America or the Americas: The Debate Rages On …

El Caribe, Dominican Republic

This is America, not 'the Americas'

"It seems that for all the world, America includes only the United States. The rest of the hemisphere is something else, with America as a surname [Latin America], and if they want to be even more derogatory, they just call us Caribbean and pass us off as savages."

By Pedro Domínguez Brito, an Attorney

Translated By Virginia Gillenwater

December 5, 2007

Dominican Republic - El Caribe - Original Article (Spanish)

The first time I visited the Old Continent [Europe], someone asked me where I was from. "I'm from America," I replied. So you're from the United States? He asked me. "No," I replied, "I'm from America."

In schools in the United States, they teach that our continent isn't one, but three: America, which is them, Central America (including the Caribbean), and South America. On their maps, we all have different colors, so as to avoid any confusion.

And we accept this discrimination - not even Fidel protests. This explains those famous encounters between presidents of the region, which are called the “Summit of the Americas,” thus clarifying that a George [Bush] is probably not be from the same place as an Evo [Evo Morales, President of Bolivia]. 

We ourselves comply with the same distinction when - now and again -  we say “you know those Americans,” referring to inhabitants of the colossus to the North. In the Dominican Republic, even one of our airports bears the name “The Americas.”

In Europe, for example, we are simply sudacos [This means South American, but is regarded as something of a slur]. It would be too daring for them to catalogue us simply as Americans. That word, they think, is too big for us.

"It seems that for all the world, America includes only the United States. The rest of the hemisphere is something else, with America as a surname [Latin America], and if they want to be even more derogatory, they just call us Caribbeans and pass us off as savages. They believe that whoever visits us had better bring their own aspirin and that tourists here can go on safari, with the opportunity only to hunt lions, rhinos and baboons.

And with no intention of discriminating against the Saxons and Arians who inhabit these lands, I am convinced that the most authentic Americans are those born thanks to the great racial encounter of the indigenous, black and white races. What emerged from this mixture is what has given us the flavor of the Amazon, of drums, of maize, of tobacco, of Duarte, of Montezuma, of Bolivar and of Martí …

The United States of America is the name of a great nation. It is not called “America of the United States” nor “the United States is America.”

I’m from America, I’m an American with Tamboril parents, though my patriotic symbol is not the eagle and I prefer rice and beans to McDonald’s and Víctor Víctor’s bachata to Elvis’s rock'n'roll.  

It’s true: there is a rich America and a poor one. For the most part, the poor have made the rich rich, and the rich have made the poor poor. But overall, it's all one thing [continent], no matter how many times they say it's three. Or is it that there are seven continents?

pdominguez@dominguezbrito.com.do

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