets me. The same ones that insist that they are NOT Mexican, but Texan, go to Mexico to buy things cheaper and take advantage of their Mexican neighbors. And the list goes on. Sadly, if we just would stand together, nadie pudiera contra nosotros.