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 Michael Medved

'Argo' and the big lie about the Latino "Race"

March 5, 2013 @ 4:12 pm (Updated: 4:13 pm - 3/5/13 )

Imagine a movie using a white actor to play an African-American hero in a stirring true story about a hostage rescue. Would that film ever win the Best Picture Oscar? The answer is an obvious "No!" but this year's Best Picture, Argo, cast Ben Affleck, a white Anglo with no hint of Hispanic heritage, to play the Mexican-American CIA agent Tony Mendez.

The fact that no one protested exposes the common liberal lie that classifies Hispanics as a distinct race, irreducibly different from whites. Obviously, there's no Latino "race" —the 2010 Census showed 53% of self-identified Hispanics reported their race as "white." The Left's attempt to treat Latinos differently from other immigrant groups—Italian-Americans, for instance—is a vile bid to block Americanization and foment a culture of perpetual grievance and separateness.

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Comments (15)


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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Well, Ben Affleck cast himself in the roll.
    March 5, 2013 4:10 pm
    But aside from not knowing Affleck's ancestry, Hollywood has never had much need to cast actors by nationality. ..... Omar Sheriff, an Egyptian, famously played Dr. Zhivago (Russian) while Anthony Quinn has played just about every nationality imaginable, from an Eskimo to a Mexican General to Zorba the Greek. ....... Heck, I even saw an opera one time where a black singer did Iago and a while singer Othello.

    So, Michael, just how does the (self) casting in Argo make any point at all ? ... And except for the very ignorant among them, I've never heard the left actually refer to Hispanic as a race. ... Unless that's what the talking point said to say.

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  • William Lawn wrote...
    It is a role, but that movie did roll
    March 5, 2013 4:57 pm
    But well said, Mr. ron. That take off scene was just something. My wife was grabbing my arm, digging those well manicured finger nails in.

    I was trying to shake her loose.

    Not easy during bumpy take offs and movie scenes like that.

    I had to give it a clap, even though the scene was faked.

    Our Mr. Meved, what is his point?

    Maybe liberals are hypocrites?

    That would be a new one from him.

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  • sportsguru wrote...
    Chuck Connors
    March 5, 2013 5:15 pm

    Played an indian a long time ago as well as a few other white actors that played indians. Nobody has no problems separated them Mr. Medved. I guessing you had to post something per your contract and this is what you had to come up with.

    Ain't enough sun tan lotion and tanning booths in the world to be white and play a black, but again you had to post something per your contract.

    Thanks for nothing

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  • Pair o'dimes wrote...
    Actually I thought Robert Downey Jr did pretty well,
    March 5, 2013 6:51 pm
    Watch Tropic Thunder and you'll see that it can be done, and done well.
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  • Cigarillo wrote...
    20 Cents
    March 6, 2013 9:10 pm
    Here-here. An American white guy playing an Aussie playing an American black guy was the spark of genius in an otherwise formulaic movie.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Hey, how about 'tanning bed' woman?
    March 6, 2013 5:46 am
    Dori's been off and on obsessed with he over the past year.

    But, BTW, that opera race reversal I noted above - no make-up.

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  • SeattleD wrote...
    If there are in fact no such thing as a Latino as Medved has suggested,
    March 5, 2013 6:07 pm
    that would mean if Marco Rubio wins the Republicon nomination in 2016 the Republicon party will not break their perfect streak of picking white males to run for president.

    It would also mean Romney did a lot worse with the white vote than was previously reported.

    It would also mean the Republitards are thinking about passing immigration reform as a way to pander to white voters.

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  • Pair o'dimes wrote...
    Please define "irreducibly different"
    March 5, 2013 7:08 pm
    Since the bulk of the Hispanic population is a mixture of European and native ancestry, with some African thrown in, I fail to see how that is not substantially different then the white America that is almost 100% percent European. While many Hispanics may be mostly European in their ancestry, the reverse may also be true. Please Medved, you seem to put the least amount of thought into your commentaries then anyone at MyNorthwest. They are usually long on conspiracy and bashing of anyone with a different viewpoint, and mighty short on logic. Other posters here have also pointed out that race or ethnicity may not be the most important thing in casting a role, and seems like a weak argument to use to once again blame the liberals of hypocrisy. Even conservative posters don't see any validity to your argument. Can't you think of something more important to say?
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  • cigarfan wrote...
    @Pair o'dimes
    March 5, 2013 11:19 pm
    I don't think medved spends much time on My Northwest. I have never seen him respond to a post. I think he spends most of his blog time on his own website because he can charge fees.
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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    @cigarfan...
    March 6, 2013 5:05 am
    Medved lives in that land where conservatives have convinced themselves that only thier point of view is valid, where Romney was ahead in the 'honest polls' and going to win the Presidency... Where only liberals are hypocrites, liars and moneychangers in the temple types... You know what I'm talking about: the false reality bubble.
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  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Wow Medved....
    March 6, 2013 5:02 am
    You really are a partisan hack dude. Playing the 'liberal hypocracy and liberal racist' card when you overlook and actually support sooooooo many instances of right wing hypocracy. For one, MANY non-latino looking people have latino or latino sounding last names. Doesn't mean they have to be latino. Just like because my last name is German, doesn't mean I have german blood in me (99% Irish and British blood). And dude - it's not even close to the first time that someone was cast in a role that didn't fit the racial stereotype of the role. Many conservative directors have undoubtedly done the same thing, so how can you call out JUST the lefties for your phony version of hypocracy? Or are you merely a tool of the right wing and hypocritical yourself? Oh wait - I think we alreqady know the answer to that one.
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  • messiah101 wrote...
    One GOP leader is of an unknown race
    March 6, 2013 6:28 pm
    Some Orange colored guy who always looks like he needs to take a trip to the potty. I saw his wife in one photo she was Orange also.I believe they are Ohioans (is that a Indian tribe?)
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Orangemen hail either from Syracuse or from Ulster.
    March 6, 2013 7:24 pm
    The Syracuse clans usually rise to prominence in March for NCAA madness - except not this year.

    The Ulster clans may beat their drums and toot their flutes most of the year but go into hiding from about now until after March 17 (if they be knowin' what's good for them).

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  • sportsguru wrote...
    You and Messiah
    March 6, 2013 8:18 pm
    are absolutely hilarious,lol. btw, I happen to agree with the messiah, he does always look like he is have constipation problems. The man is definitely not photogentic at all and I would think that all the photo's of him, his family would tell him something, so I am assuming that his face is just stuck like that.
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  • gaymarriedchristianfromhollywood wrote...
    Ughhh, talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill.
    March 6, 2013 8:45 pm
    Why is it that conservatives are always attacking liberals about how politically correct they are, but the minute they think they have a gotcha they just get right on that bad wagon? This had nothing to do with racism, nothing to do with white washing, nothing to do with the man keeping the latino brother down. This had to do with a movie that Ben Affleck was really excited about and wanted to be in. And he cleared it with Tony Mendez, so cut it out Medved.
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