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La Palabra: A Message to Racists Who Can't Deal With Spanish Last Names

The best content from around the web, told with a Latin perspective.
Luis Miguel Echegaray|
La Palabra: A Message to Racists Who Can't Deal With Spanish Last Names
La Palabra: A Message to Racists Who Can't Deal With Spanish Last Names

Mi gente! Welcome to La Palabra, SI's new weekly column delivering the web's best content with a Latino perspective. Sports, pop culture, movies, TV, music, food, travel...you name it. Send tips to luis.echegaray@simail.com or mándame un Tweet. Alright, enough chit chat. Let's check out what's been going on.

First, I need to get something off my chest

Earlier this week I came across this video about a couple of racist ghouls in Iowa using their platform as radio hacks at a HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAME to blatantly express their ignorant, pig-headed, dumba-- commentary of Hispanic kids with a Spanish last name. 

This is what happened: Orin Harris, the announcer, was talking to his board operator Holly Jane Kusserow-Smidt (a TEACHER, by the way) during the pregame warmups and calling out the roster. When he came across kids with Spanish surnames, he decided this was a great opportunity to attack these kids and say wonderful little nuggets of wisdom such as: "As Trump would say, go back to where you came from."

As a result, he was fired on Monday from KIOW radio station in Forest City ​and made some half-assed apology after being caught. 

As someone who is all too familiar with this kind of ignorant racism, let me just say this to any racist reading this (though I doubt it as I'm imagining the moment they read LA PALABRA that scares the hell out of them.)

LATINOS AIN'T GOING ANYWHERE. WE ARE THE LARGEST, YOUNGEST MINORITY IN THE GROUP THE US. AND THEN SOME. SO KEEP ON WITH YOUR "GO BACK" BS. CAUSE IT WON'T WORK.

Now, some better news

COCO is doing so well, y'all. And it's hitting home with the Latino community.

Bad news for Peruvian soccer fans (including myself)

Paolo Guerrero, Peru's captain and greatest goal scorer will miss the World Cup. The 33-year-old was suspended for one year by FIFA for testing positive for a banned substance, meaning he will be ineligible as the country makes its return to the World Cup for the first time since 1982. 

Cristiano Ronaldo wins fifth Ballon d’Or

After winning 'best men's player' at FIFA's awards ceremony last month, the Real Madrid star won the prestigious award (hosted by France Football) for a record fifth time.  Barcelona's Lionel Messi came second, while PSG's Neymar grabbed the third spot.  In August, Ronaldo was also named UEFA's 2016-17 Best Player in Europe for a third time. 

To class it up, France Football and L'Equipe decided to give him the award inside the Eiffel Tower.

Nike also released these insane cleats.

Grammy nominations 

It's a win for black and Latino artists as Jay-Z, Luis Fonsi, Khalid and Bruno Mars take over the Grammy noms. Speaking of which, Latino artists dominated the digital space as YouTube’s Top 10 Music Videos came out earlier this week and six of the top songs are Spanish-language hits.

In other news,here's a rubber chicken singing Despacito.  

Dream Act rally

On Wednesday, thousands of immigrants went to Washington D.C and rallied for congress to pass legislation that can protect their rights to study and work without fear of deportation. "We've done everything that they've asked, handed all our information, I don't have a criminal record ... I'm so angry that with the snap of a finger the president could take that away, there's been many sleepless nights," said Gladis Ibarra, 27, a DACA recipient, speaking to NBC News.  

Did you miss Lin-Manuel Miranda on Curb Your Enthusiasm?

If you're a Curb fan but you haven't caught up to the latest episodes yet, then stop reading. Or, if you don't care either way, then you'll be happy to know LMM was a guest star on CYE and the final episode of the latest season featured an epic battle with Larry David.

New HBO show from Fred Armisen and Julio Torres

The Portlandia and SNL alum has teamed up with the SNL writer and standup comedian to develop a Spanish-language half-hour show called Mexico City: Only Good Things Happen. Armisen will also star in the show. Personally, this sounds like a dream collaboration. 

Song of the day

Send tips to luis.echegaray@simail.com or mándame un Tweet. 

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Luis Miguel Echegaray
LUIS MIGUEL ECHEGARAY

Luis Miguel Echegaray is a reporter, producer and head of Latino/Spanish content with Sports Illustrated. He is also an adjunct professor at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

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