While the US postal system is releasing a commemorative stamp
issue honoring Walt Disney creations, the Mexican postal system is
releasing a commemorative stamp issue here. This issue honors a local
cartoon character called Memín Pinguín. This character was created in the
1940's and is still popular with the children here. But there's a problem.
Memín is a black boy, portrayed as blacks were in the 40s. He has the
exaggerated "Negro" features of thick lips, big eyes reminiscent of the
old minstrel characters of an earlier era. On top of this, Memín is the
butt of many jokes by the "whites" in the strip. Also appearing in the
strip is Memín's mother, who looks just like the original "Aunt Jemima" of
pancake syrup fame.
Needless to say, Jessie Jackson, along with the NAACP is screaming.
And this is just on the heels of the "not even the blacks would do" gaff
of President Fox last month. But, on the other hand, how can we expect
México to understand the situation when our record of racial
discrimination is so poor for our indigenous and Mexican blacks. Yes, we
do have blacks here. At one time in the colonial era, there were more
blacks than Spaniards. In México, the anti-discrimination movement has
just started. But you would expect the federal government to appreciate
the effect of these gaffs on the image of México. But maybe they don't
care. The head of the largest Hispanic rights origination in the US,
Héctor Flores, states it well, ". . . As a sovereign nation, México is
entitled to act, think and practice their own form of government, but when
you're thinking about the global community you expect a higher standard of
behavior."
In the meantime, another flap (this time internal) is brewing.
President Fox has decided to make a grand celebration on Saturday, 2 July,
to commemorate the year 2000 election of himself and his party (the PAN).
That election ended the 71-year one party political rule in México. But
outside of what opposition might be expected from the other parties here
is the timing of this event, to be held at the famous Angel of
Independence monument on the Paso de la Reforma in front of the US
embassy. The question being asked is why now? This is the first such event
scheduled for that 2000 election . . . five years after it happened.
But the 3rd of July is also election time in the State of México, our
most populous state and an election in which the PAN (Fox's party) is
trying very hard to make a good show. This is a critical election, not
only at the state level, but with national implications as well. The
future of the 2006 presidential election may very well be affected by the
outcome of 3 July.
And this is just after our autonomous federal election commission has
cautioned sitting elected officials not to partake in any electioneering
activity. Our election laws are very strict and the commission has teeth.
But it is obvious that our president has a hearing and comprehension
problem, and it seems to be getting worse. This may end up costing the PAN
some money in fines.
By the way, have you noticed how much time Fox is spending out of the
country? It would almost seem that some of his party is trying to keep him
out of México as much as possible in order to avoid more embarrassing
gaffs. On the other hand, there are those who would like to see Fox paying
more attention at home to the unsolved economic, legal and political
problems here instead of working on free trade agreements for Persian
rugs and Russian borsht. As if that will help the average Mexican to be
able to make a decent living in his own country.
At this writing, it would look like the PRI, the ("perfect
dictatorship") former ruling party to sweep the state of México. It
remains to be seen if the PAN will be dead last or just number two in the
run.
As far as 2006 goes, national polls suggest that López Obrador (the
mayor of México, called "AMLO") and his party, the "center left" PRD, is
in the lead with the PRI and the PAN vying for last place. But this is a
continuation of a steady hemisphere trend in that direction. To the man
with few beans on his table, if one direction doesn't work, try another.
What does he have to loose except his hunger?
Now, a new player has come to the fore. If you remember, in 1994,
there was an armed uprising in our southern states (primarily Chiapas) by
an organization called the Zapatistas, led by a masked man, Subcomandante
Marcos. In a recent change of direction, Marcos is redirecting his
movement from an armed uprising to a peaceful political movement. He is
promising to lay down arms and enter the political fray for 2006. This
might be very interesting as the political doctrine he proposes is very
far to the left, which includes the rewriting of our constitution. While
some feel that AMLO is too "left", Marcos is allied with the left extremes
of Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador. Marcos' position is that AMLO is much too
far to the right! His appeal is directed to the most poverty stricken and
left out of the mainstream segments of our population. And with a segment
of our population that big, it should give all something to think about.
Maybe AMLO won't look so bad after all?
_______________________________________________
Richard N. Baldwin T., a HispanicVista.com (http://www.hispanicvista.com/)
contributing columnist, lives in Tlalnepantla, Edo de México. E-mail at:
R1041643422@aol.com
By
Richard N. Baldwin T. /HispanicVista.com