Raul Ramos y Sanchez's Blog, page 25
January 13, 2011
Words about the Tucson tragedy
The words of a leader:
"At a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized, at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do, it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds."
--President Barack Obama
The words of a politician:
"I wish there had been one more gun there that day in the hands of a responsible person."
--Arizona Rep. Trent Franks
The words of a fool:
"If you don't like a person's vision for the country, you're free to debate that vision. But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn."--Sarah Palin
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"At a time when our discourse has become so sharply polarized, at a time when we are far too eager to lay the blame for all that ails the world at the feet of those who think differently than we do, it's important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we are talking with each other in a way that heals, not a way that wounds."
--President Barack Obama
The words of a politician:
"I wish there had been one more gun there that day in the hands of a responsible person."
--Arizona Rep. Trent Franks
The words of a fool:
"If you don't like a person's vision for the country, you're free to debate that vision. But, especially within hours of a tragedy unfolding, journalists and pundits should not manufacture a blood libel that serves only to incite the very hatred and violence they purport to condemn."--Sarah Palin
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January 12, 2011
What if the shooter had been a Latino?
Shortly after the horrible tragedy in Tucson, I asked myself, "What if the shooter had been a Latino?"
Would the voices of the left be as quick to judge his motives? Would the voices on the right be calling for reason in discerning his motives? It's impossible to know, of course.
As it stands now, the choice in most minds appears to be whether we consider Loughner simply a deranged young man or a pawn in a political movement that spews violent rhetoric. But both points of view reveal an inescapable fact about U.S. culture. Had the killer's name been Lopez, race and ethnicity would be the centerpiece of the story.
Not a single voice in the furor over Loughner's motivation has suggested his ethnicity had anything to do with his actions. Had the shooter been a Latino, all arguments would begin with that question.
Most mainstream Americans are tone deaf to the fact that their ethnicity is the "default" setting for U.S. culture. This culture accepts a great deal of latitude for the personal behavior of individuals -- as long as they are non-Hispanic Whites. But once you cross over that line into the realm of "other," you become a representative of your race or ethnicity. Minorities are presumed to have a single mind politically and the deeds of a few represent the deeds of all.
Until we evolve past this mentality, race and ethnicity will continue to be a central issue in every aspect of U.S. culture. To say otherwise is to echo the words of Ronald Reagan: "I can remember a time when this country didn't have a race problem."
For Mr. Reagan, it certainly did not.
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Would the voices of the left be as quick to judge his motives? Would the voices on the right be calling for reason in discerning his motives? It's impossible to know, of course.
As it stands now, the choice in most minds appears to be whether we consider Loughner simply a deranged young man or a pawn in a political movement that spews violent rhetoric. But both points of view reveal an inescapable fact about U.S. culture. Had the killer's name been Lopez, race and ethnicity would be the centerpiece of the story.
Not a single voice in the furor over Loughner's motivation has suggested his ethnicity had anything to do with his actions. Had the shooter been a Latino, all arguments would begin with that question.
Most mainstream Americans are tone deaf to the fact that their ethnicity is the "default" setting for U.S. culture. This culture accepts a great deal of latitude for the personal behavior of individuals -- as long as they are non-Hispanic Whites. But once you cross over that line into the realm of "other," you become a representative of your race or ethnicity. Minorities are presumed to have a single mind politically and the deeds of a few represent the deeds of all.
Until we evolve past this mentality, race and ethnicity will continue to be a central issue in every aspect of U.S. culture. To say otherwise is to echo the words of Ronald Reagan: "I can remember a time when this country didn't have a race problem."
For Mr. Reagan, it certainly did not.
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January 11, 2011
The right is in denial
The right is in denial about their culpability in the Tucson shootings. They are squirming under the light of truth and grasping at any opportunity to deflect the blame. If they were truly guiltless for the climate of hate they've fostered, then why was there a scramble to scrub right wing websites of their inflammatory content after the killings?
A number of right wing pundits are decrying the reaction from the left, calling for a stop to the "politicizing" of this tragedy. Ironic, that. After years of wallowing in the slime of violence-laced rhetoric, they suddenly want to take the high road. How convenient.
Despite the vehement protest from progressives, I have yet to hear a single call for violence in retribution. But even now, the violent fringe seems unrepentant. "One down, 534 more to go," posted one far-right blogger. Even if we take this as a jest, it speaks volumes.
