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    White Latino Privilege Caribbean Latino PDF

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    urayoannoel

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 49
    White Latino Privilege Caribbean Latino Perspectives in the Second Decade of the 21* Century Writen by Dorothy Bell Ferrer, William Garcia, Ryan Hamilton, Nicholle LaMartina, Jennifer Loubriel, Julie Ramirez, Raquel Solla Cesar Vargas, and Gabriel Haslip-Viera Edited by Gabriel Haslip-Viera CONTENTS. Introductory Prete. 1 1 White Privilege, andthe Ideology of White Supremacy ° inthe Spanish-speaking Caribbean, its Diaspora and Latin Amerie, 1492 resent, by Gabriel Hastie Viera ‘White Privilege and the Effacement of Blackness n Puerto Rico and its Diaspora inthe Fly 21st Coty, by William Garcia 3. The Privilege ofthe White Hispanic: Leaving Outthe Rest 91 with Fats, Stats, and Cognitive Dissonance, by Cos Vargas 4 How "Mestizgj” in Puerto Rico Makes Room for Racism 103, to Flourish, by Dowty Bll Femer 5 Indcators of White Privlge in Latin Communities 13 by Jenifer Lbs, 6 Ant-Blacknss in Linx Communities 1 bby Raquel olla 17 Mexican and Argentinian American Perspectives as ‘on White Latin Privilege. by Nicholle LaMartn ale Ramirez 8 Wiite Latino Racism onthe Rise: I's Time for M3 Cora © 2018 Gabel Hs Vien 1 Serious Conversation on Euro-Disporie Whiteness Latino Stic Press by Wiliam Garon New Vork, New York 9 What Piviege? Mester, Blackness andthe Contours 149 “ps: wor hoo com atin Sais Pres ie ‘Gre asp View e7791 495472664 of Soar, by Ryan Haion Alrighs reserved 10 tert Responses to Original Postings by Wiliam Garcia 159 SBN 978-0.02.90175.7 Laing Suse Pes) and Cesar Vargas an List f Contributors TSBN-10: 092984750 TECCN: 2018030354 INTRODUCTORY PREFACE: “WHO AND WHAT THE HELLIS A WHITE TISPANIC?" In September of 2014, Christina Saenz-Alcdntara posted an item in Laino Rebels, an onine journal for bloggers and other iter, asking the provocative question —"Who and What the Hell isa White Hispanic?” She argued that a “idiculous” ariel in the ‘New York Times had jst reported that significantly more Latinos Ind identified as “white” in the final official findings of the 2010 ‘census than had been the case in the 2000 census and that this had generated considerable amount of diseussion, especially in social media, by seldentfied non-white and white Latinos, ‘non-Hispanic whites, and African Americans among otbers. Senz~ ‘Alntara also claimed thatthe debate was more about the follow- ing tban about anything else: “Itis more about how Latinos are making sense ofthe confusing label of the “white Hispanic” What does it mean to be labeled or take on the label ofa “white Hispanic?” Some in our own social media community have atlempted ‘o make sense ofthe term "white Hispanic’ asa role within and on behalf of our community, Others have seen ia a product of confusion, while even others have dismissed the identity altogether.” ‘Saenz-Aledntara also made reference to internet postings by Geoffery Mullings [no longer accessible} and by City University of "New York professor, Heetor Cordero Guzman, in Latino Rebel. ‘According to Malling: White Latino Privilege “ite Hispanics’ ae socially positioned somewhere between being a beneficiary of white privilege and victim ‘of cultural racism, To use thee tem, "white Hispanics’ are buffers—tsisons between the white elite and the darker nomelte, While “white Hispanics’ may have some upward mobility. they will ever be flly accepted into the white elite an hence will never be in a postion of power or sont.” ‘According to Ssenz-Aleéntara, Cordero Guzman also argued thatthe wiite-Hispanie “isa result ofthe social confusion of Latinos having to Inhabit the border of two different cultures” thatthe “percentage of Puerto Ricans in New York City choosing the ‘White’ category (in 2012) vas 48,79," that “In Puerto Rico, the pereeatage was 82.3%" and that on the island “you are considered white if you have even one white ancestor in the previous four generations~-this according to the Reglas de Sacar, which were rules used bythe more ailuent in Cuba and Puerto Rico during the Spanish colonial period to have thee race officially re-defined as white fora fe ‘Saenz Aledntara also makes reference to Cesar Vargis who {sa contibutorto this book and whose writings are supported by Geoffrey Mullings and others [see Chapter 3 below), However, the contributors to this