Burnt Orange Report

I'm not a big fan of the word "insensitive"- there is just something downright weak sounding about it. I do like the words "hateful" or "ignorant" or "racist" when appropriate. Is Wick Allison a racist? Well, I doubt he sports a white hood or listens to The Screwdrivers before stomping someone with his Docs, but I would say that this email is akin to the pseudo-academic racism many in the white supremacist movement ascribe to.

Just by the on face definition of white supremacism- white people are better than non-white people- his statement that "Anglo society is superior to Hispanic society" betrays a sense of white supremacism. His defense of this statement is that Latinos come this way, few Anglos go the other. Is this a problem of culture? I would say no. To begin, saying "Hispanic culture" is a bit like saying "white culture." White people vary dramatically- some predominantly white societies are very poor and corrupt (Russia, Belarus, etc.) and some are very wealthy and generally on the up and up (the US, UK, etc.). In the same way, some Latino cultures are poor and corrupt, and some are largely wealthy.

It seems to me that culture has less to do with it than geography, politics and recent history. To whit, nations that have a large variety of natural resources (such as Argentina) tend to do better than one or two export countries (such as Cuba). Also, countries with a relatively sane and open government (Brazil) do better than those with dictatorships and corruption (Haiti). Finally, virtually all of Latin America has suffered a series of dictatorships and experimentation with far Left or far Right leadership over the last several decades, and this history puts them several years behind the rest of the world. This experimentation has less to do with culture, I would argue, than it does a reaction to stifling colonialism. When a country is oppressed or wronged from afar, people turn to dramatic measures- the Treaty of Versailles drove Germany to the Nazis, Japanese domination during WWII drove China to Communism- and these have disastrous results. Interestingly enough, I'm not aware of any Latino (exempting the largely "white" Spanish experience) empires. So perhaps this is a way in which Latinos are superior to Anglos? (Of course not, but one could make the argument).

In the end, Wick Allison is apparantly seeking a justification for his latent racism. Anglo culture is in large part responsible for our legal and political traditions- the Magna Carta, John Locke and all that jazz- but whether or not Anglos are a numerical majority does not seem to be enough to change those traditions. Latinos who come to this country retain much of their culture (just like Allison's much-vaunted Irish, Italians and Jews), but participate in our political system within the confines of traditional American politics.

Wick Allison is ignorant, such is inarguable, but whether this ignorance is simply a simplistic view of the world or downright hatefulness is unclear. All I would say is that some of us are viewing the emergence of a Latino majority as somewhat pleasant. As one who lives in a predominantly Latino neighborhood with all Latino roommates, it is a culture not inferior or superior to mine, but gloriously different. I know that the idea of conjunto music and tamales at Christmas might put terror into the hearts of those in the Park Cities, but the rest of us can simply reply to Mr. Allison with a hearty que bueno, jue!

Good points, Andrew. To attribute the problems in Mexico to ethnicity or even culture ignores a whole lot of history, the kind of history that we saw little of here (a country where we distributed land wealth by giveaways and cheap sales).

The tricky part is that Wick is protected by facts: Hispanic and Latino teens account for 34% of Texas teenagers yet they account for more than twice as many of teenage pregnancies as white, non-hispanic teens. Similar patterns can be found for poverty, education, and crime (though I'm not sure about abuse). On the face of it, Wick probably seems to have a valid point.

But the problem is that he uses these facts to fear monger. He uses it to persuades readers to the import of his claim that the real problem is mediocrity. (Notice the utter absence of facts to support that point--he ushers in facts only to raise our fears about the growing Hispanic and Latino population.)

What's extremely interesting is that, in the article, Wick says that money is not the solution. Yet, in his email response, he explains how class and poverty are a part of the problem. Contradiction? It certainly seems to be.

I agree that poverty is the cause of many problems, yet does Wick argue against the regressive tax system in Texas, which is going to worsen under Republican tax proposals--by raising sales taxes and by undertaxing wealthier properties (which rise quickly in value) via the tax caps? No. How is he "treating" poverty and ethnicity? To argue for a vague conservative ideal about "mediocrity." Note that he has no proof, not even a decent piece of deductive logic, to argue how a statewide tax "flattens" education to "the lowest common denominator."

In fact, he comes back to a very racist sounding comment: It's okay if non-Hispanic whites get more school funding (though, of course, that has nothing to do with education performance, nudge, nudge, wink, wink). "Excellence" is something only a few can have, and the distribution of money--a statewide tax--discourages that excellence. How? Wick admits a correlation between money and educational achievement with this very statement.

