Thread: OPINION: 'Mexico is our past, but the U.S. is our future'

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/opinion/16695697.htm

Posted on Wed, Feb. 14, 2007

'Mexico is our past, but the U.S. is our future'

By Richard J. Gonzales
Special to the Star-Telegram

Francisco Alvarez, state president of the Federation of Zacatecano Clubs of Texas, calls himself a Zacatejano. He's a man who loves Mexico and the United States equally.

For some who have lived all their lives in one country, it may seem hard to understand how a person could cherish two flags. As Alvarez explains, it's a matter of learning and living in two cultures, two languages, two histories, two futures.

As a college student in Mexico, he majored in linguistics and particularly enjoyed learning English.

"I read Shakespeare and Stephen King," he said. He admits that he'll never lose his Spanish accent but enjoys the challenge of improving his English.

Once a salesman for a U.S. company in Monterrey, Mexico, he relished receiving his salary in dollars. He admired the efficiency and honesty of U.S.-managed businesses -- qualities he thinks are lacking in a Mexican business climate that still runs on the mordida (the bite) and cronyism.

After the U.S. business closed, he saw he had no future in Mexico. Like millions of his countrymen, he came to the United States, looking for work and the good life.

As a bilingual teacher in the Dallas public schools, he explains to immigrant parents who want their children to speak English that they can learn English and Spanish. He said that in El Paso schools, Asian, black and Anglo children fill bilingual classrooms. The gift of languages opens doors to foreign countries and jobs, as Alvarez personally knows.

Like Alvarez, Sigifredo Munoz -- public relations secretary of the Jalpa, Zacatecas United Club -- realized that despite his early, private school education in Mexico, he had little chance of landing a good-paying job. He learned English, graduated from Arlington Heights High School and found a job with a national real estate agency. He said his work and bilingual skills allow him to show immigrants how to buy homes and put down roots in this country.

Munoz said a common, grand illusion among Mexicans in the U.S. is the dream of earning enough to return and retire in comfort. Even if Mexico raised the standard of living, offered lucrative jobs and eliminated corruption, few of the 12 million undocumented immigrants would return, he said.

Alvarez and Munoz spoke of the euphoria of freedom that fills them each time they cross the border into Mexico. They find joy reveling in their culture, speaking Spanish, renewing friendships and comforting their families. After a few weeks, they return to the U.S. border and are again filled with excitement as they cross over.

"Mexico is our past, but the U.S. is our future," Alvarez said.

Each passing day in this country rivets in their mind the realization that their destiny is wedded to this country. A rallying cry for Munoz and millions of Mexicans in the U.S. is: Aqui estamos y no nos vamos -- here we are, and we aren't leaving.

They accept anti-immigration hostility as the price they have to pay for a chance to live free of the humiliation of poverty, for their families' respect for reaching the good life.

Alvarez, Munoz and thousands of others from the Mexican state of Zacatecas formed their statewide clubs to help those they left behind as well as improve their lives in this country. They participate with the Mexican government in matching money projects that create jobs, build roads, repair churches, beautify cemeteries and raise scholarships. For every dollar that the Zacatecan clubs contribute, the local, state and federal Mexican governments contribute three dollars.

They hope that their relief dollars will help Mexico build an infrastructure that will slow the immigration push. At the same time, the clubs pool their resources to help Zacatejanos improve their lives here.

They plan to open a technology center in Fort Worth that will offer computer training, ESL programs, citizenship and health education classes.

On March 17, the Fort Worth clubs will host a state convention of the Zacatecan Clubs with Amalia Garcia Medina, governor of Zacatecas, as guest speaker. She is the first female governor in Zacatecas' history.

Mexico is changing, but Alvarez, Munoz and millions of other Mexicans can't wait. They send money and wish their native country a bright future. In the meantime, they cross the border, find jobs and put their hopes in the Stars and Stripes.


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Richard J. Gonzales of Arlington is a freelance writer. Rgonz37034@aol.com

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I have to go throw up now

The basic problem that Mexico has is the attitude showcased in this editorial. Their highly touted "tres por uno" program outlined in this piece mostly goes toward projects that the Mexican federal and local level governments should be doing on their own.

Also while these are creating jobs they are really not creating a strong economic base. A church in repair will still needs funds from the outside for maintenance if there is no focus on having local sustainable agriculture and industry.

These hometown associations should be educating their members on the importance of promoting victory gardens and avoiding the purchase of food in supermarkets, Politicial activists should be teaching saving money through continuing to supply themselves with food. As it is they encorage expectations that they can solve their problems by moving north and making money illegally for direct consumption.

As for the line "aqui estamos and no vamos" "here we are and we are not going" does it also appear in an ad for an over the counter medicine. The Mexicans with family here deserve more from their leadership than that they should adopt that kind of attitude.

Mexico is changing, but Alvarez, Munoz and millions of other Mexicans can't wait. They send money and wish their native country a bright future. In the meantime, they cross the border, find jobs and put their hopes in the Stars and Stripes.

...all the while singing the praises of President Bush......knowing if they get here he won't send them back home........They get to stay and we will pay.........no wonder they are filled with hope.

They plan to open a technology center in Fort Worth that will offer computer training, ESL programs,

Code:

 citizenship

and health education classes.

Under whos authority does a Mexican club have the right to offer Citizenship?