Re: “Sombreros at Bowdoin ‘tequila party’ ignite controversy on campus and beyond” (March 4):
I’m in a quandary.
I just Googled “Jose Cuervo,” a popular brand of tequila, and guess what I found? Tequila is a product of Mexico! In fact, Mexico has strict regulations on the manufacture of tequila and who can use the name tequila.
I also Googled “Mexican people,” and guess what? There were dozens of pictures showing Mexican citizens wearing sombreros! So will somebody please explain to me how some college kids, presumably of legal drinking age, consuming tequila and wearing large floppy straw hats is racially insensitive?
If I have a glass of Chianti with my spaghetti and meatballs, am I demeaning Italians? If I wear my baggy suit while drinking vodka, am I insulting Russians? If I wear a beret while eating escargot, will a Frenchman squirm? Maybe, but then my wife always squirms when I wear a beret.
Come on, folks, give it a rest before all collegians become stereotyped as flaming whackos! Oops, I think it’s too late!
Bill Holly
Kittery Point
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.