Sunday, November 22, 2009
11/18/09 in class blog
The last time I went to a library I went to the Lewis Library in Fontana for the book Three Cups of Tea about three weeks ago. Then before that I had gone to the Huntington Library just to view the museums and gardens.I have learned the MLA styles in class that I really had no clue even exited. I also learned the way to pursue an audience with your writing with research to back up whatever it is your trying to state and also to back up the ethos, pathos, logos in an essay that really are what builds your paper to someones likes or dislikes.
BLOG FOR CLASS ON 11/16/09
Okay, okay so I'm a bit late for the whole blog we had to do in class, it said journal so I thought we had the option for either or but I see now that I guess we had to do this blog thing. Well to start off with I don't feel I have made the transition to college. You see the last time I was in school was about five years ago in High School. Since then my focus has been my personal life and family with zero time to tend to my dreams or desires. Now that I can I feel so much is still going on in my life that I don't have that much time to devote to my studies. My family doesn't help much either. My immediate family my kids and husband, mostly my husband does want me to go for the goal. My kids don't know any better they want so much attention and yet I want to do homework, they're too small to understand. My mother feels it's a waste, along with aunts and uncles who never exceeded the high school level of education and are doing quite well financially despite that. Honestly I'm lucky if I get one hour of study a day! and then there are the days that I am trying to catch up and those can be whole days, so the hours I study vary.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Pick One!
I am having the most trouble with this essay. I started it on the topic of "The Makings of a Serial Killer but I started getting into it and felt it was too much alike the one in the book from where I got the topic in the first place, so I went on to the topic of the after affects of child abuse since that was a major factor in the research I did adding to the serial killers mind, so then I saw myself stressing the outcome of child abuse to be equal to killers leading back into the whole makings of a serial killer topic instead of the broadness of what the affects of child abuse really are and where it comes from. So overall I am STILL completely lost to what my topic should be once again! I need to just PICK ONE and get it over with already!!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Aguirre, Claudia
Murphy
English 1A
28 September 2009
One in the morning was slowly creeping towards my way. I was somewhat tired and yet at the same time couldn’t get off the phone with him. He was probably the best looking guy I could have possibly talked to in a long time. He is a club promoter and at times a model. He is well known throughout the internet community. Very gorgeous guy, as we were talking about random things I asked him a question I tend to ask people…
Me: “Are you in touch with your Mexican heritage?”
Guy: “no, I don’t really care about that stuff”
Me: “so you have no idea where you come from? Your history?”
Guy: “no, like I said all that stuff is stupid to me I don’t care”
Me: “well one day ....Ill take you to a museum and teach you some of your own culture. Its important for everyone to know where they come from. Especially Mexican-Americans.”
Guy: “uhhhhhhhhh no…I don’t really care to learn any of that
Me: wow I never met someone like you…”
Guy: “my grandpa fought in world war 2”
Me: “REALLY!? That’s great! Was he a marine? Army?”
Guy: “uhhh I don’t know he doesn’t speak English plus I don’t care. I mean I wanna know if he killed anyone, but other then that its whatever””
And just like that…a guy who a million girls would line up to be with…became the ugliest person to me. Not only was I disgusted, not only was I turned off, I was ashamed.
So I’d like to speak to all of you, all not just “raza” but all creeds and colors about the largest group of people in America, that for some reason have the smallest amount of success, Mexican Americans. Our accomplishments have been overlooked from the beginning of the Aztecs to present time music accomplishments . Mexicans have been stereotyped to be undereducated and not able to reach higher feats than being a construction worker, and yet we are swayed by the same media that stereotypes us in this way, for they’re political or financial gain.
