TYT: Is 'Gringo' Like the N-Word? NPR Under Attack

[The Northerner]

Run time: 06:28 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8i1OpdJMS0   Posted on YouTube: January 20, 2011 By YouTube Member: TheYoungTurks Views on YouTube: 17237   Posted on DU: January 20, 2011 By DU Member: The Northerner Views on DU: 1801

 
Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian discuss NPR coming under attack over a guest who used the word 'gringo' in reference to the Arizona shooting.

[Sal Minella]

1. One possible source for the word comes from the U.S. soldiers

singing "Green Grow the Lilacs" -- the Mexican soldiers called their opponents "greengrows" -- true or not true? don't know. Good story, though.

So I would think gringos could call each other that, just as blacks call each other the n-word.

[demosincebirth]

5. When U.S. troops invaded Mexico through Vera Cruz and marched on

to Mexico City, crowds formed and chanted "Green Go, Green Go." U.S. troops or Marines wore green uniforms. So, it evolved into Gringo.

[Sal Minella]

16. Indigenous people stood along the road chanting in English? n/t

[demosincebirth]

19. Not indigenous people...Mexicans in Mexico City. They were educated, you know.

[EFerrari]

6. "Gringo" is a word whose valence changes with context but

it can never be analogous to the n word because white people are never in the position of black people in this country.

ETA: This is one of those right wing "reverse racism" false equivalencies.

[demosincebirth]

8. Its only a reference to persons from the U.S. nt

[EFerrari]

10. I don't think I understand your point. n/t

[demosincebirth]

11. I'll try and simplify it. In Mexico, if you're white and come from the U.S, you're a gringo.

[EFerrari]

13. Okay. I guess I don't understand it as a reply to my post.

The word can be used affectionately, neutrally or negatively depending on context.

[demosincebirth]

17. In Mexico, there is only one meaning. Believe me, I lived there.

[EFerrari]

21. One literal meaning which varies tonally depending on context.

I don't think we're really contradicting each other.

The other day I told my mother I was one of the few cousins that didn't turn gringa, meaning that I'd kept some of our culture and we both laughed. That wasn't to put down my brother or any of our many cousins.

[demosincebirth]

28. Of course you can also make it derogatory by putting a few choice word before it. nt

[zeemike]

15. I got it from someone who knows Latino history

And it did come from the song Green Grows The Lialcks....the Mexicans thought it was one word gringo..and they did not understand the songs meaning...and it was not a derogatory term.

[hlthe2b]

2. Oh, come on....

Have they never seen the zillions of westerns on tv and in movies? Frankly, I've never heard a Latino use that in a particularly derogatory way, though perhaps in come circles it is. It refers to foreigners, or more specifically, white people, just as the Hawaiians refer to "Haole" (which literally refers to lack of color). While I think the term "honkey" has acquired more derogatory reference in its use, there is no equivalent in these terms, at least to the "N" word. That is just ridiculous.

[Sinistrous]

7. An acquaintance of mine who lived in the southwest once

told me that, if you were in a bar in Mexico and started to hear the word "gringo", it was time to get the heck out of there.

From that I concluded it is not an emotionally neutral word.

[EFerrari]

9. You might have concluded that your friend was less than fluent

in Spanish. :)

[Major Hogwash]

20. Hahahaha!!!!

Now that was funny!

[Sinistrous]

23. Then may I conclude that you will now share your extraordinary

grasp of Spanish and enlighten me? Or was your post just a drive-by cheap shot?

[EFerrari]

24. Might want to check up thread if you're really interested. n/t

[EFerrari]

3. Amy Goodman broadcasts the best news every day.

Hello, McFly?!

But aside from that, what this story tells us is that Breitbart has one black friend. Bet me.

[SPedigrees]

4. If it is equivilent, since we are the gringos, we get to say it. nt

[jjewell]

12. A Latino calling...

an American white person "Gringo" is the equivilent of an American white person referring to a black person by the "N" word???

You have GOT to be kidding...

[drgonzosghost]

14. Proud American expat "Gringo" here!

I live in Central America, and the term just doesn't bother me.

[DRex]

18. The worst possible name for a white person...

in my opinion, is massa.

When I was in Nigeria years and years ago I was horrified to be called that by most of the really poor people I met, which was almost everyone. I was just a kid, I couldn't believe it. I tried to ask everyone not to call me that, it hurt my heart so much, but Lagos was around 20,000,000 people then, so you couldn't tell everybody. Anyway, I don't know if it was a racial word so much as just some kind of deference, or if it dates to when sons of the family were commonly called master.

So maybe it was just one of those things where an old colonial word had lost some crucial aspects of its meaning, I don't know, but being just old enough I guess to comprehend the legacy of the slave trade, it was horrifying.

Gringo I kind of like.

[Grassy Knoll]

22. This is quite the norm........

and I'm not offended , I'm more offended by republican lies and fox news slant and distortion
to run this country in the shit hole to gain power again, And Cmdr.Pill Popper Limbaugh
is a prick for being a cesspool manager for stirring the shit.

[HankyDubs]

25. any white person

who tells you this term really offends them or is any way similar to the n-bomb in terms of its historical significance...

...is one more lying gringo.

I hate cilantro so when I make guacamole I refer to it as "gringomole." Groans and rolling eyes ensue.

White people are such fucking crybabies I swear.

[saras]

26. No, it's not

Gringo would be like the n-word if Mexicans had owned American slaves for a couple hundred years, Mexico ruled the world, there were more whites in jail in Mexico than Mexicans, and whites were pretty much still second-class citizens throughout the North American continent.

[Iggo]

27. That pretty much sums it up.

It's not a nice word, and depending on context it can be quite rude and mean.

But it ain't the n-word, no-way no-how.

[Devil_Fish]

29. I'm a Gringo. I'm not offended by the word. Guedo dosn't offend me eaither.

My Mexican Wife's family call's me both, and calls my daughter Gueda, quite lovingly.