boo, sho focus primarily on the Spanish- speaking Caribbean and is Diaspora, argue that some ofthe con= fsion and misunderstanding may be more concentrated among the younger Cubans, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans bom o raised on the U'S. mainland. They also make it clear tha thee is less cont son on the islands where there isa beter understanding of white identity and whiteness as an idea, and where this identity is clearly seen as desirable under the concept of “mejorar fa raza” [the desire to “improve” one's race) ‘Loveman (2007), Loventan and Muniz (2007) and this writer (2009) demonstrated thatthe whitening process in Puerto Rico sctually accelerated after the U'S, takeover of Puerto Rico when local enumerators hired bythe Census Burau decided to re-define White Latino Privilege certain previously categorized non-white Puerto Ricans [usually refered to as pardos snd mudaras—with light and medium brown ‘complexion as white because of thee desire to demonstrate fo USS. politicians, media, and the U.S. goverment in general that Puerto Rico was racially white with a white European cltuse. In various chapters, this bok also focuses on how this whitening process, white idemity, and the ideology of white supremacy has ‘evolved on the islands indifferent way’ and has been transfered to the US. mainland and is stl very moch alive among Cuban, Dominican and Puerto Rican immigrants migrants, and many oftheir descendants who understand and fee that a white self= ‘densification and other mostly class and educational factors may ‘very Wel give them an edge when it comes to upward mobility in ‘conirast to non-white Lanes and especially Afo-Latinos. OF cours, the Focus on the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and its Diaspora results in the flue to deal with some ofthe Afferent complexities tha arse with regard to whiteness and ‘rvilge inthe other counties of Spanish Amerie [Brazil could also be included] Here, the issue ean be te important Native American component in the Mexican population and the racism ‘and discrimination that still prevails against defined Indigenous peoples in that county especially in Chiapas] despite the oficial longterm adoption of mestzaje [race mixture] andthe propagan- dist idealization ofthe pre-Columbin Indigenous past ss seen, in the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City and just about everywhere else in that country. The Afro-Mexiean population, concentrated onthe Gulf coast around Vera Cruz and the Pacific coast south of Acapulco, was aso largely ignored unt recently when this population was suddenly granted official cognition by the Mexican govemment [See Chapter 7 fora Mexican and also an Argentnian-American perspective on this and ete isues), Also, see bis: hsfingtonpos coment nexic-fnlly-eecognized its back-ctizene-ut hase che- beaming us S68d245cesD0cBbeat508 All of this has become part of the debete with regard to identi hiteness and white privilege among Mexican Americas in the White Latino Privilege United States since the U.S. tkeover of Texas, Califo andthe southwest in the 1840s and continues up to the present especial \when i comes tothe Indigenous component. Comparisons can also bbe made with other countries that have substantial populations of| defined Indigenous peoples, such as Guatemala and Bolivia, but these countries have not even adopted te ideals of mestizaje as in “Mexico which is considered by many, including most scholars, as being more enlightened, Colombia, South America, is another ‘example ofthe complexities that arise. Most Afro-Colombian are concentrated in the northern Castanera region on te Caribbean ‘coast ofthe county. This population is largely ignored, and there also is prejudive and discrimination against the Indigenous and ‘those persons considered tobe racially mixed. There is no official ecogtion of mesiza and its alleged ideals in Colombie, and as a result, prejudice can he overt and transparent in that county's ‘media and elsewhere as noted by Wiliam Garcia, ane ofthe ‘contributors to this book in is intemet postings, See uep/anows.org 2016108 20(paining-ou-lacice! among ther postings Argentina and also Uruguay are probably the best examples in Spanish America of how the ideology of white supremacy and -ivilege operate for these populations on the U.S. mainland in contrast othe experiences of Caribbean Latinos. The Indigenous population of Argentina [subjected to near