Post by Radrook Admin on Sept 28, 2022 18:45:05 GMT -5
Starship Troopers film review
Why were all the Hispanics in Starship Troopers portrayed by whites?
Why is it in the movie that all the Hispanics (Johnny Rico, Dizzy Flores) were portrayed by white people and not Hispanics when people like Chakotay, Ricardo Montalban, and Desi Arnez Jr. were available? Do you think it was racism?
And why didn't they show any examples of Hispanic culture? Do you think the producers were too racist to show Johnny Rico eat a sloppy burrito, or Denise Richards do salsa dancing?
My Response
Before presenting the responses below, I will present my response to the statements above.
First, I had assumed that the persons being displayed, such as Rico and his family, were Anglos who were residing in Argentina. After all, there are people who are of English descent who settle in other countries for business reasons. A percentage of them are found in Argentina. If they have kids there, there kids are of Argentine Nationality.
English Argentines (also known as Anglo-Argentines) are citizens of Argentina or the children of Argentine citizens brought up in Argentina, who can claim ancestry originating in England. The English settlement in Argentina (the arrival of English emigrants),[3] took place in the period after Argentina's independence from Spain through the 19th century. Unlike many other waves of immigration to Argentina, English immigrants were not usually leaving England because of poverty or persecution, but went to Argentina as industrialists and major landowners.
The United Kingdom had a strong economic influence in Argentina during the Victorian period. However the position of English Argentines was complicated when their economic influence was finally eroded by Juan Perón's nationalisation of many British-owned companies in the 1940s and then by the Falklands War in 1982. Notable Argentines such as Presidents of Argentina Raúl Alfonsín and Carlos Pellegrini, adventurer Lucas Bridges, Huracan football club former player and president Carlos Babington and writer Jorge Luis Borges are partially of English descent.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Argentines
The United Kingdom had a strong economic influence in Argentina during the Victorian period. However the position of English Argentines was complicated when their economic influence was finally eroded by Juan Perón's nationalisation of many British-owned companies in the 1940s and then by the Falklands War in 1982. Notable Argentines such as Presidents of Argentina Raúl Alfonsín and Carlos Pellegrini, adventurer Lucas Bridges, Huracan football club former player and president Carlos Babington and writer Jorge Luis Borges are partially of English descent.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Argentines
In any case, why are you assuming that all Latinos eat burritos? The vast majority live their lives without ever having eaten a burrito nor breaking a piñata while celebrating a birthday or some national holiday. Why? Very simple, because burritos and piñatas are cultural items typical of Mexican culture and not all Latinos share that culture.
Latin American cuisine is the typical foods, beverages, and cooking styles common to many of the countries and cultures in Latin America. Latin America is a highly diverse area of land whose nations have varying cuisines. Some items typical of Latin American cuisine include maize-based dishes arepas, pupusas, tacos, tamales, tortillas and various salsas and other condiments (guacamole, pico de gallo, mole, chimichurri, chili, aji, pebre). Sofrito, a culinary term that originally referred to a specific combination of sautéed or braised aromatics, exists in Latin American cuisine. It refers to a sauce of tomatoes, roasted bell peppers, garlic, onions and herbs. Rice and beans are also staples in Latin American cuisine.
Latin American beverages are just as distinct as their foods. Some of the beverages can even date back to the times of the Native Americans. Some popular beverages include coffee, mate, hibiscus tea, horchata, chicha, atole, cacao and aguas frescas.
Desserts in Latin America are generally very sweet in taste. They include dulce de leche, alfajor, rice pudding, tres leches cake, teja and flan.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_cuisine
Latin American beverages are just as distinct as their foods. Some of the beverages can even date back to the times of the Native Americans. Some popular beverages include coffee, mate, hibiscus tea, horchata, chicha, atole, cacao and aguas frescas.
