Lash Extensions 101: Faux And Fabulous
Happy Birthday, Mr. T!
In a roundtable discussion on race in baseball with USA Today, the subject of the lack of American Black players in the league came up. More Black American athletes are choosing to play other sports, such as basketball and football, but there are plenty of Black Latino (or Afro-Latino) players. According to L.A. Angels center fielder Torii Hunter, however, Black Latinos don't count when it comes to the race disparity in baseball."People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African American," Hunter told USA Today. "They're not us. They're impostors. Even people I know come up and say, 'Hey, what color is [former teammate] Vladimir Guerrero? Is he a black player?' I say, Come on, he's Dominican. He's not black."
Apparently someone forgot to tell Hunter that race (Black) and nationality (Dominican) are two different things.
"As African-American players, we have a theory that baseball can go get an imitator and pass them off as us," Hunter continued. "It's like they had to get some kind of dark faces, so they go to the Dominican or Venezuela because you can get them cheaper. It's like, 'Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million, when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?' I'm telling you, it's sad."
For the most part, it seems, in Hunter's mind "black" only refers to African-Americans and not Afro-Latinos. Except for the fact that plenty of Afro-Latino players are holding 7-figure contracts (hardly a bag of chips), it looks like most Afro-Latinos agree with Hunter.
"I took no offense to it," Angels broadcaster Jose Mota, a Dominican, told USA Today, "and I guarantee you that no Latin player would be offended either. I've even been asked the same question, 'Are you black?' So call me an imposter."
"I think most Latin players want to be recognized from where they're really from," added Atlanta Braves catcher Orlando Mercado said. "That's their pride. I'm from (Mayaguez) Puerto Rico, so I want to be recognized as Puerto Rican."
Hunter stands firm in his comments but wanted to make clear that he wasn't disparaging Afro-Latinos but just trying to make the point that he wants more Black Americans on baseball fields. He went on his Angels-sponsored blog to reiterate his point and play down any ideas of racism toward Afro-Latinos.
"What troubles me most was the word impostors appearing in reference to Latin American players not being black players. It was the wrong word choice, and it definitely doesn't accurately reflect how I feel and who I am," Hunter said. "What I meant was they're not black players; they're Latin American players. There is a difference culturally. But on the field, we're all brothers, no matter where we come from, and that's something I've always taken pride in: treating everybody the same, whether he's a superstar or a young kid breaking in to the game. Where he was born and raised makes no difference."
Comments: (95)
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By: REDHEELS on 3/14/2010 12:42PM
Good question, let's ask Sammy Sosa!!
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By: LaRome Armstrong on 3/14/2010 4:57PM
Tori Hunter is a fine example of a ignorant african descent person.If he knew anything about history he would know not only are the Afro Latino's Black but technically they are BLACKER then the so called African American in the U.S.A.let me also add that this term is mis used ,because any African descent people in the America's be it Central,South,North are African American notjust Black's who live in Cleveland or Atlanta but those who reside in EL CHOCO Columbia,Salvardor Brazil,Belmopan Belize,qualify as well.it's a shame Tori and many other's are so damn ignorant of their own history.This just goes to show you that you can make million's of dollar's and still be a DUMB ASS.
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By: James on 3/14/2010 2:03PM
85% of Dominicans are black...It is a lie and misleading number to say only 11% are black. It is just the self hatred and all kinds of stupid excuses. For some reason the black Dominicans think that the so called "Taino" Indians decided to mate with only with the blacks on one side of the Island, which is the Dominican republic but refused to mate with the blacks on the other side of the island which is Haiti. Do you know how stupid that sounds?? Do you know Haiti is a Taino word? It is "Ayiti"...I don't see the Haitians running around saying they are Indians.
Do you know most black Americans have white or indian blood in them? I don't see most of them running around saying they are indians or mulattos. Why does these self-hating Dominican blacks only talk about Spanish and Taino blood and never talk about Africa?? One thing for self-hating fools to consider: If you mix a spanish blood and Taino blood you come up with someone like Jennifer Lopez or Alex Rodriquez...You cannot have someone like Sammy Sosa if you mix indian and spanish. The Taino were light skinned people and most of them died when the spanish came there. All these self-hating excuses are just plain dumb.
