V 13, 1995 Tx heni. Bu/Mattalion • Page 7 -r PITvTI Thursday • July 13, 1993

T perhaps in losing anoth- lid. 'oed pressure ause of bud- GAFlT EVEN AfTcRV Kobles, who ‘True’ history includes many views VIE CAHt AfTcRD aircraft main- ’oVLTiam fME. I orce Base. merica.There and Chicano scholars have worked fervently these wealthy Anglo land owners and elim­ ftiUXTS ANYfrM ecommended are so many Anthony though the years to learn more about this land inated entire Mexican-American families Tich employs stories to tell, Martinez we call America. From a love and pride that and communities. and moving Afrom the Pilgrims should be praised, not scratched apart, we Spanish folk songs, called corridos, record­ another near- at Plymouth Rock to found our “roots,” rediscovered Pueblo pottery ed much of the history of the Rangers and 'an (lie shut- our ill-fated war with Guest and found pride in La Raza. their brutal injustices. 5 largest etn- Vietnam. It has the Columnist A few people have complained that a recent In addition, Anglo communities sometimes power to make our UCLA project on American history omitted raised property taxes for the Mexican-Ameri­ pulses race and our Paul Revere, Daniel Webster, Alexander Gra­ cans until they couldn’t pay. The taxes would can imaginations soar. ham Bell and other figures from the report. then coincidentally drop when an Anglo would No one wants to change this history, but They should be glad they were able to learn take the Mexican’s place. more of the story must be told. about those figures in the first place. In 7th grade Texas history I learned plenty In fact, no one is rewriting American histo­ Through all my years of history, I was nev­ about how the “bad” Mexicans tried to stop — Trying to ry. It all happened the way it happened, right? er told of the Bracero Program, Juan N. Corti­ the “good” Texans from getting what was s on a politi- ident Clinton But the history many learn depends on na, Operation Wetback, Felix Tijerina or Ce­ “rightfully” theirs. They had Manifest Destiny er guidelines who’s reporting their news — La Prensa or the sar Chavez. on their side, right? That may be good ol’ First Amend- Los Angeles Times? Here is a more specific example: The American history, but it’s not my history. es adequate Readers don’t receive the same news from Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the No one in my family worried about crossing La Prensa, a Spanish-English newspaper in Mexican-American War of 1846-1848. Arti­ the Appalachians to get west. No one in my ever have to San Antonio, as they would from an English cle 9 of the treaty promised Mexican-Amer- family felt that “taxation without representa­ n said. "But only “mainstream” newspaper like the Times. icans “all the freedoms of a U.S. citizen un­ tion” was infringing on their rights. No one in ;n denied the Recently, La Prensa reported that the Na­ der the Constitution.” my family partook in these events, but I am Editorials Board ?ion and that tional Association of Hispanic Journalists is Article 10 promised that land grants from nonetheless American. What is my history? The Battaeion attempting to have the death of Rueben Mexico already given to Mexican citizens in the America and its history is not static. Ameri­ Jay Robbins eared intend- Established in 1893 Salazar reinvestigated. southwestern United States were guaranteed. ca is always becoming. When America stops be­ Editor in Chief of a Republi- But if people don’t read a newspaper like Article 10 was deleted shortly after being coming, it will no longer be — I guarantee you. onal amend- La Prensa, they may inquire, “Who’s Rueben introduced, but Mexico said it would not sign Some might say that I’m putting down Editorials appearing in The Battalion reflect the views Rob Clark and to court Salazar? the treaty until this article was returned. The America and that I am not proud to be an of the editorials board. They do not necessarily reflect Managing Editor Americans, the opinions of other Battalion staff members, the directed the He’s part of history, friends. Whose his­ U.S. government reassured Mexico that Arti­ American. That couldn’t be further from Texas A&M student body, regents, administration, Sterling Hayman issue guide- tory? America’s. cle 9 covered Article 10, based on the U.S. the truth. faculty or staff. Columns, guest columns, cartoons Opinion Editor The relationship here is that in nearly Constitution, and the treaty was signed. America is the place that saved my family and letters express the opinions of the authors. es to the na- Kyle Littlefield every history book students pick up today, cer­ As a result, the Mexicans lost their land. members from death in the Mexican Revolu­ Contact the opinion editor for information on aricts before submitting guest columns. Assistant Opinion Editor ler. tainly in every public school, they receive the Challenged in a Texas court, many resi­ tion of 1910. It is American history that I am academic equivalent of the Times. dents did not have the physical” documents to criticizing, not America. If every newspaper was the National En­ protect their claims. If those who don’t agree wish to gallop quirer, how fair would that be? Others who did couldn’t speak English or around wearing blinders, I encourage them to ; exile The truth is that we need our L.A. Times afford a lawyer, and they lost their lands continue. as well as our La Prensas — and sometimes through “legal” means. They’ll never know the jockey on their A year after a even our National Enquirers — to see the Land was also taken by squatters. East­ backs or the circles in which they’re run­ ured out otit whole picture. erners were flooding into Texas and claim­ ning around. igs and card' ■ The “true” American past is a past that has ing land, already settled or not. Mexican- However, the rest of us — despite the poli­ Scrap the suits > sturdy shel been reported only through the eyes of Anglo- Americans occasionally were removed by tics and rhetoric — thirst to know the rest of e walls. Tiny Americans. Who else was researching and physical force. the story. writing American history until the 1960s? To­ At the same time, ranches such as the The Miss America Pageant should g from meat day we have much more information. King Ranch in south Texas began growing. Anthony Martinez is a junior diapers and Many African-American, American-Indian The Texas Rangers worked for many of architecture major eliminate the swimsuit competition. •r, pestilence ,000 refugees The swimsuit competition Comparing women’s near­ area's seven of the