You should see his motel in Santee, SC. It has been run by the management for years the way they want to run it. All family employees there, i,e,. boyfriend, girlfriend, mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, etc. He hasn't changed that hotel in that respect at all. This is a laugh!!
I thought he was very rational. He would apply the same standard to someone with a name or language from any other country in Europe. They are hard to pronounce Germanic and Nordic names that he would probably change too.
that is typical american/european arrogance..he is just bein honest about it, instead of tellin lies and coverin it up. they ran it that way because it has been through a couple of owners! if that fool would just learn spanish, he could not only understand what they say but he will also be able to share in the beauty of that culture! texas is right next to the border! he is an idiot...i hate to speak ill of anybody......but no man can truly afford such arrogance.
This is not about language. Nor is it about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
Bad business plan equals failure. Starting a business in a cultural backwater like texas is a much different proposition than staring one in an upscale, upmarket area like Taos. He didnt do his homework and admits such in the video. He says that he came to Taos with a pre-formulated business plan that has worked in the past....dudes...Taos is not Bumf**k texas. Taos is not Podunk, Oklahoma. Taos is Taos.
You need to rethink the whole situation, without calling LULAC, NAACP or another group. Maybe you should have contacted the states employment commission instead and asked for a mediator. I hope you can work towards a peaceable armistice, I know as a consumer; I would not want to visit Taos, NM knowing that the community is at unrest and not a united community.
However, they were asked to speak English when talking to the owner, because he does not understand or speak Spanish, but does speak English. If there was an emergency & a patron could not understand Spanish, will the employees speak a language that the patron would understand and get them to safety? This seems like a communication problem, which has gotten very out of hand.
We are all part of the "HUMAN" race; this is a cultural issue. The name change was a request;employees just need to say they prefer to go by their given names. When requested that the employees speak English when in the working environment and others cannot speak or understand Spanish is a viable request. The employees were asked to speak Spanish when needed, as customers check in, etc.
OK..Let me give all of you paranoid race baiters a little bit of perspective of what happened..
The fact is that the town WANTED Whitten to succeed, and when this controversy happened, instead of acknowledging that he had made a mistake, WHitten dug in his heels and acted like a major a-hole, and disparaged the whole town biddness or not he does not have the right to come in here expect us to let him shit on us
Wrong. These people were already working there under the previous owners..Its was extremely unfortunate that this backward Texas person bought the establishment..He did not give jobs, he took jobs away from people who already had them..I know this becasue I live there
@imsloan i live there also and guess what? whenever a business has new owners all former employees are fired and must reapply. the reason these ppl were not hired 1. they were not qualified for the position and 2. They aren't related to larry whitten. If you live here you would know that most ppl get jobs based on who they know!
Hey, I lived in Taos for nine years...and non-Latino owners are NOT run out of Taos...This Whitten guys is failing for failing to understand the unique characteristics of Taos..That probably won't satisfy you, but theres no law that says any of us gotta prove a damn thing to yr ignorant ass..
I beg to differ Stonethemason. Most of the non-Latino's in Taos were against Whitten changing peoples names permanently, but we found out it was just a few employees, and only when they worked the switchboard. That is perfectly acceptable in our view.
As far as speaking Spanish in front of others, that is never acceptable when with non Spanish speaking people.
This is not about language. Nor is it about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
Bad business plan equals failure. Starting a business in a cultural backwater like texas is a much different proposition than starting one in an upscale, upmarket area like Taos. He didnt do his homework and admits such in the video. He says that he came to Taos with a business formula that has worked in the past....dudes...Taos is not bumfuck texas. Taos is not Podunk Oklahoma. Taos is Taos.
stonethemason-the left wing americans of taos are hardly upscale, as for texas being a back water and given the history of texas and new mexico, texas has far more culture to it than a place like san francisco, yes taos is taos, nto san francisco or vermont
Yeah, San Francisco is lacking, with 20 times the number or writers, intellectuals, artists ,scientists, Nobel Prize recipients in that one city than in the whole state of texas....that one city of San Fran producing a GSP almost 10 times that of the entire state of texas.
This is not about language. Nor is it about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
The Spanish took the land from the Native Americans in Taos. It was then taken over by Mexico after they gained Independence. America paid the Native Americans in the South West for Spain's theft of land. While under Spanish rule the Native American names of places and some people who worked in the Spanish owned business were changed. During the Mexican American war, the Native Americans that were sympathetic to Mexico included Tomasito Romero, a Taos Pueblo Native American. A Latino name?
backspacetube- your still on this nonsense idea of hispnos taking land from people, the native americans of nuevo mexico and the hispano population have had one common culture since the days of our spanish empire- the native americans that have lived on this land for thousands of years are all still here on the same lands we didnt take it away from anyone and we didnt put them in reservations like your nation did, now can you provide documentation to the contrary, the issue is whitten.
backspacetube-im still waiting for you to provide documentation of the spanish stealing land from the indians in new mexico- you can say pueblo revolt as if that is supposed to mean something, but the pueblo revolt was not fought by all the pueblos in new mexico in fact most pueblos did not take part in it, just those under the leadership of popay, who was later killed by his own people because he was a tyrant to his own people, so please provide your documentation.
You are aware that people can search on the Internet and find the truth?
Most of the Pueblo Indians helped force the Spanish out, only later to be killed in the re-conquest. Over 400 Pueblo Indians were turned into slaves.
From Hernán Cortés on, the Spanish were just as bad to the Indians as the Europeans in the US were. Thet were the original slave traders also, bringing slaves to the Caribbean and Florida.
Whitten is changing, or is the weather getting cold?
backspacetube-yes people can research the truth which is what i am asking you to do, the spnaish were not like the english- the spanish actually kept records here, so those records you can see, no most of the pueblo indians did not help to force anyone out as most of the pueblos did not wish to take part in the rebellion.yes we brought african slaves here bcause we did not take the native americans as slaves as per spanish law, now talk about whitten not pretend stolen land.
Mr. ssszar, just stop. You are starting to look like a real ignorant dummy. "waiting for you to provide documentation of the spanish stealing land from the indians in new mexico" has got to be one of the stupidest statements ever posted. Wow...thats a real doozy. Its like someone saying, "Show me documentation that blacks were ever slaves" or, " show me documentation that the earth is round". By any chance, do you watch FAUXNEWS?
stonethemason=-the documentation is not hard to produce because the spanish kept records not like the english,stupidest is not a work so dont call me ignorant,now if you have documents that show that the spanish threw out the natives of this area and made them live elsewhere then please show me it,i do not know what fauxnews no i do not watch fox news often, im a fascist not a republican.
Pendejo....then you are saying that somehow, in your fantasy world, the prehistoric Celtic Iberians somehow used the Star Trek transporter or the H.G.Wells time machine and landed in the general new mexico area 40,000 years ago??? Because that is really the only scenario that can have the Iberians NOT TAKING land from the natives, you moron!!~!
stonethemason-what fantasy world? now your calling me pendejo, your going to throw out random cuss words at me,i am asking which lands did we take from the natives of new mexico, they are all still here living on the same land they have for thousands of years, we did not move them to oklahoma, like your children of the enlightenment did. i am asking whos lands did we take because the natives of new mexico are all still here.
Stony, forget arguing with that idiot....he's just baitng you by pulling facts out of his ass. I agree with you...the guy lives in a fantasy world where he has never read a single history book.
Go find yr own documentation..A good place to start would be the public library in Taos....you sit in a bubble of ignorance and try to call out the rest of us..that says a lot more about you and yr character than it does any of us, IMO
This has been going on since July? Are they still doing it? Those extended unemployment benefits come in handy, don't they?
Stop running non-Latino business owners out of Taos. When people see or hear this, they are sympathetic, but once the facts are known, it's making Whitten a hero.
To continue- when you call them on those things, the reaction-YOU ARE A RACIST!
The most ridiculous claim? That somehow my ancestors stole land from the indigenous residents, indians, native Americans, whatever. If that were the case their last names Johnson, Jones, Smith, Allen, Roberts, etc....
Does anyone know when Mr.Whitten had scheduled the drug test for consideration to hire? I do.
1) After you slur Hispanic culture and employees with a list of insults, you are somehow unable to own up to being racist. What, pray, tell, do you thing racist means?
2) Why, if Smith, Jones and Roberts stole their land, would their names be Smith, Jones and Roberts? Did you know that the Indian Claims Commission considered and paid (in uninflation adjusted dollars) the claims of more than 500 tribes whose lands were stolen?