Many historians love to give the Egyptians a lot of credit for their pyramids and culture, which is very cool of intriguing the Egyptians are a smart group of people, (ancient Egyptians) but a lot of their achievements have overshadowed Aztec architecture, art, science, and culture, but you will never really hear about it for some odd reason. Why such events have been forgotten while focus has been concentrated on Europeans causing a “Eurocentric” attitude is the question at hand. Hugh Honour recognizing the question at hand, said, "The . . . current revivals of classical architecture cannot be dissociated from attempts in other fields to assert the preeminence of Eurocentric Western culture." A lot of what came to make the Mexican Culture has been overlooked therefore there is an outlook of Mexican Americans having no background or, never the less, have not contributed to anything meaningful in the past so are considered stupid or ignorant. The Aztecs temples were made to inline with the calculation of the stars. The Aztecs built a temple where at a certain time of year and hour you can see a shadow of a snake going from the top of the temple to the bottom as if its slithering down. To accomplish this feat even today the smartest would have to be extremely smart, and they had no technology to do so, how did they do it? The Aztecs invented the number 0. The Aztecs used to make
land. How? Picture a big lake. They invented a way to make fences from hard wood and lay it over the water. Adding other mixtures, they would cover lakes and build houses above the water. Some lakes are still being found under temples. They ran out of room so they built over water. (“Mexico Profundo, Reclaiming A Civilization.” Batalla. Pg. 68-150.) The Japanese accomplish something with similar features like the bullet train underwater that they currently have from one of they’re islands to the main land and you hear all about it, The Aztecs have gotten minimal credibility for having done what they did thousands of years back. The Aztecs invented a sport identical to soccer and basketball where you couldn’t use your hands. Only feet, legs, chest, and head and the point was to hit a ball the size of a basketball into a hoop. Needless to say the losing team would be sacrificed. The Aztecs at a certain time of year when the sun is just at the right angle it shines through a small hole in the temple, and bouncing and reflecting from gold plates and water. The sun light finds its way and lands in the middle of an Aztec calendar 100 feet inside the temple. The Aztecs built temples higher and more complicated then the Egyptians! They built temples over temples. Meaning when someone of great importance died they built a Temple. When his son died they built a temple over his temple like stacking cups into each other.(“Mexico Profundo, Reclaiming A Civilization.” Batalla. Pg.1-228.) This ancient Indian culture was only one of two mixed to make a Mexican. Later on down the years the conquistadors came, bringing Catholic ideology and a more civilized culture, Spaniard +Aztec= Mexican! So although a lot of us may have family or we ourselves may not speak perfect English, I may say that we Mexicans aren’t as ignorant as we might seem due to the marvelous feats our ancestors have accomplished.
Now in modern day America we are Chicanos and Chicanas. We are part of the biggest group of people in this country, Latinos, but for some odd reason we rarely succeed in a lot of things we should be amazing at. Our music skills are far above hip hop or techno. Our art skills are far above average, such as Picasso and Frida Kahlo. I wouldn’t mind seeing a Mexican playing for the Lakers. We do not excel in School. Yet we do come from an educated heritage. Mainstream media or society seem to have the mind set where we are a bunch of laborers who have the education of an 8th grader. Fact is in Mexico, if your family is fortunate enough to pay for your education to get to the 8th grade it is similar to a high school diploma in the U.S. because of the rigorous academic standards the school system holds. After
30-40 years since my own grandfather had been out of school he still schooled me on my Algebra home-work in 10th grade! “Bunch of underpaid wetbacks” - This is something I heard on the radio station 105.9 (KPWR or Power 106). Now although they were joking, in a lot of ways this is the way the media sees Mexicans. I remember watching a skit on Mad TV, a parody of Survivor; there were three teams; one African American, one Caucasian, the other Mexican. They were to all build shelter with some minimal objects like a stick and a piece of cloth. The Mexicans where the only ones to build a full home out of it and receive one of the least rewarding prizes, yet the Mexicans themselves were content with this. It’s time to realize Mexicans do the jobs other people don’t want to do. We choose to cut grass, work at McDonalds, and sell oranges or roses on the side of the freeway. What a lot of people don’t understand is this is all done in thought of transition, never thinking it would be forever. A lot of Mexicans come to this country with a dream to be something and Those “underpaid jobs” are transitional or a way to keep food on the table for the next generation that are expected to thrive, making a gateway for the rest of the family or future generations. Mexicans can be doctors, lawyers, athletes, comedians, vets, anything really, after all we are just as human as the rest of the public right? Also just because a Chicano becomes a cop doesn’t make him a sell out. It makes him a role model for others to see, he is arresting and making a difference aside from those who kill other Mexicans. Rather than choosing to kill each others own race on the street he decides to make a difference and stop that vicious cycle.
