Don't be hatin'

In speaking about hate speech with my Conversation Partner. It seems, as though one of the most targeted groups of hate speech in Mexico are those who choose alternative sexual lifestyles. The comedy in Mexico is very crude and often targets gay men. The law forbids gay marriage, but does not forbid companies to discriminate against homosexuals or those who choose a gothic lifestyle, which is another targeted group.

We also spoke about the ‘guerrilleros’, who are revolutionaries in Mexico working for the rights of the people. The organization is called Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN). The spokesman of the EZLN is Sub-Comandante Marcos, who can be seen with a black mask and pipe. The EZLN is alienated by the government and forced to hide in the Mexican state Chiapas. Much of their following is indigenous, but many Mexicans living in urban areas support the EZLN. Obviously the government is not pleased with the work of Sub-Comandante Marcos and the EZLN and is working against their efforts.

Artists, such as Manu Chao, have written songs to show their support for the EZLN. Click Here to hear a song by Manu Chao where he adds a speech of Sub-Comandante Marcos

"Men are better than women" Pshh..yeah.

I touched on gender differences between Spanish and English in The First Conversation: Part II. My Conversation Partner spoke about how the women are still belittled in many settings in Mexico, as if they are less capable than doing anything that a man does. The women are expected to take care of the family and the home. In many cases women are laughed at for ‘attempting’ to do things that men do. The women are expected to do as they are told. My Conversation Partner expressed her appreciation of the liberties that women have in this country.

There is a term in Spanish: ‘machista’ which really means (in my own words): a man who believes that he has the control over the women and that they have more power. These ‘machista’ are still very common (and accepted) in the Mexican culture.

Argument

In discussing argument with my Conversation Partner we agreed that for the most part that the typical American argument culture was similar to the Mexican argument culture, although argument may or may not be used in the same fashion as it is in America as a ‘place to stand’.

My Conversation Partner felt that the only people who were really not heard in an argument are young children, mainly because the people believe that they do not know what they are talking about. It is very similar in the United States.