I know exactly what Mr.Whitten is talking about. I moved to this area almost 20 years ago. I started a business from nothing. After 8 years and 30 different employees, I finally gave up. Not on the business, I gave up on the employees. I do all the work myself now and am quite busy.
Hispanic culture? The overwhelming culture I have observed-smoke as much dope, drink as much beer/alcohol, beat up girlfriend/wife,get pregnant, as often and early as possible. Not necessarily in that order.
Mr. Whitten is too nice of a name for a bigoted, he and Glenn Beck need to go to where ever the Nazi's would love to embrace them. Mr. Whitten, you are an ignorant man, sorry Taos, hope he goes home to wherever that is?
Hispanic and Latino/Latina are not identical in meaning and use, though many people use them interchangeably. Hispanic, the broader term, comes from a Spanish word for "Spain." As such, it can refer to not only the Spanish-speaking people of North, Central, and South America but to all such speakers worldwide whose first language is Spanish and whose descent is from Spain. and there y'all go..look it up 4 urselves ty
well actually you were the one who told us to "look Hispanic and Latino up"...so i did--AND to put an end to the uninformed arguements about it, i posted the definitions here--and no where in my post do i refer to "Rome, Hebrew, French etc" as being Latino OR Hispanic.
Ethnonym Hispanic or Latino, define "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race. Derived from Latin America, not Italy.
Complaining about a person asking someone to use a pseudonym on a switchboard, is pathletic. Your culture changed the Native Americans names permanantly. You need to appologize and learn diversity.
again with the native american issue, whos names did my spanish ancestors change here? i dont have to apologize for anything because i have done nothing wrong, please site one nation in history that is able to survive diversity?, also hispanic and latino are not the same thing, brazil is also part of latin america yet they are not hispanic so how would the term hispanic apply to them if hispanic means the same thing as latino?
Your Spanish ancestors changed many of the Native American names of the area to Spanish. Also Native Americans had their name changed including Tomasito Romero. Look him . Look Hispanic and Latino up. One is used mostly in the east, one in the west.
Latin America is the geographical name. It's different from the language Latin in reference to Rome. The name Marcos is not Spanish, it is Latin, from Rome.
ok ill look it up give me a source from where you have your bogus idea that tomasito romero didnt go by tomasito romero, please tell me how the brazilians and the portugese who are latino are not hispanic if those two mean the same thing, its called latin america because the people who settled the area spoke a latin language, they spoke that language because they were descended from people who spoke latin, whos names did we change?
glauchow, no im not a latino is any person who is descended from people who spoke latin, hispanic or french or otherwise, the italian people are just as latin as any hispano, or portugese person
He has done this for 40 years with other non anglo sounding names, no matter what etnic group they come from. Mark is the same as Marcos, both names come from Italy. So a Latino using the nickname for his Italian name, should not be a problem. It's guest relations.
Buy your own hotel if you want to run another one into the ground. You can't run someone elses company the way you want.
backspacetube-italians are latino, why do the names have to be changed in the first place,do you think a customer would call that hotel with marcos answering the phone and say, oh im sorry i dont understand how to say your name im never going to that hotel? or oh im sorry i dont know how to pronounce that name i hate it good bye? no when people come to new mexico they do not need to speak spanish but they had better be prepared to hear it being spoken here
italians are latino, people of spanish, french, romanian, italian, portugese, belgian, and some parts of switzerland are of latin descent, taht is what the term latino means, to be of latin descent, the thing is the term latino has been currupted by left wing american chicano communists. to where they make people like you think the only latinos in the world are of spanish descent
"If the Spanish changing a name did not make him any less native american"
Tomasito Romero was a Native American in New Mexico's history. Under the Spanish/Mexico rule he, and other Native Americans had their name changed permanently. It was not just while working the switchboard.
The families that ran the hotel into the ground for the four previous owners need to understand that if they want to run it their way, they need to buy the hotel.
Look, if you have a rule that everyone who is not of your race and ethnicity must adopt names like yours and speak your language, while people who ARE of your race and ethnicity make no changes, you are violating the law. Whether it is xenophobia, racism, or just blind stupid bigotry hardly matters.
When you combine that with a notion that people visiting Taos, NM really want to be visiting Topeka, KN, you've just eaten too many dumb-dumb pills to be a part of society.
If the Spanish changing a name did not make him any less native american nor did it make him any less new mexican, then using a nickname on the switchboard would be much much less of a problem?
backspacetube-the spanish didnt change his name in the first place, the employees of the hotel were speaking english to the guests who did not speak spanish so there is no need to have anyone change names, the protestant american was just being paranoid thinking that his employees were talking about him.
Thanks for scaring business out of America, companies have been doing this for years. Now when a Latino walks through the door, they will think twice about hiring them.
Now not wanting to take drug tests, and not being willing to use a nickname on the switchboard, thinking your going to sue him and retire, hurts Latino's everywhere.
An anglo in Japan working for a US company would use a name easy for the Japanese to pronounce and remember. You cater to the customer and the language the majority use.
The call centers in Sonora Mexico use this same business model. They have Latino's use Anglo names. Until you can prove he has never asked any person from another ethnic group to change their name at any of his motels, you are making fools out of the town, the resort, and the Latino people there. Please stop.
Making Latinos change their names is NOT THE SAME as making all employees use pseudonyms. Making all citizens carry id is not the same as making the Jews sew a star on their chest. Larry DID NOT make all employees use nick names; Larry made LATINOS corrupt their names. Discriminating on the basis of ethnicity is not the same as just having dumb policies.
AND it isn't like he is asking you to permanently change names. He is asking his employees to take on "nick names" at work. I've worked places that have asked that. No big deal!
And to speak English in his presence? Why is that wrong?
When in doubt ... play the race card!
If it has changed ownership a few times, maybe it is time for the staff to go! Start over! I've seen other companies do this too. But here with everyone related and friends, its easy to claim "racism."
So, let me get this straight. A guy BUYS a motel with HIS own money (or through HIS loans). He puts policies in place.
What if that policy was that he wanted ALL STAFF to wear pink frilly shirts (including men)? What if he wanted everyone who answered the phone to say "My name is Joe, how can I help you?"
Guess what? HE CAN DO THAT! If you want to work there, you agree to HIS TERMS.
There are many places HERE that do that. An Asian hair place where the names are ALL Anglocized!
No! If you LISTENED, you would hear him say that ONLY those who work the switchboard (PHONES) use pseudonyms. It's not even the WHOLE group as you wish to pretend.
I think it is interesting how YOU *pick and choose* your facts to fit your agenda!
AND he asks ALL STAFF to speak English in his presence. If YOU work for HIM, he can require that!
I just think it interesting how you are trying to turn that too around on HIM. Its *HIS* COMPANY. Funny that *YOU* don't get THAT!
tsk,tsk,tsk, you mean talking with the local native people, the Native Americans don't you?
Stealing anothers culture and accomplishments is not acceptable. I question Taos as a choice for vacation now, it does not seem like a very friendly place anymore.
At $50 per night I would imagine that the only customers he would get is homeless people or migrant workers coming over the border from Mexico. When I visit Taos I stay at the $200 per night Haciendas. I stay in style, talking with the local people their native Spanish and learning about the Pueblo Indian culture there. This guy is just a narrow minded biggot hotel owner with a dumb business plan. He would never compare to a Donald Trump. In my oppinion, Larry Whit(e)tten is a JOKE!!!
backspacetube, tomasito romero's name did not make him any less native american nor did it make him any less new mexican, you dont know anything about new mexico, people come to taos to ski and to see the art galleries most people outside the state dont even know abou the native american population there, this issue does not have to do with taos pueblo it has to do with this guy disrespecting our heritage,
this is disgraceful I say this as an Anglo- Saxon , you cannot under any circumstances ask people to change who they are its stupid and impossible and warrants a fight ALL THE WAY!!!!! fair comments about the language but everything else is an outrage.
this is disgraceful I say this as an Anglo- Saxon , you cannot under any circumstances ask people to change who they its stupid and impossible and warrants a fight ALL THE WAY!!!!!
Look, I'm an American, and I hate dealing with heavy hispanic names and accents when I go somewhere. English should be spoken while these people are at work dealing with the public.
