Why do people use the word "MEXICAN" to describe Spanish speaking people????

Question

I hate that, it comes across as being ignorant=racist. :]

??????????????

Answer 1

It is offensive. well though i am mexican i would never like to be mistaken by cuban or salvadorian or guatemalen (though alot of you dont even know the difference but there is a huge diffrence between us)

ignorance.  

Answer 2

Where do you get such silliness? Eight miles from where I sit is a nation called Mexico. Wouldn't you know it it's full of Mexicans. Go figure. I speak decent Spanish; my Mexican is much better because  -  now get ready  -  the people around here that don't speak English speak (call it out when you know it!)... Mexican!

See now, you go and get your little self all worked up and full of righteous indignation when the teeniest bit of fact will do. Class dismissed; time for your nap.

Answer 3

Yeah it pisses my Portuguese friend off when people think he is 'Mexican' or that he speaks Spanish.

Answer 4

Idiocy and living a sheltered life.

Answer 5

cuz that's the closest country to here where ppl speak spanish... and there's so many mexican's here that ppl just started to assume that if u speak spanish ur mexican.... I got a similar problem.... but ppl assume that I'm russian cuz i'm from the old USSR but i'm not.  I don't really care now..

Answer 6

Americans are ignorant.Full stop.

Answer 7

i dont know. i do ... I'm sorry if its offensive. i will stop

Answer 8

cause it's funny...  if you can't laugh at it..  then your saying, that all the negativity is true...   be pround to be Mexican...  I'm not, but if I was I would be proud. they have come a long way.......... to do my landscaping and clean my house.. lol ..true.

Answer 9

I don't. I say spanish/hispanic/latino.

Answer 10

ignorance.

Answer 11

all that is is ignorance

Answer 12

I dont like it either... and i'm mexican. I've a lotta salvadorian and puerto rican friends they get pissed too. People dont take the time to learn nowadays and without thinking (or just cuz SOME are lazy) they refer to a whole group the same. What my friend started doing everytime someone called him mexican he'd say wuz up euro... that kinda tought some people.

EDIT: To Steve S: if you really knew as much as you say you know, you'd call our language spanish... not mexican. Oh lawd if a spaniard heard you mistake the language the conquistadores imposed on latin-america...Oh by the way a spaniard is someone from spain :P

Answer 13

it depends what state your in. im in new england and everyone calls spanish speaking  people puerto rican,lol. i mean there are alot of puerto ricans here, but c'mon now.....but it goes both ways now.....

Answer 14

i hear that a lot too

Answer 15

It's because people see this big country called Mexico attached to the United States so that just say Mexican.  People do not always understand people also come from Honduras, El Salvador, etc....I do not believe they really mean any  harm in it.  

Answer 16

it is because the most spanish speaking people they come into contact with are from Mexico there for Mexican. Yes it is racist but its life

Answer 17

ignorance ese, i get it all the time when people here me speak spanish they be like "oooo man r u mexican homes??"

makes me so mad man

Answer 18

I come from Massachusetts, many years ago every one who spoke Spanish was labeled Puerto Rican.

  Now  folks realize that there is an entire continent(except Brazil) that speaks spanish just south of us, so Hispanic is the currant LABEL of choice.

   I still like Human Being better

Answer 19

People people are just ignorant nowadays, they're biased.

That's what I think.

Answer 20

cause there ignorant