by Daniel Cubias
Recently, I wrote a post that received more, shall we say…passionate comments than usual. The article was about the Kansas politician who cracked a truly hilarious, knee-slapping joke about gunning down undocumented people like vermin.
In any case, among the hundreds of comments were people who said I was right, people who said I was wrong, and people who said I was a race-baiting hatemonger bent on destroying America.
But of all the comments, one in particular caught my eye. The comment was, “My in-laws came from Mexico, and now just a generation later, they are fully assimilated and blend in. Except for being a little darker, you would never know where they were from.”
The subtext, of course, is that they can pass for white. And who wouldn’t want that?
In the commentator’s eyes, Latinos who give no clue about their true familial origins warrant the highest praise. I have to wonder if his in-laws would appreciate the “compliment.”
To be clear, there is nothing inherently vile about Latinos who are more culturally white. They are not sellouts (as long as they don’t disrespect their heritage). In fact, I’ve written before about my own insecurities regarding authenticity. Who is to say what constitutes Latino-ness?
But it’s one thing to make the choice yourself, to be true to your own tastes and values. It’s another to be told that, if you want to be a real American, you better act white — and fast.
In essence, Latinos are snagged in a cultural crossfire. On the one hand, there is societal pressure to adopt white social mores. On the other, there is our own hyperawareness of keeping it real and staying true to la raza.
Do we force ourselves to listen to salsa, when we would much rather blare Foo Fighters? Must we imbibe a margarita when, in truth, we would prefer a pinot noir? And should we hug everybody in sight when we’re actually more comfortable with a handshake?
And are these decisions — from the superficial to the deeply personal — a reflection of our own character? Or are they the result of the tug-of-war that Latinos endure between blending in and remaining authentic? For that matter, what do those terms even mean?
Regardless, perhaps Latinos would be best served if our country prized acculturation (the reciprocal process of cultures influencing each other) over assimilation (one culture forces all others to bend to its will). Maybe it would work out better for everybody if American society got a little more Latino.
Then it wouldn’t be such a virtue to say, “You would never know where that person is from.”
To learn more about Daniel, visit Hispanic Fanatic.
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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those
of the author and should not be understood to be shared by Being Latino, Inc.
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