9. … and Lawless and Lazy
The perception of Latinos and the Irish as living outside the law is directly connected to a grievous misconception that the people of these ethnic backgrounds are uneducated and lazy, and that they fail to contribute to society in a meaningful and important way. Recently, in San Antonio, Texas, a mural depicting a Mexican man asleep under a wide-brimmed sombrero was proposed for the wall of a drive-in theater, and speaks of the perception of Mexicans as lazy. The Hispanic community of the South Texas region reacted vehemently, opposing the mural and staging a protest—distinctly proactive behavior from people determined to see this stereotype crumble.
