On the Offensive
Related Content
More About
Online readers respond to "Mexico Protests Tex-Mex Commercial," by Robb Walsh, Eating...Our Words blog, April 14:
How rude: I am offended that the commercial hawks that old stereotype that all Texans keep their horses in the living room. Mine is always in the field. What next? An oil derrick in the yard? Sheesh.
Mary
Get real: The Mexican Ambassador needs to get real. It ought to be a compliment. It was the Mexicans who invented rodeo and the cowboy stuff. We just improved on it a little. Get a grip, Ambassador.
Joe
Amusing: I am of Mexican descent. We are a people composed of many national origins: Indians (who tend to be short), Spaniards (who are of varying stature but not generally an especially tall people), mestizos/métis/mixed-race (of course), Afro-Mexicans (especially in parts of Vera Cruz and Guerrero States), other Europeans (one thinks of the entrepreneurial class of the large cities which is composed in part of rather recent immigrants from Europe).
Personally, I see nothing implicitly demeaning in using a small-statured Mexican to represent metaphorically the small amount of hot pepper in the Texican Burger. We also have our fair share of enanos mexicanos (midgets). So what?
I honestly find the commercial amusing. It reminds me of The Odd Couple.The two friends are somehow so incongruous. There is no Mexican ensign on the serape in the "still" based on the commercial and, anyway, let's face it: The National Colors of red, white and green are used to brighten every sort of nationally produced food item, from the pull tops of individually packed flan, to the pirulí tricolor, to huevos divorciados.
I cannot understand all the brouhaha over a nonissue which is, frankly, more embarrassing than the little wrestler, "El Cachito" of the commercial, could ever be.
Dinis
Lighten up: Seriously, people need to lighten up and get their panties outta their butt crack! There's always someone offended over someone or something these days.
jeeter
Tea Time
Online readers respond to "Houston!! Are You Ready For A Tea Par-Tay?!?!?!" by Richard Connelly, Hair Balls blog, April 14:
You seriously don't get it: I am an independent. My voting record: Reagan (age 18), out of the country at 22, Clinton (26), Clinton (30), Gore (34), Bush (anti-Kerry) (38), McCain (anti-Obama) (42). I grew up a Republican, but became incredibly liberal during my twenties and early thirties. I was a liberal because I felt they were "live and let live." Then one day I realized the liberals were actually more closed-minded than the conservatives, so I became an independent. In the last two elections, I became disgusted by the behavior of my prior party and the media. If anyone ever tried to provide an alternative point of view, they would immediately get shot down. No more.
I became involved in this movement a month ago, long before the Republicans and Fox jumped aboard. (Remember, Fox put down the idea at first.) No one paid any attention to it until about a week ago. Well, I will tell you, it is wonderful. I have met people from all parties and walks of life at several grassroots organizations. These are people who truly care about this country and feel it is going in the wrong direction, which, by the way, 60 percent of the country feels. Our goal is to remove the labels and become one country again — Americans. Americans who follow the Constitution and are represented by our elected officials. It is wrong that 20 percent of taxpayers will be paying 90 percent of the taxes, while 50 percent will pay nothing. (Yes, Obama won, but next time I think only the people who have to pay the taxes should vote. This is taxation without representation.)
Jeff
Our time: "Fifty percent will pay nothing." Citation needed, because I bust my ass for just under $20K a year, and I know I'm not "paying nothing."
All these words are coming out of your keyboard, and all I can see is Mommy, make those poor people give me their whole paycheck so I can keep paying for my three Hummers and five houses, waaaah.
I bet at least one of your fucking Humers had a "Bush Won, Get Over It" sticker on it in 2004. You had your time. Now sit your overprivileged, racist ass down.
V
Hypocrites: I agree with the writer of this article. Where were all those conservative protests against Bush's spending? To me, this is more of a "we lost and we're mad because we don't like Obama" protest than anything serious.
You can't just ignore an issue if your party is in power and protest it when the other guy inherits the problem. That just makes you look like a hypocrite.
JM
Too little, too late: Regarding the tax protest...how absolutely ridiculous! This country spent billions of dollars every month for eight years on a stupid invasion of Iraq. Hardly anything was said. Now the utterly stupid finally woke up and are protesting.
The horse is out of the barn, folks...gone...lost...squandered. If you want to protest, you should have done it in front of the Halliburton headquarters in Houston...eight years ago.
