“You are obviously in support of a Hispanic conquest of the US and every living breathing moment of your day is dedicated to assisting your people against the American people. Oh, I’m sorry I used the term American since someone from Latin America might be offended.”
— Robert
Reviewing the messages posted on the Creative Loafing Web site, I came across one signed by a reader, who in a very honest gesture wrote that I have accomplished an exceptionally distressing achievement: “I congratulate you in being the CL writer who succeeds in annoying me the most.”
I really do not want to irritate anyone with my thoughts and points of view. In actuality, my purpose is for non-Latinos to have a better understanding about the Hispanic community. Through the column I expect to reflect the feelings and anguishes of new arrivals to this country from Latin America. I know it is not an easy task, because even in the most simple of concepts, the culture clash emerges.
If you ask the question, How many continents are on the earth? You will get a different answer from a person born and raised in Latin America or Spain than from an alumnus of the US school system.
For a Latin American and Spaniard there are only five continents: America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania. South of the border, the view of the French baron Pierre de Coubertin, who in 1913 designed the official flag of the Olympic games, prevails. The flag is comprised of a white background and five interlaced rings in the center: blue, yellow, black, green and red. As de Coubertin described, “Each ring representing one of the five continents of the World.” I was taught that concept as a child through the words of my grandfather and the educational texts of Cuban author Levi Marrero.
The seven continents model taught in most native English-speaking countries is a big surprise for Hispanic immigrants when they arrive to the US.
For an Argentinean, Venezuelan or Mexican, North and South America make up a single continent. If you ask Chileans, Salvadorans or Dominicans if they are Americans, they will answer: Yes, of course.
German cartographer Martin Waldseemüller named the new American continent in 1507. In his book “Cosmographiae Introductio” he says: “A fourth part [of the earth] has been discovered by Amerigo Vespucci.” His 1507 world map has come to be known as “America’s birth certificate.” Later, in 1538 Flemish geographer Gerardus Mercator produced a map showing “America” stretching from north to south.
Ironically, the name for the new continent was given in the erroneous idea that it was the Florentine Vespucci and not the Genovese Christopher Columbus, under the Spanish crown, who discovered the new land.
The word used in the Spanish-speaking world to describe someone of US citizenship is estadounidense (roughly translated: United Stater) not americano (American). That’s the term used in Guatemala City, Guayaquil (Ecuador), Montevideo (Uruguay) or Seville (Spain). That’s the way an American citizen is defined in the pages of US Spanish-language dailies like Los Angeles’ La Opinión, New York’s El Diario, Miami’s Nuevo Herald, Chicago’s Hoy and Dallas’s Al Día.
It has been several years now that I have been a proud carrier of the blue US passport. A long time ago I pledged my allegiance to the United States of America.
I have read the prologues of constitutions of many countries and no other country mentions “the pursuit of happiness.”
That’s precisely the reason why I stand for the rights of Hispanic undocumented immigrants. Because I am convinced that most of them are good people who ought to have a piece of the “American dream.” They are, after all, Americans.
Rafael Prieto Zartha is the editor of the Charlotte-based Spanish-language newspaper Mi Gente.
This article appears in Jul 5-11, 2006.
Since the U.S. Constitution does not mention the words, “pursuit of happiness” I assume you are referring to the Declaration of Independence as the prologue to the Constitution. It is so only in the sense of relating to an event that preceded the Constitution. That’s not an insignificant distinction considering the number of people who already commonly confuse the words of the two documents: you wouldn’t want to add to their number.
As to five continents vs seven, I suspect that the divergent understandings may arise from the fact that there is a north american tectonic plate and a south american tectonic plate. (In any case, I wonder if the refeence to a single continent may be a relatively more recent phenonenon. When I was a young man living in Bolivia -the 1960’s- it was common ot refer to Norte Americanos.)
All of that aside, the naming of continents or the existence of tectonic plates have not a thing to do with citizenship. Mexicans are indeed AMericans in the continental sense, but that hardly argues for abolishing borders or immigration laws and controls. After all, those distinctions among continents are every bit as muchthe creation of human intellect as are natonal borders. And more to the point, we may as well eliminate all borders, immigraton controls, nations, etc., by that rationale, since we are all also residents of the same planet.