There is no moral equivalency in this matter. For far too long, the right has knowingly exploited a lunatic fringe with a penchant for firearms to further their political agenda. If we do not speak out now against this practice, I fear the killings in Tucson may be only the beginnings of a continuing national tragedy.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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January 4, 2011
Sneak Preview of HOUSE DIVIDED
Would you like a Sneak Preview of my second novel, HOUSE DIVIDED? You can get a PDF copy of the first chapter to read and share when you visit the HOUSE DIVIDED page on Facebook at the link below.
With best regards,
Raul
http://www.facebook.com/pages/House-D...
With best regards,
Raul
http://www.facebook.com/pages/House-D...
December 29, 2010
A Study in Confusion
A recent study from Brown University sociologist John Logan reported the following conclusions.
The average non-Hispanic white person continues to live in a neighborhood that looks very different from those neighborhoods where the average black, Hispanic, or Asian lives. The average white person in metropolitan America lives in a neighborhood that is 77 percent white. Still, this represents growing diversity compared to 1980, when the average was 88 percent white.The average black American in metropolitan areas lives in a census tract that is majority black. It appears the same will soon be true for Hispanics. On average, 48 percent of their neighbors are Hispanic and this value is growing steadily.Blacks continue to be the most segregated minority, followed by Hispanics and then Asians. Another surprise in the new data is that while black-white and Hispanic-white segregation is almost the same today as in 2000, segregation of Asians from whites has begun to increase. It is now almost as high as segregation of Hispanics.Progress in residential segregation between blacks and whites since 2000 was even less than in the 1980s. Segregation peaked around 1960. Between 1980 and 2000 it declined at a very slow pace, but analysts have been hoping for a breakthrough since then. The new data show that there is very little change.Worrisome trends, to be sure. Yet there is a fundamental flaw at work here.
Studies like this one from Brown University paint a distorted, one-dimensional picture of U.S. society. Based on a paradigm of four quasi-racial groups, research like this fails to convey the true complexity behind these simplistic labels.
For example, where do people from the Indian subcontinent fall in this four-group paradigm? Are they "Asian"? Moreover, are we to believe U.S. residents from Asian nations with long-held enmities like China and India or Japan and Korea live side-by-side in "Asian" communities? I doubt it -- and so will most people who know much about the region.
Then we come to Hispanics. What neighborhood do Afro-Latinos live in? More people in the Americas of African descent speak Spanish or Portuguese than English. Yet reports like this Brown study, assume Black Hispanics do not exist-- or that they live in neighborhoods with other Latinos. One look at the ethnic composition of a city with a large Afro-Latino population like New York shows this is not the case.
Although studies like this are well-meaning and attempt to illustrate the slow progress we have made toward a true "melting pot," they also create a much too simplistic picture of minorities. These false identities foster misconceptions which affect both mainstream Americans -- and even minority members themselves.
In the end, misconceptions inevitably breed prejudice.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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The average non-Hispanic white person continues to live in a neighborhood that looks very different from those neighborhoods where the average black, Hispanic, or Asian lives. The average white person in metropolitan America lives in a neighborhood that is 77 percent white. Still, this represents growing diversity compared to 1980, when the average was 88 percent white.The average black American in metropolitan areas lives in a census tract that is majority black. It appears the same will soon be true for Hispanics. On average, 48 percent of their neighbors are Hispanic and this value is growing steadily.Blacks continue to be the most segregated minority, followed by Hispanics and then Asians. Another surprise in the new data is that while black-white and Hispanic-white segregation is almost the same today as in 2000, segregation of Asians from whites has begun to increase. It is now almost as high as segregation of Hispanics.Progress in residential segregation between blacks and whites since 2000 was even less than in the 1980s. Segregation peaked around 1960. Between 1980 and 2000 it declined at a very slow pace, but analysts have been hoping for a breakthrough since then. The new data show that there is very little change.Worrisome trends, to be sure. Yet there is a fundamental flaw at work here.
Studies like this one from Brown University paint a distorted, one-dimensional picture of U.S. society. Based on a paradigm of four quasi-racial groups, research like this fails to convey the true complexity behind these simplistic labels.
For example, where do people from the Indian subcontinent fall in this four-group paradigm? Are they "Asian"? Moreover, are we to believe U.S. residents from Asian nations with long-held enmities like China and India or Japan and Korea live side-by-side in "Asian" communities? I doubt it -- and so will most people who know much about the region.
Then we come to Hispanics. What neighborhood do Afro-Latinos live in? More people in the Americas of African descent speak Spanish or Portuguese than English. Yet reports like this Brown study, assume Black Hispanics do not exist-- or that they live in neighborhoods with other Latinos. One look at the ethnic composition of a city with a large Afro-Latino population like New York shows this is not the case.