Miss America Pageant nude appeal is sexist and de­ e, refusing to has long been a hotly debat­ meaning and has absolutely iture in their ed topic. nothing to do with the talent, rebels over- Though the pageant be­ charm or beauty of the indi­ lers and end- gan as a bathing-beauty con­ viduals. •r of 5 00,000 test in 1921, the swimsuit It actually detracts from amen and, in competition’s continued in­ the pageant, degrading it cases, neigh- clusion in the program has from a scholarship competi­ been the subject of contro­ tion to a well-watched peep e afraid the versy since 1945. show. Yesterday, the Miss Amer­ Leonard Horn, CEO of the ill kill me,'1 ican Organization announced Miss America Organization, 12, told a re- that the swimsuit competi­ said he “personally cannot tion may be laid to rest once rationalize putting a young and fbr all. college woman in a swimsuit The fate of the swimsuit and high heels.” competition will be decided Since 1950, participants in itro this year during the actual of the competition have been telecast of the pageant on voicing public objections to Sept.16. the swimsuit portion of the Television audiences will contest. be able to call in on a “900” The first winner to refuse number and vote for or to be photographed or to ap­ against it. pear in her swimsuit after If the majority of caller vote her crowning was Yolande against it, the swimsuit compe­ Betbeze Fox, who said that tition will be replaced with an­ type of publicity made her other type of competition. “extremely uncomfortable.” Since the contest began, it Last year the organization has evolved from a small pro­ decided not to require contes­ duction to a lavish and wide­ tants to wear high heels dur­ ly watched event. ing the swimsuit competi­ However, though the con­ tion, instead allowing the test matured, its competition contestants to go barefoot. categories unfortunately did The pageant should elimi­ not. The swimsuit competi­ nate the entire event. tion should have been re­ When viewers vote on the ERIE moved years ago, but it re­ swimsuit issue, hopefully mained because of popular good taste and decency will CctAzjx; Ce>\J^cXZ. DS~ <§> demand and tradition. win out over voyeurism. Frustrated citizens often lash out at ineffective government hat do the Oklahoma politics than you think. In the current issue of Esquire magazine, one greatest strength was also its major weakness — bombing, the steady in­ It is their disenfranchisement article depicts the typical militia member as basi­ “by the people.” crease of hate groups and Kyle with the government that fuels their cally a common citizen of the United States. It’s a system, just like any other system, be it Wothers who stockpile weapons, and hate for minorities. What is happening? These militias aren’t all political, economic or otherwise. Democracy can * . formal militias have in common? Littlefield If people stripped away the hate made up of radical crazies anymore — we are be­ only be as good as and successful as the people - , They are all a result of the govern­ for minorities and looked at what ginning to find more “regular” people as members. who make it up, like us. ment’s increasing inability to satis­ Asst, Opinion needs aren’t being met for these It’s ignorant to believe that just because we fy its citizens. Editor skinheads, they just might find that have a brilliant and inspired document at our Bigger and bigger groups of citi­ the majority of them are reacting to Militia is really only a word to de­ helm that we will exist forever. ’ ; zens — bigger groups with bigger their socioeconomic status. The United States isn’t necessarily a perma- Z and bigger guns. Move them up on a higher class and the hate scribe citizens (like you and me) nent fixture. Just like Rome, we could collapse at “Now hold on,” you might say. “What do hate would probably disappear, for the most part. who want to change things, but any time. groups have to do with dissatisfaction with the Or at least the violent expression of hate would The Roman Empire stood for over 500 years. U government?” be less common. they use the wrong methods. Just imagine what the citizens of Rome thought ^ 1 It is a well-known sociological fact that when Groups such as the Michigan Militia, which is when the Empire had already ruled for 250 years. ‘Z* \ two groups of people have the same socioeconomic suspected to be connected with the Oklahoma With the startling rise in militias, small (or They probably never thought that in another f* status (usually indignant people), the groups feel bombing, are growing larger in size for some of the large) bodies of armed and often dissatisfied citi­ 250 years their dreams would collapse and disap­ like they are in competition with each other. very same reasons. zens, those in power would be wise to re-examine pear. And yet political trouble and turmoil secured * When something goes wrong with one group, a These groups feel dissatisfaction with the gov­ the quality of the pedestals they’ve placed them­ the demise of the great empire. ■ way is found to rationally blame the other group, ernment because people’s needs aren’t being met selves on. It is time we treat democracy with the respect it> i making it a scapegoat for all problems. with Washington’s current state. Perhaps things aren’t as sturdy or as eternal as deserves. With America’s middle class slowly disappear­ Militia is really only a word to describe citizens we imagined then to be. The emergence of the many militias in the U.S. ing into the lower class, groups such as Aryan Na­ (like you and me) who want to change things — al­ The United States, with her promise of “liberty is a harbinger of what could be our future if we tion and skinheads are becoming more and more beit, they may be using the wrong methods. and justice for all,” seems the crowning achieve­ don’t pay more attention to the people who com­ prevalent. That they have had to resort to violence and ment of brilliant thinking. pose this great country. Most people think skinheads are just a bunch of terroristic means shows the degree of frustration People like John Locke and others were able to DR punks that likes to throw cheap punches — well, and utter discontent with the watered-down help reinvent government. In fact, they did more Kyle Littlefield, a senior journalism major, they are, but they are probably more interested in democracy that exists in America today. than reinvent, they created something new, whose assisted by Erin Hill, a senior English major'. -

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