I disagree with @ABC_dotcom & @amaury_nolasco Insulting Puerto Ricans!
I have thought of writing about this subject for the last few days since I try to keep my blog more business oriented than on my personal side. But on some occasions there are things that clearly bother me like a few days ago when I wanted to support those who where creating awareness on the issue of shooting up in the air during New Year’s Celebrations.
A few days ago ABC aired a TV show where Puerto Rican Actor @amaury_nolasco makes a claim that Puerto Ricans are very good at selling drugs.
I did not see the episode all I saw the video below shared by my fellow friends the Latino Rebels in which he @amaury_nolasco makes the statement.
How I feel about Drugs?
I have never been a fan of drugs even the so-called legal ones. I have never smoked a Cigarette and the only possible drug I have consumed is alcohol. I became vegetarian for health reasons primarily to stay away from the pharmaceutical option that could fix those heath issues. The reason I have been vegetarian for so many years is because it clearly helped with my issues without using any drugs which for most Puerto Rican’ is the first choice to fix it.
Mixed Feelings on Drugs
Puerto Ricans overall seem to be very conservative on the subject of illegal drugs but I would call many of them to be large fans of Pharmaceutical drugs. Many are still against medical marijuana but they are the first ones to pop many pills without thinking of the long impact of them.
The pharmaceutical industry over time has brainwashed our people offering them better salaries than what they would get in other industries in an attempt to make us Puerto Rican’s forget of the fact that throughout history they ended up using many of the Island’s population as guinea pigs (I still believe they play a good part at many of the diseases that exist on the island but that is just my opinion). On some occasions the government has even been an ally towards forcing women to take birth control as test subjects.
The first Option for Many is a Legal Drug
I see how many of my countrymen and Puerto Rican residents tend to opt in to legal drugs so they can continue their reckless ways in eating things that will deteriorate their health. I think I will leave this for a post on Veglatino on the many times I see people taking legal drugs to offset bad nutrition.
Getting Back to a Nasty Stereotype
I have been lucky enough to spend time around many types of individuals from family members on my father’s side making a living selling illegal drugs from close family members being addicted to legal drugs.
When I look around the people that have been around my life a small ratio of them are or where tied towards dealing with drugs or using them irresponsibly. I have to say that if I put a ratio into the people that have been around me using drugs in what I consider a wrong way it might be 1 out of 40.
Addicted to School
If Puerto Ricans on the Island are addicted to something is into going to school which to a point many universities make a good chunk of money by keeping people in school even when they are no job opportunities for what they are going to school for.
Addicted to Work
I see many of my fellow Islanders with multiple jobs trying to make a living in the only way to take care of their families. I see individuals who have degrees working at Fast Foods just like my good friend @michaeldcc noted a few days ago on his blog. They are addicted towards working because they don’t clearly have another option. I myself put myself through college with the breadcrumbs I received from the U.S. Government for serving in their military (by the way I never got everything they put on the contract), working two or three part time jobs to pay tuition and expenses, and even building websites as a hobby to make ends meet.
My Experiences with Stereotypes
I worked in the U.S. and I had my fair share of encounters with racist individuals who did not know any better ( I just took them as ignorant morons). One of worst places was the military where clearly Puerto Rican service members fight for a country that has occupied them since 1898 to be victims of racism and other issues like for example the issue of English being a second language. I support all veterans but I have even more respect for those Puerto Rican veterans that go to war to get the job done when even their peers have very little respect for them.
I remember being in the military where on occasions I was asked if I had a knife in my pocket because I was Puerto Rican. That is one of the lightest racist comments I experienced. The same when I worked in other places especially on a project on an SP500 client for my previous employer American Systems where I had a competitor working on the same project as us making negative racists remarks to push my buttons because the IT Security Advisors where Puerto Rican and Argentinian (or as he called us Foreign). Obviously I read these racist individual intentions and did not allow him to take control of the situation. I was lucky enough to have a very solid team of Caucasian co-workers that came to my defense without me having to say a word.
Amaury is Clearly not helping
Amaury is a very well known artist. Many Puerto Rican’s feel proud about him. I clearly have to admire his talent but I have to say he did make a big mistake by selling out his own just to make a lame joke. I really don’t see him as a comedian. We are all human but I don’t see him admitting he was wrong. I also don’t see ABC apologizing for such a stupid choice of a script.
Overall I have to blame Amaury for playing along with the poor decision to be part of this and he is only feeding those ignorant people that can use him as an example of a Puerto Rican Admitting that we as Puerto Rican are good at selling drugs.
I have to say that I admire other ethnic groups that stick together when a situation like this happens. So not only do I ask my fellow Puerto Ricans to create more awareness on the issue like some have done already. Since I believe in one Race, the Human Race. I ask you reading this to take action and share this with others and ask them to share it.
As a fan of ABC and Amaury I have to say shame on you for not apologizing on this issue an acting like it never happened.
How do you feel about the video?
I applaud those who left politics to the side like Pedro Pierluisi who called the actions regretful and offensive. US Rep. José Serrano and Rep. Nydia Velázquez are demanding an apology from ABC. I also thank @julito77 for covering this issue and doing a great job at creating awareness.
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Sign the Petition!
Stereotypes are the labels that damage people. Labeling people because of race is big step backwards in the plight of equality. ABC should know better.
Thanks for the Comments Prometeo… Anyone makes a it mistake but the fact @abc_dotcom:twitter has acted like nothing happened really bothers me.