Desserts in Latin America are generally very sweet in taste. They include dulce de leche, alfajor, rice pudding, tres leches cake, teja and flan.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_American_cuisine
Argentines of total or partial European descent constitute the majority of Argentina's population. Ethnic Europeans include the Argentine descendants of colonists from Spain during the colonial period prior to 1810, and mainly of immigrants from Europe in the great migratory wave from the mid 19th century to the mid 20th century. No recent Argentine census has included comprehensive questions on ethnicity, although numerous studies have determined that European Argentines have been a majority in the country since 1914. Some international sources claim the European component of the population to be at around 97%.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentines
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentines
Why were the actors not depicted as breaking out suddenly dancing salsa you ask? Well, again, not all Latinos share the same culture and so we differ. Actually, Salsa is mostly popular in the Caribbean nations of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.
Other regions of Latin America have their own distinct music. For example, Argentina has the Tango. Mexico has the Mariachi bands with their rancheras. The Andean nations, such as Chile and Peru, have their own distinct music with strong roots in their indigenous people. Brazil has Bosa Nova.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_Latin_America
Response By Others
Waldemar Freyre posts a bold assertion on 1/13/2005 11:30:39 AM
You are not a racist, rather you are profoundly ignorant of not only Hispanics, but of the term culture as well. To begin with, culture does not describe a look, but rather a language, custom, food, etc. The term Hispanic is used to describe those people, regardless of race who practice the language and customs of Spain. All Spaniards are Hispanic, yet not all Hispanics are Spaniards. Some Hispanics can trace their heritage to Africa, and or the Americas. Others still to China, Japan, or the middle east. A good many Hispanics in this country are usually a mix of Indian, and Spanish, or Black and Spanish. These are unfortunately the stereotypical Hispanic. There are however many other Hispanics who are not a mix, and are just simply White. Among these Hispanics are people who trace their ancestry to Spain, Germany, France, Ireland, Scotland, etc. In closing, Argentina is a Latin American country with a large White population and because these Starship trooper came from Argentina, the chances that they would be white, were very good. I do hope you have learned something today.
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Billy posts on 1/12/2005 6:18:48 PM
I'm posting this message concerning the ignorant message about Starship Troopers Hispanic characters played by White actors. The reason being is that Hispanic is NOT a race!!! I don't know when all these morons in this country are going to realize this FACT! Hispanics can be White or Black although most are Mixed. Ricardo Montalban is a White Hispanic. He is just as White as the average Anglo here in the USA, so what difference does it really make? Chakotay is Mixed. Desi Arnaz Jr. is White. There are plenty of others. The Estevez family, White. Gloria Estefan, White. Antonio Banderas, White. Shakira, White, Cameron Diaz, White. Andy Garcia, White. Need I mention more!?
How can it be a racist agenda, when Hispanic is not a race? There are two main cultures/ethnicities here in North and South America. The northernmost is predominantly Anglo and from there southward is mainly Hispanic/Latino. Anglos and Hispanics come in all races (White, Black, Brown, or Mixed), but neither Anglo nor Hispanic/Latino are themselves races! C'mon y'all, get the stupid out from between your ears and use some good old fashioned common sense the good Lord gave you! I mean, for goodness' sakes, it's not rocket science. It's simple elementary school stuff! Oh, and by-the-way, my ancestors came from Spain and guess what?! I AM WHITE! Can you believe it!? Probably not, if you're one of the millions of mentally midgetized educated idiots out there. But hey, Spaniards are White too, most of them! Late.
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Sean posts on 1/12/2005 9:16:31 AM
I think the point that he's trying to make is why Juan Rico in the original novel, a young man described as Hispanic, has become Johnny Rico in the film who obviously isn't. Now before I get ranted at for being a racist, I am just pointing out that different cultures have different looks, be it afro-Caribbean, Asian, white-European, middle east etc. This is an undeniable fact. So the question is, why did the makers of this film choose "a good ol farm boy type" when the role was for a Hispanic actor.
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Waldemar Freyre posts a bold assertion on 1/19/2005 10:55:55 AM
They pronounce like White people? What? You mean to say that someone's race will somehow affect how they pronounce words? The sad thing here is that not only do I need to deal with ignorance in the Anglo world, I also need to deal with it in the Hispanic world as well.
Listen up folks, the Hispanic culture was put forth by Europeans. More specifically White Spaniards. Its origins are White!!!So to say that they pronounced like White people, is not correct.
allreaders.com/message-board/starship-troopers-17812-page-3