Dear Readers: Since it's the end of the year and the Mexican is on his eighteenth tamal (made by the mujeres in his family, of course), behold some letters from angry readers (and one fan), along with my answers. Enjoy your champurrado, gracias for a great 2013, and may your 2014 involve more cousins smuggled into los Estados Unidos than ever before!
Dear Phony Mexican: I read and enjoy your column on a regular basis. More often than than not, I respect your perspective on issues as they are presented to you. However, your response to CARROS two weeks ago was disingenuous. You referenced [Federal Highway Administration] statistics as justification for what I believe is passive-aggressive behavior. I divide my time between Denver and Puerto Vallarta, and I'm a driver and a pedestrian in both cities. What CARROS was describing is spot-on; the difference is that in Mexico, all of the pedestrians cross the intersection with purpose and intent to reach the other side. In Denver, most of the pedestrians cross the intersections with the intent to reach the other side, with the exception of the younger Mexicans. They seem to make this into an "I dare you" or "F U" experience. "Hmmm...you want to turn? Well, maybe I'll eventually get out of the way, after I'm done being way cool." So with all due respect, while your FHA statistics are disturbing, I can't help but think that this may in fact be a chicken-or-the-egg issue.
If you want, we can do this in Spanish.
Peyton's Pendejo
Dear Gabacho: Los cholos no son mexicanos.
Dear Mexican: Regarding your reply to the guy "not wearing bean-colored glasses": It is all about which families put an emphasis on education, not getting pregnant, and achievement. Lots of Asian immigrant families do, and their kids succeed and move up the economic ladder quickly. Lots of Hispanic families do not, so they more often see generational poverty. There are, of course, exceptions on both sides. But focusing on the exceptions does nothing to solve the problem. I don't suspect you'll like hearing that. And that is why politicians don't say it, and that is why nothing changes.
Model Minority Man
Dear Gabacho: And, again, class almost always determines which families push their children to better their station. Can you explain generational poverty among gabachos in the South? Of course you can't, so why beholdest thou the mote that is in Mexicans' eyes, but considerest not the beam that is in thine gabacho's own eye?
