And people thought W was stupid.

[wombat_socho]

Mexicans were here long before America was even an idea, says our Chief Executive. Well, now we know he didn't take any U.S. History at Occidental, Columbia or Harvard. As RCP points out, Mexico rebelled against Spain in 1810 and was first recognized as a nation in 1821. The United States, of course, has been around since 1776. I know 0bama has to

Comments

[kishiriadgr]

I have to disagree. Mestizaje, the comingling of Spanish and Native peoples, was giving rise to the concept of Mexicanismo as early as the mid-17th century. While Mexico as an independent nation celebrated its 200th anniversary last week, people born in the colony were identifying as Mexican long before that.

[jordan179]

Mestizaje, the comingling of Spanish and Native peoples, was giving rise to the concept of Mexicanismo as early as the mid-17th century.

Oh, you mean exactly the same period in which England's North American colonies were also acquiring a distinctly "American" cultural identity? You still haven't proven Obama's point there.

[kishiriadgr]

Was there indeed an American identity in 1648? Please provide a citation. I can point to the Nican Mopohua, which was published in 1648 as a partially devotional work, but largely a polemic of divinely-approved identity.

[jordan179]

Well ... to be precise, there was a "New England" identity and a "Virginia" identity. They hadn't quite begun to merge yet, because they were settled by very different types of people, and what are today the Middle Northeastern states were not yet under English control.

[harvey_rrit]

Mexicans have cause for resentment.

Not only did we take half their country, it was the half with paved roads.

[jordan179]

Um ... no. Actually, it was the half with the least roads -- Texas, California, New Mexico, and the wilderness beyond.

[harvey_rrit]

Thank you for sharing.

Stay away from the cookies, they're full of sugar.

[kishiriadgr]

By the time the U.S. took those parts of the country (Santa Ana is still the most hated man in Mexican history) it was full of roads, but at that point ALL of Mexico had roads. And yes, Jordan, California most definitely had them--ever heard of the Camino Real?

[jordan179]

I'm guessing that by "Mexicans" Obama is referring either to inhabitants of the Viceroyalty of New Spain or to the ancient Indian cultures of the Valley of Mexico. In either case, it's a bit disinegenous on his part, as present day Mexico is ruled by neither.

[kishiriadgr]

Mexico is ruled by both. Sorry man, Mexican history is one of my strong suits. The idea of the two races forming a third is one pushed hard throughout Mexican writings dating back to the end of the 16th century, picking up speed in the 17th.

[wombat_socho]

You could make the case that Mexico is ruled by the biological descendants of Cortez' merry little band and their native allies, but I don't think the Marquis del Valle would care very much for the policies of the PRI or PAN. Still doesn't change the fact that it was an epic fail politically.

[kishiriadgr]

*I* don't care for PRI. If I had the vote there (I'm eligible but feel it'd be bad for the security clearance I hold in this country, the one I actually live in) I'd be a fairly strong PAN supporter. I like their platform.