5. Drink and Drugs
Latinos have their drugs —picture Al Pacino literally diving into a mountain of cocaine in Scarface as Cuban Tony Montana, or dealing drugs as the Puerto Rican Carlito in Carlito’s Way—and the Irish have their whiskey (whether it’s stolen, purchased, or bootlegged). And never shall either be parted from their substance of choice. (Change may be in the air, however. Irish-Americans have voiced anger regarding the Urban Outfitters St. Patrick’s Day apparel. And early in 2012, a character on the ABC sitcom Work It played by Puerto Rican actor Amaury Nolasco contemplated a job at a pharmaceutical company, musing, “I’m Puerto Rican… I’d be great at selling drugs.” As reported by The Huffington Post, demonstrators staged a protest outside of ABC studios, and two Puerto Rican members of congress called for an apology from the network. It was a great example of a group effort aimed at calling out discrimination. Work It has since been canceled.)