Music dominated by Rap and Hip Hop, so many people idolize this with out knowing the contributions made my the Mex2ican American Heritage. Regardless of popular demand such as Britney Spears, guess what, Carlos Santana won eight Grammies. The most anyone won at one time. Totally swept and dominated the Grammies. The only sober survivor of Woodstock (which was dominated by Caucasians); he came, he saw and he conquered the Grammies. An award show who lives off hip hop and bad studio music; Carlos and his guitar owned the Grammies. Puff daddy, 2 Pac, Mariah Carrey, Jay z, all country artists, Britney Spears, Nsync, Backstreet boys, none of them ever came close to doing what Santana did despite all the hardships of growing up Mexican or Chicano, he said, “when I was younger I used to go to the music store and stare into the window at the guitars and dream. We were poor, we just crossed the border from Mexico to America And one day I was staring at a Fender Stratocaster and I heard someone yell “get away from that window you f***** wetback”-Carlos Santana. Although most of our “paisanos” that have come to great achievements in this industry and others the struggle is hardly seen which can sometimes be an even greater achievement than the original prize.
We are now slowly becoming a high power in politics. Now you tend to see presidential candidates try to sway our votes. Not just Mexicans but Latino people of all kinds. “White Mayor of Los Angeles Jim Hahn may have declared recently that ‘Los Angeles is a Mexican City,’ but real problems still persist for Chicanos and their immigrant brethrens.”(Anything But Mexican: Chicanos In Contemporary Los Angeles, Acuna) A what exactly does this mean coming from a Caucasian politician who knows nothing of those Mexicans that are still perceived as just a vote. The Democratic party tries to appeal to Mexicans by spreading false hearsay about naturalizing every illegal immigrant and providing them jobs and want you to believe Republicans are rich white people who want to kick you out of America. Let me explain something, Republicans typically do not like taxing, “At a news conference earlier today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended the Democrat-only passage of the economic stimulus package, contending that Republicans were indeed included; their suggestions on tax cuts had become part of the bill itself, she said. But several G.O.P. senators and representatives hit the airwaves today, criticizing the spending portions and promoting their view of a more palatable alternative — bigger, broader tax cuts and incentives….remarks made by Minority Leader John Boehner and other House Republicans, who slammed the bill as “partisan” and full of excessive spending rather than the approach of using tax cuts.” Kate Phillips on “Partisan Barbs Follow House Stimulus Vote.” They believe everyone should be responsible for their own wealth and success. Democrats believe in welfare. It‘s as if they want you to be on welfare so that they can make you feel that they take care of you while keeping you down. Keeping you relying on government aid. So while a Mexican works his butt off and gains success and makes good money. He is taxed more than others to keep the lazy or unfortunate people on welfare and keep them from not working as hard as he did. Its all politics and the democratic party is using our ignorance and our unawareness for their advantage. I’m not saying be Republican I’m saying open your eyes and see what there doing to us. White Mayor of Los Angeles Jim Hahn may have declared recently that “Los Angeles is a Mexican City,“ but real problems still persist for Chicanos and their immigrant brethrens.(Anything But Mexican: Chicanos In Contemporary Los Angeles, Acuna)
At last but not least, the disgraces of our race, those people who say, “this is Mexico’s land, forget white people, Mexicans don’t belong in the military, Mexicans are the best out of all of you.” Those unfortunate enough to be misinformed, make no mistake they make up a small percentage of us. Lets see , this was Mexicos land, and imagine how it would look if it were still Mexico’s land! Thank goodness they sold it to America, yes sold not taken. (Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, Acuna) And Mexicans in our military deserve a lot of respect and honor. A lot of Mexicans die in combat for this country. While other run away they warriors fight to the death for the freedom we all take for granted. Please don’t give be the assumption that this is they’re last resort. All your saying there is that your own culture settles for the less demeaning positions because of failure or stupidity. Those brave men and women know what they get themselves into and go forth in doing so to protect all of us here, even those of you who are ungrateful for them and assume the worst of them.
