what’s the difference between a Mexican and a Hispanic?
(This is a serious question not a joke)
Mexican is a nationality. Hispanic is a race, apparently, although I would not consider it so.
Seriously, it is a good question. Living in New Mexico for several years opened my eyes to some of the politics in the "Hispanics" community. There are huge differences between, Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexican, South Americans.... At the root, "Hispanics" are those that trace their ancestry to Spain. Mexicans, most have Spanish ancestry, All the upper class in Mexico are probably mostly Spanish by ancestry, but the poor Mexicans are mixed with are primarily natives.
In New Mexico it is a huge deal. The native Hispanics trace their families to the original settlers to the area, who came over from Spain and settled in the area long before there even was a "Mexico", they do not identify with Mexico at all.....in fact it is a huge insult to call a native New Mexican a "Mexican American"... The same sort of relationships within their communities apply to others such as Cubans, Puerto Ricans, etc... Its the stuff you will never hear in the lamestream media, they want to portray all Hispanics as a monolithic group....
The answer is that a Mexican is from a country, Mexico - and a Hispanic does not exist. It is an invented generic term intended to designate all Spanish-speakers as an undifferenciated mass - which they are not. There are Spanish-speakers who are white and blond, others who are Negro, others who are various types of Indian - and combinations of all of the above. There are Spanish speakers who are millionaires, university professors, average middle class people, unskilled laborers, and illiterates on welfare.