Analysts: Fox comment part of Mexico's attitudes

DallasNews.com: "President Vicente Fox’s controversial comment about blacks in the U.S. is typical of a Mexico that fails to recognize its own racist attitudes, even as skin tone and economic success move in near lock-step, analysts said Tuesday.

In the official census, Mexicans of African descent aren’t even counted as a distinct group. White Mexicans dominate TV programs and advertising. Politicians have mostly light-brown skin or are white, like Mr. Fox, whose mother is from Spain.
Vicente Fox
AP
Mr. Fox has been criticized by black and white leaders.

“Racism is very deeply ingrained here but no one accepts it,” said Sergio Aguayo, a longtime human rights activist. “What Fox said was part of the language of all Mexicans. The paradigm of beauty is white skin and blue eyes.”

Of Mexico’s 105 million people, 80 percent are of mixed race, 10 percent indigenous and 10 percent white.

What Mr. Fox said was this: “There is no doubt that Mexican men and women, full of dignity, drive and a capacity for work, are doing the jobs that not even blacks want to do there, in the United States.”"

I spent the better part of a year in Mexico 20 plus years ago. These attitudes were very prevalent then. I still see these attitudes in West Texas, especially among those Hispanics my age (40s) and older. I can't say I see much better from the Caucasians and African Americans in the same age range. But on the positive side a see a generation growing up that is largely color-blind. And I mean that literally. These aren't just kids who lack prejudice and racism. They literally don't see racial differences.