total genocide in the late 1800s and the Afio-Argentine population once proportionally substantial prior to the 1860s] are considered so smal that Arwen ‘ina i considered a white country. This was the result of a massive and state sponsored migration from lay, Spin and other Europe- ‘an countries after the 1860s; however, there has ben a inereesed migration ofthe Indigenous and especially mixed race mestizos Argentina in recent decades from neighboring Bolivia, Paraguay tnd Peru, but this migration has not changed the perception and definition of Argentina as a white nation tate. At the same time, ‘Argentinian immigrants inthe United States are often mystified by how they may be defined as Latinos and not white in US, society and culture, They note that they are automatieally defined as white in Argentina where the issue tends not be discussed and ae White Latino Privilege shocked to lear that their white privilege i aise in the U.S. as noted ina numberof internet postings (Also, see Chapter 7), Another issue not neceserily discussed inthis volume is the persistence ofthe olde ant-Latino prejudices and patterns of | iscrminaton that date back to the erly twentieth century and persist in some sectors of our economy, society and culture which ae based on sumames, competency in spoken English without an accent and other factors. At one pont, I made reference to my plans to publish his edited volume with a close friend and his son who «an “pass” fr white. Both were initally mystified o in disbelief that this kind of privilege was an issue heeause ofthe prejudice and discrimination they experienced or had seen as white Puerto Ric. The son, who had recently become a fiefighter in the New York City Fire Department, made reference tothe racism aginst Latinos sand African Americans in tat department. And ofcourse, both the FDNY and the New York Cty Police Deparment have been known {or thee racial diversity problems and racism according to academic studies and media reports published in recent decades, These problems ae ofcourse worse in the whiter New York City suburbs and across the country. The problems as noted by my friend's son and others, are rooted in the hiring practices which sl emphasize eeritment in the whiter suburbs. There also i the old, unofficially insttutonale ized ethnocentric and racist culture ofthe FDNY which als persists inthe Police Department. Aftican Americans, Latins and ther “minorities” who ae hired in both departments are subject to 8 toxining regimen in their academies designed fo encourage, of compel them to accept or be acculturate to the old mostly lish and Italian American prejudices that stil prevail in th cultures ‘ofthese departments despite some sensitivity traning in ethnic and ‘cial diversity. We also should not be surprised by the negative stitues andthe abusive behaviors seen among too many African ‘American and Latinos police officers and even among some firefighters. Many of thse individuals were already imbued With negative and even racist stitues towards their own people Wien they were initially hired by these departments which works ‘o reinforce the old ethnocentric and racist culture However, there are also “minority” organizations tha resist and atively strugle agains the culture and hiring practices that White Latino Privilege have prevailed in these departments. These include the Aftian “American Guardians Association and he Latino Officers Associa tion inthe Police Department, and the Vulean Society and its Latino ‘quivalent inthe Fire Department. Some progress has been made in the hiring and promotion practices in both department ia ecent years, but largely asa result of lawsuits, court eases, and decrees ‘issued by the courts. There are also sil the gramblings of the ‘mostly dying o retiring breed of white old timers in both depart ‘ments, ad the persistence of the old cules in many specific Police precincts and fre houses. However, a hopeful evolutionary rocess of progress may aso be taking place in these pockets of resistance. Focusing atention on the book itself itis the opinion of this editor and write that the emphasis onthe Spanishespesking Caribbean and its Diaspora is very impartant because it seems, like the issue of white Latino privilege is more easily discussed «and defined in this context than in others asa esut ofthe complex racial diversity ofthe African, the Indigenous [very exaggerate), the Buropesn, and the others that ae seen in these