The "attempt to reclaim a creation/resistance culture" is exactly what scares these folks, who are determined to maintain a colonizing/domination culture where Mexican-Americans are concerned.
I regularly assign my (largely Mexican-American students) the book "Broken Spears", which is the historical account of the Spanish conquest of Mexico -- told from the Aztec perspective. It's a huge eye-opener for many of them, leading them to re-evaluate their roots as Mexicans, as indigenous people, as mestizos, as both the products and the resisters of a colonial history. Highly recommended.

in pandering to other "cultures," public schools offer black history month, mexican history month ... native american history has never been considered worthy of singular distinction ... then again, we have taken responsibility for educating our own children in the traditions and cultures of our tribes, rather than relying on the school systems to do so.

the public schools did not offer curriculum about my people and our ancestors ("indigenous peoples" native to north america in an area now referred to as georgia and its surrounds). i learned my language, traditions, government, ceremonies and culture from my parents and grandparents who believed themselves to be responsible for ensuring we were acculturated in the culture of our own tribe, because we were educated in public schools off the res.

i am still distressed the texas school book board has elected to eliminate thomas jefferson from history books in favor of personages considered to be more favorable. thomas jefferson, at least, had sufficient respect and regard for the tribes that he learned one of the dialects and incorporated many of the elements of the representative government he had observed into our constitution and bill of rights.

i've grown weary of these arguments, and those who insist on perpetuating the myths that the liberals are somehow better than the conservatives, or vice versa. this push me/pull you strategy being employed by both sides is going to tear us apart .. and yet, there are those who insist on spending their lives blaming everyone else for what's going on in our country/world .. but are not interested in taking personal responsibility for being part of the problem.

where do you people get off? this country is in trouble. i, for one, have no desire to subsidize the lives of either illegal immigrants or illegal immigrants made legal as a political ploy to garner more votes, or to cause left wing liberals to feel better about themselves (while blaming the conservatives for attempting some measure of fiscal responsibility) ... or to cause right wing tea partiers to feel better about themselves in their attempts to resurrect family values and the Constitution while blaming the democrats for trying to achieve a measure of fiscal responsibility balanced with civic and social responsibility for those who NEED it ... not by demand or sense of entitlement, but by genuine need.

what is the finger pointing and blaming accomplishing? no thing. it is giving bench sitters a chance to lash out, without leaving the comfort of their own computers to do anything at all.

we should have learned by now that people do not value that which is GIVEN to them, vs that which is earned.

is anyone taking into consideration those millions who have immigrated the RIGHT way .. from countries that are far more precarious to life.

mexicans escaping the drug cartels? perhaps they should stop running for refuge .. and stand against the ills of their own country? perhaps they should redirect their sense of entitlement and demand for "rights" to their own government, rather than believing their president has any right or authority to register any opinion at all? if they don't like what's happening in mexico, perhaps they should take their revolution to mexico city, rather than to arizona, california, texas or new mexico.

for them to lay claim to the land that was once "theirs" is preposterous. even if they were to be GIVEN the land they have somehow become convinced is theirs, it would do no good. they would keep pressing forward ... demanding the fruits of the labors of others. mexico has plenty of land ... they don't need more. they need a government that will respond to the needs of its own people ... perhaps following in the footsteps of bolivia, in electing an indigenous president.

this is no longer an issue of illegal immigration (which is, folks, a crime) ... this is an invasion.

how about we pull our troops out of the middle east, and assign them to duty stations six feet apart at the border? not only could they send the illegals home .. they could also fight the drug wars that are now being fought on OUR homeland.

how about this. if you desire so desperately for the doors to be opened wide to those who have done nothing to "deserve" being here ... we'll let you voluntarily double, or triple, your taxes to help subsidize these families. for those of us who would like for them to be rounded up and sent home? we'll be allowed to pay the taxes we are taxed ... but will not be forced to support other families. we can, and will, however, make charitable contributions, according to the desires of our own hearts.

