Author Topic: Is this term an ethnic slur; offensive terms for a person of Mexican descent? (Read 1671 times)

Ripsnort · « **on:** October 16, 2003, 11:02:32 AM »

Wetback.

I'd particularly like to hear from our Spanish or Mexican American community. We have a quite a few here.

Personally, I think it is an ethnic slur, and offensive.

And, I believe anyone that uses that term is racist..but thats just me....

Saurdaukar · « **Reply #1 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:04:25 AM »

I wouldnt say it to a Mexican.

Guess that means its offensive, right?

Gadfly · « **Reply #2 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:08:07 AM »

I do call wetbacks, wetbacks in front of and to other Hispanics, and I haven't had a fight over it yet. And I deal with hispanics all day long, socially and on the job.

What you do not realize, Ripper, is that in this area, at least, the Hispanics, the American Hispanics, do not appreciate the wetbacks anymore than Easymo or I do.

Udie · « **Reply #3 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:13:09 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Gadfly
I do call wetbacks, wetbacks in front of and to other Hispanics, and I haven't had a fight over it yet. And I deal with hispanics all day long, socially and on the job.

What you do not realize, Ripper, is that in this area, at least, the Hispanics, the American Hispanics, do not appreciate the wetbacks anymore than Easymo or I do.

or me....

A hispanic will get mad, but only because they don't want to be associated with an illegal alien....

Gadfly · « **Reply #4 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:15:58 AM »

Another thing you may not be aware of, is that while most wetbacks ARE Mexican nationals, are good percentage of them are not. There are a lot of Salvadoarans and Guatemlaens who cross illegally, and, as a rule, they are not hispanic. They are indian(as are about half of the Mexican nationals). So you can call it racist all you want, but it a derogatory term for an illegal alien, not a Mexican. Hell, illegal is just as un-PC as wetback.

Apache · « **Reply #5 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:18:45 AM »

Speaking of Mexican, sure wish Gadfly would give me that green chilies recipe he was talkin' about the other night.

CyranoAH · « **Reply #6 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:22:32 AM »

While it's not derogatory here (many people know the term only because of a good song by a mexican group -can't remember the name-), it's regarded as an insult for american hispanics.

Daniel

Gadfly · « **Reply #7 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:22:51 AM »

WhhoooDoggie! That was Ranzors recipe, and it is some kind of good. I put it over chicken breasts, pork chops and ate it straight as a dip.

I don't think he will mind, so here is Ranzors Famous Green Chilie sauce:

1 chop up two large sweet onions and sauté them in butter until they are caramelized (this is subjective according to how you like them)

2 add chopped roasted green chile (you should be able to find them frozen at the store, BUENO is a popular brand) anyway add the same amount of chile in proportion to the caramelized onions in the pan along with a clove or two of chopped garlic. Saute this mixture until most of the liquid is gone (should just be a big sticky mess in the pan) pick out any chile skins you see while you are cooking (they are like plastic and no fun to eat).

3 Put the chile and onion mixture in a blender and slowly add heavy whipping cream while you blend it until it reaches a consistency you are happy with (I usually make it like thick gravy) at this point pour it back into the pan with the heat on low, so it will loosen any of the nice sweet brown onion bits left in the pan. Add salt and cracked black pepper to your liking.

This is a great sauce for almost anything. It is good on lemon grilled chicken breast over pasta with a few avocado slices, fajitas, on a nice T-bone, or just smeared on a big piece of garlic toast.

Gadfly · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:23:30 AM »

It sure is Cyrano, a major insult if you call an American a wetback.

Apache · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2003, 11:26:39 AM »

Thanks LK!

You and Ranzor had my mouth waterin' the other night! I can't get enough of food like this. Love the heck out of it.

DiabloTX · « **Reply #10 on:** October 16, 2003, 12:01:03 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Gadfly
WhhoooDoggie! That was Ranzors recipe, and it is some kind of good. I put it over chicken breasts, pork chops and ate it straight as a dip.

I don't think he will mind, so here is Ranzors Famous Green Chilie sauce:

1 chop up two large sweet onions and sauté them in butter until they are caramelized (this is subjective according to how you like them)

2 add chopped roasted green chile (you should be able to find them frozen at the store, BUENO is a popular brand) anyway add the same amount of chile in proportion to the caramelized onions in the pan along with a clove or two of chopped garlic. Saute this mixture until most of the liquid is gone (should just be a big sticky mess in the pan) pick out any chile skins you see while you are cooking (they are like plastic and no fun to eat).

3 Put the chile and onion mixture in a blender and slowly add heavy whipping cream while you blend it until it reaches a consistency you are happy with (I usually make it like thick gravy) at this point pour it back into the pan with the heat on low, so it will loosen any of the nice sweet brown onion bits left in the pan. Add salt and cracked black pepper to your liking.

This is a great sauce for almost anything. It is good on lemon grilled chicken breast over pasta with a few avocado slices, fajitas, on a nice T-bone, or just smeared on a big piece of garlic toast.

In my best J. Lo accent..."White people's food!"

Eagler · « **Reply #11 on:** October 16, 2003, 02:10:34 PM »

heck rip you get upset when somebody calls you a Yank

my dad told us of the fights he got into when he was a kid and called a whop. Somebody called me a whop, think I'd fall over laughing - the days of some of these "racial slurs" are way past due .....

takeda · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2003, 02:30:25 PM »

Note that by Gadfly's definition I don't really know what Hispanic really means for him.

There isn't in fact a Hispanic race, different from, say, Italians, Greeks or French.

So in my understanding Vicente Fox from Mexico is white, and Chavez from Venezuela is a native American...

Gadfly · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2003, 02:38:11 PM »

Hispanics or Latinos are those people who classified themselves in one of the specific Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino categories listed on the Census 2000 questionnaire -"Mexican, Mexican Am., Chicano," "Puerto Rican", or "Cuban" -as well as those who indicate that they are "other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino." Persons who indicated that they are "other Spanish/Hispanic/Latino" include those whose origins are from Spain, the Spanish-speaking countries of Central or South America, the Dominican Republic or people identifying themselves generally as Spanish, Spanish-American, Hispanic, Hispano, Latino, and so on.

Origin can be viewed as the heritage, nationality group, lineage, or country of birth of the person or the person's parents or ancestors before their arrival in the United States.

People who identify their origin as Spanish, Hispanic, or Latino may be of any race. Thus, the percent Hispanic should not be added to percentages for racial categories. Tallies that show race categories for Hispanics and nonHispanics separately are available.

midnight Target · « **Reply #14 on:** October 16, 2003, 02:55:18 PM »

Oh please... you can parse the origins of the word all you want. It is obviously a racial slur aimed at people from south of the border. Awfully disingenuous to even consider claiming otherwise.