I am glad to see good reviews of Daniel's books. I've known about
them since his nephew told me about them, but I usually don't read novels, so I
haven't bought any of them. I think I will now.
Daniel's father Nicolas was from Jerez, Zacatecas where my father was born
also. They came over legally around the time that the US threw open its
doors to refugees from the Mexican revolution (1915). I have done some
work on those lines, since I encountered one of Daniel's brothers on the
Jerezano.com website several years ago and we compared notes. We may be
related collaterally; the places and names seem to match. Nicolas Reveles
was a painter (pintor) in Jerez, and he later, along with his son Antonio,
designed sets at MGM in the 1920s, 30s and 40s.
It is sad that those open doors slammed shut, and I was surprised to hear
that your grandparents had to cross over illegally. My father crossed
over at the El Paso, TX border crossing where Daniel's father also crossed over
around 1915. As far as I know they were given legal safe passage on the
railroads from Jerez to Juarez and El Paso.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 7:10
PM
Subject: RE: [ranchos] Re: Dialog of the
Dead --> with the Living
Daniel Reveles wrote three books about the border town, Tecate, Mexico,
in which each chapter is it's own story. In the second or third book,
"Tequila, Lime and Salt", page 95, the story is called, "Big Caca's
Revenge". Big Caca is the Mexican border patrol agent. He's big,
mean, and his last name happens to be Cacabellos.
He
extorts money from people coming into Mexico with goods brought over from the
U.S., throughout all three books, he does this, (first book is "Enchiladas,
Rice and Beans" and the other is "Salsa and Chips". )
Well, in the last book Big Caca finally finds love and begins to court
this woman. He takes her into the U.S. into Temecula for a romantic
weekend. While there, they get acosted by a U.S. Customs agent demanding
their "papers" allowing them to visit the U.S. Big Caca has his, but his
lady-love, Lizette does not, the papers are back at the hotel.
Needless to say they deport her back to Mexico ending their little romantic
getaway. Big Caca is furious!
He
goes back to Mexico with revenge on his mind. Now, mind you, living in
this sleepy little town are all the Americans who wanted to set up their
businesses, cheaply, hire workers, cheaply, and live the good life in
Tecate. You've also got retirees who wanted to live where the cost of
living is way low. Now, of course, these Americans, when entering
Mexico, did have papers, but never updated them. Big Caca knows this and
when he gets back to town, he starts asking all the Americans for
their citizenship papers that say they could stay in
Mexico legally. He picks up the factory owner, Jerry, and deports him
back to the U.S. He sees sweet old retired Millie, and asks her
for her papers. When she can't produce them,
he takes her to the border, groceriers and all, back
to the U.S. Here's a quote from the book:
The little grandma was now genuinely
frightened. "But you just can't pick me up off the street and throw me
out of the country. Fred's at home waiting for me. He'll think I
was in an accident. He'll worry about me!" Tears rolled out of her
blue eyes.
Big Caca looked at the frightened
grandmother, and thought, I'm sure the U.S. Border Patrol listens
sympathetically when they pick up some poor Mexican woman on her way home to
her children after a day of cleaning houses.
Anyway, the reason why I tell this story is because of its irony.
This happens to Mexican's every day. And as Victor said, they're just
trying to find a better way of living. Just like the American's going to
these border towns to run their factories for a fraction of what it would cost
them here in the U.S. In this story, the shoe is on the other
foot. Without giving away the ending of this little story (for those of
you who'd like to read them - which I highly recommend because they're all
hilarious), I'll tell you that the moral of this story is both countries need
each other. Mexican immigrants contribute to the U.S. in doing the jobs
that other don't want. Picking the grapes, cleaning the houses and cheap
day labor. Americans set up shop in border towns and give job
opportunities to the Mexican's that do stay.
Whether its wrong or right (immigration) I don't know. I just feel
sad sometimes, when I see, on the news, people screaming to deport the
illegals, when, 90 years ago, those illegals were my
grandparents........
Emilie,
The group has been rather
quietly lately so I'm using this opportunity
to make an additional
comment on the "Dialog of the Dead" play. I
understand that it
might not be directly related to genealogy but
since Joseph brought up
the subject I hope nobody will complain.
