Mexican-themed NYE party - racist, right?

[BobLobla]

Just been invited by very good friends to their NYE party which promises to have a Mexican theme and everyone must wear a long droopy moustache and a sombrero. Already I am cringing as I think this is pretty racist. Don't think I’ll go… but do I say something privately to my friends about the fact that this seems really off? Do I just dip out and not say anything to avoid awkwardness?

What a load of bs

Hierarchy of whiteness lol

Whiteness is a social construct. Hence why nobody can agree on what it actually means and which groups should be considered white. It used to be that Italians and [European] Jews were not universally considered white. People today argue the same about certain groups e.g. Armenians, Albanians. English people in Victorian times considered Irish Catholics a separate "race" from themselves. Most people today would say that's nonsense, but it shows that ideas about race can shift.

Interesting viewpoint. I'm sure the millions of Slavic people who were shot, starved to death, and sent to concentration camps just because they were Slavic will be delighted to hear that they weren't actually victims of racism or genocide because they had the same skin colour as their oppressors.

Similarly, as someone who can trace their family history back several hundred years including through the Highland Clearances, I find it very offensive that you don't consider the forceful removal of my ancestors from their homes and the attempts to suppress and eradicate their culture as oppression, just because they share a skin tone with those who committed the acts against them.

I actually find the idea that racism can only apply to non-white people ever, in itself quite racist. It implies there is something other about them that is intrinsic rather than reflecting recent history.

I'm not implying, btw, that I don't believe that racism disproportionally affects non-white people in Western Europe as things are today, of course not. But it's why I don't find things like CRT terribly useful.

Ah only if you didn't invite any tarts or vicars 😉

It's weird that the voting seems to be going in completely the opposite direction to most of the comments on this thread!

Listen 'ere, amigo! It's nacho party! You need something else to taco bout.

😁

This is a serious question for the cultural appropriation police. Are companies like taco bell and Wahaca guilty of cultural appropriation?

I think some people on here have got a bit too woked up. Folks, you need to watch more comedy!

I refuse to believe thats a serious question

Your kind of comedy being Jim Davidson and Roy Chubby Brown, one can only assume.
Comedy moustaches and sombreros went out with the fucking ark.

Why wouldn't it be? The woman who owns wahaca isn't Mexican and what taco bell sells bears little semblance to anything Mexican.

Surely this is appropriation?

Why would she have to be Mexican? Do you think people are only allowed to cook food from the country they were born in?

Taco bell isn't even supposed to be Mexican food. It's from California.

If you think it may cause offence even if you don’t think it should just avoid it

thats the simple solution

The good question is "who will it be causing offense to?".
Because most talks of "i would find x offensive" don't come from x culture but from certain white people.
What if they and the x culture disagree on what's offensive? Who should people listen to then?

The first time a group of Asian men decides little girls can be their sex slaves because they are only white and therefore disposable trash - that is racism.

Couldn’t agree more. I avoid a particular section of this forum. The section is ‘for’ me, but some of the posts are infuriatingly hypocritical, as full of hate and prejudice as those they supposedly despise.

But it is ok. Because it is against white people.

There are many white peoples who have also been oppressed and discriminated against. CRT and the divisiveness/racism it in itself has sown has a lot to answer for. In the 90’s I actually like we were making more progression towards harmony and that we’ve since gone backwards.

some Mexicans have spoken about finding dressing up as a stereotype offence it’s doesn’t matter how many

isnt that enough

No one is going to loose out on not dressing up are they

We don't need to debate it. Most of the world already gets that wearing other peoples history and culture as a costume is not ok. Clearly plenty of MNers have yet to get there, but no-one needs your debate on it.

Would the people who think it's fine be happy to attend a Jewish-themed party where the dress code is mock-Orthodox Jewish garb including fake facial hair? Or an Indian-themed party with stereotypical Indian outfits? If not, then why is a Mexican-themed party any different? There may be some Mexicans who are fine with it, sure, but I doubt all Mexicans are happy to see their culture portrayed as a sombrero-and-moustache stereotype.

Also, if the pictures end up on social media forever you might find yourself being accused of racism down the line (like Justin Trudeau with his teenage blackface photos).

We don't need to debate it

Poisonous attitude. Everything, and I mean everything, should always be up for debate. Differing opinion is extremely valuable, not something to be scorned. Closing your mind to any other way than the current ‘right’ way is ignorant and dangerous.

Even things found offensive, distasteful, disgusting should always be open to debate.

Because that’s how we move forward as a society. Not one idea or current social norm should be cast in stone because there could always be improvement, revision or reinforcement of why something is good/bad.

I take a plod across to that section occasionally.There are a couple posters who only start a discussion on certain themes with purposefully goady titles. Thankfully a majority in that section dont.

Everything should be up for debate? Next up, lets debate "the Holocaust, did it really happen? MN weighs in" followed by "Rape, when is it a good thing?"

No, not everything is up for debate, ffs. We don't move forward as a society by pretending we need your opinion on things everyone with half a brain already knows for sure. Your thoughts on such things are not needed or wanted.

@Arayes did you never experience a debate club?

Yes, absolutely. I would welcome open debate on ANY of those topics you mentioned, and more.

Because by using facts and evidence you can expose ignorance. If done in a respectful enough way and you can actually change peoples minds.

Sticking your fingers in your ears and screaming ‘lalala I don’t want to hear you because you are wrong’ only entrenches polarised views further. It also makes it look like you are arguing from a position of ignorance, that you don’t really understand why you hold your own opinion, or that your opinion cannot stand up to any argument at all.

It helps no one. Least if all the people who are supposedly being ‘protected’ by such a method.

Arayes

The holocaust should be debated if only to show the stupidity of those that don't believe that it happened.

Rape should be debated so that the myths surrounding it can be challenged.

Racism needs debating as various people are trying to change the meaning to exclude an entire group of people.

Your thoughts on such things are not needed or wanted.

and this ^ is just censorship and oppression.

Not debating things properly is how you end up with decisions like Brexit.
Everything should be up for debate, otherwise ideas just grow unchecked in dark corners.
Challenging people, assessing evidence and listening to what others are saying is really vital in functioning democracy.