Grito de Dolores- Happy 200th

Happy 200 years of Independence to Mexico. Tonight the President of Mexico stands on the balcony of the National Palace and reenacts the Grito de Dolores and rings the Bell of Independence like Father Hidalgo did 200 years ago. The Viva’s go on for a long time. When I was 7 years old I experienced this on top of my fathers shoulders crushed in a sea of people filling the Zocalo in Mexico City, shouting in unison in a response to the President. I really didn’t understand what was going on but the vibration was so intense I remember crying.

No one is sure what Hidalgo said in his Grito. There were several eyewitnesses and everyone relates the story a little differently. More than likely he just said “Viva La Virgen de Guadalupe y Viva La Independencia.” Things were getting hot and heavy and the authorities had been alerted that he was starting an uprising. More than likely he was on the run. Father Hidalgo believed in the abolition of slavery and wanted freedom for Indians, mestizos and criollos. I think that it is interesting these ideas of independence started in the Literary Club of Queretaro. Reading books can be dangerous!

The Mexican fight for Independence was a long process that involved many heroes, many interesting villains and a long period of fighting. If you aren’t familiar with this story I would suggest becoming acquainted with it. It is part of our cultural heritage and has relevancy even today. The Heroes of the Independence movement in Mexico were concerned with European domination of the Americas. So many similarities to our own story of Independence in the United States.

What is your Grito today?

We Done Did It ! The mangled words of Jan Brewer

“So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence and cruelty and greed with all their tragic effects, that too little attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and laziness, which in the long run can have a more devastating effect.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

Oh yes, it has been very quiet at True Mexican these days. We have been licking a few wounds, taking some well deserved R and R and been plotting new and interesting strategies to keep you informed, stimulated and politically active.

Truth or Dare

“Always tell the truth. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.”
Mark Twain

Arizona is waiting for an important primary election on Tuesday. I don’t know about you but I have felt a little used and abused in the old Grand Canyon State over the past several months. So much hatred, backbiting, fear and lying has been on the daily menu. It takes a lot of courage for all of us not to get discouraged and keep fighting for change. The attack that started with the passage of SB1070 gave us something real to unite against and raise our voices together in protest. With the elections looming on the horizon I kept looking for someone who would valiantly stand up and tell the truth. . What I saw instead were Democrats playing it safe waiting to see what their “voting” base reflected before speaking out on issues like SB1070. John McCain and his rhetoric I expected. I knew he would throw Latino voters under the bus quickly and expect us to forget easily. Terry Goddard really surprised me by the way he kept watching the wind and staying safe. Will he make a better Governor than Jan Brewer? Of course! I am I disappointed? Yes! I knew that Raul Grijalva would never disappoint. He is a true statesmen and a brave man.

Thought for the Day: Senora Smith Goes to Washington

Mr. Smith image courtesy of Wikimedia commons

I was raised in a family that valued the power of voting. I come from a family that values hard work and the working class. My grandfather was a miner and a union member. My grandmother tells stories of hard times during strikes and good times when there was work. She worked in the fields when she was little and was blessed to be able to work at the local movie theaters when she was a young teenager. Because she looked white and was quite stunning, they didn't force the whole theater segregation on her. I guess we all learn, at some point, how to play "the game". However, every election season leaves me feeling a little more like Jimmy Stewart's Mr. Smith. When is this "game" going to end?

Acting Alien

Kris Kobach, a controversial Kansas attorney who is the lead author of SB 1070 says in a Maricopa County Sheriff’s office training video that an officer would have “reasonable suspicion” to peg someone as an “illegal alien” if more than one of the following criteria are met.