I’ve never met a Mexican who copped to being a racist. Some,
particularly from the upper echelons, lament that their society
is class-based, but argue that since nearly everyone is mestizo
– with a mixture of Spanish and indigenous blood – therefore how
could they be racist? Let’s just say that some people are more
mestizo than others. The last Mexican to make this point to me
has blond hair, blue eyes and alabaster skin. He speaks perfect
English in the tones of Oxford, where he went to prep school as
a boy. So how do Mexicans explain the various pejorative words
they use to describe people, such as franchutes for the French,
gachupines for Spaniards or gringos for people from the U.S.? Or
the derogatory remarks they make about Jews, Argentines, Cubans,
as well as other national or ethnic groups? (For the record,
nearly all Mexicans with whom I have broached the subject say
they consider gringo to be an “affectionate” term.) All black
people – whether Nelson Mandela, Condoleeza Rice or 50 Cent –
are referred