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HISPANIC SURF News Stories | |||
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Contact Vanity Fair at: Related Stories: --------------------- Hispanic Surf's | Hispanics outraged by Dame Edna's remarks in Vanity Fair. But according to the flamboyant, wacky Dame Edna, there isn't a need to learn Spanish or speak to anyone who speaks Spanish because they are "leaf blowers" or "helpers" like maids. In this month's issue of Vanity Fair, which has Latina Salma Hayek on the front cover, Dame Edna pens a "Ask Dame Edna" column and a reader asks her which foreign language should she/he learn? The reader says that everyone around me is saying "learn Spanish" and notes that even President Bush speaks Spanish. The reader then concludes his question with "Are we all going to have to speak Spanish?" Dame Edna responds with: "Forget Spanish. There's nothing in that language worth reading except Don Quixote, and a quick listen to the CD of Man of La Mancha will take care of that. There was a poet named Garcia Lorca, but I'd leave him on the intellectual back burner, if I were you. As for everyone's speaking it, what twaddle! Who speaks it that you are really desperate to talk to? The help? Your leaf blower? Study French or German, where there are at least a few books worth reading, or, if you're American, try English." While this is her opinion, and everyone is entitled to an opinion, it is an obvious ignorant and naive response which has been interpreted by many Hispanics as offensive, tasteless and even racist. Let me educate you a bit, Dame Edna. Spanish is the "unofficial" second language in the United States and many legislators have proposed bills to make Spanish the "official" second language in the U.S. This is happening because of the huge migration of Latinos coming from Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, etc. In fact, the United States has become the fifth-largest Spanish speaking country in the world. Therefore, why not learn Spanish? Knowing Spanish in today's economy is a big plus for anyone. Many corporations worldwide are heavily targeting the vast-growing Hispanic population by making their commercials in both languages, creating separate entities just to target Hispanics and even having products and services in Spanish. It can only be to your benefit if you can add to resume: Speak fluent English & Spanish. By your response to your reader, it is clear that you don't understand that concept. There are many authors who write in both language that are worth reading besides Garcia Lorca and Don Quixote. Have you ever heard of Octavio Paz, the Mexican poet and critic who won the 1990 Nobel Prize? How about the very popular, Gabriel García Márquez, who has been called one of the world's greatest living authors and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982. Ignorance to a certain degree is tolerable, but racism towards any cultural group is not! When you say "Who speaks it (Spanish) that you are really desperate to talk to? The help? Your leaf blower? it shows everyone that your level of ignorance of the Spanish language and Hispanics is beyond tolerable. Maria Villareal of California and her family are so outraged that they are writing letters to Vanity Fair expressing their disgust on allowing Dame Edna to express her racy comment on the magazine. "I will never, ever buy another Vanity Fair magazine again and will advocate with other Latinos to boycott your magazine." writes Villareal in one of her letters emailed to Hispanicsurf.com. She is one of many who have voiced their disappointment and anger about Dame Edna's ridiculous comments published in Vanity Fair. In conclusion, I hope the reader who asked the question to Dame Edna realizes that her comments are from a person who appears to know little or nothing about Hispanics and are as ridiculous as the glasses on her face. Written by Nelson Ortiz & Ozzie Gonzalez. VANITY FAIR is a magazine published by Condé Nast Publications.
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January 31, 2003 -- Hispanics, who are the largest minority group in the United States are a fast-growing, culturally-rich population who are fond of their heritage and native language, Spanish.