On Monday, an article reached the editorial staff at Being Latino. It appeared on the National Review Online website Monday morning and was written by Jay Nordlinger, the magazine’s award-winning senior editor.
What’s noteworthy about the article — and why someone thought it might be of interest to the editors at Being Latino — jumps out from the third paragraph, when Nordlinger uses a slur against Latinos:
“Truth is, some conservatives lamented that he [Reagan] had indeed ‘grown’ in office. He had gone out of his way to accommodate liberals and moderates, and to accommodate the Kremlin. He was raising taxes, spending like crazy, welcoming wetbacks, pursuing arms control. One common cry from the right was, ‘None of this would be happening if Ronald Reagan were alive.’ “
Clearly, there are other, less offensive words Nordlinger could’ve chosen instead of “wetback” — and some that are more offensive. He’s an experienced writer (and a former speechwriter for George W.), so it’s safe to assume that he used the word “wetback” deliberately, after at least some thought.
Why he chose this word and not others, we may never know for sure. Maybe he thought the word was harmlessly racist, just as most racism in America these days is said to be harmless. So by calling Latinos wetbacks — and be sure he was calling all Latinos wetbacks, because it’s doubtful a man who publicly uses such words is sensitive enough to know the difference between a Mexican and a Honduran, or even care to know the difference — Nordlinger gets to offend an entire minority group while like-minded conservatives defend his verbiage as merely rude for rude’s sake.
“It looks to me like Mr. Nordlinger used the w-word to be ironic,” writes one commenter. “Nothing offensive about it in this instance–and for the record, because I have a feeling that replies to this comment will be loaded with accusations of racism, I am not a racist.”
If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck….
In the end, though, the jokes on Mr. Nordlinger. In this, another one of his attempts at “gibe,” he reveals the clouded thinking shared by the group he calls “we righties.” While he’s calling Latinos “wetbacks,” he’s also pointing out that Ronald Reagan couldn’t get the presidential nomination in today’s Republican Party.
Nordlinger tacks back to the Republican line in the next paragraph by showing us how conservatives remake history to fit their narrative:
“Anyway, that was a long time ago. He is now our Saint Ronald. We have moved on to calling Mitt Romney a marshmallow. No conservative ever said a bad word about Reagan (and all Frenchmen joined the Resistance).”
He ends his short piece by begging Chief Justice Roberts — who seems to be channeling his inner Reagan as of late — to stop growing (Oh yeah, did we mention that the article is titled “Against Growth”?)
We’ll end this piece by telling you how much we Latinos really miss Reagan right about now.
About Being Latino Contributors
Highly Offensive? Yes. Applicable to ALL Latinos? No. That is like saying the term “Limey” applies to all Europeans when everyone knows it applies to the British.
He actually wrote a follow up where he explains why he used the word and purpose of the passage. Sounds as though he did not expect the backlash. But that what he gets when his work sounds like the usual racist dialogue of a Scorsese or Tarantino film instead of a political piece.
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/309594/re-against-growth-jay-nordlinger
Mexicans don’t take offense to being called Latinos….I, personally, take pride in calling myself Latina. What I don’t take pride in is when a fellow Latino makes ignorant assumptions, especially with no facts to back them up with. So please, don’t assume because you only end up making and ass out of yourself.
ok so I take offence to being called anything but my name, and If u don’t know me u better be calling me Ms or Mam. Don’t worry where I come from, or how I got here. We all have rights in this country as well as responsibilities, wetback n no wetbacks (what ever the term may mean). Cuando nosotros mismos nos empecemos a respetar x el simple hecho de ser seres humanos y decidamos unirnos en contra de las injusticias, los ignorantes empezaran a perder el poder. Who cares what ignorant people call u, it matters what you consider ur self and if ur willling to stand up to not take the disrespect.
en cuanto a la parte “politica”: politicians are always gonna do what’s more convenient to them, never “the people”. It is our responsibility as “citizens” of this world to make sure everyone’s rights are respected always, but we don’t we are willing to allow our government to go out and do horrible inhumane things around the world so we can continue to maintain our status quo. The problem with that is that those problems have started to slowly or quickly rather creep up into our “so well” protected ports of entry. I only speak from experience. “Guatemala 1954″ and many situations there after created in my opinion the mass migration to the United States. Por supuesto es simplemente mi humilde opinion.
