Posted on 05/13/2010 6:39:52 AM PDT by laotzu
SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro was recently profiled in the New York Times, which referenced him as the next national Hispanic leader and perhaps president.
"It's been a very promising response," said Castro. "It's a very flattering article."
But comments he didn't make could draw some strong opinions. His mother, Rosie Castro, had strong words when asked about her memories of the Alamo, a symbol of Texas independence.
"They used to take us there when we were school children," Perez told the Times. "They told us how glorious that battle was. When I grew up, I learned that the 'heroes' of the Alamo were a bunch of drunks and crooks and slaveholding imperialists who conquered land that didn't belong to them. But as a little girl I got the message (that) we were losers. I can truly say that I hate that place and everything it stands for."
"I'm sure that a lot of people disagree with it," said Castro, when asked about his mother's comments. "I ... have a different perspective from what she does. I think that the struggles that the state of Texas went through at the Alamo and other places were necessary for the great state that we have today and all of us should be proud of it."
Today, tourists and locals walking around Alamo Plaza reacted to the comments.
"If what she did for further research proved to have validity, then I guess I'd side with her," said Parris Wedel, a tourist from Florida.
"I think it's a huge disgrace to people that live in San Antonio because it's part of their heritage, it's where they grew up," said Naomi Guerrero, who said she looked forward to her visit to the Alamo when she took Texas History in the 7th grade.
Castro said the attempt in the article was to show a generational difference.
"My mother's generation and generations before went through a particular experience that was painful at times," said Castro.
"I wouldn't want my mom making a comment like that, knowing that she would be disgracing me if I was the mayor," said Guerrero.
Rosie Castro was not available for an extended interview on Wednesday but said during the time period in which she was brought up, there was no real objective view of what happened.
Castro said said it's a non-issue to him and something he's addressed a long time ago.
After San Jacinto they got a steamboat that was damaged in
a hurricane and mounted cannons to fight Santa Anna as he
was trying to get enough power to retake Texas.
There were virtually no Spanish colonists or Mexicans in Texas in 1836 and before. Central Mexico was beautiful, agriculturally productive, lacked Apaches and Commanches, etc. People liked living there; it was civilized. Mexico City, for example, had had a university for centuries by the early 19th century.
Because their claim to territory north of the Rio Grande was essentially just an assertion, the governments in Mexico City went through scheme after scheme to try lure settlers north of the Rio Grande and failed time after time. That is why they finally gave Austin and other Americans huge incentives to bring Americans here. The actual number of Spanish/Mexicans north of the Rio Grande in 1830 wouldnt even populate a decent sized Houston subdivision, and most of the Spanish/Mexicans north of the Rio Grande were concentrated relatively near the river.
BTW, there were also very few Indians, especially in areas west of the rainfall line that runs through Houston. Why? Because it semi-arid or desert. Without advanced European civilization and its technology, the area is barely inhabitable.
The American settlers made Texas as a whole livable. People who claim they want Texas back are claiming something that never was theirs and that they didnt create. Someone needs to teach that to LULAC MALDEF, MECHA and all the other so-called latino special interests, as well as to our politicians and our highly trained education professionals. (snark/off)
Not really. They spun it this way for a while, but it was a very open secret that the Anglo settlers pretty much all wanted to eventually be annexed by the US.
Great comment! That pretty much sums up where she got educated when she “grew up”. After all, I don’t think she was around at the time of the Alamo (though, Helen Thomas probably was).
Facts are inconvenient things and can be ignored when an agenda is being pushed. Follow the money................
Helen interviewed President Polk after the incident.............
How, by ANY stretch of the imagination, could anyone with the name "Julian Castro" ever be elected President of the United States?
I suggest that if he has any presidential aspirations at all, he should quickly change his name to George Castro.
Leni
Technically speaking, this is not entirely inaccurate.
If you read the actual history of the early TX settlers, a startling percentage of them were "on the lam" from the States for one reason or another, often leaving a family behind and starting a new one in TX. Notably this included Sam Houston.
They were certainly heavy drinkers as a group, again notably including SH.
Just about all of them were slaveowners or aspired to be, despite the fact slavery had been abolished in Mexico.
None of this should take away from the fact that they fought for freedom and willingly gave their lives in its defense.
Some days the irony will just reach up behind you and snatch you baldheaded. Does this mean that her son was elected Mayor of the 7th largest city in the US by decendants of drunks, crooks and slaveholding imperialists or is she trying to get a part in Viva Max Dos: The Sequel?
Well his mom can leave the country anytime she likes.
It shows that she considers herself a Mexican first, and a Texan or American second, if at all.
And therein lies the problem.
Castro was born in San Antonio on September 16, 1974. His mother, Rosie Castro, is “a well-known ‘70s firebrand”[1] was involved in local politics and a leader of La Raza Unida.[1] She often brought him and his twin brother Joaquín Castro to local political meetings. -— Wiki
Please don’t interrupt a perfectly good and emotionally charged session of “deconstructing the white Europeans” with facts, logic and reason. The truth further warps the confused ignoramuses’ world perceptions and prejudicial “history”./s
***Ithought that battele was won by General Santana***
Santana was an Kiowa Indian war chief along with Skatank.
Santa Anna was the Mexican war looser who inflicted chewing gum on the United States.
It is interesting that Spain and Mexico could not contain the Indians in the north for centuries, but it took only about 60 years for the US to subdue the tribes. Now the work is done and the infrastructure is there the Mexicans want it back!
But as a little girl I got the message (that) we were losers
Guess what, Rosie.. you are.
Remember San Jacinto?
“Rosie Castro, sounds more like Fidel.”
You are very close to the truth here. I listen to San Antonio radio. I heard an interview with one of the Castro brothers a few years ago when they were breaking into local politics(the other is now a state congressman). He was discussing how is father was a big Fidel Castro fan.
They have worked hard to portray themselves as more moderate than what I believe they truly are.
**There were virtually no Spanish colonists or Mexicans in Texas in 1836 and before.***
There were a series of Spanish forts, including the alamo, which was a church, along the rivers in some areas but these were abandoned because of the constant Indian raids.
Hate it all you want, but you had better never forget it.
Remember The Alamo Chica!
Juan Seguin did not die at the Alamo nor at San Jacinto
check your facts.
He died an old man and is now buried in Seguin Texas.
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