One more thing that binds us to our roots, familia. Family,nanas, papas, ninos, ninas, all of our bloodline, the people that make our culture my grandma’s rice can change your dining preference with a simple taste. Family is what keeps our heart beats pumping and our blood line thick. Always know family is the source of your culture. My friend’s grandpa, Jesus Rincon, was the first Mexican to work at Oscar Mayer. “they white people would crowd around me and watch me work. Even Oscar Mayer came to watch me work… I worked longer
hours and cut more meat in one day then the white people did in a week. They used to throw away the liver, tongues, eye balls, feet, and other parts of the cow…I used to gather them and bring them home. When they asked why I did that…I told them Mexicans love a lot of things from a cow and pig. Menudo, pigs feet, bull balls soup, etc…after me they hired a lot of Mexicans”(Jesus Rincon). This Grandpa had one wife and eight kids and he supported each and everyone of them.
We have been overlooked, put down and forget about to society’s advantage. There is nothing like feeling lower than someone because of our media’s perception and how it grows to reach out beyond than just the TV show or politicians comment. It is worse when our own race of Mexican Americans forget their own culture and fall into the category of ’mainstream media.’ I love my culture and try to keep it going beyond my generation. But do not get me wrong, before I’m ‘raza’, before I’m a descendant from the Aztecs, before all of what I just read you, I still am and will always be, Proud of being an American.
p.s. our food is far beyond the best!
1. Acuna, Rodolfo. Anything But Mexican: Chicanos In Contemporary Los Angeles. Pearson, 1999. Print.
2. Acuna, Rodolfo. Occupied America: A History of Chicanos. New York: Verso, 1995. Print.
3. Bonfil Batalla, Guillermo. Mexico Profundo: Reclaiming A Civilization. Texas: University of Texas, 1996 Print.
4. Honour, Hugh. The Free Dictionary By Fairplex Online. 2000. Web. 28 September 2009.
5. “Felly Fel.” DJ at Power 106. KPWR Los Angeles Radio Station.
6. Phillips, Kate. “Partisan Barbs Follow House Stimulus Vote.” New York Times 29 January 2009. E12. Print.
7. Rincon, Jesus. Grandfather of Andres Rincon.
8.Santana, Carlos-Musician in an interview with Tom Watson of Modern Guitars Magazine, 5th June 2006.
9. “Survivor Parody: Episode 1302.” Mad TV. Narr. Michael McDonald. Writ. Christa Flanagan, Keeyan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Bobby Lee, Nicole Parker, and Jordan Peele. Dir. Michael McDonald. Fox Entertainment Network. 22 September. 2007.


Murphy
English 1A
28 September 2009
A Mexican American
One in the morning was slowly creeping towards my way. I was somewhat tired and yet at the same time couldn’t get off the phone with him. He was probably the best looking guy I could have possibly talked to in a long time. He is a club promoter and at times a model. He is well known throughout the internet community. Very gorgeous guy, as we were talking about random things I asked him a question I tend to ask people…
Me: “Are you in touch with your Mexican heritage?”
Guy: “no, I don’t really care about that stuff”
Me: “so you have no idea where you come from? Your history?”
Guy: “no, like I said all that stuff is stupid to me I don’t care”
Me: “well one day ....Ill take you to a museum and teach you some of your own culture. Its important for everyone to know where they come from. Especially Mexican-Americans.”
Guy: “uhhhhhhhhh no…I don’t really care to learn any of that
Me: wow I never met someone like you…”
Guy: “my grandpa fought in world war 2”
Me: “REALLY!? That’s great! Was he a marine? Army?”
Guy: “uhhh I don’t know he doesn’t speak English plus I don’t care. I mean I wanna know if he killed anyone, but other then that its whatever””
And just like that…a guy who a million girls would line up to be with…became the ugliest person to me. Not only was I disgusted, not only was I turned off, I was ashamed.
So I’d like to speak to all of you, all not just “raza” but all creeds and colors about the largest group of people in America, that for some reason have the smallest amount of success, Mexican Americans. Our accomplishments have been overlooked from the beginning of the Aztecs to present time music accomplishments . Mexicans have been stereotyped to be undereducated and not able to reach higher feats than being a construction worker, and yet we are swayed by the same media that stereotypes us in this way, for they’re political or financial gain.
