Amid Mainstream, No More Minority Mentality

In Spanish, the word for party pooper is aguafiestas. Literally, it’s the person who pours water on a party. Or as we say here in the U.S.A., someone who rains on your parade. My Larousse translates the term as “wet blanket,” “killjoy” and “spoilsport.”

So at the risk of being labeled el aguafiestas, I think it’s time to douse the idea of reserving an entire month each year to celebrate Latin culture.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a tradition that has outlived its purpose. Let’s abolish this relic of an era when Latinos were considered an inferior minority and their culture was largely relegated to the back of the bus, if allowed on the bus at all.

In Southern California, Latinos have burst out of the barrios in a big way, quickly headed toward becoming the state’s demographic majority. Their lifestyle has infiltrated the social mainstream of Los Angeles, like a rich dye penetrates fabric. Today, there’s no washing out the influence of Latinos on politics, music, cuisine and literature. Only the movies and television haven’t really discovered them yet.

So who--besides Hollywood--needs Hispanic Heritage Month? Latino culture is now celebrated here year-round. We should observe it like we do our fabled weather: no special seasons because it’s always nice.

For perspective, here’s a little history on how this heritage thing got started. Believe it or not, it was created by congressional decree in 1968. While drafting Chicanos in disproportionate numbers to die in Vietnam, the government found time to call upon the country (“especially the educational community”) to celebrate Hispanic heritage “with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

At first, though, it was only a week. Twenty years later, the observance was extended to run 31 days from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. It thus encompassed Columbus Day, or Dia de la Raza, and several dates marking the independence of Mexico (Sept. 16) and other Latin American countries.

It’s amazing how a simple proclamation can mobilize a nation. Everybody from the Department of Defense to the Red Cross and the Smithsonian Institution marks the month with lectures, concerts, exhibits and films. In cities from coast to coast, students study the accomplishments of unheralded Hispanics, television stations run special programs, and people everywhere delight to performances of ubiquitous folkloric dancers.

Every year, the White House renews the proclamation as Congress requested. In 1997, Bill Clinton added a pitch for “all Americans to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of equality.” That remains a valid goal, considering recent census reports that show Latinos are more than three times more likely to be living in poverty (26%) than non-Hispanic whites (8%).

If only we could cure poverty by proclamation.

All of us could stand to learn more about each other. So I’m not saying schools should scrap their Latino lesson plans during this month. In fact, many Latinos still don’t know enough about themselves.

Did you realize that Galveston, Texas, was named after Marshall Bernardo de Galvez, a hero of the American Revolution who helped Washington defeat the British? Or that America’s first female surgeon general was a Latina, Antonia Coello Novello, a Puerto Rican who served from 1990-93.

No? Neither did I before recently reading about Hispanic Heritage Month on the Internet.

The observance, like Black History Month in February, brings the achievements of minorities to the front of the class. It’s an organized way to combat lingering stereotypes. But shouldn’t we teach “ethnic literacy” throughout the year, rather than marching minorities out for periodic pats on the back?

Latinos no longer need an annual exercise for enhancing self-esteem. Today, you can tell Latinos are starting to feel pretty good about themselves just by watching Ricky Martin dance, Carlos Santana play and, well, just by watching Jennifer Lopez.

Nowadays, they’re oozing self-esteem. They’re being courted by national politicians for their vote and by big business for their bucks. Culturally, they’ve captured center stage. To get a special month to boot now seems a little narcissistic.

As Latinos move toward becoming L.A. County’s numeric majority, it’s time to lose the minority mentality. We all need to make room on the calendar to celebrate the rich traditions of other groups. And we should never dread becoming Balkanized by cultural diversity. It’s not our differences per se that separate us. It’s fearing and hating those differences.

So let’s not be selfish. Let’s declare World Heritage Millennium. And let the celebrations begin.

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Agustin Gurza’s column appears Tuesday. Readers can reach Gurza at (714) 966-7712 or agustin.gurza@latimes.com.