Ready for some oppressive news from the lovely, free-thinking state of Arizona?
Yesterday, an administrative judge decided that Tucson's Mexican American studies program violates a new state law that prohibits "divisive ethnic-studies classes", i.e. letting other cultures be great. The program's biggest foe is senator turned superintendent John Hupperthal, who called it a violation back in June for promoting "resentment toward a race or class of people." Oh alright, buddy.
The program was designed to promote Latino heritage and encourage academic excellence, but it apparently presents a huge threat to others who think it teaches Latinos to be victims and are terrified that it might put a negative (or accurate) slant on history and spawn a Mexican uprising.
What we have here is the type of "blinders-on" thinking that's shared by people who believe black kids attend HBCU's (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) because they don't like white people. This sad attempt to keep Tucson's Mexican population in the dark drags a hideous truth into the light: the state of Arizona really doesn't fuck with Latinos. They're willing to fight back, as the pictures above prove.
This isn't surprising though, because we are talking about the same state that tried to sweep a bunch of sex crimes against Mexicans under the rug. Then again, they don't count if they involve illegal immigrants, right? This is also the same state that refused to observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a year after it became a federal holiday, and only brought it back after a tourist boycott.
Ever wonder how they really feel about Black History Month?
[via Los Angeles Times and Gawker]
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Jesse December 28th, 2011 at 09:17 PM
Good post!! Arizona is a retarded fuckin state, and sooner or later their antics are gonna catch up to them
Rosto December 28th, 2011 at 10:02 PM
Mr Kimble must have gone to one of these schools that taught ethnic studies instead of history, logic, or English. They're not banning "Mexican History," as you put it--they're banning the teaching of history from any ethnocentric point of view. I find it highly inappropriate that tax dollars would be spent to "promote Latino heritage," whatever that means, instead of providing an actually useful education that would make someone a valuable contributor to their society. I'm sure the distinction boggles your feeble mind, which is why you write for such an outstanding media outlet. Next time, instead of snark, try analyzing the issue from both sides. Fingerprinting and whining "racist" is not only inaccurate, it adds nothing new to the debate.
shomar December 28th, 2011 at 10:57 PM
How is the teaching of American History in American schools NOT ethnocentric? And where is the data to support your claim that teaching this course would NOT allow someone to become a valuable contributor to society. Maybe since a third of the population of Tucson is of Mexican ancestry, having a Mexican American studies program is highly appropriate. And a question, why do you feel so threatened? Huh?
Bram December 28th, 2011 at 11:26 PM
You pride yourself on being such an intelligent person and chastise Mr. Kimble on not looking at both sides of the issue, while ironically you have also taken the same approach in criticizing him. Nowhere in the article did Mr. Kimble write the words "Mexican History," and the fact that you chose to dismiss the fact that the class "promote[s] Latino heritage" as nonsense is just poor arguing- maybe you should of taken some of those logic classes that you think are so useful. Attributing a quote to someone they did not make is quite sloppy and lazy, and frankly, it explains why you cannot comprehend the term "Latino heritage." All you have to do is look up the meaning of "Latino," look up the meaning of "heritage," and put them together- it's just that easy. Also, I would like to point out that you conveniently ignored the fact the the class not only teaches Latino heritage, but also "encourage[s] academic excellence," which is perhaps the actual point of the course and something that would help inspire people to get an "actually useful education." Next time, go do something constructive to make yourself feel better, rather than attempting to make someone else feel inferior.
Clint December 28th, 2011 at 10:56 PM
Arizona only wants to ban FAKE history.
Marcos January 29th, 2012 at 11:26 PM
Clint only wants to prove he doesn't know what "history" is.
theyliveunderarock February 2nd, 2012 at 08:40 AM
No wonder why the adults and the kids of Arizona grow up to be so ignorant and segregated from people not of their culture. They don't want to know anything about anyone else because it's all about them. I'd love to see them migrate over to a city like say....New York-where there's so much diversity. I'm sure they'll have culture shock. Who gives them the right to deny their kids the ability to learn about other cultures. We are not in the 1800's, come out of your cave, you Ignorant Bastards.