Raul,
I saw the show and it looks pretty bad and won’t last anyway.
The other thing is that Amaury Nolasco is being called a Puerto Rican actor but let us not forget that he is not truly Puerto Rican as he was born to Dominican parents on the island. What type of allegiance does a Dominican really have to Puerto Ricans? Even his white American girlfriend was seen on television calling his family a group of people that are very “Puerto Rican”. The joke is on us as Amaury continues to call himself Puerto Rican with that devilish grin of his.
Bogart,
The fact that he feels Puerto Rican and was born on the island is less important than the action he made.
It does impact a bit that he is Puerto Rican and made that poor choice. On the other side our Dominican brothers are a key part of our culture and when you look at our historic heritage we are pretty similar in many ways.
I have many Dominican friends which I consider family and they are working on the Island in key roles as Doctors, Hair Stylists, Small Business Owners and other productive parts of society. Many of them are top notch citizens which in some occasions took a huge risk to come to Puerto Rico.
At the end of the day Amaury’s actions are what we need to focus on. We need to make sure that no nationality or individual repeats this actions where stereotypes are used in such a way.
I have to politely disagree as to allegiance because I know of many Dominicans that are on the Island helping the Island run and working their asses off to make this place a better one for everyone.
i disagree i has a pure puerto rican the reason the Dominicans are in my country is because it’s a us territory thats all. working their asses off? real funny back in 80’s we used to kill them what ever they come in catano
Shameful. I haven’t seen that sitcom and won’t even consider it now. I will pass this along.
Shameful. I haven’t seen that sitcom and won’t even consider it now. I will pass this along.
I don’t watch ABC but I have a history of being a fan of many @abc_dotcom shows which disappoints me even more. I really want ABC to admit that they made a mistake and that they will think twice in doing so in the future.
My family has been a loyal ABC viewers for our entire life. We enjoy ABC news modern family, Dancing with the stars, but we won’t watch any more until Diane Sawyer reads a statement of apology from ABC and Disney on world news tonight! Btw there was another ABC.sitcom on Wednesday that stereotyped a Puerto Rican as a hooked while making fun.of.people from Belgium who are btw called.Flemish these writers need to either learn how write or quit their jobs. Well ABC we’re waiting! All 50 million Latino Americans.
It wil be a few of us taking the attitude of not supporting any ABC programming.
Shameful. I haven’t seen that sitcom and won’t even consider it now. I will pass this along.
Raul,
Thanks for this most insightful piece. I do see that the Puerto rican community everywhere is up in arms. I think ABC will issue an apology since Congressional and New York political leaders are mobilizing including Joe Serrano and Jose Rivera . But an apology is not enough. We need to use this opportunity to advance our own people and cultural venues.
I have to say that the fact that most politicians have united those make me think they have no choice but to apologize.
¡ESO! 100% MEGA-LIKE @guarionex88:disqus !!!!
I disagree too and that’s why I created this petition. Please sign and share.
http://www.change.org/petitions/abc-tv-network-abc-apologize-to-puerto-rican-community-for-broadcast-racist-remarks
Thanks Letty I went ahead and included the Petition at the end of the post!
Gracias
Raul, it’s so important that we show unity and take action. Our voices need
to be heard. The media disregards that we are also astronauts and
members of the supreme court instead choose solely continue to
perpetuate old ignorant stereotypes. Ya basta it’s 2012.
Awesome Piece Raul Colon! You are a talented writer and have hit the nail on the head with this article!
Catherine,
Compared to your photography skills my writing stinks… Thanks for sharing!
Great read Raul. I agree with you about taking natural steps instead of taking the drugs that clearly keep people running in motion and not getting healthier or beating their sickness. Many of those drugs are meant to only “cure” for only so long until you have to return to take more. Good ol’ Medical industry mastered that shamefulness a long time ago to turn it into a billion dollar industry. Natural is the way to go if you want to COMPLETELY cure yourself.
I rarely watch TV for reasons such as comments like @amaury_nolasco’s and shows such as this. That’s the racist higher ups that approve these tasteless writings of the scripts. So you mean to tell me these writers aren’t talented or better yet intelligent enought to come up with something more tasteful???? It’s sad and pathetic that this type of negativity is ok’ed and even intertwined in todays television.
Again Raul…great job! Thank you for sharing. I will also pass it along.
Ricardo,
Thanks for the continuous support and the great things you do to represent my Island and the Latino community overall.
I suppose european people have kind of a different approach towards this.
I personally don’t see much of an issue with a “sketch” like that, as I never saw much of an issue with sketches aimed to italian people (and you know there are a whole bunch of stereotypes about that as well).
My very personal opinion is that sometimes we just look too deep into something that’s supposed to be just a relatively innocent one-liner.
As a matter of fact, I would be curious to know what kind of reaction Family Guy’s mexican jokes have on american audience. Or portoguese ones. Or italian ones. Or jewish ones. Or, heck that show pretty much crucifies every ethnic group.
Ricardo,
Our biggest issues is that it was a lame joke. When you add to the fact that Puerto Rican’s are treated as second class citizens making comments like these only adds fuel to the fire.
I am not a fan of Stereotypes and try to keep people away from them. They can do a lot of damage.
On the other side when it is pure comedy and good stuff then maybe a joke or two might be ok. In this case they where like my good friend @Julito77:twitter very lame in the delivery.