Not Kerry and Vicente, but
Kerry and Michael J. !!!
Posted on 11/02/2006 9:45:14 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
MEXICO CITY — When President Vicente Fox said Mexicans should be glad they weren't born in the United States, it was a reminder of an ugly little truth. Aside from the U.S. economy, many Mexican citizens — especially those still living in Mexico — don't care much for the United States.
"We are already a step ahead, having been born in Mexico. Imagine being born in the United States — oof!" Fox said Tuesday with a chuckle, according to the Associated Press, after a remark that Mexicans should be thankful for their heritage.
The comment, made at a public event while Fox visited the central state of San Luis Potosí, raised some eyebrows in the United States but went all but unnoticed in Mexico.
That is because although millions of Mexicans risk their lives to sneak into the United States as undocumented immigrants each year, many see U.S. society and politics as troubled.
Mexicans often see America full of broken families, rampant drug use and unchecked materialism, run by a government that doesn't hesitate to go to war or meddle in the affairs of others — a standing underscored by current events in Iraq.
"It is an incredible schizophrenia we live with — we don't have a good perception of the United States, but we do cross the border," said Edna Jaime, a Mexico political analyst.
The U.S. Embassy in Mexico declined to comment.
Mexicans still point with anger to the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, under which Mexico signed away about half its territory, giving the United States most of what would become the American Southwest.
They also wonder why the United States would now want to build a wall along the border to keep out undocumented immigrants, yet the U.S economy is so reliant on their labor.
When it comes to illegal drugs, Mexicans see the United States as very willing to point the finger at Mexican drug cartels but unwilling to do more to reduce drug consumption among the American people.
"It doesn't surprise me Fox would say that at all," said Henry Dietz, a Latin American expert at the University of Texas at Austin.
"Part of it is envy, part disdain, part a need to separate themselves and maintain an identity that is not overwhelmed by the United States," Dietz said.
Among the most popular sayings regarding Mexico's perception of the United States is one credited to Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz, removed from power by the 1910 Mexican Revolution: "Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States."
Despite the negative reputation of the United States, many Mexicans still see it as better than what they have at home.
"If Mexicans were so content here, why would millions of us try and go to the United States?" said Lino Chávez, a Mexico City artist. "If you ask me, what Fox said is stupid. How could he say something like that?"
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dschiller@express-news.net
I was, Mr. President. I kind of like it. Beats Mexico. I say that seriously, without a trace of sneer. I know it. The folks who emigrate here from there, legally and illegally, know it. And I think you know it.
That's odd, because I see these characteristics in many illegal aliens. I have yet to enter an illegal alien household that does not contain a big screen TV.
The advantage of being born in Mexico is that they can move to a better neighborhood, with better pay, while waiting for American citizenship, all the time retaining full citizenship and voting rights as a Mexican.
To work, live, and be educated here, while being able to take retirement in your own nation (as a full citizen there), with a lower cost of living is pretty nice.
This pretty much applies to all modern immigrants in America, they don't give up their original citizenship, they simply add ours to their portfolio.
Amazing statement isn't it? There are villages that are ghost towns with nothing but old people and children because these "family values" folks have deserted their families for "El Norte" only to start up new anchor baby families here at our expense. And the rest of them running drugs for the cartels that run Mexico and fill Fox's bank accounts.
Wow. That could have been written in by the writer or added later by a biased editor. It really looks like it could go either way. Regardless, it is a nakedly partisan addendum that adds nothing to the sentence. Of course, the media can't see that.
I salute your knowledge sir and thank you for filling in some detail.
God help us if our officer corps declines in quality, something I would have to expect under Democratic rule.
The great part is when they keep a straight face while calling themselves "The Race." Funny but sad.
I don't have to imagine it.
Thank God!
broken families, huh? attend mass on sunday in any texas r.c. church and then wait for communion time. look around to see exactly how many families go up to receive communion. not many. reason: 75% of them are illegal aliens and are "broken families" - UNMARRIED, 'co-habiting', and spitting out american citizens every 11 months or so. they don't go up to receive communion because they are in a 'state of sin'. they cannot legally marry because they know full well they are already here illegally and, therefore, cannot go through the legal steps to legalize their unions.
This is a major part of the whole illegal immigration problem, I think. If they came here with the attitude that the U.S. was a great place to be, and they wanted to become full citizens as soon as possible, we basically wouldn't have a problem with immigration. But they come here with the idea that the U.S. is this scummy place that they are going to take advantage of and change to *their* liking -- and that ain't gonna wash.
And Fox must be best friends with Kerry. Good grief.
Not Kerry and Vicente, but
Kerry and Michael J. !!!
Poop Ping!
"Mexicans still point with anger to the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, under which Mexico signed away about half its territory, giving the United States most of what would become the American Southwest. "
Wrong...Mexico did not "give" the US their land. The US paid $15,000,000 for it. That was very generous when we had beaten them in war and were not obligated to give them anything for undeveloped, unpopulated desert and wilderness. Wonder what happened to that 15 million back in 1848....
Has Presidente Fox been taking lessons from John Kerry?
The only difference in the two is Kerry has more than 2 months left in office.
"Not only did you take half our country, you took the half with the paved roads!"
LOL
You get my award for best quip of the day.
Again, thanks for upgrading the overall knowledge. I was satisfied that by winning the war we could set the terms of peace. That we then did so with great generosity only makes the point made in the article all the more idiotic, which is your point and I gladly cede it to you.
More than that, it only "belonged" to Mexico because they inherited the territory from Spain after their war of independence. At the time the Mexican-American War started, American Indians were in general strongly opposed to Mexican occuption, and some, including the Apaches, were actually at war with Mexico.
Mexico likes to portray itself as the defender of the oppressed (sound familiar?), and that they speak for "the natives" of the Americas, as if they didn't renege on their promises to the American Indians to give them half their land back and the full rights of Mexican citizenship.
Easy to say for a liberal elitest living in luxury!
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