Many historians love to give the Egyptians a lot of credit for their pyramids and culture, which is very cool of intriguing the Egyptians are a smart group of people, (ancient Egyptians) but a lot of their achievements have overshadowed Aztec architecture, art, science, and culture, but you will never really hear about it for some odd reason. Why such events have been forgotten while focus has been concentrated on Europeans causing a “Eurocentric” attitude is the question at hand. Hugh Honour recognizing the question at hand, said, "The . . . current revivals of classical architecture cannot be dissociated from attempts in other fields to assert the preeminence of Eurocentric Western culture." A lot of what came to make the Mexican Culture has been overlooked therefore there is an outlook of Mexican Americans having no background or, never the less, have not contributed to anything meaningful in the past so are considered stupid or ignorant. The Aztecs temples were made to inline with the calculation of the stars. The Aztecs built a temple where at a certain time of year and hour you can see a shadow of a snake going from the top of the temple to the bottom as if its slithering down. To accomplish this feat even today the smartest would have to be extremely smart, and they had no technology to do so, how did they do it? The Aztecs invented the number 0. The Aztecs used to make
land. How? Picture a big lake. They invented a way to make fences from hard wood and lay it over the water. Adding other mixtures, they would cover lakes and build houses above the water. Some lakes are still being found under temples. They ran out of room so they built over water. (“Mexico Profundo, Reclaiming A Civilization.” Batalla. Pg. 68-150.) The Japanese accomplish something with similar features like the bullet train underwater that they currently have from one of they’re islands to the main land and you hear all about it, The Aztecs have gotten minimal credibility for having done what they did thousands of years back. The Aztecs invented a sport identical to soccer and basketball where you couldn’t use your hands. Only feet, legs, chest, and head and the point was to hit a ball the size of a basketball into a hoop. Needless to say the losing team would be sacrificed. The Aztecs at a certain time of year when the sun is just at the right angle it shines through a small hole in the temple, and bouncing and reflecting from gold plates and water. The sun light finds its way and lands in the middle of an Aztec calendar 100 feet inside the temple. The Aztecs built temples higher and more complicated then the Egyptians! They built temples over temples. Meaning when someone of great importance died they built a Temple. When his son died they built a temple over his temple like stacking cups into each other.(“Mexico Profundo, Reclaiming A Civilization.” Batalla. Pg.1-228.) This ancient Indian culture was only one of two mixed to make a Mexican. Later on down the years the conquistadors came, bringing Catholic ideology and a more civilized culture, Spaniard +Aztec= Mexican! So although a lot of us may have family or we ourselves may not speak perfect English, I may say that we Mexicans aren’t as ignorant as we might seem due to the marvelous feats our ancestors have accomplished.
Now in modern day America we are Chicanos and Chicanas. We are part of the biggest group of people in this country, Latinos, but for some odd reason we rarely succeed in a lot of things we should be amazing at. Our music skills are far above hip hop or techno. Our art skills are far above average, such as Picasso and Frida Kahlo. I wouldn’t mind seeing a Mexican playing for the Lakers. We do not excel in School. Yet we do come from an educated heritage. Mainstream media or society seem to have the mind set where we are a bunch of laborers who have the education of an 8th grader. Fact is in Mexico, if your family is fortunate enough to pay for your education to get to the 8th grade it is similar to a high school diploma in the U.S. because of the rigorous academic standards the school system holds. After
30-40 years since my own grandfather had been out of school he still schooled me on my Algebra home-work in 10th grade! “Bunch of underpaid wetbacks” - This is something I heard on the radio station 105.9 (KPWR or Power 106). Now although they were joking, in a lot of ways this is the way the media sees Mexicans. I remember watching a skit on Mad TV, a parody of Survivor; there were three teams; one African American, one Caucasian, the other Mexican. They were to all build shelter with some minimal objects like a stick and a piece of cloth. The Mexicans where the only ones to build a full home out of it and receive one of the least rewarding prizes, yet the Mexicans themselves were content with this. It’s time to realize Mexicans do the jobs other people don’t want to do. We choose to cut grass, work at McDonalds, and sell oranges or roses on the side of the freeway. What a lot of people don’t understand is this is all done in thought of transition, never thinking it would be forever. A lot of Mexicans come to this country with a dream to be something and Those “underpaid jobs” are transitional or a way to keep food on the table for the next generation that are expected to thrive, making a gateway for the rest of the family or future generations. Mexicans can be doctors, lawyers, athletes, comedians, vets, anything really, after all we are just as human as the rest of the public right? Also just because a Chicano becomes a cop doesn’t make him a sell out. It makes him a role model for others to see, he is arresting and making a difference aside from those who kill other Mexicans. Rather than choosing to kill each others own race on the street he decides to make a difference and stop that vicious cycle.
