Quote:
Originally posted by KSig RC
anyone care to explain to a midwestern white kid why the term "South of the Border" is offensive as a title for an event?
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In of itself, nothing. But, depending on what it is pictured with it may be - CONTEXT is important. For example, if you advertise a "South of the Border" party and have a southwest-type scene of cactus and tumble weed, then I don't think people will get offended. But, if you advertise the title showing a man in a sombrero with a sarape draped around him, leaning against a cactus with an empty tequila bottle next to him then that is offensive. Why? Because there are three items in that picture that imply Mexico (and hence Mexicans) - the sombrero, the sarape and the tequila. The ~implied~ message is that all Mexicans get drunk, which is not true. And, if someone from a community that has never had any interaction with people from Mexico see this, then that is all the person has to go on about Mexicans. It's almost like thinking that all New Yorkers wear black clothes, talk fast and are rude a la Joan Rivers. It is not true.