By Lisa Clark Who has had the pleasure of watching the movie
”
Once Upon a Time in Mexico?
”
Many raise their hands and very few do not. Well, I saw this
movie once and every time I encounter the experiences of being a
non-speaking American/Mexican I think of the quote Johnny Depp
screams out as he’s lying there on the ground and the bad guy is
about to shoot him,
”
are you a Mexican or a Mexican’t?
”
Who has had the pleasure of watching the movie “Once Upon a Time in Mexico?” Many raise their hands and very few do not. Well, I saw this movie once and every time I encounter the experiences of being a non-speaking American/Mexican I think of the quote Johnny Depp screams out as he’s lying there on the ground and the bad guy is about to shoot him, “are you a Mexican or a Mexican’t?” Then Johnny Depp pulls out a gun from who knows where and proceeds to kill the bad guy.
Why you ask does this movie quote come up? Well, because I am a Mexican who cannot speak Spanish so to some I would be a Mexican’t. It is actually quite funny if not sometimes insulting at how irritated some Hispanics get when they find out I do not speak Spanish.
I was born in Southern California and moved to Northern California at 3 days old. I am very proud to say I am a California Native and an American. Most of my upbringing was here in Morgan Hill aside from the six years we lived in Hollister. I am now 42 and a Morgan Hillian for sure. I think the six years in Hollister were the worst as those years I started to encounter “racism.” I was ridiculed for being Mexican. I was called many names, but I learned to deal with it and unfortunately this happens. The real issue now is how I get treated by those of my own culture.
For example: A few weeks ago my husband and I craved carne asada and decided to drive to Mi Pueblo in Gilroy to get the meat there. Our son was asleep so I went inside the store by myself and the looks I got made me feel very uncomfortable (I don’t really look Mexican. Or should I say Mexican’t). So I went to the meat department and the nice young kid proceeds to speak to me in Spanish. I ask for what I want in English and after about two questions he realizes I don’t speak Spanish and starts speaking to me in English. Well, he wasn’t so gracious after that. Everything was a big “sigh” each time I asked him a question. I literally irritated him with my wonderful Spanish speaking abilities I guess.
So off I go shopping for chips and a couple of other items. I really wanted to look around but I kept getting these glares so I scurried to the registers. Now it’s my turn to pay and like before the nice cashier speaks to me in Spanish and like the young kid before her she realizes I do not speak Spanish she’s not so nice anymore. I could feel my face getting red and I really just wanted to get out of there. I must say I probably will not be going back there to shop.
Some of you are thinking is her treatment really because she doesn’t speak her cultural language of Spanish? Or maybe those individuals were just having a bad day? Or maybe she is much too sensitive about the fact that No! she does not speak Spanish! Well, yes it could be a combination of all these what ifs. How do I really know? And what is it called when your own culture is against you for not being a true part of the ethnicity within their standards? Is it still called racism? Should I just learn Spanish? Why didn’t she learn Spanish?
I grew up in a family where the only time Spanish was spoken was when my parents argued or we had a party and they were having adult conversations. I was never really taught to speak Spanish. I went to a private Catholic school and my dad thought it wasn’t a good thing to be bilingual. Please do not start judging my father because he was probably right in his own mind at that time. It was bad enough I was called beaner and greaser just for being Mexican. And about 1/3 of those calling me these names were those of my own culture. Why did I get picked on? Well it didn’t help that I was overweight as a kid. But that’s a whole different article (laughing).
I do have many more stories like this one which lead me to believe I get shunned by own culture for not speaking the language. But we have so many wonderful and different cultures surrounding us why don’t we just embrace them and learn all we can about each other rather than being hostile and rude because they don’t speak our language.
My name is Lisa, I am an American/Mexican and “No! I do not speak Spanish!”
Lisa Clark lives in Morgan Hill with her husband and 3-year-old son. She has worked in the circuit board industry since 1993.
