Tiger Woods says he does not like to be called African-American, he prefers Caucasian-Black-Native-American-Asian, because he says that is what he is, and has coined his own mnemonic which demonstrates what he prefers to be called. He would call himself Ca-bl-nat-asian or Cablnasian for short.

Well to each his own, I say. To think I was beginning to like the guy. Now it turns out that he is just another Tio Taco, well Tio Taco to me. If he is not African-American he can't be an Uncle Tom, if not a Native American he can't be an Apple, and if not Asian he is not a Banana. He is not white either, so he is Cablnasian? If I were Tiger's agent I would recommend he stick with African-American and next year at the Master's I would recommend that he feed Fuzzy Zoeller fried crow with dandelions. That should even the score.

I doubt that as a Cablnasian, Tiger is going to get any $60 mil endorsement contracts, but he will, as an African-American. Like Walter Cronkite would say, "That is the way it is."

Fuzzy tried to find Tiger to apologize to him for some remarks he made about Tiger, such as being a little boy and "feeding" the Master's contenders next year fried chicken and collard greens, "or whatever the hell they eat."

Tiger should go back to being what he is; he should not prostitute himself for the Yankee dollar. It does not wear too well on him.

And so it goes for all of us, we come across much better when we are who we are.

For instance, we Hispanics are in effect the product of a unique melting pot, perhaps the most integrated yet identifiable group, on the face of the earth. We are descendants of Visgoeths, Jews, Moors, Spaniards, Arabs, Piautes, Aztecs, Comanches and more. We range all the way from pale pink blue-eyed blondes to brown-eyed bronze browns to ebony black.

To illustrate Nancy Ames, Vikki Carr, Lynda Carter, Joan Baez, Lee Treviño, and Roberto Clemente are all of our group, all united by one very important bond, which makes us an identifiable group. We all speak Spanish. Hey, let's honor that common bond and speak it correctly. It is demeaning and disrespectful to do otherwise.

Let's begin with our own names which should be the sweetest sounding word to each of us no matter what language we are using at the moment. If our name is Martinez pronounce it correctly, Martínez not Mart nez; or if it is Saucedo say Sa-u-ce-do, don't say Sauce-dough or even worse those who, like the Gringo change the "o" to "a" and say Sauce-dah.

If your Hispanic name starts with an "H" remember that the "H" is silent. The name is not Her-nandez but rather Er-nandez, i.e. the "H" is silent. And please do not call our favorite source of Vitamin E, "Chili," call it by its correct name; it is Chile. If you call it the other name, people in Texas, for instance, expect you to put tomatoes and perhaps even Armadillo or Rattlesnake it.

Recently I heard Christina of Univision take on so-called "Americans" as being egocentric. I agree.

Consuelo and Cristina

Consuelo                          Cristina

I also agree with Consuelo Luz and her coining of new lyrics to the traditional song, "America the Beautiful." Let me quote her:

Consuelo Luz has her critics among the super-patriots, i.e. the right-wingers, the minutemen and the KKK's, who think that the sun rises and sets on everything "American" as they define it, that is the United States of North America and its confines.

Move over Gringo, as Christina said on her program, "Somos mas Americanos que los Gringos."

Consuelo and Christina - A Second Look!

Consuelo                          Cristina

Saludos!

Tearing Down Walls and Breaking Ceilings!

Read On! Enjoy!