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Phil_K
Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 2041 Location: A World of my Own
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 1:28 am Post subject: |
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tsalinger wrote: |
Phil_K wrote: |
In all my years in Mexico, I have never perceived Mexicans to be racist. Instead, there is a curiosity about people from other cultures, which may lead to constant questions if you are "different". Actually, in my opinion, to a certain extent the opposite applies; there seems to be a respect and admiration for other cultures, part of the malinchismo alive and well in Mexico. |
Never perceived racism in Mexico? Read these articles and etc, etc... |
Sorry Mate, I ain't gonna take the bait. I just expressed an opinion based on my 11 1/2 years in Mexico, and I'm too busy enjoying life to get involved in a pointless debate. I promise I'll read your comments when I have a spare minute....and file them under "quite interesting" |
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FreddyM
Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 180 Location: Mexico
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 3:41 am Post subject: |
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Plain and simple summary of what tsalinger was saying....."white" people (especially foreginers) seem to either not perceive racism in Mexico or dismiss it as trivial quite simply because they don't experience it first-hand. Of course they don't experience much discrimination in a culture that is heavily malinchista (favoring the foreign) and biased towards preferring "whiteness" from the Spanish ancestry. Non-whites however know firsthand the heavy racism and discriminatory practices that occur on a daily basis and that DO have very real consequences in life chances and opportunities. Of course Mexico is a racist country (as are most countries in the world), the mestizo background of the population, including within families, complicates how this is exercised. Same as in Brazil. It's not the same as it happens in the United States, or any other country. But it's still racism nonetheless.
The fact that most people don't understand this is not...surprising. Unfortunately. |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 4:33 am Post subject: |
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FreddyM wrote: |
Plain and simple summary of what tsalinger was saying....."white" people (especially foreginers) seem to either not perceive racism in Mexico or dismiss it as trivial quite simply because they don't experience it first-hand. Of course they don't experience much discrimination in a culture that is heavily malinchista (favoring the foreign) and biased towards preferring "whiteness" from the Spanish ancestry. Non-whites however know firsthand the heavy racism and discriminatory practices that occur on a daily basis and that DO have very real consequences in life chances and opportunities. Of course Mexico is a racist country (as are most countries in the world), the mestizo background of the population, including within families, complicates how this is exercised. Same as in Brazil. It's not the same as it happens in the United States, or any other country. But it's still racism nonetheless.
The fact that most people don't understand this is not...surprising. Unfortunately. |
Sorry Freddy, but that's a cop out regardless of whether you are saying it or merely quoting tsalinger. Being a victim of racism does play out more strongly as white on dark but that generality doesn't mean that the people posting here couldn't possibly understand it or have experienced it themselves. MotherF is white as far as I've seen and she can understand it, and experience it closely with family members, just as I can (I have Mexican family) and as Phil can (he has Mexican family).
They don't hand you a whites-only visa at the border and proclaim it all to be sunshine and lollipops on streets paved with gold here for you. Racism is a two-way street...nay, it's a multi-lane expressway.
I've seen racism up close and personal. Against my ex-wife and family members in Canada, against my own Franco-Canadian ancestry in English Canada, against African American teachers in Mexico and many others.
Sorry Freddy and tsalinger, you can't claim to be sole proprietors on victimhood in this topic. It's definitely communal property.
Last edited by Guy Courchesne on Tue Feb 19, 2013 6:12 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City
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MotherF
Joined: 07 Jun 2010 Posts: 1450 Location: 17�48'N 97�46'W
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 4:32 pm Post subject: |
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Guy,
I'm not quit sure what you are trying to say. But tsalinger was also less than clear in his posts--maybe the topic makes him emotional. And yes, I'm as white as they come--pure WASP as we say in the US. But I agree whole heatedly with Freddy's response to this.
Phil_K wrote: |
In all my years in Mexico, I have never perceived Mexicans to be racist. Instead, there is a curiosity about people from other cultures, which may lead to constant questions if you are "different". Actually, in my opinion, to a certain extent the opposite applies; there seems to be a respect and admiration for other cultures, part of the malinchismo alive and well in Mexico. |
Racism in Mexico is not about "other cultures". It's about "Other Mexicos". |
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Isla Guapa
Joined: 19 Apr 2010 Posts: 1520 Location: Mexico City o sea La Gran Manzana Mexicana
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Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2013 5:04 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a rather pale American woman. In some ways I don't really like, my skin color gives me advantages, especially when dating Mexican men, many of whom seem to prefer "white women". On the other hand, being Jewish has sometimes brought me face to face with prejudice in the form of anti-Semitism, both in the States and in Mexico.
Regarding racism among Mexicans, I'll never forget a chat I had with a nice older Mexican woman some years ago, while we were traveling on a third-class bus to Texcoco, where I lived in the late 1970s. Of course, she asked me where I was from. Then she told me a niece of hers had married an American man. She didn't understand why a tall white handsome American had married her niece, since she was so "fea" (her exact word). I said something about how I was sure her niece was not really "ugly". She responded that she was "morena", so how could her husband find her attractive. To me this true anecdote says a lot about the nature of Mexican racism, even within families. How sad . . . |
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Guy Courchesne
Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City
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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 3:39 am Post subject: |
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MotherF wrote: |
Guy,
I'm not quit sure what you are trying to say. But tsalinger was also less than clear in his posts--maybe the topic makes him emotional. And yes, I'm as white as they come--pure WASP as we say in the US. But I agree whole heatedly with Freddy's response to this.
Phil_K wrote: |
In all my years in Mexico, I have never perceived Mexicans to be racist. Instead, there is a curiosity about people from other cultures, which may lead to constant questions if you are "different". Actually, in my opinion, to a certain extent the opposite applies; there seems to be a respect and admiration for other cultures, part of the malinchismo alive and well in Mexico. |
Racism in Mexico is not about "other cultures". It's about "Other Mexicos". |
Agree, completely. And we can spend all day throwing -isms at each other to explain it. Classism, racism, sexism...
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Guy,
I'm not quit sure what you are trying to say. |
You were disheartened to hear I didn't think racism is a problem in Mexico. I never said that...you took Phil's post and bundled me into it. Not fair. Tsalinger directly misquoted me by combining two of my posts into one making it appear as if I said something I didn't. Also not very fair. |
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raulyn
Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 64 Location: D.F.
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Posted: Wed May 01, 2013 3:13 pm Post subject: Unruly students |
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I wish this post was available earlier. I work for one of schools mentioned above. The staff and admin are very nice. I love my bosses, but the students are the worst I have ever taught. I have heard stories of students bragging about teachers they have had fired and I replaced a teacher that was unduly fired because some students lied about her. These ill-mannered, over-privileged children rule the roost and they know it. There is no real punishment for them. I won't say which school it is, because I still work there. Yet, I will say it is a private school for a very specific community. |
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AbeCross
Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Posts: 191
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Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:47 pm Post subject: Canadian Center in Tuxtla Gutierrez |
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For teachers in the southern part of the country, add this cowboy school to the list. |
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