I have previously expressed
an opinion about one experience that could
be common among some of us
that are in pursuit of our genealogical
roots: the contrast between
finding our dead relatives and finding
our living relatives.
Relations with our dead are so easy; they do
not prejudge us; they do not
make any kind of demands; we just embrace
them as part of ourselves
regardless of what, where or who they were
and that's the end of
it. Relations with the living, particularly
those distant living
relatives that we rediscover thru our
genealogical endeavors, can be and
often are very complicated. And,
aren't we all related at some
point back in time?
Our prejudices and misconceptions of life
usually get in the way and
it isn't easy accepting each other when we
have such divergent views
of the world that surrounds us. We may
share common genes but our
outlook on life has been shaped by our
experiences and is continually
being influenced by external forces.
Our actions stem from our
individual "perception of reality" and our
sense of belonging.
I agree with the views expressed by some members
here about how great
and lovable this group and our virtual fellowship is
but there's no
denying that "it's a jungle out there" in the real world.
There's just
too much polarization and that is reflected in so many
aspects of our
societies.
Take for example the US
immigration debate. The underlying motivation
for every migrant, either
today or five hundred years ago or five
thousand years ago, has always
been to improve one's life and/or get
away from a bad situation.
That has been the norm since who knows
when, even before countries
existed as we know them today. On the
other hand, immigration laws
are of more recent creation and can be
reformed and adapted to the needs
and purposes of each country. What
I find ironic is that some of
the most vociferous anti-immigration
proponents like Colorado state
congressman Tom Tancredo or radio talk
host Michael Savage, are
themselves sons of immigrants. And I don't
mean from 10 generations
ago but 2 and 1 generations ago respectively.
How selfishly intolerant
and xenophobic can humans really become is
amazing! Even
California's governor, who has openly suported
anti-immigration movements
like the minute-man project is an immigrant
himself. What is their
implicit message? OK, now that we're in close
the doors (and build
a wall) behind us for anyone else, particularly
those dark-skinned little
mexicans from south of the border. American
pie slices getting too
thin?
Now the saddest part. I have witnessed how Hispanics
wearing the
official uniforms of the US immigration authorities and
behind the
desks at the border offices deal with Mexicans and other
foreigners
who go there and ask for a permit to enter the United
States. Have
you ever being treated as a 2nd class citizen?
Can you imagine
imagine yourself in both sides of this equation?
What's really
surprising is that Anglo-Saxon looking immigration officers
hardly
show the kind of prepotency and disdain towards Mexicans as those
with
the Hispanic surnames on their tags. How can this be
explained? Have
they been brainwashed in the name of homeland
security or is this
just our human nature? Who is really behind
those anti-immigration
voices infusing into your minds so much venomous
and hateful rhetoric?
Just to end. I want to share with you a
link that shows another
historical aspect of people migrating to find a
better life. But this
time in reverse. Not from Mexico into
the US but out of the US and
into Mexico.
http://www.texancultures.utsa.edu/hiddenhistory/Pages1/tyler.htm
How
many of you were aware of this
reality?
Victor
México
--- In ranchos@yahoogroups.com,
"Emilie Garcia" <auntyemfaustus@h...>
wrote:
>
>
Victor,
>
> As usual your observation is as astute as
always. I did identify
with some of the debaters, those that took
the middle road. I think
we all need to get together and advance
our situations by sticking
together and not going off on tangents to the
extremes, such as the
Aztlan group. It is unfortunate that those in
that group do not
realize that people like Pat Buchanan stir the Anglo
populace up by
making it look like that fringe group speaks for us all,
and that we
are all into "Reconquista" which brings up to the Anglos the
specter
of armed brown hordes seeking to re-conquer the land. We
are slowly
re-conquering anyway, due to the American economy being so
dependent
on cheap Mexican labor in manufacturing, agriculture and
services. We
just need to tone down our resentments and work
towards ensuring that
this country remains the bastion that it has been
for human rights for
everyone. We can't afford to take any backward
steps. We must
acculturate, but because of the proximity to Mexico
and our mostly
Native origins, they can't expect us to give up our
ethnicity as
rapidly nor as completely as other immigrant groups.
This will take
several generations to accomplish, if ever.
>
> Emilie
by Date 
-