by ILoveTTATT 9 Replies latest jw friends
Brazil
Necessarily in a Catholic and priest-ridden country,
wherein the greater part of the population possess a
small degree of intelligence, the giving of the witness is
attended with difficulty.
...
There are classes there in Portuguese and Ukrainian,
besides those for American-speaking brethren.
I guess in the U.S. they speak "American"? I guess since almost all Latinos are still Catholic, we are still of a "small degree of intelligence"?
Well......its not like everyone is 1927 wasn't pretty racist. You were either the racist or the racee. I mean they were just a reflection of the culture of the time. I am sure Good Houskeeping was also an abonination through todays cultural lens.
Yeah, but Good Housekeeping didn't claim to speak for God!
and "american-speaking"?
Was that a figure of speech back in 1927? In America, we speak American? Or would that have demonstrated ignorance?
American English is a varient of the English language. Ask anyone from the UK if we speak their brand of English. In the mid 1920s only upper-class Brazilians were educated. Most Brazilians existed a step beyond serfdom. Don't read current conditions into the past. This isn't racist. It's fact as it was in 1927. A remedial course in South American social history would serve you well.
"Education" does not equal "intelligence". If you read the quote again, it is implying that being part of the Catholic church suggests poor intelligence.
A remedial course course in English would serve you well.
Also, you don't say "we speak American"... that is very ignorant. You say, "I speak English," whether you speak American English, Canadian English, Australian English, British English, etc...
If you asked a Brazilian, "Do you speak Brazilian?" They would probably be offended at your ignorance. Mexicans don't speak "Mexican", Brazilians don't speak "Brazilian", and Americans don't speak "American".
I am shocked at the absolute ignorance and yes, racism, of the quote. Racism is racism whether it was said in 1927 or 2013. This racism, like 3rdgen mentioned, came from the ones who claim to speak for God...
Education furthers rational discourse. Brazilians in this era were deprived of it. The literacy rate was nearly zero. If no one trains you to think, if you are raised in superstitious ingorance, then you will have trouble associating ideas. Associating ideas is the halmark of intelligence. You're wearing your Hispanic feelings on your sleeve.
Within the historic context, this isn't racism.
In any event, it's a misdefinition of racism. Being Brazilian isn't a race. It's a nationality. You're also confusing a portuguese or part portuguese or native ancestry with a Hispanic one. They aren't the same. No Brazilian wants to be identified with Spain or those of spanish ancestry.
I would assume that the Yearbook quote in the OP was written by a Brit. It is quite common (today) that Europeans and British refer to the language of the U.S. as "American". The designation "English" is often reserved for that form of the language spoken in the U.K. and the Commonwealth. This is also reflected in the parlance of other languages; for example, according to Norwegians, Americans speak "amerikansk" - while British speak "engelsk".
"Ability to associate ideas" - if this is a sign of intelligence, then most witlesses are exactly that.
The phrase "speak american" was common from just before World War I to the mid 1930s. There was persistent antagonism between Americans and Brits, especially the English. In the late 19th Century they almost went to war over the Alabama affair. Understand that they were not allies in World War One, They were best described as Associated Powers, and there was significant ill feeling between the two nations. If Germany hadn't been stupid and had produced propaganda as vivid and well done as the English, American would have let the UK twist in the wind. Antagonism lead to an assertion of American identity down to language. Americans used the phrase "speak American" to separate themselves from English culture. Friction was so great that by 1935 it looked as if the US and the UK would go to war. Both sides made serious war plans. In the UK the phrase "speak American" was used as a sneering insult.
I'm sure our hispanic poster did not know this. But when one wears one's ethnic identity as if it were a star of David, then one will take offense without pursuing the facts.
There are many things over which to fault the Watchtower Society. This isn't one of them.
