Dear Mexican: Why are Mexicans so proud of the brutality of their police force? They seem to glamorize it in all their music and telenovelas. — Batons are Bats, Or Super Oracles
Dear BABOSO: I’ll let you know when Dirty Harry, Detective Sipowicz, Chief Wiggum, and the producers of COPS get back to me, m’kay?
Why aren’t more Mexicans talking about the economic destruction that the NAFTA treaty has caused in Mexico and the role it plays in the immigration problem? The state of Guanajuato, home state of former Mexican president Vicente Fox, went from being Mexico’s breadbasket to chiefly exporting immigrants because of the influx of American subsidized cereals that the NAFTA treaty allows. The Americans aren’t going to talk about it, so why don’t the Mexicans? — Angry Chica Tired of all the Shutting Up
Dear Wabette: You’re wrong. The mainstream media has spilled mucho ink over the North American Free Trade Agreement recently on account of its quinceañera this year. Chicano activists and Know Nothings, in a rare moment of standing on the same side of an issue, have spent years railing against NAFTA, although for different reasons — the Right fears the free flow of Mexicans into the U.S., while the Left has tracked the devastation that the free market wrought upon a state-controlled economy. Meanwhile, the Mexican plain ol’ folk have spoken loudly and many times against NAFTA — with their feet.
So, I’m in a Mexican restaurant, and it’s panic time: Here come the mariachis! Mexican, help me. What can I request so as to not appear to be a dolt by asking for the 12th “La Bamba” or (worse yet) “Guantánamera” of their shift? Sure, “Bésame Mucho” is a gringo’s best friend, but I want something that the players will know and be happy to play for a change. Maybe something a little dirty, even, or with a subtle anti-gringo inside joke? And please make it easy for me to remember. I’ll be drunk. — Modern Luxury
Dear Gabacho: For once, the Mexican is stumped, overwhelmed with the unlimited semiosis that is someone asking him what song to request while a mariachi plays. Simply too many choices, amigo! You can get the mariachi happy by requesting “El Rey” (“The King”) or “Volver, Volver” (Return, Return) because it’ll fill them simultaneously with bravado and wussiness and encourage the audience to sing along with the chorus, but the Mexican finds these songs to be the “My Way” and “Freebird” of Mexican music. Personally, I like to ask for “La Malagüeña” (“The Lady from Malaga,” a song of love) and “Un Puño de Tierra” (“A Fistful of Dirt,” a Satrean ditty of existential angst that goes wonderfully with Herradura tequila) because the canciones are both standards that nevertheless don’t get as much recognition as they deserve. But if you want to test a mariachi’s mettle, ask for “El Mil Amores” (“The One Thousand Loves”) and “Carabina 30-30” (“Carbine 30-30”) — the former because it’s my theme song and written by the severely underappreciated Cuco Sanchez, the latter porque it’s one of the few Mexican Revolution-era corridos that still notches regular airtime at parties (but not on radio, alas). But I’m sure readers have better picks, and since Cinco de Mayo is upon us, I turn it over to ustedes. OK, cabrones: What mariachi songs do you recommend gabachos request as they drinko por Cinco in a couple of weeks? Give me the song’s title and 50 words or less explaining its beauty to gabachos, and I’ll print the best picks for my Cinco de Mayo column!
Get all your Mexican fun at myspace.com/ocwab, youtube.com/askamexicano, or send your questions to themexican@askamexican.net!
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519