Being Mexican-American I think is something that most other people can not relate to. For one thing, many Mexican natives view you as not being a real Mexican. A lot of them see you as being a washed up Mexican or a wanna be white person. Oh god, when they find out your Spanish ain't all that - forget it! Just ask Jessica Alba about it. She's taken a few hits for being of Mexican descent and not knowing Spanish.
On the other side of the token. A lot of white people look at you and think that you are an illegal immigrant, go figure.
Why is this in my head? Because today I was in Encino, a mostly white neighborhood. There was a white guy who I was conversating with and during the conversation he asked me what country I was from. This was odd to me! What country am I from? I've never had anyone ask me this question. I wasn't offended, just surprised. I mean, I have absolutely no accent, don't even speak Spanish all that well. I had to explain to him that I'm 4th generation on my moms side and 8th generation of Los Angeles on my dads side. He was surprised and said that most Mexican people he meets were either born in Mexico or their parents were. This guy needs to hang around North East Los Angeles more often or the San Gabriel Valley were many Mexican Americans have been around for three generations or more. I mean this guy must be hanging around Macarthur Park, Maywood or Huntington Park where you would find what he is saying true most of the time. I really threw him off when he found out my Spanish is next to none. He really needs to get out more because he acted like he never seen a Mexican American who didn't speak Spanish. Trust me, there are hundreds of thousands of us! Shocking?
Later in the day I was near Downtown Los Angeles. A guy asked me something in Spanish. I couldn't understand him and he asked me the same old questions that have gotten real old. With his broken English he asked:
"Where were you born?"
"East L.A." I say.
"Where were you parents born?"
"L.A." I say.
"How about your grandparents?"
"L.A. and Texas" I say.
They then understand a little more.
It's just crazy but that's life. Just my days experience.
12 comments:
Wow, some people go their entire lives with their heads completely buried in the sand, don't they? I don't know, maybe it's just my location. I'm in Dallas, TX and when I meet a Hispanic I just assume they are native to the U.S. because most of them I meet are. Still, I lived in San Diego for years and never assumed that the Mexicans I met there were illegals. I think it's all a mind set and the current media frenzy about illegal immigrants. To hear the news casters talk (that bunch of idiots) you can't swing a dead cat without hitting an illegal immigrant.
Sorry to hear you have these experiences. That can't be comfortable.
Pussy Willow, it must be the area you are in. Like you said, most Hispanics you meet there are US Natives. It's just like in the neighborhoods I grew up in, you usually assumed that people of Mexican descent were of the U.S because most of the time they were. I have noticed though neighborhoods that are full of illegals such as a town we have near Los Angeles called Maywood. The media once reported that the towns residence were like 60% illegal. If I go to that neighborhood the illegals even assume I'm an illegal. Ha! Just crazy!
I know all about what you mean! I'm 2nd generation and speak no Spanish at all. And, i'm living in the McArthur park area, so talk about being an island! Sorry to hear that, but I get similar crap all the time. A lot of the folks here treat me like some kind of traitor, when I was simply not taught Spanish. And, the rest of the time I'm treated like I somehow am special for not speaking it. It's nuts!
Spookyyank, Ha Ha - I've had those incidents also where someone looks at you like you are some kind of traitor. It always trips me out though how some people from another country, whether it's Mexico, El Salvador (I know there are a lot of El Salvadorians by McCarther Park) or any other country have the guts to come to the United States and try to make you feel like your the illegal immigrant here. I'd get the hell out of that area! Just kidding - don't run - It's your country! Be proud to be an American and proud to be a Latina. A legal Latina!
By the way, speaking Spanish is cool to know but when you are not taught it, it's no big deal if you don't know. A lot of these immigrants don't understand that kids here are raised with English (even Hispanic ones) and lots of them rarely use Spanish. I know you have the ones where there parents pass Spanish down by speaking it in their houses and stuff but many such as you, me and many others, our parents just spoke English to us and we only speak English. We then have our kids, and they speak only English and so on. I've thought about it before though and ain't you glad you only speak English instead of only knowing Spanish. Of course speaking both would be better but.....oh well.
I finally found this post again! Right after I made my comment - seriously, right after we left the library! I took the kid to McDonalds for an ice cream and this older man began speaking to me in Spanish. I understood enough to know he was saying Nella was a good girl and pretty. But, then he launched into full on chat and I had to stop him and say that I don't have enough Spanish to understand him. He was really polite about it, but then said "I'm sorry. I thought you were Mexican"!!!!!! It blows my mind how Mexican now means from Mexico! When the hell did that happen???? LOL And, when I told him that I am, he was shocked! So, ya, it's a weird time and weirder for people like US. My mom grew up speaking Spanish in Texas, but I think she didn't feel comfortable teaching us kids because we were in an all white area and my dad's family were also white. I wish I knew more and will try to learn along with the kid, since she has a better shot at becoming fluent than me! LOL
We're also getting the heck outta here, but mostly just for cheaper rent that I found downtown. But, there is a big part of me more than happy to leave behind the real assholes who seem to think - like you pointed out - that they're entitled to treat me like a second class citizen when I'M the one fricking BORN HERE! I will never understand that attitude!
Spookyyank - That's funny. It will go on the rest of our life :) You know it's funny what you said that to be Mexican some people think you got to be born in Mexico. I think that's why in the 60's here in Los Angeles when the Brown Power Movement went on, the term Chicano and Chicana became real popular, I know it was used way before that but started being used more at that time. Sort of a way to distinguish Mexican-Americans from Mexicans. I usually use the term Chicano to myself because you can't just say Mexican because I'm not from Mexico. I mean I know I'm Mexican and proud of it but if you say Mexican you always gotta add that American after it. Anyhow, I'm real cool with a lot of border brothers and sisters as I'm sure you are. It's just the ones who look at you like your a freakin disgrace or something that can annoy you.
It would be good for your kid to learn Spanish now while she is young. As I'm sure you know things get a lot harder to learn as you get older sometimes. Kids minds are like a sponge.
who got the bigotry...maybe in another 200 years the Mexicans will be accepted? Nah! LOL.
remember the one line from Blazing Saddles:
"We'll take the N's and the C's, but not the Irish."
having to deal with people every day who look at you and wonder if you're legal or not has to be irritating as sin. Of course, the scenario you just gave reminds me of the song Cheech Marin did many years ago called "Born In East L.A."
You know what's funny Catfish is that I used to work at this one job where a group of people there would call me "Born in East L.A.". That was my name to them, don't think they ever knew my real name.
It always amazes me to see how some of us are labeled as Mexican, mostly from our physical attributes. In school and during the censes our family always has a hard time, because we simply want to be labeled American.
I am reminded of the time back in the 70’s when we had a construction job down in south Texas close to the border. A group of us decided to go across the border and raise a little hell. We all had more than our share of drinks, including a certain crane operator if Irish decent. As we crossed the border the border guard asked us to declare our nationality. We each in turn declared U. S. citizen except the crane operator who declared in a drunken drawl “Irish and proud of it!”. It took him a week to get out of border patrol custody.
Your story there about your proud Irish friend really made me laugh. Wish I could have seen that in person!
Post a Comment