You need to grow up.. seems to me your a hater and will never be happy go play with your guns. you should read your comments and apply them to yourself. God bless because i will pray pray 4 you.The father in mass today told us its people like you that will assure me peace in heaven and to show you compassion
backspacetube-you really do not understand new mexican history, what places were named something else by the spanish, would it be taos, cochiti, pecos, pojoaque, ohkay owingeh? no those names are not hard to pronounce to us because to this day we pronounce those names and no, what gives taos its unique quality is the culture and hstory of all of northern new mexico, two cultures becomign one new mexican culture, and it is that that led to the taos revolt against the united states
ssszar, there is a world outside of Taos. Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Albuquerque, Los Angeles etc all were named by the Spanish, and replacing the Native American names. I guess the Native American names were to difficult to pronounce for the Spanish.
When the Spanish came here, they changed the Native American names of places. Diversity only counts when your Hispanic? Don't do as we do, do as we demand?
Don't work the switchboard if you don't want to use a nickname. Stop crying because you can't get your way.
backspacetube- taos is a native american place name the native americans who have lived their for centuries are still living there today speaking the language they always have spoken, try again backspacetube its obvious you do not know much about new mexico
He's wrong to tell them they have to change their names. I read the entire interview, he said he thought they were talking about him. He needs a course in cultural sensitivity. Look at the architecture of the hotel, it's a place you expect to see people with Spanish names. That's how New Mexico is. If he was there to save and bring jobs to the community, he didn't show it with his actions.
I am sorry but new mexico brings in tourists to see the native american culture.A community is not changed by the mere presence of a majority race. Sorry
Just think with all the money he's losing he could have bought 1000s of Rosetta stone programs... L Whitten A.K.A Forest Gump... I hardly know howda turn on a computer duh lol
You should judge the situation by the merits and not be prejudicial by your race. Name change was for business and he admitted it was not the best solution. However i doubt that was the reason they where fired.
If you read the reviews on this hotel before it was sold you would see the place was a dump that stunk and was unclean. They where fired for being incompetent but you can't draw umemployment for that though. Playing the race card again.
These people lost their jobs when the old owners sold the Hotel. Upon applying for a job they were told they would use a code name when working the switchboard. The owner has a right to do that. If you don't want to use a "handle" then don't work there.
But playing the race card because the new owner won't kowtow to your demands is foolish. No wonder the call centers have all moved to Mexico and India. Shame on Taos.
Sounds like there are a lot more issues than language and name changes. Mr. Whitten is a bull loose in a china shop but it is nothing new with corporate takeovers. He (Mr. Whitten), however, might have bitten more off than he can chew with this deal....
Hollywood and the entertainment Industry has done this for years.
Vangtel, a outsourcing call center in Mexico, south of Arizona, has their workers use the short Anglo version of their name when answering calls from the US, if the customer requests it. Ricardo to Rick etc. And no duplication.
Mr. Whitten has used this on the switchboard of his other hotels. I suggest the Latino's check to see if other people from other ethnic groups have been asked by him in his other hotels. Until then, you have no complaint.
Using "code" names is nothing new in business, and most times they are picked to be short, easy to remember names for the target consumer.
He brought his own people in. That upset the Latino's that had been running the Hotel for the four previous owners.
This is about employees upset because the new owner is not going to let them run it into the ground again.
Standard procedure for business to have people use pseudo names on a switchboard.
If you don't do things our way we will call the Brown Berets and picket you? Childish. If you want to work there, follow his rules, if not, then find another job.
This is not about language. Nor is it much about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
If that means he was in the country illegally, then it changes the entire story. Employers put themselves in violation of the law by hiring people who are here illegally.
"He brough his own employees from Texas" Was that the real problem?
"They pretty much run this hotel the way they wanted to" "and it lost business".
Employers ask people from all ethnic groups to do this. Hispanics should not demand preferential treatment. Taos just got a reputation in the business world.
MrFresh: where did you get this? "Employers ask people from all ethnic groups to do this. Hispanics should not demand preferential treatment."
Whitten didn't ask "all ethnic groups" anything. He had one set of rules for HIS ethnic group -- use your own name, speak your own language -- and a discriminatory set of rules for the ones he doesn't like -- use my kind of names, speak my language. It's not "preferential" to ask that the laws are observed.
The Latino's of Taos should be ashamed of themselves. People from all ethnic groups around the world are asked to do this when dealing with other cultures.
India's product support people all use English names when dealing with English speakers. And those who deal with Japanese are asked to drop the "th" from their name if it contains it. "th" is difficult to translate to Japanese.
"I've got 40 years of the same stuff" - SO TRUE! At least he is honest. Most everyone in Abilene knows how he is. He fired a woman for stealing because he put $20 in a Bible and it was missing after she cleaned the room. Good detective work. I'm ashamed that he is associated with Texas.
Please Amigos, be care what we coment. Lets express ourselves without lowering ourselves to Mr. Ws level. We are a better class of people. I wonder if the bnk, who financed Mr. W, asked him to chage his name in order to get the loan if he would have done it. He can be so rich that he did not need a loan. What I do know is Mr. W. is rethinking his tactics in his future endeavors. The way I see it. Its all about beans and chili, or steak and lobster and I know what I was brought up on.
He will never make it now. Mr W's days are numbered for doing business in NM, but it should help his business back east and in places where they accept this type of behavior. He is getting national attention now and I really don't care. I speak English and Spanish and will go on with my life. He should be ashamed of himself for drawing this kind of attention to himself. I will never stay at a Whitten Inn......
"He brought his own employees from Texas." The new owner has every right to bring in employees he believes will help the business succeed. The owner said that he simply asked his employees to speak English "in his presence". What's wrong with that? It's just common courtesy. As for asking "Marcos" to become "Mark", it is common practice in many parts of the world for people to use English names at work when they are in the public service sector. This is America. Speak English at work.
Pica: if you can't see the difference between having all of your cust. serv. agents essentially go anonymous by sitting at the "Debbie Desk" or the "Patrick Desk" from telling the hated minority it has to adopt a name from the boss' ethnic stock, then no amount of education is going to make you see it.
mabewa, his cutomers are not the people in town, but visitors. The people who work in the Hotel need to realize that this makes it easier for people from other cultures when making reservations or needing a Hotel service. Easy to remember names facilitate business.
All of America has a rich heritage, please respect it.
Customer service does this all the time. Using short nicknames while at work. He does not want people to change their name, just use a nickname at work.
I feel sorry for the guy. He's done the same thing all over the US and the only people who complain are in Taos. I've heard it was only the people who worked the switchboard that were asked.
Intolerence and lack of diversity in Taos for sure. The Spanish forced the Indians into giving up their native language?
No. What "customer service" does is assign the name "Debbie" to whoever answers the phone at position #3. So 24/7, when you call back, "Debbie" is there and your file is at "Debbie's" position. They do not let Anna use her real name and make Juanita call herself "Jane."
Good, so you recognize that it was the Spanish who settled that area, but not Mexico. And after the Mexican American war it bacame a part of the United States.
One might say the Mayans "settled" it (although it's probably pretty dubious to say they made it as far North as Taos.) That happened around 2000 BC. Later came the Aztecs. Later the Spanish. Meanwhile, the Apache, Pueblo and Zuni never left and had it "settled" at least by 800 AD. Now, who, exactly, are you counting as "Latino"?
He sounds like a smart business man. I would happily stay at his hotel if I ever go visit Taos. Bottom Line is: YOU'RE IN AMERICA...SO RESPECT AMERICA AND "SPEAK ENGLISH" !!!
Oh my God... Are you REALLY that ignorant of American history??? The "Spanish-American war" is a war fought between the US and SPAIN in the late 1800's and the war was not fought on US territory. When the US invaded New Mexico, it was part of MEXICO, not SPAIN, and it's not called the "Spanish American War." Man, I know 7-yr olds who have a better grasp of US history than you do. Sheeh...
Listen, Sparky, the "Spanish American" war had NOTHING to do with New Mexico. Different time, different place, different countries (Mexico is not Spain, in case you haven't noticed). Being a citizen of a democracy, knowing basic facts about your country's history is your responsibility. It's your choice to remain ignorant if you choose, but I do suggest that you pay a little more attention in your history classes.
The Taos Indians are tired of being pushed around by the Latino's.
"DeLong, who is Native American, alleged racism against two board members who denied those accusations but said DeLong was not fulfilling district policies. Those board members, Arsenio Cordova and Lorraine Coca-Ruiz, are the subject of an ongoing recall effort by a local group.
