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Archiver > GEN-HISPANIC > 2003-09 > 1063195252
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Subject: Re: An ignorant question about hispanic/spanish geneology
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 08:00:52 EDT
I don't know where the concept of Hispanic became that of a race. Hispanic
is a culture, the speaking of a language. African American is also a culture
in my book, a heritage not a race. Races, as far as I was taught, refers to
the look, the bone structure of a group of "people". Japaneese American or
Chineese American would not be considered a race, i don't think. They do however
share in physical makeup. I always heard of Negroid as a race with common
physical structure and caucasian as a race. That all of these races are mixing
is a fact, however, the cultures that go along with where a person was born,
the language they speak and the social activities they share are the culture to
which they belong.
My husband and I consider ourselves Spanish American since both our families
hail from Spain. Because Spain invaided most of the Americas, the native
peoples either mixed with them or adopted many of their customs as well as their
language. We have convieniently grouped all of this into Hispanic. My husband
and I consider ourselves of the Caucasian Race but the Hispanic culture.
There are Negros who are Hispanic, there are Asian or Orientals who are Hispanic,
in fact, the largest Japaneese population ourside of Japan lives in Peru, but
are Hispanic.
I think we (Americans) have confused Race with Culture.
Thanks for letting add my 2 cents.
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