There has been much consternation from right-wing extremists over the show of support for the Mexican soccer team during the recent matchup with the USA team in Pasadena, Calif. The U.S. Men’s National Team lost to Mexico, 4-2, in the final of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup in a thrilling encounter in front of more than 93,000 at the Rose Bowl, June 25.
Problem was, perhaps 80,000 of those at the Rose Bowl, were rooting for Mexico. Essentially, Mexico was the home team on one of the USA's most hallowed sports arena. When the ceremony was over, the public address announcer - perhaps noticing the preponderance of Mexican fans who most assuredly spoke Spanish - decided to do the awards ceremony in Spanish.
Of course, this angered many Americans, including the players for our national team, some of whom are Hispanic. The explanation for the lack of American support at this CONCACAF finals is simple, Americans are not soccer fans. Period. Our (USA) fans were not there. The few thousand who were rooting for the USA team at the Rose Bowl represent the soccer fanatics in our country. Others were enjoying baseball, hockey, basketball or thinking about the coming football season, be it high school, college or pro.
Fact is, football, not futbol soccer, is the single most important sport in the United States. Futbol, is most important sport in Mexico. In the good ol' USA, soccer ranks somewhere between ice hockey, synchronized swimming and middle school basketball. Yes, even Little League football and baseball rank higher than soceer in the USA.
Those "Mexican" fans certainly have roots in Mexico. Many just arrived here seeking the American Dream. At most, they are a generation or two removed from Mexico. Their allegiance to Mexico is strong. In fact, any Mexican-American can tell you that our ties to that country remain strong no matter how long we have been in the United States, so it's natural, very natural to root for Mexico. A couple of traditional Mexican songs will explain this.
Luis Miguel's hit, "Mexico en la piel (Mexico in my skin or under my skin)" is a classic that will send goose bumps over anyone who has Mexican ties or roots.
Como una mirada hecha en Sonora (Like a look made into a song)
Vestida con el mar de Cozumel (Dressed with the Cozumel sea)
Con el color del sol por todo el cuerpo (With the color of the sun throughout the body)
Asi se lleva Mexico en la piel (That's how Mexico gets under your skin)
Como el buen tequila de esta tierra (Like the good tequila of this land)
O como un amigo de Yucatan (Or like a friend from Yucatan)
Y en Aguascaliente deshilados (and lost like a losse wire in Aguacalientes)
O una lana tejida en Teotitlan (Or like silk sewn in Teotilan)
Asi se siente Mexico, asi se siente Mexico, (That's how Mexico feels, That's how Mexico feels)
Asi como unos labios por la piel (Like lips all over your skin)
Asi te envuelve Mexico, asi te sabe Mexico (That's how Mexico consumes you, that's how Mexico tastes)
Y asi se lleva Mexico en la piel (And that's how Mexico get under your skin)
Como ver la sierra de Chihuahua (Like seeing the mountain range of Chihuahua)
O artesania en San Miguel (Or the art work and handicrats in San Miguel)
Remontar el cerro de la silla (Climb again the mountain peak of the silla)
Asi se lleva Mexico en la piel. (That's how Mexico gets under your skin)
Como acompanarse con mariachi (Like being backed up by a mariachi band when you sing)
Para hacer llorar a esa cancion (To make that song cry)Que en el sur se toca con marimba (in the south of Mexico do it with a marimba)
Y en el norte con acordeon (and in the north they play the song with an accordion)
Asi se siente Mexico, asi se siente Mexico, (That's how Mexico feels, that's how Mexico feels)
Asi como unos labios por la piel (Sort of like lips touching your skin)
Asi te envuelve Mexico, asi te sabe Mexico (That's how Mexico consumes you, that's how Mexico tastes)
Y asi se lleva Mexico en la piel (And that's how Mexico gets under your skin)
Como un buen sarape de Saltillo (Like a good sarape from Saltillo)
Como bienvenida en Veracruz (Like a welcoming in Veracruz)
Con la emocion de un beso frente a frente (With emotion of a kiss on your forehead)
Asi se lleva Mexico en la piel (That's how you carry Mexico under your skin)
Como contemplar el mar Caribe (Like you're contemplating the Caribbean Sea)
Descubrir un bello amanecer (Discovering and observing a beautiful sunrise)
Tener fresca brisa de Morelia (Feeling the fresh breeze of Morelia)
La luna acariciando a una mujer (And the moon carassing a woman)
Asi se siente Mexico, asi se siente Mexico, (That's what Mexico feels like, that's what Mexico feels like)
Asi como unos labios por la piel (Just as if you're sensing someone's lips touching your skin)
Asi te envuelve Mexico, asi te sabe Mexico (That's how Mexico consumes you, that's how Mexico tastes)
Y asi se lleva Mexico en la piel (And that's how you get Mexico under your skin)
I have to admit. Mexico's romanticism, history and culture are very strong in me and my family and we certainly feel an allegiance to the country. But, I don't think I would root for Mexico against the USA. It would take special circumstances. It would be sort of when Texas plays Texas A&M in football or any other sport. Because of family ties, I am going to root for Texas. But, when Texas is out of the picture, I will root for Texas A&M.