Well, duh, I'm not claiming it's 100% harmonious. No place on earth is. But, it's way better than other parts of the US that I have lived. Also, many of the Tiwa Indians speak Spanish and have Spanish names, and most of the Hispanics have Indian blood. I have close friends from Taos Pueblo and I can attest that they have zero sympathy for English-only nonsense. People in Taos value their mixed heritage, and they don't take kindly to outsiders pushing their values on them.
I did not realize that Taos is a Hispanic reservation. Don't confuse the United States with an Independent nation.
Only the Indians are indiginous, the rest are cultures installed by conquering countries.
Companies all over the world do this, the Lation's in Taos need to accept the owner, his culture, and way of doing things. No other ethnic groups are complaining. The people from India do not complain, it's a job.
Originally, the Spanish speakers were certainly conquerors and treated the Indians badly. But Southwestern Hispanic culture has developed over hundreds of years as a uniquely American culture--one that is mixed with and is influenced by Indian culture. It's a really cool, wonderful culture, and it deserves respect, as does the Indian culture.
Nobody said that Taos is a "Hispanic reservation." It's an old Hispanic town that is connected with Taos Pueblo. The Indians and Hispanics have lived together for hundreds of years, and when the US invaded, they fought together. They accepted being part of the US a long, long time ago, but they are still proud of their cultures and preserve them. Also, New Mexico is OFFICIALLY bilingual and has been for a long time. The Federal government has no right to interfere with that.
Wrong. Spanish was spoken for hundreds of years before English was in New Mexico. New Mexican Spanish is a totally unique dialect: it has elements of old Spanish and Indian languages. It's not as old as Tiwa or Hopi, but it definitely fits the bill as an indigenous language.
Also, SW Hispanics DO accept diversity and other cultures--they do a really excellent job of it. Taos is the perfect example: Hispanics are the biggest ethnic group, but the Hispanics, Tiwa Indians and Anglos live in much more harmony than different ethnic groups do in most of the rest of the country. The USA has a lot to learn from New Mexico.
I'm amazed by all of the ignorant comments below that imply that English is the only language of the United States. The US is not some fascist or communist country that can only tolerate one culture. Just to give one example: if not for the Navajo Code Talkers, we might all be speaking Japanese now. Do the Navajo have no right to preserve their language? In my opinion, those who can't handle traditional AMERICAN languages like Navajo, Hopi, Spanish, Tiwa, Hawaiian, etc. are un-American.
Since when does anyone ask anyone else to change their names?
stratusplayer1 1 month ago
You should see his motel in Santee, SC. It has been run by the management for years the way they want to run it. All family employees there, i,e,. boyfriend, girlfriend, mothers, daughters, fathers, sons, etc. He hasn't changed that hotel in that respect at all. This is a laugh!!
KatK1960 5 months ago
*there not they
danileaf 9 months ago
I thought he was very rational. He would apply the same standard to someone with a name or language from any other country in Europe. They are hard to pronounce Germanic and Nordic names that he would probably change too.
danileaf 9 months ago
Greeklish, what you say makes you a perfect asshole.
enriqueroman62 1 year ago
@enriqueroman62 do a little research you lliterarate ass! or go to some kinda college or whateva!!
MsGreeklish 1 year ago
you are all idiots and ignorants....what he does is by law you asses!!
MsGreeklish 1 year ago
@MsGreeklish what he "did" the past tense.
csasba 1 year ago
Jesus Christ what an asshole. Speaking of assholes, blow it out yours safirpurim.
4n4Lv4p0r 1 year ago
that is typical american/european arrogance..he is just bein honest about it, instead of tellin lies and coverin it up. they ran it that way because it has been through a couple of owners! if that fool would just learn spanish, he could not only understand what they say but he will also be able to share in the beauty of that culture! texas is right next to the border! he is an idiot...i hate to speak ill of anybody......but no man can truly afford such arrogance.
safirpurim 1 year ago
What's up Taos? Did you win your court case? Has LaRaza shut him down?
stonethemason; "Italians were the original Latino's".
Ripe.
glauchow 2 years ago
Have the filed in court yet?
backspacetube 2 years ago
This is not about language. Nor is it about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
stonethemason 2 years ago
Bad business plan equals failure. Starting a business in a cultural backwater like texas is a much different proposition than staring one in an upscale, upmarket area like Taos. He didnt do his homework and admits such in the video. He says that he came to Taos with a pre-formulated business plan that has worked in the past....dudes...Taos is not Bumf**k texas. Taos is not Podunk, Oklahoma. Taos is Taos.
stonethemason 2 years ago
You need to rethink the whole situation, without calling LULAC, NAACP or another group. Maybe you should have contacted the states employment commission instead and asked for a mediator. I hope you can work towards a peaceable armistice, I know as a consumer; I would not want to visit Taos, NM knowing that the community is at unrest and not a united community.
Zoesmiled 2 years ago
However, they were asked to speak English when talking to the owner, because he does not understand or speak Spanish, but does speak English. If there was an emergency & a patron could not understand Spanish, will the employees speak a language that the patron would understand and get them to safety? This seems like a communication problem, which has gotten very out of hand.
Zoesmiled 2 years ago
We are all part of the "HUMAN" race; this is a cultural issue. The name change was a request;employees just need to say they prefer to go by their given names. When requested that the employees speak English when in the working environment and others cannot speak or understand Spanish is a viable request. The employees were asked to speak Spanish when needed, as customers check in, etc.
Zoesmiled 2 years ago
Taos is not that unique from the rest of America's southwest. The big draw is the Native American mystic.
Whitten came up against a couple of families that feel the area should bow to their demands.
If Whitten is wrong, take him to court, otherwise shut up. We are tired of this whinny garbage.
deceebee 2 years ago
they are taking him to court
ssszar 2 years ago
@ssszar they claim they are taking him to court, but nothing has been filed. It's just posturing by the attorney.
deceebee 2 years ago
oh ok
ssszar 2 years ago
OK..Let me give all of you paranoid race baiters a little bit of perspective of what happened..
The fact is that the town WANTED Whitten to succeed, and when this controversy happened, instead of acknowledging that he had made a mistake, WHitten dug in his heels and acted like a major a-hole, and disparaged the whole town biddness or not he does not have the right to come in here expect us to let him shit on us
imsloan 2 years ago
Wrong. These people were already working there under the previous owners..Its was extremely unfortunate that this backward Texas person bought the establishment..He did not give jobs, he took jobs away from people who already had them..I know this becasue I live there
imsloan 2 years ago
@imsloan i live there also and guess what? whenever a business has new owners all former employees are fired and must reapply. the reason these ppl were not hired 1. they were not qualified for the position and 2. They aren't related to larry whitten. If you live here you would know that most ppl get jobs based on who they know!
420mariahjane 1 year ago
Running down Whitten in your comments does nothing to disprove that non-Laino owners are not run out of Taos.
deceebee 2 years ago
Hey, I lived in Taos for nine years...and non-Latino owners are NOT run out of Taos...This Whitten guys is failing for failing to understand the unique characteristics of Taos..That probably won't satisfy you, but theres no law that says any of us gotta prove a damn thing to yr ignorant ass..
imsloan 2 years ago
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deceebee 2 years ago
I beg to differ Stonethemason. Most of the non-Latino's in Taos were against Whitten changing peoples names permanently, but we found out it was just a few employees, and only when they worked the switchboard. That is perfectly acceptable in our view.
As far as speaking Spanish in front of others, that is never acceptable when with non Spanish speaking people.
deceebee 2 years ago 2
This is not about language. Nor is it about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
stonethemason 2 years ago
Bad business plan equals failure. Starting a business in a cultural backwater like texas is a much different proposition than starting one in an upscale, upmarket area like Taos. He didnt do his homework and admits such in the video. He says that he came to Taos with a business formula that has worked in the past....dudes...Taos is not bumfuck texas. Taos is not Podunk Oklahoma. Taos is Taos.
stonethemason 2 years ago
stonethemason-the left wing americans of taos are hardly upscale, as for texas being a back water and given the history of texas and new mexico, texas has far more culture to it than a place like san francisco, yes taos is taos, nto san francisco or vermont
ssszar 2 years ago
Yeah, San Francisco is lacking, with 20 times the number or writers, intellectuals, artists ,scientists, Nobel Prize recipients in that one city than in the whole state of texas....that one city of San Fran producing a GSP almost 10 times that of the entire state of texas.
stonethemason 2 years ago
This is not about language. Nor is it about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
stonethemason 2 years ago
The Spanish took the land from the Native Americans in Taos. It was then taken over by Mexico after they gained Independence. America paid the Native Americans in the South West for Spain's theft of land. While under Spanish rule the Native American names of places and some people who worked in the Spanish owned business were changed. During the Mexican American war, the Native Americans that were sympathetic to Mexico included Tomasito Romero, a Taos Pueblo Native American. A Latino name?
