Thanks for putting my letter on the Narcosphere. Well I certainly have kicked of an interesting debate and that is never a bad thing. Although I am surprised how personal people get with their comments!!

I agree entirely that suppression of vocabulary gives that same vocabulary power it seldom deserves and I do not wish to prevent the use of any word including ‘Gringo’. .I also agree that offence is in the eye of the beholder

I agree with the idea that the church, state and the rich decide acceptable language. They can try but in reality we are all able to take personal control of our own vocabulary should we wish. As indeed you do in your writing.

Some of the posts seem to think I am offended to be called a gringo. I don’t think I actually said that I was?? Frankly if ‘Gringo’ is the worst thing said to me in my life, I am indeed a lucky man. However, to dismiss the concept of offending someone is offensive in itself because you are actually attacking their freedom of thought which allows for someone to be offended should they wish to be so,  rightly or wrongly in your or my opinion. Who was it who said “I may not agree with you but I will fight for your right to say it” or words to that effect?

When I asked why you use the term gringo it was as much regarding why you feel it is the correct word as it was about potential offence of the word. What and who you were referring to when you use the word gringo and why it was used as opposed to other less ambiguous syntax and still, to be honest, that question has not really been answered. When you mean ‘consumers of cocaine worldwide’ gringo is never going to be the right word as many ‘non gringos’ use the drug. In this case by using the term gringo you are passing the blame to only a percentage of those culpable.

There has been a great deal of intellectualising which is self defeating on occasions. I would have liked a simple answer. Usually our motivations are simple; when we try to intellectualise them we just muddy the water. It is obvious you all love the word. Why that word, when Spanish is full of wonderful words you choose to hang your hat on that one, who knows! A kind of benign verbal self debasement maybe. Heck… now I’m intellectualising!!! Let’s just say you like the word and leave it at that.

I was surprised to see so many posts from apologists. Let your history go guys, you can’t change yesterday only tomorrow. To use the misdeeds of your and my forefathers to excuse or validate anything is a real negative approach. Learn from the past but don’t pass the guilt on. Look at the Middle East and Ireland. People are still angry about events hundreds of years past. So angry they don’t get to grips with today and tomorrow. Just how much mia culpa, mia culpa, mia maxima culpa does it take to move on.

I do take issue with the argument against my use of the word Hispanic. The Oxford Dictionary lists the meaning as: Relating to or typical of people descended from Spanish or Latin-American people or their culture. How did I use that word incorrectly?? Spanish OR Latin America people… surely that includes the indigenous peoples of Latin America or should we stop calling it Latin America as well?

Yes, the Europeans and the British particularly are arrogant and often do feel superior. From time to time I have been guilty of this but heck I’m human, I’m not perfect and I am not going to pretend I am.

I am not going to give any of the personal digs a response…… other than to say, you don't know me so argue the point guys, not the person.

As put by Benjamin Melancon, we are all right. The flip side is as such we are all wrong too. And to disagree and argue publicly is a gift many people worldwide do not possess.  So the next time someone writes something you don’t agree with, instead of believing “Ah, he’s an arsehole for thinking differently to me”. Think about how cool it is that we can publicly argue without fear or prejudice.

On the subject of bias, sure we all have biases…. That’s human nature, but take the pen away from a ‘journalist’ who can’t or doesn’t feel the need to be objective. The Oxford dictionary gives the meaning as: based on facts rather than thoughts or opinions. Hey ….Isn’t that ‘authentic’ journalism??

Incidentally here’s an additional usage of Gringo for you. In Colombia the kids in school (those lucky enough to go) use the expression “no sé, me quedé gringo” when they don’t understand something. It doesn’t translate literally but basically the sentiment is “I don’t know, I am stupid”.

So on that note chao gringos!!

Paul Silvester.