Someone please tell me how this can be offensive?

Question

I was watching an episode of the George Lopez show and he's going nuts about a neighbor having a small statue of a sleeping Mexican on his lawn. I've seen these things all the time growing up and I see nothing offensive. I mean, it isn't like the statue is holding a beer bottle or looks drunk or anything...its just a little brown guy with sandals and a sombrero. How is this offensive?? My aunt and uncle had two or three of them in their yard with cactus and desert rocks and it looked very southwestern. The point is, I honestly do not know what is offensive about this statue. I don't see anyone complaining about everyone having garden gnomes - little fat white guys wearing pointed hats. Now *that* I can see being considered offensive to some people. But a sleeping guy in a sombrero?? Everyone knows that this little statue doesn't represent all Hispanics - but I was in Mexico some decades ago and I saw Mexicans who looked like that! So somebody please clue me in? What am I *not* seeing?

Answer 1

Some people have totally forgotten what it's like to be happy and have a good laugh or a giggle at themselves.

Answer 2

Im watching that right now! I love that. I think its offensive because you know how some latinos a well poor and lazy?? Well there not but George is thinking that ALL Latinos are lazy.

Answer 3

I think that it isn't necessarily racist, but it could upset some mexicans.

If a mexican puts something like that in their yard, its probably just to show their culture or to show that they are very into their culture and want people to know that.

When a white person has that in their yard, it says "Mexican" and people don't like that for some reason.

"It was customary for Spanish peole to nap at mid day. The statue of the sleeping Mexican is just a reflexion of a nap, but could make people identify it with lazy Mexicans."

Answer 4

A "gnome" is not an actual being.  Mexicans are human beings and it is offensive to have them in a sombrero as in is considered a stereotype.  It's like the African descent lawn jockey.  That too represents and actual human being.  How would you feel if someone had a lawn ornament wearing coveralls with no undershirt and a piece of straw hanging out of it's mouth and a red neck.  Look at it from the "represented" ethnic groups point of view.  Gnomes are not people.

Answer 5

I think some people see that as implying that all Hispanics are lazy.

Some people jump too conclusions way too quickly. Besides, doesn't a statue like that mimic the siesta, a significant part of the mid-day routine in many Hispanic countries.

Answer 6

It suggests that Mexicans are lazy.

Answer 7

i think mexicans look cool like that i want to wear that, haha!!! i dont find it offensive at all. i am hispanic so i dont feel any offense to it.  

Answer 8

It could be offensive if you threw it at someone.

Answer 9

not offensive at all..i agree with Riley on that..mary.c.

Answer 10

its not offensive i think hes just doing that to make people laugh, it kinda like a symbol of siesta time and by the way almost every mexican i know is far from lazy