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube- your still on this nonsense idea of hispnos taking land from people, the native americans of nuevo mexico and the hispano population have had one common culture since the days of our spanish empire- the native americans that have lived on this land for thousands of years are all still here on the same lands we didnt take it away from anyone and we didnt put them in reservations like your nation did, now can you provide documentation to the contrary, the issue is whitten.
ssszar 2 years ago
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backspacetube 2 years ago
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backspacetube 2 years ago
Pueblo Rebellion of 1680
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube-im still waiting for you to provide documentation of the spanish stealing land from the indians in new mexico- you can say pueblo revolt as if that is supposed to mean something, but the pueblo revolt was not fought by all the pueblos in new mexico in fact most pueblos did not take part in it, just those under the leadership of popay, who was later killed by his own people because he was a tyrant to his own people, so please provide your documentation.
ssszar 2 years ago
You are aware that people can search on the Internet and find the truth?
Most of the Pueblo Indians helped force the Spanish out, only later to be killed in the re-conquest. Over 400 Pueblo Indians were turned into slaves.
From Hernán Cortés on, the Spanish were just as bad to the Indians as the Europeans in the US were. Thet were the original slave traders also, bringing slaves to the Caribbean and Florida.
Whitten is changing, or is the weather getting cold?
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube-yes people can research the truth which is what i am asking you to do, the spnaish were not like the english- the spanish actually kept records here, so those records you can see, no most of the pueblo indians did not help to force anyone out as most of the pueblos did not wish to take part in the rebellion.yes we brought african slaves here bcause we did not take the native americans as slaves as per spanish law, now talk about whitten not pretend stolen land.
ssszar 2 years ago
Have you EVER read even a tiny bit of historical documentation, books, magazines??? Is your whole life filled with such ridiculous fantasies?
stonethemason 2 years ago
Mr. ssszar, just stop. You are starting to look like a real ignorant dummy. "waiting for you to provide documentation of the spanish stealing land from the indians in new mexico" has got to be one of the stupidest statements ever posted. Wow...thats a real doozy. Its like someone saying, "Show me documentation that blacks were ever slaves" or, " show me documentation that the earth is round". By any chance, do you watch FAUXNEWS?
stonethemason 2 years ago
stonethemason=-the documentation is not hard to produce because the spanish kept records not like the english,stupidest is not a work so dont call me ignorant,now if you have documents that show that the spanish threw out the natives of this area and made them live elsewhere then please show me it,i do not know what fauxnews no i do not watch fox news often, im a fascist not a republican.
ssszar 2 years ago
Pendejo....then you are saying that somehow, in your fantasy world, the prehistoric Celtic Iberians somehow used the Star Trek transporter or the H.G.Wells time machine and landed in the general new mexico area 40,000 years ago??? Because that is really the only scenario that can have the Iberians NOT TAKING land from the natives, you moron!!~!
stonethemason 2 years ago
stonethemason-what fantasy world? now your calling me pendejo, your going to throw out random cuss words at me,i am asking which lands did we take from the natives of new mexico, they are all still here living on the same land they have for thousands of years, we did not move them to oklahoma, like your children of the enlightenment did. i am asking whos lands did we take because the natives of new mexico are all still here.
ssszar 2 years ago
Let me get this straight....youre actually saying that the Spanish NEVER took ANY land from the Native Americans??!!!!
stonethemason 2 years ago
Stony, forget arguing with that idiot....he's just baitng you by pulling facts out of his ass. I agree with you...the guy lives in a fantasy world where he has never read a single history book.
GARAGEHERO1 2 years ago
Go find yr own documentation..A good place to start would be the public library in Taos....you sit in a bubble of ignorance and try to call out the rest of us..that says a lot more about you and yr character than it does any of us, IMO
imsloan 2 years ago
This has been going on since July? Are they still doing it? Those extended unemployment benefits come in handy, don't they?
Stop running non-Latino business owners out of Taos. When people see or hear this, they are sympathetic, but once the facts are known, it's making Whitten a hero.
backspacetube 2 years ago
No one, as far I know, has ever run a non-latino business out of Taos. As for whitten....very few whites in Taos support the moron.
stonethemason 2 years ago
To continue- when you call them on those things, the reaction-YOU ARE A RACIST!
The most ridiculous claim? That somehow my ancestors stole land from the indigenous residents, indians, native Americans, whatever. If that were the case their last names Johnson, Jones, Smith, Allen, Roberts, etc....
Does anyone know when Mr.Whitten had scheduled the drug test for consideration to hire? I do.
sambogoode 2 years ago
That should read "last names would be"
sambogoode 2 years ago
@sambogoode
1) After you slur Hispanic culture and employees with a list of insults, you are somehow unable to own up to being racist. What, pray, tell, do you thing racist means?
2) Why, if Smith, Jones and Roberts stole their land, would their names be Smith, Jones and Roberts? Did you know that the Indian Claims Commission considered and paid (in uninflation adjusted dollars) the claims of more than 500 tribes whose lands were stolen?
emkimmel 2 years ago
I know exactly what Mr.Whitten is talking about. I moved to this area almost 20 years ago. I started a business from nothing. After 8 years and 30 different employees, I finally gave up. Not on the business, I gave up on the employees. I do all the work myself now and am quite busy.
Hispanic culture? The overwhelming culture I have observed-smoke as much dope, drink as much beer/alcohol, beat up girlfriend/wife,get pregnant, as often and early as possible. Not necessarily in that order.
sambogoode 2 years ago 2
You started a business? 30 employees? You needed that many to pick up aluminum cans by the interstate? Oh brother!!!
stonethemason 2 years ago
Mr. Whitten is too nice of a name for a bigoted, he and Glenn Beck need to go to where ever the Nazi's would love to embrace them. Mr. Whitten, you are an ignorant man, sorry Taos, hope he goes home to wherever that is?
debfult85 2 years ago
Oh goodie, another Gem from rick romancito...
Lorenzo Blanco...I lol'd
ForgetfulFlorist 2 years ago
Hispanic and Latino/Latina are not identical in meaning and use, though many people use them interchangeably. Hispanic, the broader term, comes from a Spanish word for "Spain." As such, it can refer to not only the Spanish-speaking people of North, Central, and South America but to all such speakers worldwide whose first language is Spanish and whose descent is from Spain. and there y'all go..look it up 4 urselves ty
sp0ttedp0ny330 2 years ago
also from Encarta:
His·pan·ic [ hi spánnik ]
adjective
Definition:
1. of people of Spanish descent: relating to people descended from Spanish or Latin American people or their culture
2. of Spanish-speaking people: relating to Spanish-speaking people or their culture
3. of Iberian Peninsula: relating to Spain, or its language, people, or culture
(more to follow...)
sp0ttedp0ny330 2 years ago
{from Encarta dict.}La·ti·no [ lə tnō ] (plural La·ti·nos) noun Hispanic
Definition:
1. somebody from Latin America: somebody who comes from a country of Latin America
2. Latin American living in U.S.: somebody of Latin American descent who comes from the United States
[Mid-20th century. Via American Spanish< Spanish, "Latin, a Latin" < Latin Latinus
.....cont'd
sp0ttedp0ny330 2 years ago
noun Hispanic
****************
You seem to be confused as to the origin of many names of people involved. Rome, Hebrew, French etc are not Latino/Hispanic.
I will go to Park City or Jackson Hole from now on.
glauchow 2 years ago
well actually you were the one who told us to "look Hispanic and Latino up"...so i did--AND to put an end to the uninformed arguements about it, i posted the definitions here--and no where in my post do i refer to "Rome, Hebrew, French etc" as being Latino OR Hispanic.
sp0ttedp0ny330 2 years ago
Ethnonym Hispanic or Latino, define "a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race. Derived from Latin America, not Italy.
Complaining about a person asking someone to use a pseudonym on a switchboard, is pathletic. Your culture changed the Native Americans names permanantly. You need to appologize and learn diversity.
glauchow 2 years ago
again with the native american issue, whos names did my spanish ancestors change here? i dont have to apologize for anything because i have done nothing wrong, please site one nation in history that is able to survive diversity?, also hispanic and latino are not the same thing, brazil is also part of latin america yet they are not hispanic so how would the term hispanic apply to them if hispanic means the same thing as latino?
ssszar 2 years ago
Your Spanish ancestors changed many of the Native American names of the area to Spanish. Also Native Americans had their name changed including Tomasito Romero. Look him . Look Hispanic and Latino up. One is used mostly in the east, one in the west.