I call them wetbacks too..Alfonso Fonzie Delgado III
So what else is new with them? He was probably a Tea Party member too!
Not suprised
So I expect them to spew “greasers” and “spics” as well. The National Review is a rightwing rag. No surprise.
if latinos were wetbacks, what were the whites, especially those from England who for the most part, were purged from their countries because they were the scumbags, e
Hay caramba! Tremendo come soya ese.
Mexicans are wetbacks…Mexicans aren’t considered latinos
Mexicans actually take offense when considered latino
Truly sad
Jair Morales And where exactly does your expertise lie?
We do take offense to the word wetback Jair where the hell are you from ??
No expertise whatsoever
Oh, I get it. Obvious troll is obvious.
First of all, us Mexicanos don’t take offence to being called latinos or his-panics. That;s what we are. Not wetbacks . please don’t assume. Ya look stupid when ya say shxt like dat
Everyone is an individual that should be able to choose how they wish to identify. Personally I prefer being called Latina over being called Hispanic. BUT i can almost guarantee that most people take offense to being called a wetback. I know I take offense.
Speaking of ‘wetbacks’ aren’t there countless numbers of migrants from London, Britain, Germany and other countries overseas that also come to America for a better life or opportunity with or without papers? Now last time I checked to travel to America from London, Germany or Britain you have to cross a MASSIVE body of water called the Atlantic Ocean. Now check it – who’s are the wetbacks again? lol
This is what they really think the idiot just said it outloud!
YES! Latinos CAN be REPUBLICANS! WE pay taxes, and hire those willing and wanting to work. I AM first Generation American and I AM A PROUD TEXAS REPUBLICAN! Never on food stamps, worked in the fields…now own and do the hiring. Wetback just a word,Republican is a lifestyle, it is the American Dream!!!
Sticks and Stones could break my bones, But, Names…
I live in Texas people…Mexicans here don’t like to be called latinos
Jair Morales I live in Texas, too. You’re still wrong.
Jair morales, you look like an ugly inca wetback lol go back to Peru you ugly fat inca wetback, did you come riding your banana boat or did you come thru Mexico? your papi and mami had to come here crossing about 8 borders like true wetbacks lol
None of you are true Latinos morons, the word Latino originated thanks to the French invasion in Mexico, Those same French ended up calling mexicans LATINOS, not any of you!!! The true latinos of Latin America are actually mexicans, thanks to the french invasion of Mexico, the Mexican-French originated the word Latin America
“The term Latin America was supported by the French Empire of Napoleon III during the French invasion of Mexico”
First of all wetbacks is just a word. Latinos don’t take offense from it. Maybe Mexicans do but that’s their problem. Don’t lump all Spanish sur named people in with Mexicans and try to call us Latinos. And Jay is a great man. I know him, he is one of the biggest supporters for Cuban freedom and the fight for Cubans to overthrow the tyrannical yoke of the Castro family and communism on the island! Nordilinger is an honorary Cuban American!
Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asians all fit under various “designations” promoted by bigots. Now, members of both parties and many independents would love to be back in the good old days before the PC business and would love to use these hateful words out in the open. So be it. But, in the final analysis, Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, and Asians who vote for Teapublicans remind me of those Jews who voted for the National Socialist Party simply because the Nazis offered jobs, order, and National Pride.
Many of you have brought it up so we thought we would tell you the answer. When people immigrated here from Europe they were often called “greenhorns.” Just an FYI.