The “American Dream” refers to a culture and a political system not a land mass. The people of MExico, possessed of great national wealth and energy are capable of pursuing a “mexican Dream” of happiness and prosperity right at home. That they have a political system that frustrates that is a problem that that ought to be overcome.
Hey Pedro
You write your articles in English….but call your column “My People”. “Your People” can’t even read your BS, because as you know, your people can’t read or speak english. On second thought, most of your people can’t read spanish either.
If you were educated in Mexico or the Char/Meck school system, that would explain your stupidity.
Jeff,
I bet English is the only language you can hardly speak because probably you were born and/or raised in the U.S. So you are being so stupid when you refer that “Your people can’t read or speak english” It’s not their native language, so you think they’re stupid for not speaking a second language?? If that’s the case you’re also a BIG STUPID!! Most adult people have difficulties in learning a second language and it has nothing to do with how smart or stupid you are. It’s part of the whole biological,psychological,social,cultural and cultural process!!! SEE HOW STUPID YOU ARE????? I know a lot of people from the U.S who have lived in France, Italy or Mexico for over 10 years and yet, they haven’t learned or picked any of those languages at all. So according to your rule they are retarded right??????
(Just for the record, I speak 6 languages.)
If people from other countries are stupid, so explain me why the U.S. hires THOUSANDS OF DOCTORS,MATHEMATECIANS,TECHNICIANS,ENGENIEERS,SCIENTISTS,ETC.ETC.ETC FROM OVERSEAS EVERY YEAR ???????? A good friend of mine from Peru and who happens to be a Doctor got very good incentive$$$$$ to come to the U.S.
Yes, they begged him to bring his knowledge and experience to the U.S. Oh! by the way, He didn’t speak a word of English (maybe just some technical english) and still they were dying to bring him over. He makes over $ 200,000 a year + a lot of benefits.
So next time you call a foreigner stupid (just based on the fact that english is not his native language) think that you are even more stupid and ignorant. Otherwise, the U.S didn’t resource to “Foreign Intangible Assests”
One more thing, It’s a shame that most North Americans Knowledge is so narrow and hollow. There are 5 continets + Antartica which is considered the sixth one. But to think that N. and S. America are two separate continents is sign of pure igonarance and B.S at its best!!!!! So if you think N. and S. America are 2 different continents, how would you call a person from Honduras?? Is he a North or South America??? Or How would you explain that ONLY in the U.S. Only Canada and the U.S are considered to be part of North America???
Anyways, Americans are very well known over the world for their lack of knowledge in Math and Geography. So I don’t care if you guys think there are 7,8,9 or even ten continents.
What can a monkey know about the nuclear theory?????
Sir,
The South American people who view the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertan as a symbol do not look further back than this, as Austaralasia and Antarctica were not considered continents at his time, so in that way he was quite correct.
The problem lies in that the majority of Latin America thinks they are civilised, which they are not!!
I unfortunately was born in a dump called Brazil, but my parents decided to give us a better education than the one in Brazil, I was raised in South Africa and we were taught that there are 7 (seven) continents, namely: in order, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australasia and Antarctica. Antarctica was only later on recoginesed as a continent due to its land mass under the ice, therefore there is no Arctic continent.
I think that those who say that North and South America are one continent are living back in predeluvian times, as most of the Latin American are.
From a personal point of view, HALF of the Latin Americans have no education, and those that do, think FAR TOO MUCH of this dump called Latin America, especially Brazil that is the worst.
I would love to hear back from anyone who reads this to see what their opinions are.
Yours Faithfully
Jurgis Maleveicius
Jurgis, there is no doubt you are a very stupid and retarded peson. You’re the one who doesn’t have any education at all. You’re a total ass and retarded. You are a complete miserable and ignorant person. Before posting something retarted, learn to spell first. Or are you still in second grade??? “Civilised” is written “CiviliZed” So and you call yourself a civilized person and offend other cultures????? God!!! you must have shit in your brain. You can’t even write correctly ,but you insult others????
And what’s up with all the hate agaisnt brazil?? Are you sure you were ousted for being a big homosexual and child molestor????? In latin America they burn child molestors alive!!