It was on October 1st, 2010 in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, my previous hometown, where my freedom, because of a war, was constrained. The Institutional Revolutionary Political Party (PRI) held power uninterruptedly in Mexico for more than 70 years, and during that time the Mexican government had illegal connections with every drug cartel in the country. Mexico needed a change, and for the 2006 presidential election the National Action Party (PAN) candidate, Felipe Calderon, had proposals that seemed promising. The results were as expected, Felipe Calderon won the presidential election, but on his first day as president, Calderon declared war on Drug Cartels. But what was intended to be a good decision, turned out to be one of the worst …show more content…
Hundreds of restaurants closed due to the lack of business and insecurity; even the tennis club were I used to practice had to close up. Juarez a city of 1 million habitants became a ghost town. But my family and I could not leave our beloved city behind; we had to stay, until October the 1st, 2010. It was an ordinary Monday at my middle school, but when I got home, my mother answered a phone call, a phone call that would change my life. A group of criminals had kidnapped my father, and they wanted 2 million pesos for his life. I still remember how my mother started crying after hanging up the phone, and I will never forget it. The kidnappers also set conditions: if we called the police, my father was dead. If any external person found out about the situation, my father was dead. And if we somehow attempted to rescue him, or my father tried to escape, there would be no deal. The kidnappers contacted my grandfather demanding the money, but the quantity that was being required was excessive, my family did not have that amount of money. But my grandfather, calmly and bravely, started conducting a negotiation. The negotiation took two days – certainly the 48 longest and most desperate hours of my
Rebels Without a Cause Not very many people have affected me in the same way as my friend Jake Fernholz. I have never realized the influence he has had on me until someone pointed out that we talk and think the same way. I only met Jake two years ago in track, when a pulled hamstring injury caused Mr. Kellerman to have me practice with the long distance kids. Mr. Kellerman forced me into staying on the long distance team and that is where I started to hit it off with Jake. It took me a long time to be comfortable with Jake, but when I did we quickly found our common interests.
The family of Luis Rodriguez, like many Mexican Americans in the border regions from the 1950’s to the 1960’s, faced much disparity in the social and economic realm of their new homes and communities. Living in the United States, they believed, would allow for growth and opportunities not possible in Mexico. In their quests to lead a better life, the heads of many households had to work hard and long hours in order for the sustainment of their livelihood and in Luis Rodriguez’s case, both of his parents worked long and hard hours. Rodriguez’s parents wanted better for their family, but their journey to Los Angeles would forever change the trajectory of the life they envisioned for their family and, namely, for Luis Rodriguez. Born in El Paso, Texas, the Rodriguez family moved back and forth between the border and the region of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Hector Noriega’s childhood had been marked by trying events. Growing up in a family in which selling narcotics was the source of income, there was always this great feeling of uncertainty. The feeling that on any day you could return home to learn everyone you love had been killed, the feeling that your father ordered the killing of the man you had just seen dead on the street, the feeling that you were going to be next. While his family was wealthy and he had benefitted from that fact early on in his life, that all changed on Cinco de Mayo, 1997. His family always held a large party in which the entire Noriega family would attend, and it was not short of luxuries.
Book Review of The Borderlands of Race Tough in the legal level Mexican-origin people was regarded as white people, who had the full citizen rights back to the 20th century, Mexican-origin people was actually treated as the second class citizen in America who didn’t have the full access to the citizenship. The author, Jennifer R. Nájera delivers an entertaining and thoughtful account of the evolvement of racial problems among Mexican-origin people in the South Texas. The book, The Borderlands of Race, is a historical ethnography that demonstrates the suffering and resistance of Mexican-origin people following a chronical order and analyzes the Mexican segregation in the South Texas. Using interviews and local archives together with arguments
In El Norte and Maria Full of Grace, border and border crossing are the key themes. These films provide not only a vivid image on how people cross the ‘physical’ borders, but also reveal the other ‘abstract’ borders, racial, cultural, and classed, that intersect lives. The siblings in El Norte, Enrique, and Rosa Xuncax, have travelled through the abandoned tunnel in Tijuana, Mexico to go to the Promised Land, the U.S., in the hope of getting a better life. In the same boat, Maria in Maria Full of Grace is risking her life as a drug mule successfully crossing the U.S. border. Again, her decision to commit such a risky act is because she wants to improve her family’s economic circumstances.
