"...Guerrero is working hard and he is part of a Matamoros network that slowly is becoming a political force in Brownsville. He is spending money in his quest to prevail. Hinojosa is compadres with new State Rep Alex Dominguez and he is a familiar face around the court house. Though neither is a household name, they are ambitious professionals and shouldn't be taken lightly."Jerry McHale
By Juan Montoya
If ever there was a dog whistle blown in this year's City of Brownsville Commission elections, it's Jerry blowing it above.
Almost sublimely, he is stirring the cauldron of prejudice and disdain that has been an omnipresent factor in the relationship between residents of Brownsville and Matamoros. In some quarters in this city, there has always existed a deep contempt and scorn for people who were either born or live in our sister city.
They are the "other""del otro lado, "lotranos," mejcicles,"mojados," mojarras,""de la Popu," or other disparaging descriptions. In general, many local residents heap scorn upon our neighbors, never realizing that a lot of the people who lived and worked in Matamoros or northern Tamaulipas are American citizens who are part of a middle class and upper middle class - and even sometimes part of the wealthy elite - who just happen to do business there.
The pity of it is that some of the most rabid anti-Mata people are often of a lower social, educational and economic level than the people they look down upon. It's reminiscent of the poor whites in the south whose prejudice made them blind to the fact that many times some of the blacks they looked down upon were often better educated and had a better station in life that they did despite their second-class status in that odious system.
And even though they may have been looked down upon by other whites for being "white trash," they took the false pride that at least they were not black.
And even though they may have been looked down upon by other whites for being "white trash," they took the false pride that at least they were not black.
In many cases, these people from Mata had businesses there, attended schools here, St. Joseph's Academy, for example, and are entitled to participate in the political process because they were born in the United States.
Given the situation we're in that this city's traditional leadership has brought us to, it couldn't be any worse. It's nowhere but up.
Many people from Matamoros have a double nationality. They can live legally on either side. And we should welcome them here. After all, Matamros residents have a long history of contributing to our cultural and political life. Former Texas Secretary of State and Cameron County Judge ( and before that county commissioner) Carlos Cascos is a Matamoros native who served our community admirably.
And the family of former county judge, Texas Secretary of State, and u.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza's family came from there. We're sure that there are many more examples of individuals who have contributed positively to our social, economic, educational, and political life.
We now have representatives of this group on the city commission, the Brownsville Navigation District, and who have been appointed to various boards.
And the family of former county judge, Texas Secretary of State, and u.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza's family came from there. We're sure that there are many more examples of individuals who have contributed positively to our social, economic, educational, and political life.
We now have representatives of this group on the city commission, the Brownsville Navigation District, and who have been appointed to various boards.
Given the situation we're in that this city's traditional leadership has brought us to, it couldn't be any worse. It's nowhere but up.
Up until the current times of insecurity, they had no need to get involved in politics here. In fact, they were involved in politics in Matamoros and Tamaulipas and had become part of the ruling elite there. But northern Mexico's version of Ireland's "The Troubles" has forced this group to come back home. Instead of disparaging them, we should welcome their participation in our civic life.
Mexican capital is the driving force in Brownsville. Ask any Realtor. The real money in Brownsville is capital that has come from across the river fleeing the extortion of of La Maña, our own border version of Italy's "Black Hand" and the savagery of bloodthirsty cartels.
They bring an entrepreneurial spirit that has been missing locally. The restaurants, businesses, and new development that used to flourish in Matamoros are flourishing here as a result, a good thing for this poor community.
Yeah, some are haughty, demanding, and authoritative, but that is a carryover from the social relations that exist in Mexico. The demarcation between the haves and the have-nots is much more marked there as is the established social status. It's just a matter of time before they get culturally acclimatized to our customs and traditions of individual rights and social equality.
Yeah, some are haughty, demanding, and authoritative, but that is a carryover from the social relations that exist in Mexico. The demarcation between the haves and the have-nots is much more marked there as is the established social status. It's just a matter of time before they get culturally acclimatized to our customs and traditions of individual rights and social equality.
These people re not going to stand in line for housing, food stamps, or welfare checks, regardless of local chauvinists' wishful thinking. They're here to do business.
And, let not forget that the only reason Jerry's first stab at being a soccer coach at Porter High School was a success was because of kids from Matamros. Let him tell you in is own words.
"I returned to teaching in 1980 at Porter High School. I was teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and the vast majority were students from Matamoros. They were an ostracized group. They must have reminded the Brownsville Mexican-Americans of their roots who apparently didn't care to recall their humble origins. If you didn't speak English, you were an inferior beings."
Just as the talent of these kids put the Brownsville Independent School District on the state and national maps as a soccer powerhouse, let's hope that the entrepreneurial spirit and the civic engagement of this group entering politics regenerates our social and cultural life.
In fact, we should encourage the other groups among u - the Korean community, the African community, those from the Middle East and Asia and the Indian subcontinent - to join us in the voting booth and on the ballot. After all, politics makes the world go round.
No one group has a monopoly on civic engagement or political leadership. We should welcome them all. After all, our local citizens participation rates are dismal. We say the more the merrier.
"I returned to teaching in 1980 at Porter High School. I was teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) and the vast majority were students from Matamoros. They were an ostracized group. They must have reminded the Brownsville Mexican-Americans of their roots who apparently didn't care to recall their humble origins. If you didn't speak English, you were an inferior beings."
Just as the talent of these kids put the Brownsville Independent School District on the state and national maps as a soccer powerhouse, let's hope that the entrepreneurial spirit and the civic engagement of this group entering politics regenerates our social and cultural life.
In fact, we should encourage the other groups among u - the Korean community, the African community, those from the Middle East and Asia and the Indian subcontinent - to join us in the voting booth and on the ballot. After all, politics makes the world go round.
No one group has a monopoly on civic engagement or political leadership. We should welcome them all. After all, our local citizens participation rates are dismal. We say the more the merrier.