The best comment from SNL this week:

And I have never once thought that a cue ball is the same as a Mexican just because the harder you hit it, the more English it picks up.

…as said by Rev. Al Sharpton (portrayed by Kenan Thompson) accepting …

Think about it, Puerto Rico, a country with a prominent black population, yet very few Black actors or models. Have you ever seen a black Miss Puertorico? Have you ever seen a black Miss Venezuela? They always fall in the Mestizo or White category.

Back in the ‘olden days’ when Spain first conquered Mexico and claimed it as ‘New Spain’ there was a caste system based on skin color and pureness of the Spanish blood. It kind of went like this:

Spaniards-at the very top, pure spanish blood
criollos-Spaniards born in Mexico
Mestizos-all mexicans are mixed, half-indian/half spanish
indians-low
mulatos-mixed black/indian/european,lower
blacks-lowest

And unfortunately it is still exactly this way today!! Of course there were a few Africans that were brought to Mexico. In fact every once in a while I’ll see someone who’s African blood has resurfaced and it’s very obvious to me that they have African blood in them. In addition, there are no natural born blacks in Mexico. Mexico is indeed very racist. Then again all Latin America is and it needs to change.

Rafael-
Thanks for the uplifting words. We got our TAKS (that’s the Texas standardized exit test) scores back today and there’s a lot more work left to do next school year.

One question for anybody to answer: How do we make math and science a more pressing concern to our minority students? In my opinion, success in those fields is a much better way to good earnings down the road.

Because you are so engaged/invested in the lives of those students, you will have the distinct pleasure of having some of them thank you later in life for giving them the example/inspiration they needed to overcome whatever weight their environment was trying throw around their neck. So don’t feel defensive. You are doing a good thing by loving enough to teach. Teaching is certainly a labor of love. Unfortunately it may be more labor than love in some inner-city schools. I applaud you for your sacrifice. The fact that you are making that sacrifice puts you in a MUCH different category than those that would heap their odious and malevolent grandiloquence on those they obviously care nothing about. Peace.

Maybe I read it differently than you, but I don’t think Chris Roberts Post was faulting Blacks, I took it that the point was negative sells.

“I have. Yet no one notices that one. Conservatives do, yet they turn around and do the same.”

I have, I have been reading your site for a couple of weeks. I agree with you on alot, disagree with you on alot. But I enjoy it.

PS: LaShawn is still my must read, though.

I find it very invigorating that we can come here and exchange ideas. I learn a lot, and it helps me greatly in the so-called “ghetto” school I work in.

I guess I’m too naive to recognize the difference between criticism and “dissing.”

Next. Most blacks not being on welfare is not irrelevant. I think I was alluding to the fact that the failure to accurately report this is a problem. Who do we blame for that? You can’t put all of that on Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity. Try NYT, WaPo, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox…they all get it wrong. I was definitely not blaming blacks there, nor elsewhere.

In regards to my comment on illegitimacy, you have to agree that known behaviors do reinforce stereotypes. Everyday I here from blacks that since I’ve got a Bush/Cheney sticker on my truck, I have to be some redneck/KKK/racist. Commenters are on here all the time telling me that I’m chillin with the KKK. Each day I have to prove the black community in the neighborhood I work in otherwise. Other than yourself, who is out there tellling the world that not every kid born to a single mom is on welfare? Can’t you see my point?

Moving on, those Matthew Lesko ads burn me up too. I hate that guy. Every time I see one of his ads I want to stick my hands through the TV and strangle his annoying self. I’m no fan of those who want a free ride. I’ve even written on my blog about the disdain I have for the State Legislators down here in Texas who screwed up the Education Funding bill so they could brag about the highway dollars they were bringing back home.

Finally, yeah, I see a few kids punk out, but I’m deadly serious about the kids in my jobs neighborhood who want nothing else but to be “hood rich.”

There is an emerging cottage (notice I didn’t say “cabin”) industry of commentators that think dissing Blacks is the same as being honest about Blacks. I have no issue with criticism. Constructive criticism is healthy. However, I do dislike demonizing diabtribes. There is a MAJOR difference.

