The Providence Journal of Rhode Island reported last Saturday that the remarks made by state House Minority Leader Robert A. Watson about Guatemalans has caused an uproar in local and national Guatemalan organizations. Social media has played a role in sharing this news with others, and plans of a protest are being made.
According to the ProJo, Watson made his comments last week during the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce’s annual lunch for legislators. When asked about legislative priorities, Watson said:
I guess that if you are a Guatemalan gay man who likes to gamble and smokes marijuana, you probably think we’re onto some good ideas here.
The article continues:
David A. Quiroa, president of the Guatemalan-American Alliance of Rhode Island, said Friday that he expects that out-of-state Guatemalan organizations will send representatives to a news conference, now being organized, about Watson’s remarks. He said protests are also possible.
Quiroa also told the newspaper the following:
At the end of the day, I don’t think his intention was to directly insult us, but he did. He needs to know — people in a position of power, they have to be careful … In this case, he did use Guatemalans as the main act in the circus, if you will. That’s what I take issue with. I can see that it wasn’t intentional, but it’s just like a car accident. We don’t mean to hit someone, but we do. So this can be a social accident if you will, but nevertheless there were injuries.”
Through our network, through Facebook and the Internet network — we already have the support of all the major Guatemalan organizations throughout the nation.
Watson made additional comments last week on a WPRO talk show with Matt Allen, where he said:
I reject the suggestion that it’s insulting.
I guess my point was — and I tried to use levity — and it was not the least bit insulting … I tried to offer the idea perhaps that if you were gay from Guatemala, liked to gamble and like to smoke pot, you’re probably liking what we’ve been doing because it seems like that’s all we’ve been doing.”
It was delivered hopefully with a bit of humor, and humor has a kernel of truth on occasion. The truth of this is, we are preoccupied with a number of issues, primarily social issues, at a time when financially, we are burning to the ground … I was fairly certain that to that room of business leaders throughout our state, that were assembled in that room, I felt that it was resonating as a message.
this is getting ridiculous. his remarks were so mildly mannered, you have to wonder what kind of insecure people could ever take offense to it. there you have a legislator who is apparently doing some positive things for once, and certain people only think about protesting and getting their panties in a bunch.
Ha! What planet do you live on? You cannot think that Watson’s comments were mild-mannered and innocent. Here’s a tip: if you are going to do comedy in a private setting these days, you might want to avoid gay and ethnic jokes.
Am guessing you are still listening Henny Youngman records.
Why is it so hard for these guys to say, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend. Poor choice on my part.” Instead of blurting: “It wasn’t insulting. You weren’t insulted! You don’t even know your own feelings!” Somehow, I think, if someone’s feeling insulted, they’re–well–insulted.
Another tip. When in doubt, substitute your own nationality/ethnicity/religion/sexual preference for the group you sent up. How does it sound now?
Hal, that is why you are my hero. These guys get so caught up in their ego, the hole they build gets bigger. You are right, just say sincerely that you were sorry. Then people move on.
it still sounds just as funny. i am white, yet not born in the US. and i can tell you i am completely immune to other people poking fun at my ethnicity. i am from a place that is a target of many jokes, half-truths and outright lies. at the end of the day, where i’m from doesn’t define me, only i define myself. and there is only one truth about me. anyone who SPEAKS and says i am something i’m not doesn’t hurt me, doesn’t offend me, doesn’t affect me. one cannot educate with hissy fits, only with hard cold truth.
and to think there are people that react violently to spoken word, no matter how false or “offensive” it is? that reaction is the true savagery.
being offended and DEMANDING apologies is just another form of disgusting coercion. i will leave you with something you may or may not recognize: a dictionary entry:
Coercion (pronounced /koʊˈɜrʃən/) is the practice of forcing another party to behave in an involuntary manner (whether through action or inaction) by use of threats,or rewards, intimidation or some other form of pressure or force
Since you do not live in America, that explains a lot. Thanks for the post, my new friend! I disagree with you 100% but you are cool in my book. Peace.
Whoa, Vladimir… Reacting violently? Coercing? These people were simply expressing their feelings. They felt offended. No, they were not immune, as you say you are. But immunity at the expense of empathy sounds cold.
I agree that there is no place for violent overreaction to the spoken word or satirical cartoon. But that doesn’t mean a person has no right to react, to defend one’s feelings. For some, that expression is more than a right, it’s a necessity.
Well stated, my friend.
What is up with these guys? And Vladimir, if it isn’t your people then you have no right to opine about their sense of humor.
REBEL!!!!
I need to clarify: I live in Arizona, and I am well aware of the situation.
My people or not my people, this is how I see it: Top Gear was coerced to apologize, and people wanted even more. I see this form of censorship more wrong than any ethnic group being “offended”.
