“I have washed dishes, without gloves, in the United States with little skinny clothes that I did not even understand English” … That was what Pedro Pierluisi said during a political meeting that, according to him he indicated this morning, happened years ago.
Despite the fact that in his explanation he identifies himself with them as “minority”, in the use of the term “some little pries” Pierluisi denotes a mark of otherness and it has been suggested that the use of the expression is of a racist nature.
Although said a few years ago, according to Pierluisi, this phrase has been criticized at a time when the issue of race is passionately discussed after the murder of George Floyd, a black man, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis. In an interview with Rubén Sánchez, Pierluisi said he was proud of what he said, because “throughout my life I have had very humble jobs.” He dodged the racial issue throughout the interview.
“That was you, right?” Rubén Sánchez asked Pedro Pierluisi.
Pierluisi accepted and tried to explain their expressions, without stressing the issue of race.
“That expression must have been years ago, I have not made that expression a long time ago,” he said in what seemed to be the only allusion to explaining what he means by “little blacks.”
Immediately, the discussion guided her to her experience as a worker: “I have washed dishes in a restaurant while studying at a university, no gloves were used, I fried potatoes, chickens, shrimp … from bagger to courier firm, worker in construction project , I distributed newspapers … “.
In fact, Rubén’s question “what are prietitos pa ‘usté?” Remained hanging in the air.
“Again, it is in the context that I was in New Orleans, that was more than 40 years ago, there those of us who worked in the kitchen and in the restaurant were all in the minority, me, African-Americans and to count… what He reiterated, there is nothing negative in that expression, I am telling the truth. I am proud of all the jobs that I have had throughout my life, “he added.
Look at the video:
Here the interview with Rubén Sánchez:
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