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Guest Column

 By Jaime Cader

 Following is my critique of the book "Mexifornia: a state of becoming" by Victor Davis Hanson, a native of Selma in California's Central Valley and a professor of Classics at California State University, Fresno.  In his work, Davis Hanson expresses his fears that in the near future California will become something not quite the United States nor Mexico, but something in between -although with much noticeable characteristics of Mexico.  He disapproves of a balkanization in the United States.

 In reading this book, I found that Davis Hanson states some things that are not true and that his superiority complex shows through.  There is even at least one contradiction in his book when he states on page 31 "I have met wealthy elites, academics, and journalists from Mexico City who privately laugh that they are exporting their Indians and Mestizos, their unwanted, into the United States.  Their smile disappears when I reply that we instead figure what they suppose to be riffraff are the real cream of Mexican society: frontiersmen and women whose endurance and courage are good prerequisites for Americanization, and who in fact are superior people to those who oppress them at home."  If Davis Hanson actually believes this, then it is in direct contradiction to his other statements throughout the book where he details, for example, the stealing of items from his property, the criminal activity, etc. which he attributes to Mexican residents in his town of residence. 

 In several places in his book, Davis Hanson uses the word assimilation or a word whose root word is assimilation.  For him assimilation is the answer to the problems Mexicans (he rarely refers to other Hispanics) have in their communities and he also attacks the presence and the promotion of multiculturalism.  From my own personal perspective, I have not found that knowledge of my cultural background is a hindrance in the United States, although it surely would be problematic if I were to go to certain places in Idaho where there are white supremacist communities.  My parents are from El Salvador.  I grew up speaking Spanish as my first language, and I take pride that at least according to a family tradition, I am related to a historical Mexican figure, General Felipe Angeles.  Thus for me it is simply wrong what Davis Hanson says about assimilation and multiculturalism.  Perhaps, however, to some individuals I "appear" to be assimilated.  I am fairly fluent in English, and one Mexican acquaintance once commented that I dress like the white people.

 "Mexiforna" in any case, presents on various pages the idea that the United States is superior to Mexico. It does not occur to the author that in a sense Mexico is more advanced than the United States since there is no capital punishment in that country.  On page 120 the author relates his thoughts on the "assimilated" Mexican-Americans that he knows of which few speak Spanish.  He says, "They may not all be titled and degreed, but almost all are informed and can read, write, compute and understand the basic tenets of the culture they helped to build and maintain  -and which they most certainly think is far superior to that of Mexico."

 There is something to be said about the obsession many Americans have about the situation in other countries.  For example, anthropologist Laura Nader, the sister of consumer activist Ralph Nader, wrote an article about American intense interest in the plight of women in the Middle East.  She wrote that this obsession is an escape so as to not see that the oppression of women continues in the United States.

 Psychological anthropologist Francis L.K. Hsu published a book that has an analysis of Anglo-American culture ("Americans & Chinese -Passage to Differences", University of Hawaii Press).  He also published an article about racism in American anthropolgoy in the American Anthropologist journal of February 1973.  In contrast to Davis Hanson's preference of individualism, Hsu writes on page 12 of his article "The individual centered man, having no permanent human moorings, rationalizes his condition of life by placing a high premium on the idea of change.  In turn, his preoccupation with things to compensate for his deficiency in permanent human relations tends to make him believe that economic factors are the very source of all change."

 Davis Hanson's recommendation that Mexican immigrants study American civics, etc. is also lacking.  His educational paradigm is seen as faulty when one learns what the philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti is reported to have said in the book "Education & the Significance of Life" on page 18: "Present-day education is a complete failure because
it has over-emphasized technique.  In over-emphasizing technique we destroy man.  To cultivate capacity and efficiency without understanding life, without having a comprehensive perception of the ways of thought and desire, will only make us increasingly ruthless, which
is to engender wars and jeopardize our physical security.  The exclusive cultivation of technique has produced scientists, mathematicians, bridge builders, space conquerors; but do they understand the total process of life?  Can any specialist experience life
as a whole?  Only when he ceases to be a specialist."

 In stressing assimilation and the learning of Anglo-American culture and history, I wonder what Davis Hanson would think of San Francisco's Chinatown.  I don't believe that I need to describe here what this area of the city looks like with most of the signs written in Chinese.  Surely he would venture to say that the residents of that neighborhood need to acculturate and take down all of their ethnic trappings without regard that this is a tourist destination and a source of revenue for the city.

 Hsu, whom I mentioned previously, wrote about the fear many Anglo-Americans have about becoming the inferior.  One can take into consideration that Davis Hanson certainly has the notion of "At least I'm not an undocumented Mexican..."

 A final point I want to make is that I disagree with the "Mexifornia" author's views concerning "Third World" individuals emigrating to Europe, South Africa, etc.  In this category he even includes Palestinians entering Israel to find work.  I feel that the author gives the impression that he does not know the true situation of Palestinians.

 My intention in reading "Mexifornia" was to see what the other side thinks.  I do not hate the author, for as the late Jesuit Anthony de Mello said, individuals that do and say harmful things believe that what they are doing is right.  In any case we should still show them what is correct and continue to fight oppression. 

 I still have two more books to read that are in the line of "Mexifornia."  However getting into this subject matter has reminded to continue reading the writings of Hsu.  It is important to know what is being said about our communities and to develope stategies for combatting the misinformation.  Let us not forget that Hitler lied so often that after a while, a majority of the German people started to believe him.

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 Jaime Cader is from San Francisco, California.  He has travelled throughout the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.  He has contributed to the making of a documentary that was completed (titled "Weaving with Spanish Threads") and is presently writing a book about his relatives and ancestors. Contact at: jmcader@yahoo.com

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