How about calling it freedom to respond, rather than censorship. Top Gear has a big audience. Through their megaphone, the BBC, they joke, “Mexicans stink (ha ha ha)!” Let alone for now what part of this is lazy humor and what part is cruel racism. The point is, isn’t it only fair that a Mexican viewer (or empathizer) be entitled to reply “Not funny. I’m offended. Moreover, BBC, I think it’s your responsibility as a global media outlet to take seriously my hurt feelings.” How does the BBC do that? By saying, Sorry. we didn’t mean to offend.
Where’s the harm, coercion, or censorship in that?
Hear hear!
They were not coerced. They dug their own grave when they made those dumb comments.
ok lets touch on this one statement:
“Moreover, BBC, I think it’s your responsibility as a global media outlet to take seriously my hurt feelings.”
why should BBC be responsible for someones “hurt feelings”?
Your argument and logic is weak. If the BBC can broadcast, we can say we don’t like the broadcast. Welcome to America.
no i totally recognize that you have the right to not like it, disagree etc. but that is not what you’re after is it? you want censorship, you want apologies, you want consequences for the presenters and the BBC, you want the mexicans to be off-limits in future BBC broadcasts.
see, i don’t want that. that would change the nature of that wonderful network, and the nature of top gear. fortunately, BBC is not caving in to the extent that the “offended” would like. look at the letter you just recently received, they are standing their ground.
a few days ago i watched a great documentary on the extremely religious jewish settlers in israel. if those settlers got it in their head that the show was presenting them in a bad light, and the BBC was the caving in kind like a lot of other networks are, i would never get to see that very informative show and many others like it.
this world needs more media outlets that are willing to resist outside pressure of the supposedly “offended”. it’s just sad that it is a british network that has the balls for it, not an american one. america is the country that supposedly cherishes the freedom of speech, but we all know that is a lie.
First of all, I don’t want censorship. Did you not read that the BBC censored the video on YouTube and then censored it on my own blog? I just thought the jokes were lame, the apologies were lame, the letter was lame, and the whole thing was lame.
So let’s make fun of Muslim fundamentalists then if we want to just not offend people? You know why? TOP GEAR presenters wouldn’t have the cojones to do that because in the end they went after a population that they thought wouldn’t care, and guess what, they did. I am now just reporting what THEY are doing and what THEY are saying. And I can have any opinion I want about it.
The comedy was uncalled for, it was a stupid joke that went too far. Simple as that. You know what would have been cool of Top Gear? They should have done a little video the next few days and be funny about the episode, that would have been a great way to respond to the criticism. Instead, they went the old traditional way of old media and let their egos get the better of them. They still don’t want to just suck it up and move on.
And please don’t tell me about censorship. I encourage an open forum here on this blog. If I wanted to coerce and censor, you would have been deleted a long time ago with your comments. But instead, you are always free to comment. But you will never convince me. Go write your own blog about it if you feel so passionate about it. Good luck!
i couldn’t agree more. lets call out the muslims where they need to be called out. european and american media won’t touch that with a 10 foot pole. you know why? because the muslims already went through the kind of outrage that you (and by you i mean latinos attacking top gear) are going through now. they also got violent.
if you’re not familiar with thilo sarrazin, please google him. he wrote a book criticizing muslim immigrants to germany. he brought up incredibly valid points. vast majority of german population agreed. the muslims, once again, got uppity and he was ostracized and removed from his job on the board of the Deutsche Bundesbank.
so go ahead. attack top gear. attack lawmakers like that recent fellow who actually seems like one of the good guys. all of that for completely silly jokes. you know what you’ll accomplish? you’ll get your official apologies. you will also prevent thousands of latinos from being hired in higher level jobs, ones that don’t require manual labour. who wants that kind of liability after all? you people seemingly get offended if i say my burrito was not quite good.
i have to make hiring decisions on a regular basis and i very rarely extend the benefit of the doubt to non-white applicants. not because i am a racist, but because i just don’t want to deal with the crap i am potentially going to experience once a non-white minority person decides some trivial incident “offended” them. it is bloody counter-productive.
this is another case of CSB, but maybe you’ll realize how contrary to your goals of acceptance and equality all this whining and bitching is. btw, BBC didn’t sensor your blog. they simply tried to cover their ass. something they should really not have to do at all.
Vladimir, if you read the blog, the BBC contacted Videopress, the service I use for videos, and blocked the video of the TG episode I uploaded. That is censorship. You don’t get it and you never will. The world is changing, bro. Deal with it.
It’s very simple, all racism is wrong. In the year 2011 humans should know better. It’s time to modify our language and focus on our capabilities.
Love what u do Julio. Keep calling them out. 😉
I hear you, Letty!