Feeding Time for Costa Mesa Latinophobes
Here's a little red meat for all you latinophobes out there.
A SYNONYM FOR TEX-MEX
My Google alert system coughed up an interesting item under "Costa Mesa" this morning. Usually I see news items, or someone's blog comment about some place in Costa Mesa... pretty bland and, quite honestly, uninteresting. They usually get a rapid "delete". This morning, though, was different.
I found a link awaiting me from the Springfield, Missouri News-Leader which provided a restaurant review for a Mexican restaurant in that heartland city called - you guessed it - "Costa Mesa". I've included a link to the story here. I'm sure all you rabid anti-latino folks out there are thrilled that our city has become synonymous for Mexican food in other parts of our country.
ADIOS, MUCHACHOS
Then, the Orange County Register Immigration Blog provided us with a little interesting news, here. There's a report from the Department of Homeland Security that says illegal immigrants are spreading out, moving away from historical venues like the border states of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas for locales north and east. As you'll read in their article, the unauthorized population rose 37% between 1/1/2000 and 1/1/2006, to 11.6 million. California's share of undocumented immigrants dropped from 30% to 25% due to the geographic dispersion.
If you visit this site you'll find a couple other links that will take you to the foundational report. It's interesting reading.
As you gnaw on these two items and feel your blood pressure rising, I hope you will have a safe and happy Labor Day holiday.
Labels: Costa Mesa, latinophobes
posted by The Pot Stirrer at 8/31/2007 04:48:00 PM
7 Comments:
Geoff – from someone with as much Mexican blood in their system as your buddy Alicia Lopez. I don’t get this article. How is any of this anti-latino? Its pretty stupid of you make the leap from our city policies to racist outpost. Dark-skin rules in the sun, my year round tan is the envy of all Whities. Viva Taco Bell.
Andrew, of all the incomprehensible things you've written on my blog and on the Daily Pilot blog, this one takes the cake. You will note, though, that I published it even though you called me stupid. I'll leave it to the readers to decide who that description best fits. You really are hopeless.
That is too funny about the restaurant.
Geoff – lighten up, it was meant to be humorous. You take yourself way to seriously mate. And, I did not say you are stupid, I inferred it in this instance. I cannot compete with your intellect. Try having some fun with yourself occasionally (don’t misconstrue that) you will find it refreshing.
Andrew, if that was your best shot at humor don't quit your day job.
Geoff, come on, man. I have a great deal of respect for you, but your continued insistence on labelling people who are anti-illegal immigration (which you claim to oppose as well) things like "latinophobes" is beginning to border on ridiculous.
YES, Your neighbor is undoubtably a latinophobe, as are some who post on the assorted blogs. But in a thriving city where everyone (including the 30% + Latino population) mostly gets along with each other, it is ignorant and silly (if not downright offensive) to assume that those who oppose illegal immigration (another big percentage of Costa Mesans) hate or are scared of Latinos.
I bring this up because you are implying that Costa Mesa is beseiged by some "rabid horde" when in fact it is probably a "rabid gaggle".
Personally, I think Costa Mesa is a great name for a Mexican restaurant in the heartland.
Rob, in your comment you acknowledge that there are several "latinophobes" in town, yet say my commenting on that fact is "beginning to border on the ridiculous". Are you saying the fact that those people exist is so obvious that it's not worth commenting on? If so, I disagree - obviously. I don't plan to stop commenting any time soon, whether you are tired of it or not.
Yes, Costa Mesa is a thriving city with a large, diverse and, for the most part, tolerant populace. However, the current leadership of this city is part of a group that does not fit that description. None of the current majority may be racist, but the direction they take from you-know-who and the actions that follow certainly do smack of racism. The number of people who actually hold racist views is less important than the direction this city is taking as a result of the actions of the few that do.
I'm glad you like the name "Costa Mesa" for a Mexican restaurant in the heartland. It seems like a curious choice, though. Normally, one might expect an ethnic restaurant to be named after specialty dish or a town in the country of origin. I guess some of those good folks in Missouri have heard so much about Costa Mesa in the context of illegal immigration that they assumed it had become synonymous for Mexicans, hence, mexican food.
As always, thanks for writing.
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