In Texas, slur carries baggage of history

[sonias]

AAS 3/24/08
In Texas, slur carries baggage of history
Though some insist it has no racial overtones, others says it perpetuates a legacy of bigotry.

By Juan Castillo
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Monday, March 24, 2008

As he sought to quiet the furor last week over his use of the slur "wetback" and to defend himself against charges that he was espousing racism, Mustang Ridge City Council Member Charles Laws argued that he grew up with the word "out here, and everybody said it."
(snip)

In the blogosphere, some came to Laws' defense and seemed mystified by the uproar. Some contended that the resulting furor was plumbing ridiculous depths of political correctness.

But for many Mexican Americans, particularly Tejanos, "wetback" is perhaps the ugliest of epithets, on par with the n-word for African Americans, said Plascencia, who is researching the terms that Americans historically have used to refer to Mexicans who come here illegally.

Any of the blogosphere that came to Law's defense is as clueless on the racist term is the old guy is. :grr:


Sonia

[Longhorn]

1. I listen to classic radio and they often air the original commercials and promos.

The other day, I heard a promo for a CBS news special called, "The Wetback." It was going to deal with the problem of illegal immigrants. It was shocking to hear the title stated so matter-of-factly. I just don't hang around people who use slurs like that and I didn't realize it was ever considered an "acceptable" term. :(

[sonias]

2. I love your boot pic, Longhorn

Sure is purdy!

:hi:

Sonia

[Longhorn]

6. Thanks, Sonia!

I recently bought my first pair of cowboy boots that I really love but not at purdy as my signature. :hi:

[WolverineDG]

4. It never was acceptable

it was ALWAYS an insult to call someone a "wetback" or in Spanish "mojado."

dg

[Longhorn]

5. That makes it even more shocking

that CBS news would use the term in the fifties or sixties, whenever that news report aired. Putting quotation marks around it doesn't make it any better. This was presumably a national broadcast, too. :shrug:

[WolverineDG]

3. People used to use the "n" word a lot too

that doesn't make it okay.

Asshats.

dg

[Lithos]

7. disgusting

"wetback" is a disgusting word used by small people. I know its use is unfortunately endemic to some degree, but to defend and try and rationalize its bigoted and demeaning use as somehow acceptable in a modern setting is beyond belief. It's downright disgusting.