Big Dilemma

[DJ_UFO]

Why all the people from Center and South America is called "latin"??. After some answers i'll post my research.

 

[Apöllo]

Cause it's "Latin America" where the Spaniards made most of their setlements. Even a large chuck of the US was in their hands until the honkies got a hold of it.

 

[JBRO]

why do mexicans like to be called latinos these days. i still call them mexicans. i dont even know what to call black folk anymore.

 

[DJ_UFO]

Well, I was asking this because from some years ago til now, this famous word "latino" has became very powerful between South American and Central American people; so powerful that it is almost taken as a race. That's the mistake. I've seen in a lot of applications, forms here in the US asking for the race and between white/black/asian, the have the option "latin". And latin IS NOT A RACE. Latin is an Ethnic group. It is a group of traditions, culture, food, music. SOme of those traditions were taken from spaniards but modified with time by the "mestizos". Mestizos IS A RACE. They are a mix between spanish and indian. Everybody should know that in south America there are many races. There are mainly Mestizos, then you have White/caucasian people descendant from spaniards, british, italians, french, germans or in my case my ancestors are spanish, italians and croatians. Also you have black people, they were taken from Africa, you have 'Mulato" that is another race (mix between spaniard and black) and you have "zambo" (mix between balck and indian). So there you go. This "latin" word is very complex. We can compare it to "American". American is not a race. It is an ethnic group. It is a way of thinkink. A different way to see life. A group of traditions, a different culture. Different music, different food. That's American. But that doesn't mean that the race of the people here is "American". Because there are black people Americans. There are Asian people Americans. And also there are withes that maybe don't consider themselves Americans. For example an Irish descendant guy maybe can consider himself as an "Irish" and not an American.

Now my point. While American ethnic group was created mainly by white and caucasians, that are the majority, in South America the Latin ethnic group was created by mestizos and mulatos; they are the majority. But I'm a caucasian from So America and I don't like the Latin garbage!!!...I don't buy that shit!...I, myself, fell alot more identified with American culture; their traditions, their foor, their music, the way of thinking. Maybe because of my ancestors. For So Americans that's very difficult to understand; because they come here running from poorness or terrorism. So they live here but at the same time are bringing here their latin shit. I came here for one reason. Because I love this country. And that's why I consider myself an American. I'm proud of my ancestors. And I'd give my life for this country if it is necessary.