Actually, I wasn’t referring to any comment you made Chris. It was two other guys whose venom and vitriol got my attention. The TONE of their comments disturbed me. They spoke and I felt the hate in their words. It came across very clearly. I feel very safe in assuming they don’t interact with those that they are characterizing. If I am wrong, I am wrong.

And that is the fault of Blacks?

Which groups advocates speak louder and get more airtime?

Louder is not the issue, airtime is the issue. So, again, that is the fault of Blacks?

A lot of this critique is relative to two things:
1. The airplay that African-American leaders get discussing the plight of the African-American underclass in relation to the airplay about the entire group of economically disadvantaged.

2. Statistics showing that African-Americans have proportionally larger numbers in the lowest economic classes instead of showing all statistics of those in poverty.

Yet the same stats show most Blacks aren’t in the lowest economic classes.

Yet these often go unnoticed by those in the intellectual think tanks or those responsible for putting out the news we digest.

And that is the fault of Blacks?

How come no one takes them to task?

I have. Yet no one notices that one. Conservatives do, yet they turn around and do the same.

One other point. Does anyone stop and think that the near 70% illegitimacy rate in the African-American community actually spurs on many to think that those babies are going straight onto welfare?

So, the fact that most Blacks are not on welfare is irrelevent?

Or how about the students I teach that state with pride their getting a free ride on the government via Section 8 housing, WIC, food stamps and checks?

How about the man in the suit with questions marks proclaiming to the U.S. population how THEY TO can get money from the government? How about the politicians who “go back home” to brag about the amount of pork they are carrying with them?

And the fact that they don’t care about getting a job. They figure, why should I, I’ve got the government taking care of it?

I see too many kids who, when given the options, leap for it. I also see kids who will play like they are thugs, when they don’t have the heart. When pressed, they “punk down” in a minute.

I’m positive about the situation.

Plenty of people reading would categorize that statement as race-baiting.

Yes, blacks are often unfairly portrayed as being the entire underclass of America. However, we sure don’t see any stories about the white underclass on network news.

Which groups advocates speak louder and get more airtime?

A lot of this critique is relative to two things:
1. The airplay that African-American leaders get discussing the plight of the African-American underclass in relation to the airplay about the entire group of economically disadvantaged.

2. Statistics showing that African-Americans have proportionally larger numbers in the lowest economic classes instead of showing all statistics of those in poverty.

Somehow, stating the fact that more whites in this country are underpriviliged and in poverty doesn’t seem to play well at 5 or 6:00.

There have been tremendous strides made in alleviating the poverty situation of African-Americans in this country. Yet these often go unnoticed by those in the intellectual think tanks or those responsible for putting out the news we digest. They think they are helping with all their righteous talk and crusading and insistence that freedom comes from a government check. Yet they are guilty of reinforcing a sad stereotype. How come no one takes them to task?

One other point. Does anyone stop and think that the near 70% illegitimacy rate in the African-American community actually spurs on many to think that those babies are going straight onto welfare?

Or how about the students I teach that state with pride their getting a free ride on the government via Section 8 housing, WIC, food stamps and checks? And the fact that they don’t care about getting a job. They figure, why should I, I’ve got the government taking care of it?

I know that doesn’t represent all African-Americans, but these are valid issues that many people bring up. Does that align me and others with the KKK? Ridiculous if you think so.

Remember, the negative always sells better than the positive. Why else do murders and kidnappings lead on the evening news?

Fox is just a cheap opportunistic politician, and his words mean little one way or the other. If he’s right, so what? And if he’s wrong, who cares?

The only thing that makes Fox important in any way is the kid glove treatment he gets from our elected leaders. The guy with whom we must be most concerned is our own President Bush, who has much to explain to the nation about his abject failure on the illegal immigration issue. I voted for him twice, and would again given the same choices, but on this issue I’m sorely disappointed with him.