The Island's Condition: Critical!

More and more health experts are expressing concern about the dire situation facing medically vulnerable residents of Puerto Rico, especially those who live in remote areas.  As I read of many preventable deaths and yet see the official death toll stuck at the number where it's been for the past week I have to wonder if some kind of statistical cover-up is going on.  What counts as a "death" caused by Hurricane Maria?  Only that of someone who has drowned or been hit by a falling tree?  Or the many others that are taking place as the "ripple effect" of the natural disaster spreads throughout the island and morphs into other forms for man-made reasons?

This is beginning to look like something that I would venture to call genocidal.  It's time to call 45 out for what he is--a hater of Latinos!  And now in this new bad hombre Miller, he's apparently adding another anti-Latin racist to his circle of toadies.  And mocking a Spanish accent--how low can you get?

 I'm curious to watch how Big Brother reacts to the exodus of Puerto Rican islanders to the mainland, which is already taking place.  I think that to a moronic mind this may look a lot like the stream of "illegal" Mexicans and Central Americans "pouring across" "our" southern US border.  The only problem with that perception is that these arrivals are American citizens who are free to travel wherever they like within their nation!  But I'm sure that won't stop the forces of evil from trying to come up with some form of deterrence to stem the migration.  Especially when it starts to dawn on them that the former island-dwellers CAN vote in national elections as soon as they establish residency in one of the mainland states!

Another interesting situation that's emerging is that since Puerto Rico is the site of large scale manufacture of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, mainland hospitals are beginning to feel the impact of that industry being largely shut down in the territory.  When "real" Americans see THEIR OWN health care status threatened, maybe there will be more interest in sending effective help to Borinquen!


Please go to this link to read about the background and context of the current crisis in Puerto Rico.


                                                    https://shar.es/1VMkEZ

                                                                       

                                         Some Good News and a Little Ansiedad

As most of you have probably already figured out, I read the evil, failing, fake, etc. New York Times and Washington Post on an almost daily basis, and in the past day or so there has been some good news for the Latino community and everyone else who cares about social justice.  For one thing, the pardoning of Arpaio DIDN'T happen when 45 visited Phoenix the other night!  Also, a Texas judge has ruled against voter suppression legislation in that state and ruled that a comprehensive and fair measure be passed to completely replace what's currently on the books.  There is also a heartening article in the NYT today (8/25) about the resilience of the Spanish language and Spanglish in Latino communities despite the fact that few members of the younger generation are fully fluent.

 However, in spite of these good developments or perhaps because of them, I have a sneaking feeling that 45 is about to stir the "identity politics" pot again by doing something hateful to our people--probably eliminating the DACA program or perhaps...pardoning Arpaio!    Keep strong and

                          safe in the coming storms--both political and meteorological--everyone!

Thoughts about "Latinx"

Saludos, everybody!  I have just been boning up on the new expression "Latinex," and yes, I must admit , I am one of the "older generation" who isn't crazy about it.  For one thing, it has the sound to me of some sort of pesticide or cleaning product that Gringos could use in order to rid their homes or  neighborhoods of Latino (a)s! This just hearkens back to an old convention of Madison Avenue advertising lingo, I suppose; and like most of my reflections, is no doubt terribly outdated.  But just think about it for a minute and see if you can get my drift!

I am a language nerd and though I'm generally not at all conservative as a person, that is one area where I have to admit that I am. It stems from my particular Mexican American upbringing (a long time ago!) and I'll explain how.  My father was a very gifted and ambitious Chicano guy, born in Brownsville, Texas in El Valle. He figured out early on in life that one way to get ahead in the Anglo world was to speak the English language perfectly ( though of course he never abandoned his beloved primary tongue of Spanish.)  But that was how we were raised in our family; to speak perfect, unaccented English and never to vary the way we talked by means of slang, newspeak, etc.  Linguistic conservatism--this was the key to upward mobility, and to a certain extent it worked.  Of course, we were also taught to revere Spanish in the same way, though he never taught me enough to become really fluent. (😕)

So, I guess I will come down on the side of people who would not use the term "Latinx" personally. But on the other hand I am all for self-determination, so I completely support anyone who feels that gendered Spanish is oppressive and prefers Latinx. We are all pretty non-binary in our family genderwise, I'm glad to say, so I can relate. We should never allow others to define us!

So to wrap this up,  my feeling is that we're all free to use whatever words make us feel best in how we express ourselves---to present ourselves to the world as we truly want to be seen, heard, written, sung, and talked about. All I've been reading and seeing online about you Latinx jovenes is utterly impressive and beautiful, and I'm proud that the torch is being carried forward by all of you in all of our dazzling diversity. I think we all agree that language is powerful, so let's be empowered in our use of it!

Emily Peña Murphey

November 21st

Ya Basta With This Incorrect Use of "Politically Correct!"

Today I'll take on one of the minor things that annoys me about the political shift that's recently taken place in our country--the persistent misuse of the term "politically correct." (Accusing my family and ancestors of being rapists and drug dealers, not gonna go there--at least not today!)

"Politically correct" seems to have become a buzz word for the alt right, or more specifically, a buzz phrase, since it consists of two words. I don't know the origins of the original expression and don't care to research it (anybody?) but I think it's a phenomenon that began in the academic world when the lives and experiences of people other than white hetero males came to be considered legitimate fields of study, as they are and should be.  New, non-offensive expressions were developed  to describe and talk about Blacks, Mexicans, immigrants, homosexuals, etc. True, this new terminology occasionally had a sanitized, neologistic quality that was sometimes annoying to language geeks like this blogger, but the upshot of it all was that there were new ways to talk and write about Other people that would not be insensitive or hurtful; or that might even be based on those people's own cultural preferences or sense of self-determination! And who can argue with that?  (Apparently, now, lots of people!)

Well, the folks who didn't like this new PC language were so oppressed by it, so victimized and even discriminated against  that they reached the point where they just couldn't take it anymore and were inspired by their profoundly wise Fearless Leader to liberate themselves,  to declare their independence from it!

 Like most buzz jargon the new "politically correct" is like a rock that conceals beneath it a myriad of creepy and slimy things that would perish if they were ever exposed to the light of day. These include things like ignorance, hatefulness, and the wish to change, control, or even exterminate the groups of people once referred to by the now outdated PC terminology.  Now at last people are free to be "honest;" to "tell it like it is" or " say what's on their minds!" (Minds?) The small-minded and entitled can finally reclaim their place of privilege in the renewed "greatness" of American society--to the extent, of course, that we still have one.

Yes, language is powerful, but let's call a spade a spade.  "Political Correctness"  has become nothing more than a code term for the civility, compassion, and concern for human dignity that once operated as a deterrent to hate speech, and the vile hatred it expresses.

Emily Peña Murphey