guess what, boys and girls! we CAN have peace while still enforcing laws. we CAN be a part of the solution rather than being a part of the problem by spitting at each other, and getting no thing done. we CAN be responsible in actually expecting our representatives to serve our interests (without playing the democrats/republicans are BETTER game). heck. let's all just be non-affiliated (and allow our candidates to do the same), and see what REALLY shakes out when we no longer have party loyalty to judge our votes?

i'd much prefer we send everyone home who does not have a legal right to be here .. and give us however much time it takes for us to regain our footing on this field of economic landmines, before we rush to judgment on the immigration issue. bring our folks back and allow them the opportunity to work (with the hundreds of thousands of others who are out of work) in the jobs currently occupied by illegals (yes. we WILL do the jobs .. and are, in fact, begging for them).

in the meantime .. perhaps we could agree that it's time for parents and extended family members to become involved with their own children, and accept responsibility for teaching them about the heritage they are so eager for their children to learn. i suspect that most families really don't care, as demonstrated in the past until "special interest groups" took up the banner and led the charge to elevate one group above all others.

we can invest our energy in something far more worthwhile. like .. living our lives. or, if we want to get all political and get into shouting matches .. how about we all unite and do so in challenging the government to ferret out the truth regarding the bottomless pit of the federal reserve that is soooooo good at gobbling up dollars by the trillions.

there are no sides. we've just been trained to believe there are.

To:
This "Arizona is a racist
Sun, 08/08/2010 - 22:06

"This "Arizona is a racist hellhole" mentality shows who is ignorant. The author lives inside a fantasy world that is not based in fact.

Oh and Mexican culture stems from a mix of meso-american and Western (based in Greco-Roman philosophy). But mostly western; examples: democracy, freedom of speech and religion, and capitalism.

If they had a stronger tie with Mayan and Aztec thought, there would be rampant human sacrifice, cannibalism, slavery, and a lack of basic technology like...the wheel.

Please learn correct history before making moronic claims."

You really should do research on your ancient ancestors before pointing fingers at Mayan and Aztec's.
As well as more research on history. after all those greco-roman empires fell. Not at the hands of others but themselves. Unlike the Mayans and Aztecs.
And let's not forget ancient Roman history. Entertainment was watching people being killed or eaten by wild animals in arenas. The slaughter of millions to build their empire, slavery, and yrs later the introduction of the Roman church. Then you can add murder of those who refused to convert to Catholicism including all the first churches, slaughtering of whole villages while trying to capture Martin Luther, and the perversion of the Christian religion.

Also, if a wheel is not needed then why invent one. Why not invent the most accurate calender in the world, even today? or the most accurate astronomy, one which we still use today?
Or build pyramids that even today baffle scientist on how they were built?
Cannibalism has not been proven by anyone as part of Aztec or Mayan culture.
And if your ancient ancestors were Nordic, European,or eastern Asian then your ancestry includes human sacrifice, and the most vicious, inhumane warriors of all time. And also thought to have eaten their enemies, though also not proven. They did not include democracy, freedoms, and capitalism only lead to feudal states where slavery and starvation of majority existed.

And while you only focus on a small section of the indigenous people to try to prove Mexicans are unworthy of this country, you really need to focus on all of the Americas since recent archeology has revealed trading throughout all nations.
Besides why just pick on one section of brown people? Esp since it has been proven Mexicans are not the predominate nation south of us crossing our borders. but then to most of you, if they are brown and speak Spanish they must be Mexicans.

The Iroquois had democracy, a constitution, freedom of speech and lifestyle, as well as a system where no member of the 6 Nations ever went without needs met. No slavery, no feudal lords, no kings, nor religious inquisitions.
And if not for their help, the first settlers of Jamestown would have all died the first winter. But they had compassion. they brought food, buffalo hide blankets, taught the few settlers still alive how to survive in a world they were lost in.
And who needs a wheel, when they could invent corn? Corn was created by Native Americans centuries ago by cross breeding seeds.

But then again we already took care of all the Northern brown people, unless they leave the rez and then you will assume they are Mexicans.