societies, There is also the idealistic thetoric of mestizaf that tres to promote the ide that two ofthese societies [Cuba and Puerto Rico) ae racial European and lnlgenous popes. And isi ander Sanding of de-Atiarized eszje that many Puerto ican ling wo when they fir arive toe United Sits” [8) ‘The poh andavatages ofthe tack dcr tat sot iene sa tar ndeatn tt ite Pert Rate wast ote tay vie pegs nthe US. ‘chs caning Pero forse hough ara agenda, SHCGHC pro cas wo esto selaomlege he whiteness Sith ane te ate ae dence of ie Anglo sien dno da dere Por ican egal bese Sire oacknoedpe tic oven wht piviege and ste ty i pet liners within Po Sear endy Ts ndowtiton us enna Pero St dct wraps th ack hey, Aiea lve, Fis ese Hdkconsctsmen, Back eo, andthe Wien ack cite Caibewn ae canbe gored “hymen Po ie mg tld ens atc be preoiany abey Anao- Ameria ‘Storing esa enmigatons he Oran eo Fria Soige Dury an Fel Moe Rodger be meh aely cers Pate Rien om ie sad cst ileus Ue lr an om hear we ey als aa that ie clon fom wring sacks aswel Yet ev sate White Latino Privilege “In particular Puerto Rican communities in Orlando difer significa fom their counterparts in other major US cities, such as New York, not only in thei historical origins fd scdement ates, bt ai inh de of eonamie politicl and cultural incorporation. Economically, Puerto Ricans have been more successful in Cental Florida than clsewhere, as measured by their income, occupational, residential and cultural incorporation” [9]. ‘The alysis of dam ste 200 cen by Duy ad Matos Rodriguez also highlighted the following: : “More than two thirds classified themselves as white, the highest proportion of al states. Inversely a smaller proportion of Puerto Ricans identified themselves as black ‘or some other race. According othe census, Island-born Puerto Ricans are more likely to describe themselves as white and les likely to deserie themselves as black than ‘mainland-born Puerto Ricans” [10 cn nnlenyaeemen tc he Sooo tee Sec ecee mes oes Resennst operas stan ante, Sora japaneses ee ielmatng lene Mame eg wie or zea mito rece ae nares acl a Erber eeaeie eens Ar monies teeeeersneame Be White Latino Privilege “Te Privilege of White Latinos: Leaving Out the Res™ which infuriated many wit, mixed and black Lainos when it went vital fn he intemet [12], This exemplifies the extent o which white Siperacy and so-called “racial harmon)” obstructs any real ‘iscusion or pathway toward racial equality, Puerto Rican Diaspora research neds o take on white supremacy on the island, alongwith the uncritical celebration of Tino male clas” desires tha are masked by the continuous ‘mainsteaming ofthe colorblind ideology, the false racial inven- ion ofthe homogenous pan Latino, and the racism that prevails in the Latino media. Arlene Davia's researc on the contoversial {tansformation inthe leadership and focus of New York's ‘Museo del Barrio and other Latino institutions which se discusses inher book, Latino Spin (2008), exemplifies how the gins ofthe 'AffoLatino movennent have Begun to falter as 2 result ofthe “Grnergence of white Latino establishments that ae obsessed with Titnizing” [rea whitewashing] or erasing our black identities. Conclusion ‘Afro-Duerto Rican scholar and writer Yolanda Arroyo Pizaro published short acl suggesting that Africana studies Courses and prosrams be established for stadents in Puerto Rivo [15] However, many Affo-Puerto Rican scholars refuse 19 oconsiuct white supremacy and white privilege. Although retum to Puerto Rico migrants in the 1970s and at present are often treated harshly, ou loyalties to ou national identity obligate us to ave white Puerto Ricans a break and aright tobe as racist as they want to be simply because we ate all colonial subjects Sympathetically. matters of national belonging and fear of becoming compictely invisible and unaccounted fori the space ‘of iminality that black Puerto Ricans vein "The options ate limited: lack Puerto Ricans on the island cither confront white supremacy suaigh-on using thei oiee and {inc being completely obliterated from belonging to Puerto Rican ‘avfoood, or ot take te risk and continue fo enjy’a smal piece ‘f belonging within eiminal space. Its a space of having a social Tein very limited and marginal space, We need to explore the ‘Space of lintnaiies in national idetty in order to understand thet White Latino Privilege fers contotng n dent that temps ers tem

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