JE 1A

Looking back, and reflecting on my childhood memories, I cannot really remember being a fan of Speedy Gonzales. I remember watching episodes here and there, but I never really paid attention to the negative stereotypes that portrayed Mexicanos in particular. I guess growing up in a bilingual home, speaking both English and Spanish, was normal to me. Seeing Speedy Gonzales speak Spanglish did not really raise concern then. After carefully reading the history of Speedy Gonzales, I can say that the cartoon is not only inappropriate but also degrading. It is also not surprising to believe that many Latin@ children idolized the show. The outfit that Speedy Gonzales’ character wore, is an outfit usually worn by musicians and dancers of Son Jarocho music. Although a beautiful culture, it does not represent the physical appearance of all Mexican@s.

As I watched “astroduck,” I reflected on the images and words used throughout the clip. The clip was portraying the history between the U.S. and Mexico and the division of the two countries by a physical border. I also found that this clip was aired sometime in the late sixties, around the time of the Chican@ movement. And although it might seem as if the show was trying to raise some political consciousness, I think that it was meant to mock Mexican culture.