Posted on 04/08/2006 10:23:27 AM PDT by Travis McGee
"The True History of the Southwest, 101"
The amount of historical idiocy and fallacies surrounding the history of the Southwest is staggering, chief among them the "Aztlan" fairy tales. What's the truth? How did the Spanish Europeans conquer the Southwest? The "conquistadores" (that means "conquerors") did it with the lance, and the lash.
For example, in 1541 Coronado entered present-day New Mexico (which included present Arizona during the Spanish era) searching for the "lost cities of gold." One of his first actions upon meeting the natives was to burn 100s of them alive in their dwellings, for not handing over suspected horse thieves. That is how Spain conquered the natives of the present US Southwest--not with hugs and kisses! It was certainly no love-fest between long-lost brown-skinned soul- mates, as it is often portrayed today by the delusional Aztlaners today, who spin the "new bronze race of Mestizos" toro-mierda.
By 1821, Mexico City was strong enough to overthrow even more decrepit and ineffectual Spanish rule. However, the distant provinces of the current US Southwest were far beyond the reach of the authority of independent but strife- torn Mexico. These distant northern provinces received neither military protection nor needed levels of trade from the south. Under Spanish rule, trade with the USA was forbidden, but at least Spain provided trade and Army protection from hostile Indians. Under Mexican neglect, the Southwest received neither trade nor protection from Mexico City.
For example, Comanches and Apaches ran rampant in the 1830s in this new power vacuum created by Mexican neglect, burning scores of major ranches that had been around for hundreds of years and massacring their inhabitants. Mexico City could neither defend nor keep the allegiance of its nominal citizens in these regions. Nor did it provide needed levels of trade to sustain the prior Spanish-era standard of living. Mexican influence atrophied, withered and died at the same time that American pathfinders were opening up new routes into the region.
Increasingly, a growing America was making inroads into the Southwest, via ships into California, and via gigantic wagon trains of trade goods over the Santa Fe Trail from St. Louis. The standard of living of the SPANISH in these states subsequently increased enormously, which is why they did not support Mexico City in the 1846-48 war. In fact, the Spanish-speaking inhabitants of the Southwest NEVER considered themselves "Mexicans" at all, ever. They went, in their own eyes, from SPANISH directly to AMERICAN.
So how long did Mexico City have even nominal control over the Southwest? For only 25 years, during which they had no effective control, and the area slipped backwards until the arrival of the Americans. The SPANISH inhabitants of the Southwest NEVER transferred their loyalty to Mexico City, because all the received from the chaotic Mexican government was misrule, neglect, and unchecked Indian raids.
Since then, how long has the area been under firm American control? For 150 continuous years, during which time the former Spanish inhabitants of the region, now American citizens, have prospered beyond the wildest dreams of the Mexicans stuck in Mexico. To compare the infrastructure, roads, schools, hospitals etc of the two regions is to understand the truth. The Mexican government has been mired in graft, corruption, nepotism and chaos from the very start. The ordinary Mexican peons have been trampled and abused, while only the super-rich elites have thrived. This is why millions of Mexicans want to escape from Mexico today, to enjoy the benefits of living in America they can never obtain in Mexico.
And now, we are supposed to let any Mexican from Chiapas, Michoacan or Yucatan march into the American Southwest, and make some "historical claim" of a right to live there? From where does this absurd idea spring?
At what point in history did Indians and Mestizos from Zacatecas or Durango stake a claim on the American Southwest? Neither they nor their ancestors ever lived for one single day in the American Southwest. The Spanish living in the Southwest in 1846 stayed there, and became Americans by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. There were no Spanish inhabitants of the Southwest who were marched to the border and driven into Mexico. It didn't happen. The SPANISH in the Southwest welcomed American citizenship, which brought stability, protection from Indian raids, and a vast increase in their standard of living with the increase in trade.
In sum, NO current inhabitants of Mexico have ANY claim on even one single inch of the Southwest!
NOT ONE citizen of Mexico is sneaking into the USA to reclaim property they were deprived of, NOT ONE.
They are criminal invaders and colonizers, pure and simple.
It's time Americans learned the true history, as a counter to the prevalent Aztlaner fairy tales.
Thank you.
Rope,
I know what is taught and what passes for "history" in the US but the reality IS (and time for the politically correct to get) is that culture forms, is advanced and refined through discovery and the conquering of the existing population. Them's just the facts. The so-called "native americans" (and I am offended by that term- I was born in Boston and so, therefore, am a 'native american') did it to the northern european population that was here previously and the later europeans did it to them. A stronger, more advanced population will overcome a another more naive group everytime- or at least, that is the way it was then. Unfortunately, we don't do that anymore- hence, we have problems such as Darfur, Somalia and Rwanda NOW.
When the euros got to the Americas, the population HERE hadn't even invented the wheel yet, enslaved and warred against their neighbors and practiced cannibalism. This attempt by modern historians to paint them as "peaceful" "buddists" at peace with nature is enough to make me want to barf.
As to your ancestors: the farmers who moved out and farmed along what was the "frontier" were, indeed, "innocents". Whole families were massacred by roving bands of Indians and it is specious to claim otherwise.
What Andrew Jackson did during the "Trail of Tears" was beyond inhuman and I agree with you on that- but then, WHAT can one expect from the first democrat. Did you know that some members of the groups he forcibly moved were so europeanized that they even owned slaves?
"I won't apologize for existing..."
Of course not - you and your family are Americans.
Gee, thanks for appreciating my "rhetoric", as you put it, but you are aiming to re-frame the debate and failing sadly. YES--the demographics presented in the map are true; NO--the demographics have nothing to do with Aztlan, which is an EXTREMIST movement.
My point is that the map is illogical and misdirected at "innocent bystander hispanics" like me. Instead, it should present figures on "pro-Aztlan hispanics per capita".
Hispanics who are All-Americans like you guys will be in a tough spot if TSHTF. One needs only to study modern civil / dirty wars to understand the dynamics in play. Your neighbors and colleagues will love, respect and protect you, but when outsiders come into the fight, things can get dirty. Northern Ireland, Bosnia, etc all have lessons.
Now the shoe is on the other foot. Ineffectual American rule in the SW may lead to our losing it.
About 2/3 of my new novel takes place in New Mexico, and this dynamic is a huge factor.
I'm not Hispanic but I suspect that American Chicanos are in a bind now that it is time to take sides.
It strikes me that the above statement could easily be misconstrued to be an attack on yourself. It actually was meant as a humorous dig at . . . well, the morons in DC, [grin]
I apologize for my failure to adequately and properly express myself, thereby avoiding an insult where none was intended.
All it's going to take is a spark.
No problem, I got the drift.
Outstanding!
Good and true words La Enchiladita! Getting company today so won't be online much longer.
Please read my reply in post #123 hispanarepublicana. I have no arguement with you at all. My problem is with those coming here illegally and wanting to MAKE it Mexico.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1611565/posts?page=123#123
Gracias.
Thanks. Company sounds oh so lovely, but it won't stop me from pinging you! LOL.
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