As we’ve noted before, Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bx) is a progressive with a difference: namely, a joyful willingness to defy the party line. Even when it comes under the name of one his district’s top attractions, the New York Yankees.
In the wake of the horror in Uvalde, Texas, whoever’s in charge of the team’s Twitter account decided to dedicate it for a day to “offer facts about the impacts of gun violence,” in lieu of updates on the Yanks-Rays game.
OK. But then it got woke with the fact: “Each year, more than 4,100 Latinx people die from gun violence in the US and 13,300 are shot and wounded.”
Torres tweeted back, “I represent the South Bronx, home to the Yankees. Never heard anyone locally use the term ‘Latinx.’ Does a majority of Hispanics actually use the term ‘Latinx’?”
Nope: Polls show that fewer than 5% of Hispanics know or use it, and that many find the term offensive.
“Latinx” is a term beloved of recent college grads who can’t stand the supposed sexism of Latino and Latina, and “progressively” insist on a bit of anti-Spanish (the language) cultural imperialism with a coinage that imports an “x” from Greek or somewhere.
“Every community should have the right to label itself, rather than have a label imposed on them by others,” Torres continued.
In other words, you’ll do a lot more for social justice if you actually manage some humility.