Latin America is the geographical name. It's different from the language Latin in reference to Rome. The name Marcos is not Spanish, it is Latin, from Rome.
glauchow 2 years ago
ok ill look it up give me a source from where you have your bogus idea that tomasito romero didnt go by tomasito romero, please tell me how the brazilians and the portugese who are latino are not hispanic if those two mean the same thing, its called latin america because the people who settled the area spoke a latin language, they spoke that language because they were descended from people who spoke latin, whos names did we change?
ssszar 2 years ago
Italians are the original latinos, moron.
stonethemason 2 years ago 2
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COCONUT71 2 years ago
ssszar, your confusing Latino with Latin. Latin is a language spoken in ancient Rome.
It's easy to see the real problem here.
glauchow 2 years ago
glauchow, no im not a latino is any person who is descended from people who spoke latin, hispanic or french or otherwise, the italian people are just as latin as any hispano, or portugese person
ssszar 2 years ago
thats why we really dont use the term latino here its too broad a term, either way what this man did cannot be justified in anyway
ssszar 2 years ago
Just because he is not going to let you run the hotel like you use to, you should not be calling him a racist. You can't always get things your way.
glauchow 2 years ago
He has done this for 40 years with other non anglo sounding names, no matter what etnic group they come from. Mark is the same as Marcos, both names come from Italy. So a Latino using the nickname for his Italian name, should not be a problem. It's guest relations.
Buy your own hotel if you want to run another one into the ground. You can't run someone elses company the way you want.
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube-italians are latino, why do the names have to be changed in the first place,do you think a customer would call that hotel with marcos answering the phone and say, oh im sorry i dont understand how to say your name im never going to that hotel? or oh im sorry i dont know how to pronounce that name i hate it good bye? no when people come to new mexico they do not need to speak spanish but they had better be prepared to hear it being spoken here
ssszar 2 years ago
ssszar--"italians are latino"
And you keep telling people that they know nothing about your heritage?
glauchow 2 years ago
italians are latino, people of spanish, french, romanian, italian, portugese, belgian, and some parts of switzerland are of latin descent, taht is what the term latino means, to be of latin descent, the thing is the term latino has been currupted by left wing american chicano communists. to where they make people like you think the only latinos in the world are of spanish descent
ssszar 2 years ago 2
"If the Spanish changing a name did not make him any less native american"
Tomasito Romero was a Native American in New Mexico's history. Under the Spanish/Mexico rule he, and other Native Americans had their name changed permanently. It was not just while working the switchboard.
The families that ran the hotel into the ground for the four previous owners need to understand that if they want to run it their way, they need to buy the hotel.
Crying racism is a huge mistake.
backspacetube 2 years ago
Look, if you have a rule that everyone who is not of your race and ethnicity must adopt names like yours and speak your language, while people who ARE of your race and ethnicity make no changes, you are violating the law. Whether it is xenophobia, racism, or just blind stupid bigotry hardly matters.
When you combine that with a notion that people visiting Taos, NM really want to be visiting Topeka, KN, you've just eaten too many dumb-dumb pills to be a part of society.
emkimmel 2 years ago
If the Spanish changing a name did not make him any less native american nor did it make him any less new mexican, then using a nickname on the switchboard would be much much less of a problem?
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube-the spanish didnt change his name in the first place, the employees of the hotel were speaking english to the guests who did not speak spanish so there is no need to have anyone change names, the protestant american was just being paranoid thinking that his employees were talking about him.
ssszar 2 years ago
Marcos is a Italian name.
"The boy's name Marcos \m(a)-rcos, mar-cos\ is a variant of Marco (Latin) and Mark (Latin), and the meaning of Marcos is "dedicated to Mars".
picandroll 2 years ago
ssszar, forcing a native American to change his name to Spanish is OK, because he is now in New Mexico?
And people outside the area are not aware there are Native Americans in Taos?
WOW
picandroll 2 years ago
picandroll- i never said any of those things, back up your claims
ssszar 2 years ago
WELCOME TO REDNECK INN
MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
ATTENTION GRINGO'S
MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
KKK MEETING TONITE
MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
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MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
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MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
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MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
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MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
Thanks for scaring business out of America, companies have been doing this for years. Now when a Latino walks through the door, they will think twice about hiring them.
Now not wanting to take drug tests, and not being willing to use a nickname on the switchboard, thinking your going to sue him and retire, hurts Latino's everywhere.
picandroll 2 years ago 2
An anglo in Japan working for a US company would use a name easy for the Japanese to pronounce and remember. You cater to the customer and the language the majority use.
The call centers in Sonora Mexico use this same business model. They have Latino's use Anglo names. Until you can prove he has never asked any person from another ethnic group to change their name at any of his motels, you are making fools out of the town, the resort, and the Latino people there. Please stop.
picandroll 2 years ago
Making Latinos change their names is NOT THE SAME as making all employees use pseudonyms. Making all citizens carry id is not the same as making the Jews sew a star on their chest. Larry DID NOT make all employees use nick names; Larry made LATINOS corrupt their names. Discriminating on the basis of ethnicity is not the same as just having dumb policies.
emkimmel 2 years ago
AND it isn't like he is asking you to permanently change names. He is asking his employees to take on "nick names" at work. I've worked places that have asked that. No big deal!
And to speak English in his presence? Why is that wrong?
When in doubt ... play the race card!
If it has changed ownership a few times, maybe it is time for the staff to go! Start over! I've seen other companies do this too. But here with everyone related and friends, its easy to claim "racism."
nighthawk0 2 years ago 2
So, let me get this straight. A guy BUYS a motel with HIS own money (or through HIS loans). He puts policies in place.
What if that policy was that he wanted ALL STAFF to wear pink frilly shirts (including men)? What if he wanted everyone who answered the phone to say "My name is Joe, how can I help you?"
Guess what? HE CAN DO THAT! If you want to work there, you agree to HIS TERMS.
There are many places HERE that do that. An Asian hair place where the names are ALL Anglocized!
nighthawk0 2 years ago 2
So, you have in all caps "ALL STAFF" before your example of an absurd policy he could make "ALL STAFF" do.
But here, he only made the hated minority group change their names. It's really hard to believe you can't get the point, nighthawk.
emkimmel 2 years ago
No! If you LISTENED, you would hear him say that ONLY those who work the switchboard (PHONES) use pseudonyms. It's not even the WHOLE group as you wish to pretend.
I think it is interesting how YOU *pick and choose* your facts to fit your agenda!
AND he asks ALL STAFF to speak English in his presence. If YOU work for HIM, he can require that!
I just think it interesting how you are trying to turn that too around on HIM. Its *HIS* COMPANY. Funny that *YOU* don't get THAT!
nighthawk0 2 years ago
tsk,tsk,tsk, you mean talking with the local native people, the Native Americans don't you?
Stealing anothers culture and accomplishments is not acceptable. I question Taos as a choice for vacation now, it does not seem like a very friendly place anymore.
glauchow 2 years ago
At $50 per night I would imagine that the only customers he would get is homeless people or migrant workers coming over the border from Mexico. When I visit Taos I stay at the $200 per night Haciendas. I stay in style, talking with the local people their native Spanish and learning about the Pueblo Indian culture there. This guy is just a narrow minded biggot hotel owner with a dumb business plan. He would never compare to a Donald Trump. In my oppinion, Larry Whit(e)tten is a JOKE!!!
asbusu 2 years ago
I have seen this practice 1st hand. I use 2work on cruise ships.
Most of the workers were from countries outside the US, but most of our patrons were from the US.
It was not unusual for someone who had 2 interact w/ the public 2 have
a nickname or English version of their regular name. It was easier on our patrons. It was also easier on the worker not having 2 take time out
trying to educate someone on how 2 pronounce their name all the time. No 1 I worked w/ ever seemed offended by this.
MrFoodee 2 years ago
Why not just find another job? It's against the law to protest or strike while drawing unemployment. How are you supporting your families?
glauchow 2 years ago
huge march on November 14 meet across Wal Mart @11:30. March to motel and press @ 2pm
shirleyreyes01 2 years ago
Is Tomasito a Native American name? Why did Mexico change the Native American names?
