Reinvention by President Richard Nixon: A Closer Look

How was Rodriguez reinvented by President Richard Nixon?

Rodriguez says he was reinvented by President Richard Nixon. How do you know this is an exaggeration and therefore irony?

Answer:

Because Nixon was not referring to him directly but to the entire Hispanic community.

Reinvention is a strong word, especially when tied to an influential figure like President Richard Nixon. However, upon closer examination of the context, it becomes clear that Rodriguez's statement may be exaggerated.

Note what the original excerpt says, "Because of colonial Mexico, I am mestizo. But I was reinvented by President Richard Nixon. In the early 1970s, Nixon instructed the Office of Management and Budget to identify the major racial and ethnic groups in the United States. OMB came up with five major ethnic or racial groups. The groups are white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Eskimo, and Hispanic."

We can see from his statement that the Office of Management was tasked by President Richard Nixon with identifying several groups, not Rodriguez directly. His ethnic group, Hispanic, was among those included. Therefore, the claim of being reinvented by Nixon is more symbolic than literal, indicating a broader impact on the Hispanic community rather than a personal reinvention.