Race consciousness in which way? Consciousness in the knowledge of discrimination based on racial beleifs? 100%
Beliefs that race exist? Nacala pirinacala.
European empires definitely destroyed much of the culture that existed before their presence. And much needs to be remembered. Both from the diasporas that were brought over here, and the indigenous descendants that were exploited.
But that doesn't mean we try to forget who we are now. Not all Europeans who came here came as conquerors. Not all descendants of conquerors perpetuated the divide. Many married, helped, united with the indigenous populations that were oppressed. For better or worse, we are a creolized spectrum of cultures. El que tiene de Mandinga tiene de Inga y de Inka. We can no more deny the European ancestors than we can deny the African, Indigenous American and even the Asian (derepente Tanka pa que rime) . For some of us, one diasporic heritage may be predominant among the others, and for others it may be two or three, but we all share in many heritages. And for most all Hispanics/Latino, the common denominator that unites us all is the Iberian influence. And specifically, for this forum, the African ancestry combined with the Iberian influence. Without those two
factors, we would not be Afro-Latinos.
And let me add, Welsing et al's hypothesis of Whites fearing genetic elimination through breeding is the anomaly and not the majority mentality. Especially among Latino populations. Have you ever seen a Puerto Rican Census? 80+ White identified when push comes to shove. Yet most fully recognize their African and Indigenous ancestry as well. This is a recent genetic chart of a Puerto Rican Autosomal DNA study. (much more accurate than mtDNA or Y-Chromosome studies)
We are talking 95+% of the population is tri-ancestral. With like 2% with pure African or European ancestry or maybe 10% a combination of only those two.
That is the reality of Latin America.
Same thing with Latinos in the USA.
Mexico?
For those with known African ancestry it is our responsability to learn and educate others of the huge contribution of the African presence in the Americas. But it is also important not to forget the other contributions, Native, Asian, and yes European as well.
My rant of the day.
----- Original Message ----
From: Chris Rodriguez <latino.manifesto@...>
To: Afro-Latino@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 4, 2008 10:43:09 PM
Subject: [Afro-Latino] Read This Book
The Latino Manifesto is a community call to a higher level of race
consciousness. Latinos are still observers and not full participants
in the Black / White political debates in the United States. As a
result of the rise of anti-immigration sentiments, we have become
political scapegoats for both blacks and whites in the debate to allow
amnesty for Latinos who have illegally entered the country. The
underlying fear of whites being genetically wiped out and African
Americans losing job opportunities to foreign labor renders us
politically impotent. The book attacks the Latino myths of racial
harmony by revisiting the history of the Spanish and Portuguese
conquest in the Americas and the process of "Hispanization" of people
African and Indigenous descent who make up the majority in Latin
America. Mr. Rodriguez makes the link between how we will become
victims of history if we do not grasp the truth of how we
were
impacted by White Supremacy in our own historical, cultural and
political development. Only through race consciousness can we
develop the analytical tools to survive the current environment of
xenophobia and racism within the U.S. This book is a must read for
those who are politically concerned about the future of Latinos in
this country.
Go to www.Latinomanifesto .com
Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.
Offline 
Send Email