When did Mexican become a "dirty" word?

Just to add another dimension to any thoughts, Mexico is North America, not South America. I believe most Mexicans are aware that they are part of North America, and very much Americans. So when U.S. citizens refer to themselves as American, as thought there is only one America, it could be considered part and parcel of a quality that we U.S. Americans project to others.

It was all started by Speedy & hollywood westerns

The early 1950's had tv's The Cisco Kid (with his sidekick Pancho). Also, the Lone Ranger (with his sidekick Tonto who was Native American, not Mexican like Pancho of The Cisco Kid).

This was when living in California was depicted in The Life of Riley starring William Bendix. The days when men went to an aircraft factory carrying their lunch pail, and returning to a wife wearing a dress, put on for her husband's evening arrival.

But Canada is also part of North America, Foofie. As far as I know Canadians are not clammoring to be called "American".

Oh, he thinks we should be called USAians

Speedy Gonzales? I've heard that his is "offensive" to people.

I just point to Foghorn Leghorn, Elmer Fudd, Baby Huey and the gazillion other cartoons that make fun of "white" people.

People who are offended by a cartoon character really need to take a chill pill.

I think I am lost on the import of this thread.

Since some people do not want to feel that another person thinks of them as "different," it might be wise, if one does not want to alienate others, to not make any reference to a person's gender, or nationality, or ethnicity, or race, or religion, if it is not required. Like some women might not like being called actresses, since men and women today in show business are all actors (no reference to gender).

If you have a thick skin, consider yourself blessed.

I dunno what to say honestly. Dirty for whom?
Not for Mexicans, that's for sure. We're proud of being Mexicans, no bullshit about it.
It's the freaking correct patronimical, ain't it?

Now, if I was a Salvadorean... I wouldn't like to be called what I'm not.
If any one called me Salvadorean, or Chilean, or Dominican, with all due respect, I'd be really pissed off by their ignorance and lack of tact.

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Then there are these stupid "politically correct" people, who -scared of their own prejudices- try to change the language.

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In 2004, a survey about American citizens of Latin-American descent showed what they preferred to be referred as:

California:
[Country of parents' origin]: 55%
Latino/Hispanic: 24%
American 20%

Texas:
[Country of parents' origin]: 43%
Latino/Hispanic: 33%
American 22%

New York:
[Country of parents' origin]: 66%
Latino/Hispanic: 22%
American 12%

New Jersey:
[Country of parents' origin]: 62%
Latino/Hispanic: 23%
American 12%

Florida:
[Country of parents' origin]: 62%
Latino/Hispanic: 18%
American 19%

I imagine that non-US citizens (illegal in the US or not) prefer to be called by their nationality that by any other in a bigger percentage.

So... unless things have changed a lot in these 5 years, I'd say it's safer to call any Latin-American in the US by his/her parental origin than the funny-sounding "latino-hispanic" usage.

Source: http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/loader.cfm?url=/commonspot/security/getfile.cfm&PageID=32977

Your neighbor was being an asshole, IMHO.

Speedy Gonzalez offensive?
Are yoo bullshitin' me?
He ees our heero!
He beat the hell out of the Gringo cat, and the Black (or should I say afro-animal) duck!
I even toyed with the idea of having him as my avatar, at the beginning of A2K, but then I thought it would stereotype me.

I usually hear "United Statian" or "North American" in Latin America.

The latter is especially annoying because it's wrong for the same pedantic reasons they claim "American" is wrong. I once had a conversation that went like this:

"I'm American"
"So am I, we are all Americans. We were born in America (the continent). It's not your continent."
"Ok, so what do you call Americans."
"North Americans."
"But weren't you all born in North America as well?"

It's just so silly.

I dunno, some cartoons had some fairly offensive stereotypes.

interestingly this issue has come up in our daily papers over the last few days,

Paki is derogatory but Aussie is not. WTF

Right on, frbaezer!

It occurs to me that some Latinos don't like to be called Mexicans is because they aren't. If you're used to the likelihood that most Spanish-speakers you run into are Mexican in the area where you live, you begin to refer to all Spanish-speakers as 'Mexicans', even if they happen to be Salvadorans or Nicuraguans or whatever. Obviously, those people would resent it. It's like referring to all East Asians as 'Chinese.' If places where there is less of a homogeniety of Hispanics this doesn't usually happen. In Boston and New York, for example, there are far more Puerto Ricans than Mexicans; therefore hardly anybody would assume that a Spanish-speaker is Mexican.

As I said in my previous post, the word Hispanic or Latino/Latina is used when you're unsure of the person's nationality. Yo quiero Mexico y los Mexicanos...y las Mexicanas.

I wouldn't expect anything less from you, naughty boy!

It's probably a matter of color. But returning to Boomerang's original question, in the New York area last month the following usage of "Mexican" was reported - it may not have made national news:


http://jornaleronews.ndlon.org/?p=139

They killed the Ecuadorian man.

Actual nationality doesn't seem to matter in this instance, just general appearance and presumed status of illegality - judging by press reports. It gets worse: reports have surfaced that similar attacks (though not ending in death) are frequent, but go unreported by the victims.

That's what I thought but it appears that others take offense to hearing the term Mexican, like my assholish neighbor.

When a kid comes home from school wanting Spanish food when you know he means Mexican food it seems that "Mexican" is a term that shouldn't be used.

And I think that's sad. To me it has the opposite effect of what they are probably trying to do. I'd hate to be a Mexican kid in that class, it would make me think they're something wrong with Mexico. I think Mexicans should be proud of being Mexicans, no bullshit about it.

High Seas's post is like what I was talking about when I said ""Mexican" has become the new "N-----"" and that really bothers me. I guess it feels like if we stop using the word Mexican for what it really means then we let the stupidest among us twist the word to their liking and it becomes "dirty".

And I agree it isn't just about Mexico but linguistically the word seems more loaded. For example: Mr. B and I used to frequent a Laotion restaurant and became friendly with the owners. Every time their restraunt was reviewed it was called a "Vietnamese" restaraunt. It drove the owners crazy.

Up until a year or so ago we kept a world map under glass to cover up our marred and scarred dining room table. Then I broke the glass and the map went away. Luckily we all retained some geography basics.

I'm going to go get another piece of glass cut.....

Okay, Robert, point taken. Cartoon characters can be really offensive.

Good idea, that map under glass..

I also like the geography games that sometimes pop up on a2k.