This is a text message I received from a friend who is Mexican. She received it from her friend who is Mexican as well. When she sent it to me she was laughing about it. It may offend some people but I wanted to know what people think about it. I think it relates to the article on subversive signifiers.
“MEXICAN WORDS!! The teacher told Pepito to make sentences with his spelling words:
1. Cheese
Maria likes me but cheese ugly.
2. Mushroom
Wen all my family gets in the care, there isn’t mushroom
3. Shoulder
My friend didn’t no how to make tacos so I shoulder
4. Texas
My friend always texas me fwds
5. Herpes
Me and my friend shared a pizza, I got my piece and she got herpes
6. July
Ju told me ju were goin to the store and july to me!! Julyer!!
7. Rectum
I had two cars but my wife rectum
8. Chicken
I was going to the store with my wife but chicken go by herself
9. Wheelchair
We only have one soda but its ok wheelchair
10. Chicken wing
My mom plays the lottery so chicken wing
11. Liver
A bully was messing wit my sister and I told him to liver alone
12. Body wash
I wanted to go to the bar but no body wash my kids
13. Budweiser
That woman over there has a nice body, Budweiser face so ugly?
Send to everyone who needs a laugh!!
Dave”
That is the entire text message as it was sent to me. I think it is a really offensive text message to the Latino/a culture. The fact that some guy named Dave came up with this on his own and said to send to everyone who would need to laugh is representative I think of the attitude some people in this society have towards the Latino culture. Also, I thought it was interesting as well that he took the time to intentionally misspell words such as ‘goin’, ‘ju’, ‘wit’ etc… Also, I thought it was interesting that the beginning of the text says Pepito was making sentences with his spelling words, implying, that it would be a young child but then the fact that most of the sentences have to do with Pepito’s wife, imply that he is actually older but that this guy Dave doesn’t think that Latinos/as have a very high educational background and that they level of a grown adult would only be at that of a young child. I think this is absurd and very offensive. It plays into stereotypes way too much. What are your thoughts?
It does play into stereotypes. If someone is actually taking their time to write this stuff and send it out is pretty sad and of course it's offensive. Sadly a lot of people do it. It may be funny but it depends who is saying it. For example, if the guy who wrote this is not Latino then this just seems racist to me.
ReplyDeleteSadly I laughed too, just like I laughed at the scene in Modern Family where Gloria orders 'baby cheeses' for her husband because he likes them but when they arrive her husband opens the box only to find an actual baby Jesus figure.
I'm sorry but I laughed. I thought that put into the context of the sentences, they were so funny. I don't want to sound mean, but most of my family have hard Asian accents, so I understand what you mean, when people that aren't of the same ethnicity make fun of accents. It can be taken really offensively, but I agree it does matter upon the context.
ReplyDeleteBut, why does it matter who makes the joke? I guess what I'm trying to say is, why is it okay for an Asian person to make fun of Asians, but not say a white person? What makes it so different?
This also made me think of Russell Peters, the comedian on youtube where he makes fun of all different races and people love him. I feel like he makes us relate to the situation so well, that it's okay for him to do so. It's like he has a free card.
(Link to Russell Peters)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYiteaPBlz0
When does the border get crossed and how are exceptions made?