Guest Column

Revamping California-Mexico Relations: A call for public policy beyond racism and benign neglect

(Author’s note: Please consider this as an invitation. The most important aspect of this seminar is the proactive intent of this academic gathering to counter the recent remarks of our current governor, and the keynote address by Mexico City’s Attorney General Bernardo Batiz)

 By Armando Vazquez-Ramos

"Close the borders in California and all across Mexico and in the United States. Because I think it is just unfair to have all those people coming across, have the borders open the way it is, and have this kind of lax situation."- - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s xenophobic remarks on April 19, 2005 at the annual meeting of the Newspaper Association of America in San Francisco, California.

With this comment, the current governor of California brought to a boiling point the perception that California-Mexico relations have seriously deteriorated and that neither public policy nor neighborly relations exist between our State and our foremost business partner: Mexico.

The embarrassed governor was quick to blame his poor English skills, as he explained the next day at a news conference that he intended to say the US-Mexico border should be secured, not closed. "Yesterday was a total screw-up in the words I used. Because instead of closing, I meant securing. I think maybe my English, I need to go back to school and study a little bit."

In spite of the governor's disingenuous contrition and blaming his remarks on an imperfect command of his adopted language, there is no doubt that his bold statement echoed with those that advocate closing the nation's borders to choke off illegal immigration.

Appallingly, Schwarzenegger tried to correct any misimpression about his "close the border" position with typical comments he has made in the past toward Mexico and the California Latino population. To wit, he said, "And the bottom line is, I misspoke and I'm sorry if that, you know, offended anyone. But it was a language problem, because I meant securing our borders rather than closing our borders…. I think we have a terrific relationship with Mexico. I have done myself four movies in Mexico". Insultingly, he added: "I love to go on vacation in Mexico. I think we have a great trade relationship with Mexico. We're good friends."

Good friends?...on what basis can he make these ludicrous assertions when in fact the governor has ignored Mexico since taking office, he has openly crowed that he voted for Proposition 187, closed the California trade and commerce office in Mexico City, and when was the last time that he ‘vacationed’ or paid an official visit to Mexico’s policymakers?

California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez issued a prepared statement soon after Schwarzenegger's comments, criticizing his "narrow-minded approach to immigration policy" and referred to hundreds of e-mails sent to his office from "very, very racist people from across the state." Optimistically, he declared "I don't think the governor identifies himself with that kind of rhetoric," and "I don't know why he said it, but I'm very pleased he has totally removed himself from those folks who espouse that kind of hatred." Unfortunately, the governor then went on to praise and promote the Minutemen vigilantes.

Thus, while Speaker Nunez added that “he hoped the incident would prompt closer relations between Schwarzenegger and Mexican officials” and that “the governor needed to do more than just apologize”, the glaring reality is that the California Legislature also has balked at pressing for the State to foster a comprehensive public policy toward Mexico and to promote neighborly relations. In fact, given the history of disrespect of teachers, nurses, police and firefighters by the “bully-governor”, he is unlikely to change his behavior and it is up to the Legislature and the Mexican government to build bridges of trust. 

___________________________

California-Mexico Relations and Public Policy Seminar

9:am- 5:pm Saturday, May 14, 2005 at CSULB Multicultural Center (FO3-003)

PURPOSE: The purpose of this seminar is to address the dire need for revamping California-Mexico relations, and to develop a comprehensive public policy paper that reflects an action agenda for bilateral cooperation on socioeconomic, political and educational issues in response to the Governor’s recent racist comments.

AGENDA

8:30am          REGISTRATION AND SET-UP   

9:00am          WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS: Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Coordinator

                                                                                           California-Mexico Project

9:15am          PURPOSE AND GOALS OF THE SEMINAR (Video)

9:30am          1^st ADVOCATES ROUNDTABLE PRESENTATIONS AND DIALOGUE:

v     Nativo Lopez, President of MAPA and Hermandad Mexicana Nacional

v     Professor Gonzalo Santos, CSU Bakersfield Sociologist and Telemundo Political Commentator

v     Professor Roman Millan, UNAM Facultad de Economia and STUNAM

v     Arturo Carmona, Home Town Associations Consultant

11:00am        KEYNOTE ADDRESS: HON. BERNARDO BATIZ, ATTORNEY GENERAL

                                                                  MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

                        TOPIC: “La importancia de la relacion entre Mexico D.F. y Los Angeles”

12:noon        Lunch and informal discussion

12:30pm        2^nd ADVOCATES ROUNDTABLE PRESENTATIONS AND DIALOGUE:

v     Assemblyman Marco Antonio Firebaugh, Former Chair of the Assembly

Select Sub-committee on California-Mexico Affairs

v     Miguel Lopez, Teamsters Union Leader and Latino Truckers Advocate

v     Ray Cordova, South County Labor Council Chair

v     Professor Octavio Pescador, UCLA Chicano Studies Center

2:00pm          Reflection, questions and answers with CHLS-490 graduate students

3:00pm          Public Policy Paper resolutions and recommendations

5:00pm          Despedida

 "El respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz"-- Benito Juarez

Prof. Armando Vazquez-Ramos, Coordinator and Lecturer

California-Mexico Project: 562-985-4640/FAX: 562-985-4631

CSULB Chicano & Latino Studies Department, FO3-302 

Email: avazque4@csulb.edu;  

Website: http://www.csulb.edu/~avazque4

and,

Program Manager

Transition to Teaching for Immigrant Professionals Program (TTIPP)

CSUDH College of Education, Room EAC-601

Phones: 310-243-2735 or (888)54-TTIPP (548-8477)

Email: avazquezramos@csudh.edu

TTIPP website: http://www.csudh.edu/coe/ttipp

 Home: 562-430-5541/Fax: 562-430-5534

Cellular: 562-972-0986

Address: 1551 N. Studebaker Road, Long Beach, CA 90815

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