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 Editorials | Letters
 I'm writing because I read the article by Doug Bower [see Mexico and The Art of Creative Begging], and it offended me enormously. I feel the writer's tone is unnecessary. He talks about the poor Mexican like he is an expert on the matter and he complains of the way he's treated by Mexicans, or at least that's how it seems.
Doug's article conveys the sentiment that the only thing Mexicans do is ask Americans for money, and I find his attitude completely imperialistic and arrogant. I have personally been approached by American beggers in the streets of New York, which just goes to show that poverty and the need to survive is not a problem that's exclusive to Mexicans. There are poor people all over the world.
He also mentions that property owners that rent their houses are simply seeking an opportunity to take advantage of renters, which also seems to be a defamation of the Mexican character. Doug continues his article by commenting that Mexicans are always knocking on Americans' doors to ask them for money, and to be frank, I do not know of a single Mexican that does that - because there IS an educated class in this country.
What this article leaves me with is what is written between the lines, an undeniably arrogant attitude and the prevailing characteristic of many Americans who come to live in our country. They think, in their enormous ignorance, that the Mexicans are only here to serve them in the restaurants, hotels etc... with a "Good morning Sir, How Can I Help You?" ...to open doors for them, and to treat them, in my opinion, much better than they would be treated in the United States.
The warmth of the Mexican people is our distinguishing characteristic, the educated class in Mexico is as highly qualified as anywhere else in the world, and without a doubt, we are a country where human qualities, not economics, define us.
In general, I find the tone of the article comic. It is one thing to mock the situations that life presents to us, and another to mock the less privileged class of a country that has opened its doors to him and offered the writer a better quality of life.
I only hope that the Americans who come here in the future come with gratitude. Personally, as a Mexican, I think that any nationality is welcome in Mexico as long as they respect the people and the culture that so warmly receives them.
Puerto Vallarta still belongs to the Mexicans, it is still being used by the nationals, and the less privileged people that live here deserve Doug's respect, because after all, this land still belongs to them.
I'd like to extend an invitation for the writer of this article to return to this country, or to buy a house in Punta Mita, where the large walls that surround the development will keep away the poor Mexicans, who without a doubt will continue to live here with more dignity than the American political class.
Atentamente,
Alejandro Riestra
Estimado editor de BanderasNews,
Le escribo por que lei un articulo de Doug Bauer que me parecio enormemente ofensivo. Siento que el tono del escritor es inecesario. Habla de la pobresa mexicana como si fuera un experto en la materia y se queja del trato recibido por los mexicanos, o al menos eso parece.
Doug da la sensacion en su articulo que los mexicanos solo estamos para pedirle dinero a los americanos, me parece una actitud completamente imperialista y arrogante, a mi en lo personal me han pedido dinero americanos en las calles de nueva york, la pobresa y la necesidad de sobrevivir no son exclusivas de los mexicanos, hay pobresa en todo el mundo.
Tambien menciona que los propietarios que rentan sus casas solo estan buscando una oportunidad para aprovecharse de quien renta, lo cual tambien me parece una difamacion del caracter mexicano. Doug continua en el articulo comentando que todo el tiempo estamos tocando en la puerta de los americanos para pedirles dinero, y para ser franco no conosco a un solo mexicano que haga eso, alomejor es por que tambien habemos una clase educada en este pais.
Lo que si me deja este articulo es lo que se dice entre lineas, una inegable actitud arrogante y prepotente caracteristica de muchos americanos que vienen a vivir a nuestro pais y que piensan, en su enorme ignorancia, que los mexicanos estamos solo para atenderlos en los restaurantes, hoteles etc... "Good morning Sr. How Can I Help You?" se les abre las puertas a quien quiera venir y se les trata, en mi opinion, mucho mejor de los que uno es tratado en los estados unidos.
La calides de los mexicanos es nuestra caracteristica, la clase educada de mexico esta a la altura de cualquiera del mundo y sin duda somos un pais en donde la calidad humana, no economica, nos define.
En general encontre el tono de su articulo burlesco, una cosa es mofarse de las situaciones que le presenta la vida y otra mofarse de la clase poco privilegiada de un pais que le ha abierto las puertas y ofrecido una mejor calidad de vida al escritor.
Yo solo espero que los americanos que vengan en un futuro vengan con gratitud, en lo personal, como mexicano, opino que cualquier nacionalidad es bienvenida en mexico siempre y cuando respeten a la gente y a la cultura que tan calidamente los recibe.
Puerto Vallarta todavia es de los mexicanos, todavia es suelo nacional y la gente menos privilegiada que vive aqui se merece el respeto del escritor "Doug", por que esta tierra sigue siendo mas de ellos.
Me gustaria extenderle una invitacion al autor del articulo a que se regrese a su pais o a que se compre una casa en punta mita donde las grandes paredes del desarrollo lo mantengan alejado de la pobresa mexicana que sin duda sigue siendo mas digna que la clase politica americana.
Atentamente,
Alejandro Riestra
These letters are vital to us, as they keep us apprised of what our readers are thinking, and place us in a much better position to direct our future efforts accordingly. Please keep them coming to SoundOff@BanderasNews.com! -thx |
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