Glass casas

September 6, 2007
BY ESTHER J. CEPEDA Sun-Times Columnist

In a Sunday speech, Mexico's President Felipe Calderon ripped the United States for cracking down on illegal immigrants.

"The insensitivity shown toward those who have contributed to the economy and the United States' society has been an inducement to redouble the struggle to recognize the enormous contribution to the economies of both countries and to defend their rights."

That "enormous contribution" he mentioned is an estimated 400,000 people exported from poverty to the United States who in turn send cash -- $23 billion in 2006, according to Mexico's central bank. The figure has recently declined due to the crackdown on illegal immigrants -- to Mexico.

Also compare that U.S. "insensitivity" shown toward Mexican illegal immigrants with the well-documented rape, murder, theft and brutality migrants routinely suffer at its 600-mile border with Guatemala. Sorta makes that Hutto Detention Center in Taylor, Texas, where illegal immigrant families are housed, fed, given medical treatment and schooling before deportation look like Disneyland, if you ask me.

Hey, I'm not hatin', but here's a piece of Americana for El Prez: People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.


Pregunta del Dia
Cepeda fanatico Paul and many others often ask me why immigrants don't bother to learn English: "I know a person who immigrated [legally] to the U.S., he was speaking fluent English within nine months ... when will we all wake up and smell the coffee???"

It's too easy not to, Paul. Spanish language media are turning the American melting pot into a chunky stew.

Ad spending on Spanish-language networks and cable television has grown from approximately $1.8 billion in 2001 to more than $3.05 billion in 2006, according to Nielsen Media Research. Spanish-language broadcast networks pull in a combined average prime time audience of 4.1 million Hispanic viewers.
Most older immigrants will tell you they learned English from the TV and newspapers. Heck, I didn't speak any English until I hit kindergarten, but my grandma kept me on a steady diet of "Sesame Street," harness racing and "Kung Fu," so I did all right.

It's ironic that American TV shows have spread our best and worst across the globe, but Spanish language media are keeping untold numbers of immigrants and their kids from learning our language and culture because it's far easier to relax at the end of the day with a Spanish soap opera or newscast.

Too bad there's nothing to be done about it -- ad revenues and purchasing power trump national interest every time.

Mirror mirror on the wall
The rumors have been swirling for weeks: El Comandante is dead!
Not yet -- that anyone can confirm, that is.

The official word is that the 81-year-old, who didn't even come out for his mid-August birthday bash, is merely still recovering from a series of intestinal surgeries. On his weekly TV show, Castro pal Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez went so far as to read a letter supposedly written by a spry-enough Fidel to prove he's not dead. Yet.

Anyone else remember Peter Falk in that 1961 episode of the "Twilight Zone" where he plays a Fidel-like character who, looking into a magical mirror given to him by an old witch woman, sees the face of his assassin and it turns out to be him?

Seems a fitting analogy for a guy who, after a supposed 638 attempts on his life, hasn't been seen in public since July 2006 and seems to have a permanent "I don't have cancer!" sign posted on his office door.

After avoiding exploding cigars, Chicago-style mob hits and an ex-lover's poison pills, how disappointing to be ravaged by one's own body. You gotta wonder what Fidel sees in his bedroom mirror.


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