Thread: 'I didn't cross the border, the border crossed me'

http://blogs.chron.com/immigration/arch ... l#c1155123

I didn't catch the annual Latin Grammy Awards last night, but it sounds like I missed some interesting rallying cries for social issues, and, well, all of humanity.

For example, Colombian singer Juanes told the audience at the Toyota Center in Houston that Barack Obama is a president who is "right for the world."

And one of my former Chronicle colleagues, Cynthia Garza, e-mailed me this morning, commenting on Los Tigres del Norte's performance last night of their song "Somos mas Americanos."

Here's what the NY Times said about the performance:

Mexican-American group Los Tigres del Norte sang bouncy polkas about national identity, including "Somos Más Americanos," which insists that as descendants of native Americans, "I didn't cross the border, the border crossed me."

Here's a fuller excerpt from the Grammy-winning group's song:

A thousand times they have shouted at me,

"Go home, you don't belong here"

Let me remind the Gringo

That I didn't cross the border, the border crossed me

America was born free--Man divided her

They drew the line so I would have to jump it

And they call me Invader

That's a big error

They took eight states from us--who is the invader here?

I am a stranger in my own land

I don't come to make war--I'm a working man

Who can we get to write a song about the true history of the Southwest, starting with the fact that the USA took nothing from Mexicans, both the ones living here at the time and the ones living in Mexico. Heck most of the Mexicans living here at the time WANTED the US to take over.

Us Americanos always get dinged about not respecting treaties, how about the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo? And don't forget the Gadsen purchase.

Perhaps they would like to explain why they speak Spanish rather than a native American dialect - could be they're just as European as the rest of us.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

Perhaps they would like to explain why they speak Spanish rather than a native American dialect - could be they're just as European as the rest of us.

That's a good point.

Originally Posted by Bowman

Who can we get to write a song about the true history of the Southwest, starting with the fact that the USA took nothing from Mexicans, both the ones living here at the time and the ones living in Mexico. Heck most of the Mexicans living here at the time WANTED the US to take over.

How about Ted Nugent

Originally Posted by bigtex

Originally Posted by Bowman

Who can we get to write a song about the true history of the Southwest, starting with the fact that the USA took nothing from Mexicans, both the ones living here at the time and the ones living in Mexico. Heck most of the Mexicans living here at the time WANTED the US to take over.

How about Ted Nugent

I thought about him but last I heard he was Bush's buddy including pushing amnesty for illegals.