When a secret video of Mitt Romney telling wealthy donors he might have been better off in the election if he was Latino surfaced this week, many took issue with his language.
Filmmaker and noted liberal, Michael Moore sought to capitalize on what Romney said by creating the hashtag #IfOnlyIWereMexican.
Secret tape shows Romney saying he wishes he was born a Mexican because then he’d “have a shot at winning this(election).” Wow.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) September 18, 2012
Tweet me how much better your life would be if ONLY you were Mexican. Cause Mexicans have it way 2 easy in this country! #ifonlyiweremexican
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) September 18, 2012
While some continued on in the spirit of what Moore intended — namely tweets using the hashtag to make fun of Romney’s comments — many others chose to infuse the conversation with stereotypes about Mexicans.
I could finally play my triangle in a mariachi band. #IfOnlyIWereMexican #Romney
— Robby Hoffman (@iAmRobbyHoffman) September 19, 2012
Latino Rebels, a humor and culture site, railed against the hashtag, including people who were trying to support Moore but ended up using stereotypes.
“Leave the wit and self-deprecating humor to the experts, like @MexicanMitt,” they wrote. ”When you start tweeting things that associate being Mexican to mowing laws, working as day laborers, eating cheap rice and frijoles, and (the worst one we saw by far) being in fear of the Zetas, you just add to the ignorance. And please please don’t tell us that you ‘have Mexican friends.’”
Being Hispanic is a hot topic after Romney’s remarks became public, with Jon Stewart of the Daily Show jumping into the fray. “You can’t do that — you can’t make the joke and then immediately double down on the premise,” Stewart said of Romney saying, “I say that jokingly but it would be helpful to be Latino.”