Tourists come for the Native American culture. If we want Mexico's culture, we go to Mexico.
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube, tomasito romero's name did not make him any less native american nor did it make him any less new mexican, you dont know anything about new mexico, people come to taos to ski and to see the art galleries most people outside the state dont even know abou the native american population there, this issue does not have to do with taos pueblo it has to do with this guy disrespecting our heritage,
ssszar 2 years ago
Is it true that this started when he said he was going to do drug tests?
Sounds like there is way more to the story. Someone did not like the gringo taking over.
backspacetube 2 years ago
this is disgraceful I say this as an Anglo- Saxon , you cannot under any circumstances ask people to change who they are its stupid and impossible and warrants a fight ALL THE WAY!!!!! fair comments about the language but everything else is an outrage.
BiffaTW 2 years ago
this is disgraceful I say this as an Anglo- Saxon , you cannot under any circumstances ask people to change who they its stupid and impossible and warrants a fight ALL THE WAY!!!!!
BiffaTW 2 years ago
When people don't agree with you then they are haters?
I doubt God takes sides on youtube. Ask him why David changed his name?
backspacetube 2 years ago
Look, I'm an American, and I hate dealing with heavy hispanic names and accents when I go somewhere. English should be spoken while these people are at work dealing with the public.
joejeep03 2 years ago 2
Please refrain from using profanilty or your comment will be deleted
taosnews 2 years ago
You need to grow up.. seems to me your a hater and will never be happy go play with your guns. you should read your comments and apply them to yourself. God bless because i will pray pray 4 you.The father in mass today told us its people like you that will assure me peace in heaven and to show you compassion
tgsalas 2 years ago
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tgsalas 2 years ago
And it is the Indian culture that gives Taos it's unique personality. It is sacred to them.
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube-you really do not understand new mexican history, what places were named something else by the spanish, would it be taos, cochiti, pecos, pojoaque, ohkay owingeh? no those names are not hard to pronounce to us because to this day we pronounce those names and no, what gives taos its unique quality is the culture and hstory of all of northern new mexico, two cultures becomign one new mexican culture, and it is that that led to the taos revolt against the united states
ssszar 2 years ago
ssszar, there is a world outside of Taos. Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose, Albuquerque, Los Angeles etc all were named by the Spanish, and replacing the Native American names. I guess the Native American names were to difficult to pronounce for the Spanish.
backspacetube 2 years ago 2
Taos is a wonder place to ski, but it's the Native American culture that people go to see.
glauchow 2 years ago
When the Spanish came here, they changed the Native American names of places. Diversity only counts when your Hispanic? Don't do as we do, do as we demand?
Don't work the switchboard if you don't want to use a nickname. Stop crying because you can't get your way.
backspacetube 2 years ago
backspacetube- taos is a native american place name the native americans who have lived their for centuries are still living there today speaking the language they always have spoken, try again backspacetube its obvious you do not know much about new mexico
ssszar 2 years ago
Sorry about the thumbs down, i hit it by mistake and was unable to remove it.
MrPumpt 2 years ago
He's wrong to tell them they have to change their names. I read the entire interview, he said he thought they were talking about him. He needs a course in cultural sensitivity. Look at the architecture of the hotel, it's a place you expect to see people with Spanish names. That's how New Mexico is. If he was there to save and bring jobs to the community, he didn't show it with his actions.
apachesbutterfly 2 years ago
I am sorry but new mexico brings in tourists to see the native american culture.A community is not changed by the mere presence of a majority race. Sorry
MrPumpt 2 years ago
This is a free country if you don't like it leave! Stop trying to make un free
tgsalas 2 years ago
Just think with all the money he's losing he could have bought 1000s of Rosetta stone programs... L Whitten A.K.A Forest Gump... I hardly know howda turn on a computer duh lol
tgsalas 2 years ago
You should judge the situation by the merits and not be prejudicial by your race. Name change was for business and he admitted it was not the best solution. However i doubt that was the reason they where fired.
MrPumpt 2 years ago
If you read the reviews on this hotel before it was sold you would see the place was a dump that stunk and was unclean. They where fired for being incompetent but you can't draw umemployment for that though. Playing the race card again.
MrPumpt 2 years ago
who them or him or both
tgsalas 2 years ago
What are the chances the people that are protesting are drawing unemployment?
I hope not, that's illegal.
backspacetube 2 years ago
depends on there individual circumstance.. I'm sure the dept of labor does there job well and does not ask from a name change!
tgsalas 2 years ago
These people lost their jobs when the old owners sold the Hotel. Upon applying for a job they were told they would use a code name when working the switchboard. The owner has a right to do that. If you don't want to use a "handle" then don't work there.
But playing the race card because the new owner won't kowtow to your demands is foolish. No wonder the call centers have all moved to Mexico and India. Shame on Taos.
MrFreshgarbage 2 years ago
Sounds like there are a lot more issues than language and name changes. Mr. Whitten is a bull loose in a china shop but it is nothing new with corporate takeovers. He (Mr. Whitten), however, might have bitten more off than he can chew with this deal....
Fundive1 2 years ago
I would expect the employees to speak English to me as well. I would not hire a non English speaking employee, Bilingual yes.
the name changes sounds a bit ODD, I don't agree with asking people to change there name to a more English pronunciation
However it seems he came in to fix things and the employees bucked and lost
rootsxrocks 2 years ago
Ok, I called Spain. After 150 years they are embarrassed that people still think they own Taos. I doubt they want to be associated with this.
And don't tell the Native Americans they still live in Spain, they are under the impression that the Reservation is a Native American nation.
MrFreshgarbage 2 years ago
Hollywood and the entertainment Industry has done this for years.
Vangtel, a outsourcing call center in Mexico, south of Arizona, has their workers use the short Anglo version of their name when answering calls from the US, if the customer requests it. Ricardo to Rick etc. And no duplication.
Maybe you need to go protest them also.
backspacetube 2 years ago
Mr. Whitten has used this on the switchboard of his other hotels. I suggest the Latino's check to see if other people from other ethnic groups have been asked by him in his other hotels. Until then, you have no complaint.
Using "code" names is nothing new in business, and most times they are picked to be short, easy to remember names for the target consumer.
MrFreshgarbage 2 years ago 2
He brought his own people in. That upset the Latino's that had been running the Hotel for the four previous owners.
This is about employees upset because the new owner is not going to let them run it into the ground again.
Standard procedure for business to have people use pseudo names on a switchboard.
If you don't do things our way we will call the Brown Berets and picket you? Childish. If you want to work there, follow his rules, if not, then find another job.
picandroll 2 years ago
This is not about language. Nor is it much about racism. Its about an unsophistcated, paranoid and uneducated small business man with experience in setting up mom & pop hotels and Inns in the backwaters
of America and suddenly deciding he wants to open an upscale, upmarket business. It just doesnt work that way. Its like a guy who runs a McDonalds or a Piggly Wiggly trying to open and run a Sachs Fifth Ave or a Wofgang Puck restaurant.....
GARAGEHERO1 2 years ago
Please refrain from using profanity or your comment will be deleted
taosnews 2 years ago
"I was unlawful?"
If that means he was in the country illegally, then it changes the entire story. Employers put themselves in violation of the law by hiring people who are here illegally.
MrFreshgarbage 2 years ago
"He brough his own employees from Texas" Was that the real problem?
"They pretty much run this hotel the way they wanted to" "and it lost business".
Employers ask people from all ethnic groups to do this. Hispanics should not demand preferential treatment. Taos just got a reputation in the business world.
MrFreshgarbage 2 years ago 3
MrFresh: where did you get this? "Employers ask people from all ethnic groups to do this. Hispanics should not demand preferential treatment."
Whitten didn't ask "all ethnic groups" anything. He had one set of rules for HIS ethnic group -- use your own name, speak your own language -- and a discriminatory set of rules for the ones he doesn't like -- use my kind of names, speak my language. It's not "preferential" to ask that the laws are observed.
emkimmel 2 years ago
The Latino's of Taos should be ashamed of themselves. People from all ethnic groups around the world are asked to do this when dealing with other cultures.
India's product support people all use English names when dealing with English speakers. And those who deal with Japanese are asked to drop the "th" from their name if it contains it. "th" is difficult to translate to Japanese.
picandroll 2 years ago
If Latino's are to good to do the job Americans and others around the world do, then they should not take the job.
