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opinion
Racism
toward Mexican-Americans nothing new, not going anywhere
Now that the A.S.I. election silliness is all behind us, it's
time to move on to more important topics, like racism.
They often say that racism comes from your family, so therefore
you are conditioned with it from an early age. Well, I remember
the first time I ever learned what a "beaner" or
"wetback" meant and it changed the rest of my life
profoundly.
I was on the playground of course, and I guess I was around
six years old. There was a boy and I can't remember his name
that asked what I was. Not understanding what he meant I didn't
answer. Then he said, "Well are you a beaner?" The
perplexity must have shown on my face, because he followed
with, "You know, a wetback?"
Not knowing how to answer, I ran home and asked my parents
what these words meant. My dad explained that they were words
directed at Mexican people, although he didn't really explain
how they were derived, but he did make some reference to us
Mexicans liking beans, which perplexed me even more because
I HATED beans.
It has now been some time since I first learned what those
two derogatory words regarding my ethnicity meant and that
moment still inflicts some pain inside of me.
The sad thing is that these derogatory words toward Mexicans
have not gone away and the hatred of Mexicans in our society
is yet to subside.
The problem with racism toward Mexicans is that it is deep
rooted. It began sometime around the 19th century following
the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Mexican people that were
born in Mexico or in the United States had to choose the country
where they wanted to be a citizen, but were able to come and
go between the two countries as they pleased.
The treaty, (like most that were historically made with the
U.S.) was broken and there were problems that Mexicans born
in the U.S. faced, including being deported back to Mexico.
As you may know, the border issue has remained a hot topic
over the years and has launched such U.S. condoned programs
as "Operation Wetback," where Mexicans were deported
and "Operation Dry Out The Wetback," where Mexicans
were given citizenship and allowed to work in the fields.
More recently, there have been various laws meant to cripple
the Mexican immigrants that live in this country, such as
Propositions 187 and 227.
Historically, Mexican people have been the easiest to blame
for various social ills that effect our country. This problem
was magnified it seemed in the early '90s when Pete Wilson
was the Governor of Calif. and has never truly subsided.
Even now in the "new millennium," Mexicans continue
to be discriminated against and it's time for all that to
change. Finally, I believe it is time to put those deep-seated
feelings towards Mexicans behind us, so that children of the
future won't have to have the same awakening that I had.
Alex Roman is journalism major at Cal State Long Beach.
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Alex
Roman
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