In a blog posting on MySpace a local resident who happens to be Mexican shows his support for Farmers Branches ordinance.

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...ogID=265209066

Last night there was a sudden shift in the force. During dinner at Chateau Torrez the topic of Farmer's Branch ordinance banning the rental of apartments to illegal aliens. My brother, whose 9th grade picture can be seen in the yearbooks ranging from 1990 - 1993, made the comment that "they just want to get rid of our culture". Well this was my opportunity to really dig into his head a bit so I ask him "And what factors does that culture consist of? Grilling fajitas and listening to mexican music?" Well this sparked the usual crapola I get from my family....you are not proud to be a mexican, you listen to white music, you hang out with white friends, you don't like salsa, etc.....again...what exactly does our culture consist of????

So instead I defended their usual:
"You listen to white music": I have a wide range of music that I listen to. Like others there is some music that I do not have the desire to listen to. Yes I love my hard rock and metal music because I enjoy it and find it relaxing to me.

"You hang out with white friends": I hang out with people I share interests with. In a mexican family unity amongst the family is a treasure. I share that same treasure with the friends I have. They are a family to me in their own unique way. And I also get to expand my horizons through building relationships with them so I don't hang out.

"You don't like salsa": I will eat a certain salsa if it is made a certain way. I also don't like onions and never have yet they still offer it to me. This is the typical stereotype that I hear. So if white people LOVE mexican food does that make them want to be a mexican. Last time I checked people like certain kinds of foods because they TASTE goooood....weird!

Overall he wasn't able to tell me why we celebrate Cinco de Mayo? Who was the first president of Mexico? How many wars was Mexico involved in? What is the origin of a Quincenera? Why do mexicans wear those big hats (and yes there is a purpose for it)? How many dialects of Spanish are there? How far back can you name your ancestors? Everybody has their own culture. That culture is shown and celebrated through the life they live.

I ended the discussion with reminding him to look past what you have, want, and need and look at every person as an opportunity to learn something that only they can teach. Life is a classroom and the people we talk to and get to know are the textbooks of information. Are you ready for the final exam????

Si me dice esto mess otra vez le voy a decir que se vaya a la chingada!