Folks, Wick has one of the most circular arguments you'll see. Where would his implied solution help the impoverished and the brown-skinned? It wouldn't. Therein lies his racism.

it's black and white. with the increase of mexican people in the state of texas, the increase of certain statistics will be unavoidable. i.e. increase in crime rate, drop-out rate/poor academics in public schools, teen pregnancy, etc. although one can argue this is racism and racial profiling/stereotyping, it is the truth. wick is just pointing out the obvious and is saying what most others are too scared too or, for the sake of feeling guilty, to write or say.

these issues do need to be brought up and discussed w/o people making it partisan or racially charged. to combat the negative stats. we need to face the obvious.

Abraham states that certain societal problems are inevitable with the increasing Latino population. Even TxBubba acknowledges that the facts support Wick's argument on the surface. But that's just it. Maybe it's time we stop looking at this as "unstoppable" and look at the real issues explaining why this is this way.

The media consistently portrays certain races in a negative manner. Several studies have shown that teachers expect less out of Latino and Black students and give them less attention in class. Our history books are glamourize "heroic" white men and underplay the role other races have played (think white males aren't glorified? do some research on Woodrow Wilson, the biggest racist president we ever had). Racial profiling and stereotyping results in more Latinos and Blacks being pulled over by cops.

When everyone expects you to fail, it's difficult not to. Trust me, I'm a psychology major.

Everyone else seems to have already made my argument for me (good job Andrew) so I can only add my own observational humor.

If white culture is superior to Hispanic culture, as Wick says, then why do white people have Britney Spears and Madonna and Hispanic people have Jennifer Lopez and Selena (or better yet, Jennifer Lopez playing Selena). It seems to me it is the other way around, Hispanic culture is the superior one.

I measure a culture by how cool it is. Somehow I think Salma Hayek and Enrique Yglesias are way more cool than Paris Hilton or name-any-Backstreet Boy. White people are lame, we should just accept it. We can't dance, sing, play sports or do anything worthwhile.

At least, that's my totally biased opinion.

YES, these comments are racially insensitive!!! Linking Hispanic economic conditions to culture is racist. How do explain poverty ridden communities and neighborhoods populated by Anglos? Are they not a part of this Anglo "build" society? I personally find Wick Allison's comments not only insensitive and racist, but also offensive as well!

Ummm...Sonia. I'm not sure where you live, but in Dallas just about every television media outlet has a Hispanic anchor and both of our area papers have a nice share of Hispanics. Today, if the media is reporting negatively and stereotyping Hispanics, it's our own fault.

Point two: if it's neccessary to reach back to WW to talk about rascists...I think it's a pretty sad statement about your argument. Can we at least stay in the age range of our grandparents and younger?

Finally, yes Wick was insensitive. Sometimes the truth hurts. The reality is that our first generation immigrants DO struggle. My grandparents did; did yours? Hispanics assimilate well, and Wick acknowledges as much. However, the wave of immigration that is occuring today will strain our systems and services. It will strain our schools (ESL programs), our county hostpitals (check out the rates of immigrants that are insured), social services (Hispanics don't know how to access them and quite frankly are ashamed to use them...they do not fit in our Machismo culture).

The reality is that the next 15-25 years for California (check out Dan Weintraub's expose on the issue at Sacbee.com and the next 25-40 years for Texas will be tough ones. We will have to decide where to spend our tax dollars, what services are most important and how to assimilate all of us into a culture that educates our kids, creates jobs and keeps the streets safe. Burying our head in the ground on the issues and only raising them to cry 'racist' will get us nowhere.

Trust me; I have a polsci background and work for a company that employs thousands of Hispanics. Better yet, don't trust me, and go research the issues for yourself. Here's a start, at the fairly liberal yet upbeat Sacremento Bee:

(Reg Req'd): http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/columns/weintraub/story/12589927p-13444303c.html

The message (echoing Wick): Hispanics do assimilate and do better each successive generation...but oh do we struggle and tax the system in our early generations...

The problem, gonzo, is that Wick offers absolutely nothing to address the problems, except basically to urge Anglos to hold onto their money and basically retrench for the culture onslaught.

The fact is, Abraham, that Wick is the one who made it racially charged. Why was it significant to even mention Hispanics? Why not simply talk about the problems in and of themselves, unless it's to associate culture and race with the problems. The other fact is that teenage pregnancy, abuse, crime, etc. are limited to one group or the other, so it is really pointless to focus on one group if you're truly interested in solving the problems.