Although studies like this are well-meaning and attempt to illustrate the slow progress we have made toward a true "melting pot," they also create a much too simplistic picture of minorities. These false identities foster misconceptions which affect both mainstream Americans -- and even minority members themselves.
In the end, misconceptions inevitably breed prejudice.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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December 26, 2010
An author fights back against Latino stereotypes
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Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, author of the bestselling DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL CLUB was thrilled when her landmark novel was optioned for a TV series by Encanto Productions headed by Ann Lopez, ex-wife of comedian George Lopez. The thrill continued for Alisa when she learned NBC had signed for a pilot. Then things turned sour. After being repeatedly shunned, Alisa finally got a copy of the pilot script. She read the script in shock at the gross misrepresentation of her characters. As Alisa explains in her blog...
To her immense credit, Alisa seems willing to pass on a TV adaptation of DIRTY GIRLS if it means compromising her principles. "The idea is to have a DIRTY GIRLS series on the air by next fall, but I must tell you this idea, given the end result of Luisa's efforts, holds zero appeal for me."My hat is off to Alisa for taking a public stand against the vicious cycle of ignorance regarding the Latino identity in the entertainment industry. Like those involved in DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL CLUB, many TV and film producers know full well they are purveying stereotypes. But they fear the U.S. public will not accept Latino characters that challenge conventional myths. As a result, the public ignorance continues.As I read Alisa's post, I remembered a review that criticized the "lack of diversity" among the characters in my first novel, AMERICA LIBRE. Looking over the review, I was stunned. One of the main characters in the novel was a blue-eyed blonde from Uruguay while another was an Afro-Latino from Panama. However, in the mind of this reviewer (and way too many others), "diversity" is a term reserved solely for the population of the United States.Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, author of the bestselling DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL CLUB was thrilled when her landmark novel was optioned for a TV series by Encanto Productions headed by Ann Lopez, ex-wife of comedian George Lopez. The thrill continued for Alisa when she learned NBC had signed for a pilot. Then things turned sour. After being repeatedly shunned, Alisa finally got a copy of the pilot script. She read the script in shock at the gross misrepresentation of her characters. As Alisa explains in her blog...
Put simply, she killed off all the black folks in my story. In her hands my black Colombian character Elizabeth becomes "a sizzling Colombian" (because we might as well employ cliched language in addition to de-Africanizing her); my mulatta Puerto Rican/Dominican character Usnavys becomes African American, non Latino, and ends up adhering to every stereotype of the fat-n-sassy oversexed negress "diva" that Hollywood has ever flung at the viewing public; and my Nigerian-British millionaire heartthrob, Andre Cartier, becomes Andre Carter, an East Indian by way of London. There is no discernible reason for these changes, other than anti-black racism.
To her immense credit, Alisa seems willing to pass on a TV adaptation of DIRTY GIRLS if it means compromising her principles. "The idea is to have a DIRTY GIRLS series on the air by next fall, but I must tell you this idea, given the end result of Luisa's efforts, holds zero appeal for me."My hat is off to Alisa for taking a public stand against the vicious cycle of ignorance regarding the Latino identity in the entertainment industry. Like those involved in DIRTY GIRLS SOCIAL CLUB, many TV and film producers know full well they are purveying stereotypes. But they fear the U.S. public will not accept Latino characters that challenge conventional myths. As a result, the public ignorance continues.As I read Alisa's post, I remembered a review that criticized the "lack of diversity" among the characters in my first novel, AMERICA LIBRE. Looking over the review, I was stunned. One of the main characters in the novel was a blue-eyed blonde from Uruguay while another was an Afro-Latino from Panama. However, in the mind of this reviewer (and way too many others), "diversity" is a term reserved solely for the population of the United States.Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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December 20, 2010
Help Provide Books for Disadvantaged Youth
Latinos in Social Media has created a program that lets you provide books for disadvantaged youth. Here's how it works:
Visit the Latinos in Social Media Website to nominate and vote for the U.S. library you think most deservingDonate books. If you are an author, publisher or reader, share your books with young people.The library with the most votes will receive all the donated books.
This is your chance to help make a difference for youth literacy.
With 1 out of 5 children in the country being Latinos and Latino educational levels reaching the point of national crisis, it is imperative that we do something to promote reading and support the faltering library system. Our future as a culture and as a nation depends on it.
Visit the Latinos in Social Media Website for more details.