A Journey of Identity and Resilience: Exploring Latino Cultural Context in "The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez" by Aaron Bobrow-Strain Aaron Bobrow-Strain's "The Death and Life of Aida Hernandez" is a stirring memoir that explores the traumatic events and individual journey of Aida Hernandez, a young Mexican-American woman traversing the difficult social, political, and economic landscapes of the United States. We may understand the author's purposeful decisions to expose the Latino/Latina/Latinx cultural background and its tremendous influence on readers by examining the themes, character development, language, and imagery used in the novel. Bobrow-Strain discusses a number of topics that are important in the Latino cultural setting. The
People always told me that money can’t buy happiness, but I never truly experienced what that meant until I met the people of Honduras. The country and the people had an impact on me and on how I see the world. In my interactions with the people and culture of Honduras, among some very challenging living conditions, I was inspired by their love of family, welcoming attitude, and joy of life. For me, Honduras was like a mirror for me to look in and see my own life compared to the Hondurans’. If I brought back one thing with me, it was the desire to be like them in how I face life, love family and friends, and be filled with joy.
El Paso and Ciudad Juarez lie side by side, but are separated by the Rio Grande. The border’s way of life relies on the dividing line. As a resident of Ciudad Juarez, I experience a blend of cultures on an everyday basis. However, in 2010 the unique culture of the city was darkened by the shedding violence in Ciudad Juarez. Ciudad Juarez came to be known as the deadliest city in the world.
Mexico’s drug cartels are the worst they have been in years, and all the problems stem from a lack of proper decision making from the government at every level . Since Colombia was taken away from the drug scene, Mexico’s cartels have made up for the slack and then some. Subsequently, cartels in Mexico also began to flourish at a time when Mexico was in the process of instituting a new form of government. Not only is Mexico trying to work out the kinks of their new democracy, but the cartels are pushing more drugs than ever before; Mexico needs to address this problem. To make matters worse, a number of Mexican officials are corrupt, unaccountable, or distrusted by the people.
A texan woman, named Sandra Bearden was looking for a maid to complete housework and look after her son, so she traveled into a poor village in Mexico and met Maria. Maria, being only twelve years old, saw this as an opportunity to move to the U.S. and receive better education which produced a better life. Sadly, Maria’s dreams were crushed because Sandra began to take advantage of her both physically and mentally. Her punishments for not working included: pepper spray in the eyes, a bottle broken against her head, jamming garden tools up her private areas,
Situated near the U.S.-Mexico border during the early twentieth century is the fictional setting of Fort Jones, the outskirts of which is where Americo Paredes’ short story “Macaria’s Daughter” takes place. Emblematic of the disappropriation of Mexican land, as well as the increased marginalization of the Mexican people, the overbearing presence of Fort Jones reveals the struggle for preservation that characterizes the Mexican-American community of the story. “Macaria’s Daughter” is the tragic account of what happens in a small community when the upholding of Mexican values and institutions, and opposition to Anglo-American culture, become more important than a young woman’s life. In this essay, I will argue that “Macaria’s Daughter” is a text
“Money is power, freedom, a cushion, the root of all evil, the sum of all blessings” (Carl Sandburg). The human condition is a complex concept that one can understand from many different perspectives. The novel The Illegal, by Lawrence Hill, comments on many aspects of the human condition, from people’s constant fight for authority and respect to how greed and money fuel people’s lives. These concepts become intertwined throughout the novel and represent the considerable impact of power and greed on the freedom of others. This novel follows Lula Distefano throughout her life as she struggles with the desire for power and money.
Kidnapping is one of the most cruelest things someone could ever do to someone. Taking children out of their rightful homes and beating or maybe even killing this is downright upsetting. Would someone kidnap because of something that happened to them in the past? According to the Polly Klaas Foundation “About 2,000 children are taken daily. Only 9% of these children are taken by a family member in a custody dispute.
As I was sitting down across from my employer that I have used multiple times before I say”What is the deal money bags” He says in a gravelly voice”Just a multi million assassination on a little growing militia in South America” ”MULTI MILLION dollars for just a little assassination on one dude!” “And his entire militia and research team.” “Still multi million how much we talking” “Ten Million, If you accept there is a briefing packet about where it is and who it is.” “Well I might look over it a little before I head off.”
I don 't get it: you can 't be pregnant and stopped by police, you can 't be old and stopped by police, you can 't be a kid and stopped by police. Since I enjoy taking it in the pooper does that give me a free pass to commit a crime? I follow this simple little rule "if I don 't want LEO interaction I don 't break the law". It 's worked really well