Valeria+FB’s+OpEd+Article


 * Mexicans are not the only ones who speak spanish?!**[[image:latino flags.jpg]]

All the time and everywhere there are people who does not know that there are many nationalities in Latin America who speaks Spanish besides Mexico. Why is that anyone in the United States thinks that the only country in the Americas who speaks spanish are mexicans or are from Mexico. Wait, is that the only country that exists? This does not mean I am against Mexico and its people, but it just bugs me that everything that occurs in Latin America or with a latino it said to be mexican when could be from Guatemala or Honduras or any other country. Other thing that I hate is when people, specially in the U.S sees a brown person with Latino characteristics thinks is mexican, when this person is from Peru?!?!?!?!?!?!?(just an example to others). It is just easy to blame mexicans for everything that happens in Latin America, because they don't want to be specific?? or I don't know.

The fact that the closest country from the United States is Mexico has the answer? What if it was Colombia the closest country from U.S, do you think white people will called spanish-speakers Colombians or Venezuelians or Peruvians? It is just annoying how these people does not know how to distinguish a mexican from a Cuban. For example us in Latin America if we wouldn't know how to distinguish a person from England and one from U.S. by its physical appearence then what else can we do to know. Well as a Latino the first thing we could figure out is their accent, when we hear that these two have a different accent then we can say they are not from the same country which means one is from England and one from U.S, problem solve! Why can't they say "oh they are Puerto Ricans" because each nationality has a different accent that is what makes us different from other countries in the world!! Although we look the same physically, what makes a Cuban different from a Panamanian is their accent. Yes, there're also other factors that makes this two nationalities different from each others and only Latinos sees it, but the most basic factor that it is easier to remember is their ACCENT. U.S should know this, they've travel to Latin America more than anyone else, they should know what is the difference between a panamanian and a colombian or a mexican right? (Panama Canal, Mexican-American War).

Also our brown skin, "mexicans" what?! Mexicans are not the only Latinos with brown skin, just look at Guatemalans, Hondurans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Peruvians, Belizeans, Venezuelians, Colombians, Bolivians, Ecuadorians, Costa Ricans, Panamanians, Nicaraguans and many more countries who has brown skin. But hey whats wrong having brown skin?? I think it is a bless having your skin brown or also called tan rather than... It is great! having a tanned skin, shinny skin makes a person look healthy, athletic, energertic and outgoing. In fact many public figures try to make their skin tanned it has become more popular, it makes them look slimmer firmer, it also hides any decolorations of the skin giving that soft looking appearance.

So people PLEASE!! before judging or commenting please listen to their accent before blaming mexicans before ruin their reputation, because you have no idea how bugging it is to hear it, more if that person is not mexican. And I am not say that is insulting, but ignorance which bugs us; judging Latinos for being ignorants or not knowing __enough__ compare with other races, but others too don't know what nationality each of us is from.

In the end, I hope that anyone who has read this understands that before say "ugh that mexican kid..." first find out if it is truly mexican, then say whatever you please, but know for sure what kind of country is it going for.