User:172.210.87.127
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Since Pres. Bush has, recently, been down visting South America, I have been hearing, once again, and again the incorrect term "Latin America","Latinos" and "Latinas". I even once had a Native GUATEMALTECS tell me that she is and they are the true Latinos and Europeans are not!!! Yike!! This is plain out right insanity and is simply sad that Mexicans, Cetral, Americans, and some South Americans do not even know who they are.
First of all Latins are only European since they are from Italy (the province of Lazio and therefore, I feel compelled to educate even those who think they correctly educated others--I hear Latin, Latinos, Latina, etc... is thrown around as if folks know who they are and where they are from--the sad truth is they do not--
True that South Americans speak Spanish or Portuguese (in general). Yet, Latino is truly Italians from the province of Latium or Lazio (for example--Romans!) and therefore, they are the only ones that are truly Latin race. Algon with Italian; Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Romanian are Latin languages from the Roman Latin language but that does not make them Latin at all (as a race). You see.
It is a big misconception, especially, among New World Hispanics who call themselves Latin. Would you say a Native Aztec from Mexico is Latin? or a Dutchman from Argentina is Latin? or a German-Brazilian Latin or a Irish/Inca mix is Latin? I would say not. Therefore, the very term Latin America--which was termed by the British, is simply wrong and born of ignorance. Instead, for example, it should be called Mexico (for that part of North America--MesoAmerica) or Central America (for those countries that are located there) or South America. This is much more correct.Otherwise, those who use such terms just look like they have no clue on what they are talking about. South Americans cannot ever truly be considered Latin. Yet, instead they should be called for what they truly are: Brazilians, Columbians, Hondurans, etc... Its like calling all Americans--"Anglos" or an "Anglo" country. This would also be a misconception since Anglos are an ancient Germanic race ( not even all British are Anglos---geeez.
I hope this makes sense to you and many others who misstated what a Latin really is---It is very frustrating to many Italians (like myself who is only half Latin) who hears others who are obviously not truely Latin calling themselves Latins, No offense, yet, us Italians are surely are not related to mestizos or other non-Latin races from the New World or otherwise. This misconception is rampant, and I feel I need to educate a modern society that has no clue of history, races, or culture--let me keep my Latin culture while you can be proud of your own :)
Take care, Rick Van Buren
