JE 2A

The Speedy Gonzales and Lone Ranger episode narrative depends on the ethnic stereotype of poor oppressed Mexican people. Speedy's cute little outfit, with its red bandana, sombrero, guaraches, and white rural shirt and shorts, are stereotypical of a poor rural Mexican land worker. A Mexican setting, yet this TV show apears to take place on the other side of the border. All the young children, the American, Mexican-American, African-America, Asian-American etc...  who have not been to Mexico (let alone the U.S./ Mexico border) will experience Mexico through Speedy Gonzales first, toured by his broken accent. These stereotypes will reverberate through American culture because I'm pretty sure that we have all seen this stereotypes in other places besides Speedy Gonzales: movies, other TV shows, billboards, pre-paid phone cards...  And so for us Chican@s (or at least for me) we are presented with a symbol of our culture in which we were raised under and must make an understanding of it. Quien es Speedy Gonzales? Is he like my mama? Just crossed the border a few years ago to raise a family? Is he a janitor too? Or is he like my dad, working in the garment industry? Are his neighbors cholos too? Eat frijoles? Or hamburgers? Quien sabe, but one thing is for sure, we are so different, me ans Speedy. Speedy is from the other side and not from America like me.