More Mexican Race-Baiting

My aunt has a vintage mammy etching framed in her living room.  It feels creepy, but I've never asked her about it, so I can pretend that it's a family heirloom she's used to teach her kids about race politics.  If I were Mexican, I imagine I'd be feeling a crushing shame right about now over the recent stamps above (nope, they're not antiques!).  As if my aunt took her mammy and blew it up to billboard size and plastered it across her house.  What do you have to say for yourself Mexico?!  A spokesperson for the Mexican embassy told the Washington Post this weak excuse:

"Just as Speedy Gonzalez has never been interpreted in a racial manner by the people in Mexico," embassy spokesman Rafael Laveaga said. ". . . He is a cartoon character. I am certain that this commemorative postage stamp is not intended to be interpreted on a racial basis in Mexico or anywhere else."

I heard "I know you are but what am I" and "Neener Neener" are also good comebacks when one is called on their racism.  Perhaps Vicente Fox could have learned this lesson for Mexico a while back?

Comments

[Ravi]

This is an unfortunate situation for Mexico. As close neighbors of the US, with so many Mexican immigrants in the US, they will catch hell. This is very sensitive imagery for Americans. In Germany, any toy depicting a Nazi figure is strictly banned to bury the a deplorable past in the past. Perhaps that could be a solution to this imagery which, in contrast, is being celebrated.

[Ryan]

More important than offended Americans is the experience for Mexicans of non-european ancestry. To grow up in such an openly racist culture is a hardship no one should be forced to endure.

[Ravi]

Actually, Mexicans aren't so much racist as a society as they are classist. They seem to look down on the natives ("Indians", though a misnomer) and have a serious class divide in society. But they don't have much diversity so, race doesn't consciously enter the picture. The subconscious is another story. (Full disclosure: My wife is Mexican and we visit family in Mexico regularly)