I am a U.S. born Hispanic, Mexican American Latina, Chicana, whatever you want to call me… Why is it seen as a bad thing for a third generation Hispanic American not able to speak Spanish, but nobody goes up to a third generation German American or Italian American and asks why they do not speak German or Italian? Why is it that Hispanics can’t just say they are Americans? A German American or an Irish American can just describe themselves as “Americans” without having any ties with their roots and people won’t really make a big deal of it. Hispanic American does the same exact thing and they simply says that they are an “American” without mentioning their roots. People say that person is ashamed of being a Hispanic and is ashamed of his or her heritage. Nobody ever say this to a white person who chooses to simply identify themselves as American. Why is it that Hispanics are required to keep their own traditions and language while other groups are not held to the same standards for not keeping their traditions? Let’s talk about it…

Danny W. Miner:
“Hispanics are people of Spain and its culture, ruled by the Holy Roman Catholic Empire, as Germany was and still is. Canada, The United States, Mexico, and all of South America are claimed and controlled through the Corporation of America. The commoner population is all programmed towards perceiving US citizens as American, and as a sophisticated New World Order ploy, already having Canada, US, and Mexico under one UNIDROIT jurisdiction.”

Carmen Madariaga:
“I’m Hispanic, conservative, and Republican! Talk about receiving the sharp end of bias! Lol…it is a beautiful ideology to preserve heritage, language, and culture. Yet, in my opinion, none of that should be our defining factor. But, rather, integrity, honesty, hard work, discipline, and morality.”

Frank Pancho San Miguel:
“People are just being judgemental because our ancestors didn’t speak Spanish till Spain invaded Turtle Island, our continent.”

Ramiro Perales:
“The hardest culture to be is Hispanic. Mexicans don’t claim us and caucasian Americans assume we are from Mexico. Not ignorant, just a fact being stated so, either way, we have it bad. Other than that I’m Glad to be an American”

Mike Miller:
“Yeah, we’re all just Texan! A race all on its own. Only a non Texan would try to break us down to different categories.”

Hope Robinson:
“Have always considered myself as an American. Was not raised as a “Mexican”. Don’t speak Spanish. Married an Irish/Scottish/English and who knows what else caucasian. Didn’t even think of my marriage as biracial until recently. I don’t like being put in a box. I’m an American. Period. My people have been on the American continent longer than most white Americans.”

Jay Almaguer:
“It seems as Latinos/Hispanics we are held to a different standard. We can’t be too ethnic or we offend Caucasians and if we do not speak Spanish fluently or live our lives fully immersed in a culture not entirely our own (as we were born here in the US) we are looked down upon by other Latinos (Mexicans, Hondurans, Salvadorean, etc.) It’s a double standard that’s difficult to endure.”

Ralph Mendoza:
“So true Yvette, it gets old, so I call myself an American, Texan, of Mexican descent. I owe no allegiance to Mexico, but to the USA.”

Jazmin D Zuñiga:
“I love my heritage, my culture & I make sure my kids know about it and speak Spanish even though they were born here. My son just got a raise because he is the only person that speaks Spanish at his work. My little ones understand it but speak very little and I’m working on them to Speak it more, it’s a Choice if You ask me.. it’s what’s important to You & No one Else. I choose to Teach My Heritage, My Culture to My Children, it will be up to My kids if they want to do the Same & it’s up to their Dads to Talk to Them About Their Culture!”

Belinda Mayen-Aldana:
“Well I’ve been told by customers over the phone that I sound Tex Mex, lol. I didn’t know that was an accent or option .. and we didn’t learn Spanish because some of our parents were punished in school for speaking Spanish and they decided not to teach us.”
Mary Svetlik Watkins:
“That was the thing for immigrants our parents’ age. My dad didn’t teach my sister and I Czech. He got in trouble for it.”