Arizona news anchor Vanessa Ruiz responded brilliantly to criticism from people who complained that she uses a Spanish accent to pronounce Spanish words. Ruiz received much backlash over her Spanish roots as ignorant bigots lambasted the news anchor on Facebook.
Fed up, she went on the air and said this:
Just so you know, I was lucky enough to grow up speaking two languages, and I have lived in other cities in the U.S., South America, and Europe. So yes, I do like to pronounce certain things the way they are meant to be pronounced, and I know change can be difficult. But it’s normal and I know over time that everything falls into place.
Despite noting her background, the anchor, who was born and raised in the United States, still received backlash from idiot viewers on social media. One even told her to “go back” to Mexico.
“I’m not impressed with you. I hear the ‘certain way’ of speech when I’m out and about, wondering sometimes if I was transported to Meh he co,” a viewer said on Facebook. “Please speak without your accent! I hope I didn’t offend, but I love the first amendment without a second-hand accent.”
Watch Ruiz respond with poise.
