Brazilians and Spanish Americans

Raśl Escalante of Mexico answers John Wonder's comparison between Brazilians and Hispanic America:

"Dangerous generalizations, I believe. There are many different manifestations of sensitivity to imagined slights. US intolerance to all things non-politically-correct is, in my opinion, one such manifestation of excess sensitivity. Since the US is such a melting-pot, and politically correctness is so pervasive among "cultured" people there, it would be unrealistic to attribute such sensitivity to specific groups, whether they be women, Hispanics, Jews, Blacks, etc. I would argue that an environment where sensitivity is rewarded in lawsuits explains significantly why the US is the way it is.

Secondly: is there such a thing as Hispanic Latin America? The immense differences among us have caused as many (or more) wars as in other parts of the World where different ethnicities are more clearly divided. Our differences are also apparent (and appreciated) at informal gatherings or parties, where the more diverse the mix, the better the time. I would imagine some groups of Hispanic Latin Americans to be more similar to Brazilians than to other groups. I often find greater ease in conversation with Brazilians than with Colombians or Venezuelans (not to mention some Argentines).

Even if there were a single Hispanic Latin America, many different factors may explain sensitivity and could bias specific samples. The type of environment, timing, social status, etc., all weigh in on whether someone takes offence at a specific stimulus, and/or reacts in an offended fashion. Even the stimuli themselves are different. "

My comment: I agree entirely with Raśl about the US. I am still told not to say certain things because some one might get offended. If Raśl wants to avoid trouble, he must spell "Blacks" with an upper-case b (I corrected it!). I still think there is something to John's generalization. The fact remains that revolutions in Spain and Spanish America are bloody, while those in Portugal and Brazil are not. Spanish countries have dictaduras, Portugal and Brazil have dictablandas. At the same time, Raśl's comments are the varieties in Hispanic America are correct. Generalizations are dangerous, but I find Mexicans easier to get on with than some other Spanish Americas. But let's stay away from that hornet's nest. "Latin America" is slowly crystallizing. What about Ibero-America"? Indeed what about "America" o "the Americas"?

Ronald Hilton - 12/9/01