Self-hating Domican movement started after the Haitian uprising against their french masters. Then the spanish on the Dominican side got scared and told the blacks in the Dominican republic that there were not blacks but Indians. This is how it all started...As you can see, only black people could be told that they are not black and they will believe it, what a shame.
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By: pmacgrundy on 3/14/2010 2:24PM
Not to knit pick, but just because someone has dark skin does not mean that they were not mixed with Indian or Whites, considering that we see people all the time in the US that have a white parent, but have dark skin.
On the issue of Afro-Latinos, I have noticed that they don't tend to identify with Africa, even though those same slave ships went to Latin American countries. It seems to have to do with which white folks owned you. The French and English owned slave descendants always seem to be identified with Africa, such as US, Haiti and Jamaica. But the Latin countries slave descendants seem to identify with their European slave masters. I always found that to be the case with dark Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. Those dark like Dave Ortiz and Vladimir Guerrero usually just identify with Latino and not Black.
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By: Bill Schrier on 3/14/2010 2:47PM
"Why does these self-hating Dominican blacks only talk about Spanish and Taino blood and never talk about Africa??"
Why? Obviously because they aren't proud they have black in them. They like to think of themselves as mostly white, although it's not true. American blacks are the opposite ... although they have a little white in them, they are ashamed of it as they love to hate whitey. The difference is that American blacks have relied upon hating whitey and false cries of racism to give them a reason for their own failures. To ever drop this hatred for whitey and admit that the only racism in America is from blacks would be for their entire excuse for failure to crumble. Blacks in Latin America, on the other hand, admire whites and only wish they were white as well.
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By: sharon on 3/14/2010 3:15PM
ok, so he says they're not African American or whatever. It's so fascinating that they are enjoying the fruits of the Civil Rights Movement.
The "Movement" was done so that ALL people of color could have equal rights.
So, if they're not AA or whatever it is they're denying then don't enjoy the fruits of the Movement..I believe they need to read an accurate history book, not one that was watering down..
If the KKK were to visit them at their home, I doubt they would ask what country they came from!! All they would see is the BROWN SKIN!!
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By: Greg on 3/19/2010 12:38PM
Why should, and would black Latins want to identify with African Americans? Why, should they? In all honesty "NO" one wants to identify with AA, or even be black themselves! Even, AA themselves feel that way! That's the primary reason why so many BW are always trying to look white women, then have the nerve to talk about having pride as a black woman! No, one cares about black people, because its clear that blacks don't even care about themselves!
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By: Bill Schrier on 3/14/2010 2:55PM
Yep, if a black man ever gets enough money, he wants a white woman. And most black women try as hard as possible to look white, for example by wearing weaves or straightening their hair.
Again, blacks are very conflicted. They can't drop the cover of hating whitey and going along with the myth that their failures are due to white racism, because then the reality that their failures are due to themselves hits home.
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By: James on 3/19/2010 1:31AM
This has nothing to do with identifying with black Americans. Black is black, black does not only mean African-American. You can be black and Dominican...Don't try to twist things around. Race and nationality are different. You have black Americans just as you have black Dominicans. Being black from another country doesn not mean you are African-American. I am black and from Africa...I am still African and not black-Africa, but of course am black.
Why trying to make things completed by saying if a black Dominican says he is black, that means he is identifying with African-Americans, that is bullshit. People are still too stupid to know the difference between race and nationality.
Black Domicans and black Americans have the same African ancestors, the only differebce is the language and culture. Stop twisiting things around.
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By: Deut818 on 3/14/2010 2:56PM
Its the ignorance first mentioned by T. Hunter which confuses people.
In america we are so HUNG-UP on the word black and the stereotyped images associated. If you visit caribbean island..those of african-latin descent are known by nationality(culture)..more-so than the mixture of RACES identified. African-latins who recognize their african and latin roots.. understand the confused notion made by african americans who aren't educated, not knowing the difference between race and nationality.
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