Is the New York Times wasting our time?

Personally, I think people who get worked up over the difference between “Latino/a” and “Hispanic” need to get a life. I think the difference is minor, and there are so many other issues worth time and consideration than this debate.

Yet the New York Times has taken it upon itself to try to comprehend the differing terms (http://topics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/hispanic-latino-or-what/) by which the fastest-growing part of the U.S. population ought to be referred to.

THE PART I agree with the most is the one that says a person’s specific ethnic background is usually the best way to think of someone’s ethnicity. I am of Mexican ethnic background. Mexican-American.

There are times when I wonder what goes through the minds of my Latino brethren of Cuban, Venezuelan or any other Latin American ethnicity.

There are other times when our commonality (all of our indigenous ancestors had the Spanish conquistadors impose their language and religion upon us) creates a bond so natural that it would seem odd to us that anybody could be clueless enough to question it.

And when it comes to Spaniards, we all have to wonder what they’re thinking at times.

ALL OF THIS debate is being triggered by the fact that President Barack Obama has nominated appeals court justice Sonia Sotomayor to a post on the Supreme Court of the United States.

She seems to like thinking of herself (based on the statements I have read that have been attributed to her) as a “Latina.” I have no problem thinking of her in that context.

But people are getting worked up over whether she’s the first Latina, the first Hispanic, the first Boricuan, or whatnot.

I still believe that many of these people are motivated more by partisan political issues (they don’t want to think of the first Latina as anything special) than any other factor.

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