Nativo Lopez: All REAL Mexicans Love Cock-Fighting

Gustavo Arellano's item about Nativo Lopez's exaltation of cock-fighting as an intrinsic element of Mexican culture has been getting around the blogosphere. Blogger Matt Szabo picked it up the other day:

NATIVO LOPEZ: Animal Cruelty = Mexican Culture

Under cover of mass hurricane coverage, Mexican American Political Association president Nativo Lopez has been all over the net this week. Conservatives and liberals alike, including Ward Connerly, Bill Whalen, Raoul Lowery Contreras and Martha Montelongo, have opened-fire on the Lopez for exploiting Latinos and using race-baiting tactics for personal financial profit.

But what I find even more interesting are the comments from the OC Weekly’s Gustavo Arellano, who this week blasts Lopez (referring to him as a pendejo) for associating Mexican-Americans with the cruel practice of cockfighting.

Here’s the deal: State Sen. Nell Soto, a Mexican-American, is pushing a bill through the legislature which would make cockfighting a felony in California, as it is in 28 other states. But when she did, Lopez sprang to action, registering MAPA’s opposition to the anti-cruelty legislation.

Nativo Lopez, president of the state Mexican-American Political Association, wrote to Soto that cockfighting is culturally ingrained in many Latinos, and that immigrants might not understand the severity of the crime in the United States.

Soto, who is of Mexican descent, responded that the group's stance perpetuates negative stereotypes and "is an insult to the law-abiding Mexican-Americans and Latinos who are repulsed by such barbaric - and illegal - activities."

"I've been a Mexican all my life," Soto told the Assembly Public Safety Committee last week. "If people try to tell you it is part of the Mexican culture, it is not."

So if Lopez speaks for Mexican-Americans, as he and the media claim, then Mexican-Americans must support animal cruelty. I don’t buy it. And neither did Cesar Chavez.

Soto’s legislation enjoyed broad bipartisan support, including support from nearly every member of the Latino Caucus, before it was placed on the inactive file.

But the question remains, does Nativo Lopez speak for Mexican-Americans, or not?

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA) is marking its 25th anniversary Friday with a Hollywood gala at Paramount Studios. It would be nice to hear some of its Latino members speak out in favor of Soto’s bill and against exploiters like Lopez.

Cockfighting Crossroads [Sac Bee]

Moving Away From the Race-Baiters [World Net Daily]

Nativo American [Weekly Standard]

A Reverend We Can Do Without [CalNews.com]

Blinded by Demagogues [CalNews.com]

What does it say about MAPA that they elect a clown like Nativo to be their spokesman?

UPDATE: It's fascinating how the Nativo-loves-cockfighting story is getting around. BoiFromTroy blogged about it a couple of days ago, complete with some homoerotic sinnuendo that I'm brought a grimace to Nativo's cara. Nativo's stance has even earned him enmity from this gringa gabacha in North Carolina.

Comments

[Gustavo Arellano]

Now, now, boys: it's gabacha, not gringa.