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Visit the Latinos in Social Media Website to nominate and vote for the U.S. library you think most deservingDonate books. If you are an author, publisher or reader, share your books with young people.The library with the most votes will receive all the donated books.
This is your chance to help make a difference for youth literacy.
With 1 out of 5 children in the country being Latinos and Latino educational levels reaching the point of national crisis, it is imperative that we do something to promote reading and support the faltering library system. Our future as a culture and as a nation depends on it.
Visit the Latinos in Social Media Website for more details.
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The rarest of gifts
May this holiday season bring all of us the rarest of gifts.
A digital greeting card from
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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A digital greeting card from
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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December 13, 2010
A December Surprise
A few days ago, I was stunned to learn I was...
The number one choice among the
2011 "Top Ten New Latino Authors
to Watch (and Read)"
from LatinoStories.com
I got the news late in the evening and had a hard time falling asleep. The message from Professor Jose B. Gonzalez of LatinoStories said my selection as number one among this year's "Top Ten" list was based on feedback he and his co-editor have received about AMERICA LIBRE from readers, librarians, editors, and faculty.
Needless to say, I was thrilled to be included alongside former "Top Ten" LatinoStories authors like Junot Diaz, Mirta Ojito and Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez.
This recognition is based on my debut novel, AMERICA LIBRE.
Although my name is on the cover of AMERICA LIBRE, this recognition reflects the support of so many others. This award makes me feel grateful for the people in my life … my family, my colleagues and my friends — including the many new friends I've made since I began my journey as an author. I'd like to celebrate this moment by saying thanks to all of you. If you'd like more details on the "Top Ten" list and its creators, please visit LatinoStories.com.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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The number one choice among the
2011 "Top Ten New Latino Authors
to Watch (and Read)"
from LatinoStories.com
I got the news late in the evening and had a hard time falling asleep. The message from Professor Jose B. Gonzalez of LatinoStories said my selection as number one among this year's "Top Ten" list was based on feedback he and his co-editor have received about AMERICA LIBRE from readers, librarians, editors, and faculty.
Needless to say, I was thrilled to be included alongside former "Top Ten" LatinoStories authors like Junot Diaz, Mirta Ojito and Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez.
This recognition is based on my debut novel, AMERICA LIBRE. Although my name is on the cover of AMERICA LIBRE, this recognition reflects the support of so many others. This award makes me feel grateful for the people in my life … my family, my colleagues and my friends — including the many new friends I've made since I began my journey as an author. I'd like to celebrate this moment by saying thanks to all of you. If you'd like more details on the "Top Ten" list and its creators, please visit LatinoStories.com.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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December 6, 2010
Latino Diversity is an Asset
Immigration hardliners in areas with large Latino populations (Tom Tancredo in Colorado, Sharon Angle in Nevada and Meg Whitman in California) were all handily defeated in the last election. The less-than-subtle xenophobia of these demagogues were a powerful motivator for a unified Latino turnout at the polls.
At the same time, if the Latino vote is perceived as monolithically Democratic, it will be easier for conservatives to marginalize (and demonize) us in areas where the Latino vote is not a plurality. Personally, I do not support the positions of Marco Rubio, Brian Sandoval and Susana Martinez. But in the long run, the election of these Republican Latinos may help bridge the dangerously growing gap between the Latino community and the mainstream population. (For example, support for Arizona's SB 1070 is sharply divided along ethnic lines.)
Nativist demagogues prey of public fears of Latinos as a faceless, alien group that threatens Anglo primacy. Showing the true diversity of the disparate collection of people who make up the Latino communities across the entire United States helps dispel this noxious nativist myth. Just as in the United States as a whole, the diversity of the Latino community is an asset which can help us move together toward common goals such as immigration reform and raising the educational standards of our youth.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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At the same time, if the Latino vote is perceived as monolithically Democratic, it will be easier for conservatives to marginalize (and demonize) us in areas where the Latino vote is not a plurality. Personally, I do not support the positions of Marco Rubio, Brian Sandoval and Susana Martinez. But in the long run, the election of these Republican Latinos may help bridge the dangerously growing gap between the Latino community and the mainstream population. (For example, support for Arizona's SB 1070 is sharply divided along ethnic lines.)
Nativist demagogues prey of public fears of Latinos as a faceless, alien group that threatens Anglo primacy. Showing the true diversity of the disparate collection of people who make up the Latino communities across the entire United States helps dispel this noxious nativist myth. Just as in the United States as a whole, the diversity of the Latino community is an asset which can help us move together toward common goals such as immigration reform and raising the educational standards of our youth.
Raul Ramos y Sanchez
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