If I run a call center or customer support group, I would think twice about locating in the SW America.
picandroll 2 years ago
"I've got 40 years of the same stuff" - SO TRUE! At least he is honest. Most everyone in Abilene knows how he is. He fired a woman for stealing because he put $20 in a Bible and it was missing after she cleaned the room. Good detective work. I'm ashamed that he is associated with Texas.
camnetar 2 years ago 2
Please Amigos, be care what we coment. Lets express ourselves without lowering ourselves to Mr. Ws level. We are a better class of people. I wonder if the bnk, who financed Mr. W, asked him to chage his name in order to get the loan if he would have done it. He can be so rich that he did not need a loan. What I do know is Mr. W. is rethinking his tactics in his future endeavors. The way I see it. Its all about beans and chili, or steak and lobster and I know what I was brought up on.
tgsalas 2 years ago
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MrStevenmoreno 2 years ago
He will never make it now. Mr W's days are numbered for doing business in NM, but it should help his business back east and in places where they accept this type of behavior. He is getting national attention now and I really don't care. I speak English and Spanish and will go on with my life. He should be ashamed of himself for drawing this kind of attention to himself. I will never stay at a Whitten Inn......
tgsalas 2 years ago
"He brought his own employees from Texas." The new owner has every right to bring in employees he believes will help the business succeed. The owner said that he simply asked his employees to speak English "in his presence". What's wrong with that? It's just common courtesy. As for asking "Marcos" to become "Mark", it is common practice in many parts of the world for people to use English names at work when they are in the public service sector. This is America. Speak English at work.
Wohelogirl 2 years ago
no this is a free country speak what you want
tgsalas 2 years ago
So emkimmel, they all use the same name for customer service? That's not changing peoples names, but assigning a "handle or username" to a position.
Again, that's done in other business. Kmart use to refer to their store managers as Parkwood.
picandroll 2 years ago
Pica: if you can't see the difference between having all of your cust. serv. agents essentially go anonymous by sitting at the "Debbie Desk" or the "Patrick Desk" from telling the hated minority it has to adopt a name from the boss' ethnic stock, then no amount of education is going to make you see it.
emkimmel 2 years ago
If you're going to defend English, you should learn to write it.
"damkid" complains that the Latinos "want to have there 'culture.'"
"TeamFortress" says if you disagree with her, "your a racist", much like "Plasma50" who says "your a mexy homo" if you disagree with her.
Then there is "MinorityReport" who says "there right" and "your a beaner."
Have you no sense of self parody? Before you force English upon everyone else, you should learn some.
emkimmel 2 years ago
mabewa, his cutomers are not the people in town, but visitors. The people who work in the Hotel need to realize that this makes it easier for people from other cultures when making reservations or needing a Hotel service. Easy to remember names facilitate business.
All of America has a rich heritage, please respect it.
picandroll 2 years ago
The fact that this man has done this with other ethnic groups and people from other races in his business tells a lot.
It's not discrimination against Latino/Spanish, stop crying and accept diversity.
picandroll 2 years ago
Customer service does this all the time. Using short nicknames while at work. He does not want people to change their name, just use a nickname at work.
I feel sorry for the guy. He's done the same thing all over the US and the only people who complain are in Taos. I've heard it was only the people who worked the switchboard that were asked.
Intolerence and lack of diversity in Taos for sure. The Spanish forced the Indians into giving up their native language?
backspacetube 2 years ago
No. What "customer service" does is assign the name "Debbie" to whoever answers the phone at position #3. So 24/7, when you call back, "Debbie" is there and your file is at "Debbie's" position. They do not let Anna use her real name and make Juanita call herself "Jane."
emkimmel 2 years ago
Good, so you recognize that it was the Spanish who settled that area, but not Mexico. And after the Mexican American war it bacame a part of the United States.
Spanish, not Latino settled it.
picandroll 2 years ago
One might say the Mayans "settled" it (although it's probably pretty dubious to say they made it as far North as Taos.) That happened around 2000 BC. Later came the Aztecs. Later the Spanish. Meanwhile, the Apache, Pueblo and Zuni never left and had it "settled" at least by 800 AD. Now, who, exactly, are you counting as "Latino"?
emkimmel 2 years ago
He sounds like a smart business man. I would happily stay at his hotel if I ever go visit Taos. Bottom Line is: YOU'RE IN AMERICA...SO RESPECT AMERICA AND "SPEAK ENGLISH" !!!
2009tony 2 years ago
It's not smart business in New Mexico. New Mexicans value heritage and culture. When someone disrespects that, they will not frequent that business.
mabewa 2 years ago
The Indians fought the Spanish American war?
picandroll 2 years ago
Oh my God... Are you REALLY that ignorant of American history??? The "Spanish-American war" is a war fought between the US and SPAIN in the late 1800's and the war was not fought on US territory. When the US invaded New Mexico, it was part of MEXICO, not SPAIN, and it's not called the "Spanish American War." Man, I know 7-yr olds who have a better grasp of US history than you do. Sheeh...
mabewa 2 years ago 2
Listen, Sparky, the "Spanish American" war had NOTHING to do with New Mexico. Different time, different place, different countries (Mexico is not Spain, in case you haven't noticed). Being a citizen of a democracy, knowing basic facts about your country's history is your responsibility. It's your choice to remain ignorant if you choose, but I do suggest that you pay a little more attention in your history classes.
chrism01us 2 years ago
So the Spanish forced the Indians to change their names?
picandroll 2 years ago
The Taos Indians are tired of being pushed around by the Latino's.
"DeLong, who is Native American, alleged racism against two board members who denied those accusations but said DeLong was not fulfilling district policies. Those board members, Arsenio Cordova and Lorraine Coca-Ruiz, are the subject of an ongoing recall effort by a local group.
Taos is not a harmonious melting pot.
picandroll 2 years ago
Well, duh, I'm not claiming it's 100% harmonious. No place on earth is. But, it's way better than other parts of the US that I have lived. Also, many of the Tiwa Indians speak Spanish and have Spanish names, and most of the Hispanics have Indian blood. I have close friends from Taos Pueblo and I can attest that they have zero sympathy for English-only nonsense. People in Taos value their mixed heritage, and they don't take kindly to outsiders pushing their values on them.
chrism01us 2 years ago
I did not realize that Taos is a Hispanic reservation. Don't confuse the United States with an Independent nation.
Only the Indians are indiginous, the rest are cultures installed by conquering countries.
Companies all over the world do this, the Lation's in Taos need to accept the owner, his culture, and way of doing things. No other ethnic groups are complaining. The people from India do not complain, it's a job.
picandroll 2 years ago
Originally, the Spanish speakers were certainly conquerors and treated the Indians badly. But Southwestern Hispanic culture has developed over hundreds of years as a uniquely American culture--one that is mixed with and is influenced by Indian culture. It's a really cool, wonderful culture, and it deserves respect, as does the Indian culture.
mabewa 2 years ago
Nobody said that Taos is a "Hispanic reservation." It's an old Hispanic town that is connected with Taos Pueblo. The Indians and Hispanics have lived together for hundreds of years, and when the US invaded, they fought together. They accepted being part of the US a long, long time ago, but they are still proud of their cultures and preserve them. Also, New Mexico is OFFICIALLY bilingual and has been for a long time. The Federal government has no right to interfere with that.
mabewa 2 years ago
Spanish is not a traditional language like native Americans, it's not indigionous to the area.
Latino's need to accept diversity and other cultures.
picandroll 2 years ago
Wrong. Spanish was spoken for hundreds of years before English was in New Mexico. New Mexican Spanish is a totally unique dialect: it has elements of old Spanish and Indian languages. It's not as old as Tiwa or Hopi, but it definitely fits the bill as an indigenous language.
chrism01us 2 years ago
Also, SW Hispanics DO accept diversity and other cultures--they do a really excellent job of it. Taos is the perfect example: Hispanics are the biggest ethnic group, but the Hispanics, Tiwa Indians and Anglos live in much more harmony than different ethnic groups do in most of the rest of the country. The USA has a lot to learn from New Mexico.
chrism01us 2 years ago
I'm amazed by all of the ignorant comments below that imply that English is the only language of the United States. The US is not some fascist or communist country that can only tolerate one culture. Just to give one example: if not for the Navajo Code Talkers, we might all be speaking Japanese now. Do the Navajo have no right to preserve their language? In my opinion, those who can't handle traditional AMERICAN languages like Navajo, Hopi, Spanish, Tiwa, Hawaiian, etc. are un-American.
chrism01us 2 years ago