Alberto Gonzales.
He creates a complicated problem for me. It has a lot to do with race. As the news reports more misstatements, inaccurate statements, potential lies, probable lies, and outright lies I feel more and more embarrassed.
The less competent he looks the worse I feel it reflects on me. He’s currently the highest ranking Latino in the U.S. government. The fact that he’s a Latino has fortunately not been mentioned in the press except in the context that everyone has been great about not mentioning race when they talk about how incompetent he is.
This is one of the weird ways racism works. I’m both relieved and troubled that race has not been mentioned. Hopefully it’s not mentioned because it’s not a relevant to the fact that he can’t do his job. But I worry that it’s not mentioned because it’s what all the white people are thinking about him.
I know that’s a piece of stereotyping, but b/c I don’t know what big chunks of the white population are thinking, I worry that it might be the worst.
Now, as a Latino, on top of worrying about how the white people are thinking about Alberto Gonzales, I worry how much they associate him with me. I’m one of the few Latino lawyers in Oregon. I’m bound to be associated with him. I didn’t go to Harvard and don’t have a fancy job but it still concerns me.
This is the interesting way that racism currently works. I have a fear that is probably semi rational, but I have no way of verifying how rational it is and I’m suspicious that I’m being judged by his actions.
There’s an old joke, “What do you call a Mexican in a suit?”
“The defendant.”
Most attorneys of color I’ve talked to have mentioned at least one experience in court where they were mistaken for the defendant. As Alberto becomes more and more like a defendant I feel like he’s undercut the advances everyone of color have achieved.
He’s someone I’m in no way associated with except for some skin color, and he embarrasses me.
White people aren’t embarrassed about being associated with Bush.
9 Comments:
The irony in all of this is that some mainstream Latino organizations supported his appointment. You know, 'cause he'd be the first Latino in the role of Attorney General... Riiiight. Now no one wants to support him.
On the race thing, I'm surprised people aren't saying something about his corrupt-ness and the governments of Latin America. Maybe they're saying that privately.
I'm confused. Why would anyone be embarrassed by Bush? He's such a brilliant and caring individual! Didn't you see how he raced to Kansas to offer his support? I'm sure he did it out of the absolute kindness of his heart, not as a photo opportunity.
And the war in Iraq has been a complete success; no where in the history of the United States have we seen such a military genius.
Oh wait. I lied. He's a fucking moron.
As for Gonzalez, I don't think the race piece has been a major issue because the majority of the ignorant, i.e. racist individuals of our country probably don't read the newspaper, nor do they know who he is.
Dude, I have to say that you are tripping. Do you think that everyone who is black thinks that that Lizard Rice makes everyone else think that all blacks share her repulsive qualities? Everyone is capable of selling out and being a freaking liar, or a freaking Republican for that matter. Isn't he really pretty much an Uncle Tom? Move on, it ain't worth the headache.
Wow - good post.
not sure where you get the last bit. i'm appalled by bush, i can't believe he hasn't been impeached, and i'm embarrassed that we're both white, that we are both americans, that we both shit out our asses. any association with that man is repugnant.
i've felt a similar sort of confusion about the lack of race (and gender) discussion as it relates to the upcoming presidential race (no pun meant, but hey, maybe that's why no one talks about it-- it would just be too darn confusing to say that the presidential race might be affected by race issues). but i've already said my piece on zack's blog so i'll shut up.
By David C. Iglesias, former U.S. Attorney for N.M. in an Op-Ed piece in the L.A. Times yesterday,
"I once said that I found Gonzales to be a personal inspiration. No one can deny him his life's story, which is the American dream writ large. It began in Humble, Texas, born of impoverished Mexican American parents. He, like me, is a veteran of the U.S. military. He went to some of the best schools in America, including Harvard Law. Yet, somewhere along the line, he drank the loyalty Kool-Aid. Watching him testify before the Senate and House was painful for me. He had been a trailblazer for the Latino community, and then, in the space of a few hours of tortured testimony, he became just another morally rudderless political operative."
I think the tale of Betito here ought to teach all of my brown-power brethren a little something about supporting a politician just 'cause s/he's the first Latin@/Chican@/Hispanic to do any x-thing. That kind of blind loyalty to the race card has always made me a little nauseous. And come on... as if they weren't aware that he was Bush's little pet from the beginning.
I hate to use the word coconut... but coconut tastes so good in piña coladas. There, I used it.
BTW, I know white people who are embarrassed to be associated with Bush, but yes, not b/c they share caucasianness. I see your point.
I am embarrassed by Bush, but you are right. I am not embarrassed to be a white person because Bush is a white person, but as an American I am embarrassed he is an American and I am embarrased that other nationalities might think all white people/all americans voted for him. Yuck.
pocho abogado, i feel you. you articulated it much better than I ever could have. how could we not be excited in someways that finally a latino, a chicano (of sorts) made it to Attorney General of the United States...it is amazing, and while ideally I would want to be proud, I am embarrassed. I am ashamed, and I can't imagine how you as a pocho abogado feels. thank you for this post.
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