Once we are committed to the idea and philosophy of El Plan de Aztlán, we can only conclude that social, economic, cultural and political independence is the only road to total liberation from oppression, exploitation and racism.
They are acknowledging the struggles that they are facing.
We are a Nation of free pueblos, we are Aztlán.
There is nationalism being created by tying the people that were in Mexico before the north came to the south.
With our hearts in our hands and our hands in the soil, we declare the independence of our Mestizo nation, a Bronze people with a Bronze culture.
There is a distinction being drawn between the identities of being Mestizo and Chicano. Being a Mestizo references that one has indigenous roots coupled with European blood. It's as if they no longer wanted to be called 'mixed' because that would imply that they have European descent. They wish to be called something different.
The bronze color can take many shades of brown. I'm interpreting that they wanted to refer themselves not as brown but as a way to unify the people from Aztlan.
whence
This is an archaic word that means 'from'.
Aztlán belongs to those that plant the seeds, water the land and gather the crops, and not to foreign Europeans.
From the readings we've done thus far, these are the words that were eloquently structured in order to stand up to their oppressor's. By this time, the children of the children of the Jornaleros have gone to school and have become educated.
consecrating
To declare.
Preamble
A different word for 'introduction'.
1969
1969 was a famous year in American history. Richard Nixon becomes president in January. Apollo 11 is launched. Woodstock festival took place in April. Neil Armstrong walks the moon in July.<br /> Nuclear testing is done in the pacific. The Vietnam was ongoing.
frankly partisan and exaggerated without a doubt, but it does throw some light on Mexican attitudes toward the Ranger which many Texans may scarcely suspect. And it may be that these attitudes are not without some basis in fact.
Here is the current description of Texas Rangers and Mexicans.
People sang corridos about these men who, in the language of the ballads, “each with his pistol defended his right.”
This is an entire description of what was going on in the ballad of Cortez. They had a pistol in his hand because they were simply trying to live and defend their livelihood.
El que nada debe nada teme."
I've heard my parents say this line before.
Several motives must have been involved in the Ranger practice of killing innocent Mexicans as accomplices of the wrongdoers they could not catch.
This is pretty messed up for not having any real reason to keep a foot on the throat the Texas-Mexican.
according the Ranger method of shooting first and asking questions afterwards.
Rangers were simply trying to eradicate any lonely Mexican.
Richard King
Richard King was a businessman that controlled the boats on the Rio Grande and eventually unclaimed land.
If all the books written about the Rangers were put one on top of the other, the resulting pile would be almost as tall as some of the tales that they contain. The Rangers have been pictured as a fearless, almost super-human breed of men, capable of incredible feats.
There were too many books being written about the Texas Rangers during this time. Was it to spread propaganda?
apotheosis
Another word for highest peak.
Mr. Dobie
Gregorio Cortez
Gregorio Cortez - went to court a few times for different things. Murder, horse theft etc.
The community got together, usually at the patriarch’s house, to enjoy the performance of individuals, though sometimes all the individuals in a group might participate in turn.
This is how the old life would be amused.
paucity
This is a word for small or small amount.
This does not explain why the legend finds support among the literate and the educated.
According to Paredes, he alludes that the Mexican image was created by the disease of racism brought from the east. The whites needed reasons to eliminate Mexicans so they created false narratives for the public.
The Anglo-Texan legend may be summarized under half a dozen points.
The white Texan was very boring and only carried hate towards mexicans. There wasn't much to keep these people busy during these times.
balladry
This word is used quite often to describe the dance or the evolving Mexican in Texas.
His religion was oral and traditional.
His religion is the soul that is taking place for the mexican families near the border.
primogeniture
primogeniture - a system of inheritance to the eldest child.
patriarchal system
A family man was being created. We are starting to visualize the shape of the family near the border.
He was called "Brother” and addressed in the formal usted used for the parents.
The hierarchy described how one would describe their elders during these times.
Juan N. Cortina
Juan N. Cortina - came from an aristocratic family. Served during the Mexican way. Wikipedia says that he was the robin hood of the Rio Grande.
This paragraph describes how General Cortina respected his mother. After basically abandoning his wife and mother to join the mexican army, he wanted to reconcile with his mother.
peon
From what I read online, this is a word for someone with less authority or a Spanish day laborer.
The simplicity of the life led by both employer and employee also helped make them feel that they were not different kinds of men, even if one was richer than the other.
Still you don't hear the disease of racism described here.
Men and ranch hands both worked hard. There wasn't feelings of being superior over the other.
In succeeding generations the Indians, who began as vaqueros and sheepherders for the colonists, were absorbed into the blood and the culture of the Spanish settlers.
So far in this reading, this reading seems more factual and less emotion. He is good at erasing the grey areas of the different ethnic groups.
The spanish colonized, they had vaqueros (indians). They were absorbed into each but being so far away from your homeland opened their minds different customs.
The Spanish culture here didn't really like the Non-Spanish Europeans, They preferred Spanish to English.
In the days before upriver irrigation projects, the Lower Rio Grande was a green, fertile belt, bounded on the north and south by arid plains, situated along a river which, like the Nile, irri-gated and fertilized the lands close to its banks and periodically filled countless little lakes, known as resacas and esteros
This is a beautiful comparison of two rivers.
José de Escandón
Young Texas-Mexicans are being educated. Behind them lies a store of traditions of another race, customs of past ages, an innate and inherited love and reverence for another country. Ahead of them lies a struggle of which they are to be the champions.
This is the rebirth.
Jovita González
Author
They are the converging element of two antagonistic civilizations; they have the blood of one and have acquired the ideals of the other.
Old vs New. Traditionalists vs Progressives.
Whose agenda are we attempting to fulfill?
One cannot ask this question unless they know which platform they stand on. Is it for the betterment of a society or families or individuals?
The author sort of plays the role of an observer. Guiding two perspectives to make the comparison between new and old ideals.
Mexicanized
I love this word. In what ways have I been Mexicanized? I speak Spanish, and amongst other things, jalapenos and onions are a staple in my meals.
The children from these unions had not in any way assimilated the customs and habits of the American parent, but had remained untouched and thoroughly Mexican.
The children were too busy being Mexicanized.
since the coming of the ‘white trash’ from the north andmiddle west we felt the change.
Racisim tends to trickle into society by the few and jealous. It's taught and not inherited.
amos
This is a religious reference to a prophet names Amos.
like a red flag to a bull.
Seeing 'white' would enrage the Mexicans like a bull seeing a red flag.
jacal
A shack or shed but a home. [Jacal](https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/texas-mexican-vernacular-architecture#:~:text=The%20word%20jacal%20(Spanish%20for,to%20hold%20the%20roof%20vigas.)
there has been a shifting of the day laborers from the ranches to the cities
By living in a city, you have access to more resources.
jornaleros
This word is still being used today. Something I'm interested in reading today: Jornaleros
It meant more than a change of masters
I don't think the jornaleros realized that they were slaves. Sounds like the colonists came here and built infrastructure in order to make this sound appealing.
invasion
When I think of the word 'invasion', it's bad, there's many, overwhelming.
landed aristoracy
The elitists or classists. Upper class one would say. This is an interesting topic by doing a quick Google search. It's a group of people that seek to own land to gain status.
impregnable
Unable to enter. Nothing was going to make them feel less than what they felt.
exception of Brownsville
Do a quick history search on this town. Why was Brownsville the exception to not being governed by Mexicans?
They looked southward for all the necessities and pleasures in life.
For two hundred years, Texas-Mexicans didn't need anything from the north. They bid no attention to foreign culture that was slowly infiltrating their land.
Renaissance
A revival of some sort.