I've grown tired of the racism, and we shouldn't back off from calling it what it is.

Some readers are confusing my usage of the word Anglo with the word "white," which is understandable given common usage in Texas. I apologize for not being more precise. By use of the word Anglo, I am referring specifically to Anglo-Saxon history and culture, from which--along with the Judeo-Christian and Roman-Greek traditions--are derived the foundations of our law and custom. Many of the problems Hispanic nations have experienced, which have been referred to by posters, result from that culture's roots in a different historical experience. I argue that the Anglo-Saxon experience is superior, having produced demonstrably superior results. Okay: back to the fray...

Since when is the publisher of a magazine's job to be nice? Homeboy Wick speaks the truth, albeit a harsh one. People...face the FACTS.

Wick's flaccid retort reflects a form of racism, undoubtedly. His fine examples of the assimilation of Irish, Jewish, and Italian citizens miss a certain glaring fact: all are white Europeans (with the exception of a few sephardic Jews). The black population in the US has been anglicized- they share the language, foods, religions, etc. of the nation's anglo saxon background; yet I cannot imagine N. Dallas embracing an influx of black folks next door. Same goes for anyone without the right (re: white) appearance, regardless of how anglicized they may be, be they arabs, Cambodians, hispanics, Indians, etc.

This attitude is born of the same ignorance that spawned the Chinese Exclusion Act and Jim Crow laws. No amount of rationalization or tokenism can ameliorate the fact that proponents of this bigoted view demand a white majority.

(Additionally, if you want to really stem the flow of illegal immigrants, talk to the people hiring them: wealthy, white, GOP developers and businesses.)

Tx Bubba, you must point out the correlation w/ the increase of mexican imigrants to the increase of statistics; justified reason to mention race.

as far as combatting these negative statistics, you're right, wick made no mention of a remedy, but i can't really think of any that hasn't already been done. how will we combat these problems? one thing is for certain-spend more tax money and exhaust all resources. expect backlash from people/groups of racism.

Abraham, I can barely understand your mangled sentences. The facts are that those problems cross races and cultures. Plus, Wick is the one who said that class and poverty have more to do with the problems than culture, yet he focused on the latter. Why?

I'm curious . . . would people who have a "take" culture come and work as they do, without a good many rights and protections? So, Wick, are the Latinos who clean your houses and mow your lawns there in Highland Park and Dallas "takers" or "builders"? Are the people who pay them in cash and under the table "takers"?

And obviously you don't know your Texas history very well since Texas law was also based on Castilian, or Spanish, law. That you would so simplistically consider Texas "Anglo" apart from its Mexican and Spanish roots just betrays your intent.

Wick, since you're reading this thread, explain how you justify the contradiction that money won't solve the problems in education, yet money (in the form of a state tax) will adversely affect "excellence" in education (for the wealthier, primarily "Anglo" districts)? If money is the problem, as you argue, why isn't it the solution?

Wick-

I knew exactly what you were talking about in terms of "Anglo"- i.e. from England. So let's talk about Anglo culture versus "Hispanic" culture.

Food- big win for the Hispanics. Haggis and Cabbage versus fajitas and tacos. Nuff said.

Music- slight win to the Anglos. Beatles and Radiohead versus Selena and mariachi. One is great, one has its charm but can get a little old.

Religion- tie- Anglicans are just Catholics that failed Latin. Still, I like the native style Catholocism seen in most of Latin America, but the Episcopals have openly gay church hierarchy. It balances out.

Clothes- Anglos win. Nothing looks as sharp as a English-tailored suit.

Language- tie. English is a beautiful language with such variety to it, but the romanticism of Spanish gives it such a robustness that they are perfect accents for one another. Bilingualism gives Texas such a wonderful native tongue.

Dance- Oh, come on! Tango, Salsa and Merengue versus line dancing. HUGE win for the Hispanics.

Politics- Anglos win, but they cheated. Western domination of Latin America over the course of a couple hundred years led to desperation on the part of Hispanic masses, leading them to turn to desparate and half-cocked measures such as communism and fascism. They are paying for this legacy to this day, but in all fairness they are only about 15 years out of the woods (some places, Colombia and Cuba for example, are still knee deep in the woods) and 15 years after Cromwell's nuttery England was still a mess. So Anglo culture doesn't get this point as their toe was over the line.

So, in the end it is a 2-2 tie. Sorry, Wick but we have some nice parting gifts for you- namely the right to go on living in the Park Cities bubble writing for a two-bit newspaper. Watch out though, soon they'll think they have a right to live there or something. The nerve!