Subject: Issue on Mexico
To whom it may concern,
I think that it is very irresponsible from the University to spread a
slander about Mexico. Mexico passes under a very complicated situation and
it has not received the adequate support from its neighbor, the United
States. I just want to point out three variables that make totally unfair/
slander the warning from the United States government. First, Mexico is
not Ciudad Juarez. We all know that Cd. Juarez has experienced a critical
situation of governability and violence for a long period of time. Do you
know about the muertas de Juarez? Did you know that there was a national
scandal because of the assassination of some Mexican youths? I do not
think that any Mexican denies the poor situation in Juarez. Nevertheless,
the United States has never cooperated seriously to help Mexico solving
the problem, which I do not doubt has a strong association with the
Americans appetite for Drugs. Where is the United States GOVERNMENT? Why
does it not take a respectful and bilateral foreign policy with Mexico?
We should instead being questioning the American foreign policy towards
Mexico, instead embracing it.
Second of all, I do not have any doubt that Americans will be much safer
on downtown Guadalajara, Queretaro, Aguascalientes, Zacatecas, and
Guanajuato than in downtown Los Angeles, Oakland and New York. We cannot
generalize the situation in Mexico. Mexico has many Mexicos. Although the
complicated economic and security adversities, people can still visit
Mexico. Mexico needs of support and not of slanders/arbitrariness from its
northern neighbor.
The United Sates’ diplomatic history shows us much arbitrariness. I just
need to mention the vents to resonate on people’s memory: the overthrow of
Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala and Salvador Allende in Chile; the involvement
in many dirty wars in Central and South America; the complot that led to
Madero’s death; and the current War in Iraq (where were the nuclear
weapons?). I am especially surprised to find a unilateral and uninformed
foreign policy towards Mexico from President Obama, who took power with
the slogan of Change and Hope. He promised to change how things worked
(works) in Washington, and of course, it includes changing Washington’s
Foreign Policy towards Mexico and Latin America. Where is the Change? Why
is Berkeley--the University that distinguishes for seeking freedom and
justice for the unprotected—supporting such an irresponsible policy?
Because of its history on liberalism and because it is a research
institution, Berkeley must reevaluate its position on this issue. Is
suggesting students not to go Mexico a fair stance? Mexico needs a
bilateral work, understanding, and responsibility. Mexico does not need
condemnations after having a hard time to deal with a war and with a
profound economic crisis. Again, Mexico needs of a strategic partnership
with the United States instead of slanders that end up harming much more
the image of the country; they do not help to solve our bilateral
problems, but they could make them worse and divide both countries.
Best Regards,
Sergio Hernandez Reyes
Berkeley Student
PD. It would be much more helpful for stopping violence in Mexico if you
tell the Berkeley community to stop smoking marijuana. They would
definitely contribute to prevent deaths of many Mexicans and Americas,
like the three people who unfortunately died in the U.S. Consulate at Cd.
Juarez.
[Posted by Maria Rohani]
