Richard Rodriguez: Books and Learning

[LoveMeTwoTimes09]

@katohoag All his points about race are not him seeking to be raceless, but he emphasizes that we as Americans cannot be limited to a single race. America is a melting is it not? Also, your appeal to a full person is using a ridiculous absolute, "This is in some ways what ALL Americans seek." Bullshit. I do not seek to be a full person. Its quite ironic, because he did not seek to 'escape' but actually became a minority by escaping; The masses are uneducated making educated people Minorities.

[TheCrazybarnacles]

this is my hw, lol

[islamazon1]

I think his ideas are weird.

[writersblock26]

Thank you for posting this, UCtelevision.

[Ohseeya30]

Teacher is making us write a paper on this video...

[Ohseeya30]

Apply Richard Rodriguez’s idea relating to language and assimilation, as discussed in “Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood,” to one of the following videos. These videos can also be viewed on youtube.com.

[Tech2theNician]

WOW! I thought this video was going to drag on and I was going to be disinterested, as I am writing a paper over this Richard Rodriguez, but as I listened more and more, I really wish I was able to be in this room when he made this speech, but I am happy that at least I was able to hear via youtube. PHENOMENAL WRITER, AMAZING SPEAKER! My respect and understanding of Rodriguez has tripled. I can continue writing peacefully :)

[909chuck]

What I believe he's saying is that, whether you believe Biblically or biologically, we are one People with different cultural ethnicities. It's fine to celebrate differences as long as they don't limit our thinking and opportunities. Libraries have a variety of books on all subjects on shelves standing next to each other just as we humans should do. Fair opportunity for each to prosper. I differ with him in a number of areas, but his idea we're divided by class and income rings true.

[originaltamil]

is he trying to insult Canada and its food? isnt that being somewhat vaguely hypocritical? :S ..i mean we didnt embrace multiculturalism we PRACTICALLY invented it! Canada is MY home and im PROUD to be a Sri Lankan Canadian who talks Canadian and breathes a canadian life. Fuck America, its a disease infested country and the government is that disease.

[keytoothed]

I don't always agree with Richard Roadreeguess (his own pronunciation of his last name) but his Days of Obligation is full of some strikingly beautiful prose. He really knows how to seize a complex image with minimal words. What makes him really special, though, is that almost all his writing comes out of deeply personal experiences. He's not a theoretician; he's a real writer. (And, though he might consider himself a "minority," he does consider himself a Californian, defiantly so.)

[gearofduty2012]

this guy is great but it seems like sell out. I see your point man, and I agree with are multiversity.but you need join the revolution brother. Don't forget about the struggle.

[Tech2theNician]

@gearofduty2012 I think that is the point that he is trying to make. If we can all realize that we are all each other, there would not have to be a struggle. There would not have to be segregation or hatred. We have all been enslaved at one point or another. We have all been at war at one point or another, etc. If people would collaboratively come to the understanding that we DO share a lot in common, there would NOT have to be a struggle. Lets not add insult to injury through plain ignorance.

[gearofduty2012]

@Tech2theNician i guess we can all coexist together in peace, hopefully

[BabyBluewinx]

I love his book Hunger of Memory. He shows the discrimination in his own family . He describes it and I love how people get into his writing. He is right , Hispanics are not a minority for they are represented in culture . He explains his view about what a minority really is. He is not a Pocho as he talks about it in Hunger of Memory.

[hiram7474]

richard doesn't understand that in a political world, where language is necessary, words like monority are important for the allocation of resources in different communities. His defenition of it is idealistic....maybe he has evolutionized into a man of the world. If he doesn't care to continue the struggle of latin american's, then it is his choice.

[tashtan1]

@hiram7474 i dont think you understands what he means by that. you wont know what it feels like being called a minority when you are very far away from your homeland. same here when i hear myself thinking that im not from this country, i dont belong here because i was not invited in this country, when im being asked what ethnicity i am and why im in USA it just kills me. Inside myself i answer that question, that i didnt have much choice i was banned .

[Dogwood14]

WHITE WASHED WHITE WASHED

[icemanguitar]

Is he among the first? Is this the new wave of people to recognize the developing world community? That skin color, or language, or these lines in the sand are just lines and only segregate us idealy?

[RandomUser705]

I wish this faggot never existed. Because of him I had to write an essay and incorporate his shitty book in it. He is such a whiny little pussy bitch!

[Christina686]

He is an idiot.

[patinoflor]

He has a good point about identity. Peoples' identity is shaped by their experiences.

[icemanguitar]

... I could have told you that..

[GuanderGuoman]

Absolutely. Watching his video helped me realize who I am as an immigrant in the US, and originally as an immigrant to Argentina, daughter and descendant of European immigrants. My husband is American, my daughter is American. Who am I, then? I wondered since I moved to the US almost four years ago. I don't feel "Hispanic", I don't feel "Latina"... I am a Uruguayan who lived in Argentina her whole life, who now lives and embraces the American culture and loves her European roots. I'm all that.

[GuanderGuoman]

Labeling people for political purposes is just so ridiculous. I refuse to check my "label" every time I have to fill out a form. I just check "other" and let them guess. Yes, because, guess what? I'm not just ONE thing, one race. I'm many races and many life circumstances, the life circumstances of my parents and my own multiracial family and children. Richard Rodriguez hit it right on the spot.

[akmaccheese]

I hate this man.

[katohoag]

"I am not a minority. But I used to be." All of his points about race are that he seeks to be raceless. This is in some ways what all Americans seek, to be a full person. But to be a full person is also to be part of a community. It is funny, bittersweet, that he sought to escape his minority identity but to be a full person he must keep presenting it.

[readchomsky]

He's a genius but I agree with few of his points on race.

[divagadita]

No dije "qué has dicho", sino qué has hecho para lograrlo? Gracias por seguir con tus comentarios que impulsan la polémnica. Saludos afectuosos y con gratitud.

[divagadita]

Sólo dije que me parecíó muy interesante saber sus puntos de vista y que tengan una y otra vez, respuestas provocadoras como las que enuncias -compañero o compañera shame- Y también creo que este cuate "PUSHA TUS BOTONES"; porque yo estoy de acuedo con que no esté de acuerdo con él; y eso lo respeto. Pero, ¿qué has hecho tú para mantener un ensayo y una propuesta contraria y subirte a un micrófono como él?

[1245shame]

this video is just completely DISCRIMINATING AGAINST HIS CULTURE AND HIS FAMILY!!!! I DONT AGREE WITH HIM!!! THEY SHOULD JUST GET RID OFF THIS RACIST GUY!!!

[jstsmile4fun]

racist??? ha. not at alll. i dont even understand how you got this idea

[thunderwillow]

The Chinese homeland should listen to Richard more, and invite him to Shanghai, Beijing, HongKong, LiJiang and all historical homeland.

[jstsmile4fun]

that was really good.. totally worth watching

[LAZZYSONIC666]

stupid!!!

[thunderwillow]

Playing any video game is more stupid than listening to what Richard says, you need to be an grown up to understand him.

[ImagesbyJoy]

I am reading Hunger of Memory -- I think its a good book.

He is a great speaker. :)

[1245shame]

come on he is discriminating againts other races. he is a discriminative man i dissagree with you!!!!this video is not worth watching. i would just beat his ass if i see him one day.

[divagadita]

Definitivamente esta charla está de lo más interesante, felicito a quien nos subió al buen Richard y a nosotros que estudiamos inglés para entenderle a un cuate tan letrado e intenso en pensamientos y dichos. Su historia y libros son muy interesantes. Gracias

[1245shame]

que estas loca o k??