Mexicans Who Speak Spanish Analysis

The Spanish conquistadors’ motives greatly affected the people living in the new world. These motives influenced the Native Americans in all different ways some ways better or bigger than others. Three of the biggest motives that effected the Native Americans were gold, Christianity, and glory.

During the Mexican-American War the border moved, but the people didn’t. History has shown us that no matter how thick the border might be Latino Americans have a strong connection to their culture and roots; instead of assimilating, Mexicans live between two worlds. The film, Ballad of Gregorio Cortez gave us a perspective of two cultures; “Two cultures- the Anglo and the Mexican- lived side by side in state of tension and fear” . Cortez is running for his life as he heads north, while the Anglo believe that because of his Mexican ethnicity, he would travel south to Mexico. Throughout the film there were cultural tensions and misunderstandings; language plays an important part of someone’s identity, and for many Latino Americans Spanish is their first language. The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez also shows us that language plays an important role, and can cause confusion between two different groups. For example, Anglos refer to a male

Just Because I’m half Mexican… Just because I’m half Mexican I’m not a cleaning lady or housekeeping I’m not an illegal immigrant I’m not named a “Maria” or a “Consuela” Just because I’m half Mexican I don’t like being considered one race I do like being considered Japanese I’m not a “mutt face” Just because I’m half Mexican I should not be underestimated I do like a challenge and an equal opportunity Just because I’m half Mexican

This document was written for the Mexican-American that wanted the same rights as other race that lived in America. The Mexican-American created an organization “The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), 1929” for their voices to be heard by the government that they are willing to put aside their culture and become Americans. They just wanted equalization so that they could also live the American dream without being harassed or mistreated by others.

Within America, each state is responsible for the operation of public schools and rules addressing curriculum, teaching methods, and learning materials; the process Texas has implemented to adopt new school textbooks is illustrated in the three articles, “Publisher Defends Controversial Mexican-American Studies Textbook, “Explained: how Texas picks its textbooks,” and “Teaching Truthiness.” These articles, in particular, focus on problems with Mexican-American Heritage, a proposed Mexican-American textbook for schools in Texas. They each express similar information over this event, such as the unique viewpoints of people involved. By analyzing this information, it becomes apparent that the current adoption process for textbooks in Texas doesn't

Clara E. Rodriguez wrote an essay titled, "What It Means To Be Latino". In this essay she explains the difference between the terms Hispanic and Latino. She elaborated on how the term "Hispanic" was created by the U.S. Census Bureau in 1970, to use it as a general term to describe all of the people who came from, or, had parents who came from a Spanish speaking country. Then she states that the term "Latino", is a term considered to be more neutral and racially inclusive by many people in this population, although she made a good point of view, it still failed to describe the more complexity on the meaning of the term Latino.

In the article, “Are you ‘Latino enough?” by A Martinez and Francine Rios, the main point is to show how many people are being judged and mistreated for how they speak. In the article, Lauren Carris, an expert in language and identity with a special focus in Latinos and Latinas in California says, “In order to categorize people, in order to kind of fit people into a space, identity and identification is a huge piece of that” (Carris 2). Carris proves that in order to categorize someone you need to know their identity and identification. Moreno and Juan Carlos Salas, the two with this conflict have experienced this. Salas an LA native, was accused of being white washed a couple years ago. Moreno,

Love me or hate me no matter what you may think of me I stand for millions that can't stand for themselves. I am from somewhere you can't imagine and I was brought up in conditions where many would not survive. What your see in front of you is a strong, intelligent, Mexican American also known a Chicano/Chicana. I am seen less than what I really am, and viewed as an immigrant our even in some people's eyes labeled as an outsider. You people label me as Hispanic but I am not, I am a proud Mexican-American “Chicano.” The Chicano Culture base comes from Mexico, slang name also known to be Mexicano. It was used in ancient times to spot each member from the Aztec Indian Tribe. Anyone who was born in Mexico was seen as a Mexicano. Although most people don't know the difference an Chicano isn't a Mexican, he/she is a Mexican-American that was born and current lives in the United States since the early 20th century.

Currently, more than half of the public schools are Hispanic so teachers and activists are now demanding schools to teach Mexican American studies. The controversial issue over the newly proposed Mexican American textbook being used in Texas public schools brings up multiple issues in the educational system. Critics call it inaccurate, racist, and ignorant and it should be not released. "There's no way this textbook can be corrected. The errors are so extensive," says Trinidad Gonzales, a history professor at South Texas College (Isensee). The authors of the book can’t even depict the difference between a Mexican and a Chilean. If the State Board of Education has Mexican American studies as a course of study in all Texas public schools, publishers

Research shows that a language can die by the third generation. Many languages and cultures share the same fate if each generation does not do its’ part in keeping a language alive. What motivates people to raise children that will carry on a language or the traditions of their culture? Through my research I was able to clarify some questions I had on the subject.

My middle brother was twenty-one he began to drink constantly on a regular basis. He had many problems back home that influenced him in drinking, but also the people he associated himself with back then. It took him quite some time to overcome his addiction, but during his intoxicated moments he resembled that of Victor’s family. One night during my brother’s intoxication my brother had come down to our house to get away from his.

Tuscany is a region in Italy often referred to as a charmed land. Not only is it considered as the cradle of art, but Tuscany is also a part of the modern charm and ancient splendor. Here, one will find a hidden palace, hilltop castles, old towns nestled in the mountains, and ancient chapels. Each spot in the land of Tuscany has hidden treasures to be found, such as an original colored piazza, famous museums housing masterpieces, a fresco in the church, large fortresses and walls, and majestic palaces and cathedrals.

Pochos are usually unable to speak spanish fluently if not well, and because of it not “rooted” enough in their culture. From a traditional perspective it would make sense to consider and carry language (In this case Spanish) with value. In it phrases and colloquialisms have become a part of the unique culture Spanish now carries in many Latin American states. From it great poetry and literature has been created and studied as well. Although, from a Decolonized standpoint spanish is an extension of the influence early colonizers had in many of these states as well. Making it understandable but almost ironic that many “rooted” latin americans find it key to have spanish known without bearing in mind the implications of it. The implication of pressuring Spanish onto someone that identifies with the same land and culture without having knowledge of the language that was used to subjugate people from Latin America. Martinez talks about in their paper of “Mestizaje and the discourse of national/cultural identity in Latin America, 1845-1959” stating, “Racial and cultural mixing has taken place most extensively and most violently because of the nature and timing of colonization, mestizaje is a theme that virtually every Latin American writer/intellectual has addressed in one fashion or another,”(Martinez-Echazabal, 21). What Martinez-Echazabal is stating and informing the reader is that the topic of racial and cultural mixing and individuals that come from it (Pochos, or Mestizos in this case) is a never ending topic but it must be a more effective and recognized one. For Latin America is known for its previous vast and migrating

“... heavy English ‘accents’ in Spanish are perfectly acceptable for Whites, even when Spanish speakers experience them as ‘like a fingernail on the blackboard’”. Reading this sentence draws heavy attention to the degree by which White privilege is tolerated in the Spanish speaking community. Spanish speakers face discrimination every day in many aspects of their lives, including job interviews, parent-teacher conferences, public speeches, and even ordering food at a restaurant. The list goes on with the different scenarios in which Spanish speakers do not feel safe or welcomed because of how they speak the English language; however, White people who do not speak perfect Spanish are excused without being reprimanded. Although this extends

2. Latino – Is a broad term that closely resembles the term Hispanic with the incorporation of Latin American populations of South America. Other Countries and populations of Central America might also describe themselves as Latin American.