But, there's another song that is deep in my roots that may help explain allegiance to Mexico. It's a song my grandfather was familiar with and a song my father took with him when he fougt for the USA four years in World War II. It's called, "Mexico Lindo y Querido" and it has some haunting lyrics that every one with an ounce of Mexican blood or culture would get goose bumps to if they listened carefully. The great charro movie star Jorge Negrete made it popular. Here is the most haunting part of that song:
México Lindo y Querido (Dear and beloved Mexico)
si muero lejos de ti (If I die far away from you)
que digan que estoy dormido (Let them say that I am asleep)
y que me traigan aquí (And have them bring me back home to you)
Que digan que estoy dormido (Let them say that I am asleep)
y que me traigan aquí (And have them bring me to you)
México Lindo y Querido (Beloved and dearest Mexico)
si muero lejos de ti (If I die far from you)
Okay, so allegiance to Mexico for anyone who has the culture in him or her has been established. That does not, however, explain why those living in the United States either as citizens or legal residents would cheer against the USA. Honestly, if you are in the United States, you should cheer from the USA. Right?
Well, let's wait a while. If you live in the United States and other Americans have had a history of treating you like a second-class citizen, passing anti-Hispanic laws like Arizona and other states, and saying that you are not worth much to this country, you're going to feel a certain sense of pride for your culture and roots and you just might root for the other team. This will not change until the anti-Hispanic fervor of reactionary Americans, mainly Republicans, changes and America decides to treat all with Hispanic roots as real Americans. For the record, you all, "Aquí estamos y no nos vamos, (We're here and we're not leaving)." A better wat of saying that, my gradfather used to say is, "Aquí estuvimos, y no nos fuimos (We were here and we didn't leave when you all got here - c/s).
Mexican Americans have been treated unfairly in this country since different parts of the American Southwest became part of the United States. We became strangers in our own land and now some politicians have the audacity to pass horrid laws designed to belittle us. I don't think so.
Let's look at what happened in California a little more carefully. It was just a soccer game. It's not politics. No one says anything when southerners proudly salute the battle flag of the Confederacy, or even when skinheads proudly salute the Nazi flag. Most feel these people have the right to do this, as Americans. Wow.
Okay, so let's assume that the majority of the 80,000 Mexican cheering for the Mexican team at the Rose Bowl are either American citizens or legal residents of the United States, do they not have the right to cheer for any team they choose?
I think so. So, let's not be self-righteous about a sporting affair. Let's sit back and realize that years-and-years of atrocities and denyig of civil rights to people who were born and raised in the American Southwest is going to take a little time to get over. Let's realize that allegiance is as thick as blood and that while all Mexican Americans love and respect the United States, cheering for old Mexico (and I don't know why they call it old) is allowed and heallthy. It's just a soccer game and most Americans (of any ethnicity) don't care about soccer. I know, I know, I just insulted my hermanos mexicanos(Mexican brothers)who swear soccer is the the one only sport. To them I say, just as I say to those who critized them, sacanse la daga (get the sword out of your body, or simply, get over it).
As another song says:
Viva Mexico, viva America (Long live Mexico, Long live America)
oh suelo bendito de Dios (Oh, land that God has blessed)
viva Mexico, viva America (Long live Mexico, long live America)
mi sangre por ti dare yo (My blood, life Y would give for you).
No comments:
Post a Comment