Music dominated by Rap and Hip Hop, so many people idolize this with out knowing the contributions made my the Mex2ican American Heritage. Regardless of popular demand such as Britney Spears, guess what, Carlos Santana won eight Grammies. The most anyone won at one time. Totally swept and dominated the Grammies. The only sober survivor of Woodstock (which was dominated by Caucasians); he came, he saw and he conquered the Grammies. An award show who lives off hip hop and bad studio music; Carlos and his guitar owned the Grammies. Puff daddy, 2 Pac, Mariah Carrey, Jay z, all country artists, Britney Spears, Nsync, Backstreet boys, none of them ever came close to doing what Santana did despite all the hardships of growing up Mexican or Chicano, he said, “when I was younger I used to go to the music store and stare into the window at the guitars and dream. We were poor, we just crossed the border from Mexico to America And one day I was staring at a Fender Stratocaster and I heard someone yell “get away from that window you f***** wetback”-Carlos Santana. Although most of our “paisanos” that have come to great achievements in this industry and others the struggle is hardly seen which can sometimes be an even greater achievement than the original prize.
We are now slowly becoming a high power in politics. Now you tend to see presidential candidates try to sway our votes. Not just Mexicans but Latino people of all kinds. “White Mayor of Los Angeles Jim Hahn may have declared recently that ‘Los Angeles is a Mexican City,’ but real problems still persist for Chicanos and their immigrant brethrens.”(Anything But Mexican: Chicanos In Contemporary Los Angeles, Acuna) A what exactly does this mean coming from a Caucasian politician who knows nothing of those Mexicans that are still perceived as just a vote. The Democratic party tries to appeal to Mexicans by spreading false hearsay about naturalizing every illegal immigrant and providing them jobs and want you to believe Republicans are rich white people who want to kick you out of America. Let me explain something, Republicans typically do not like taxing, “At a news conference earlier today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended the Democrat-only passage of the economic stimulus package, contending that Republicans were indeed included; their suggestions on tax cuts had become part of the bill itself, she said. But several G.O.P. senators and representatives hit the airwaves today, criticizing the spending portions and promoting their view of a more palatable alternative — bigger, broader tax cuts and incentives….remarks made by Minority Leader John Boehner and other House Republicans, who slammed the bill as “partisan” and full of excessive spending rather than the approach of using tax cuts.” Kate Phillips on “Partisan Barbs Follow House Stimulus Vote.” They believe everyone should be responsible for their own wealth and success. Democrats believe in welfare. It‘s as if they want you to be on welfare so that they can make you feel that they take care of you while keeping you down. Keeping you relying on government aid. So while a Mexican works his butt off and gains success and makes good money. He is taxed more than others to keep the lazy or unfortunate people on welfare and keep them from not working as hard as he did. Its all politics and the democratic party is using our ignorance and our unawareness for their advantage. I’m not saying be Republican I’m saying open your eyes and see what there doing to us. White Mayor of Los Angeles Jim Hahn may have declared recently that “Los Angeles is a Mexican City,“ but real problems still persist for Chicanos and their immigrant brethrens.(Anything But Mexican: Chicanos In Contemporary Los Angeles, Acuna)
At last but not least, the disgraces of our race, those people who say, “this is Mexico’s land, forget white people, Mexicans don’t belong in the military, Mexicans are the best out of all of you.” Those unfortunate enough to be misinformed, make no mistake they make up a small percentage of us. Lets see , this was Mexicos land, and imagine how it would look if it were still Mexico’s land! Thank goodness they sold it to America, yes sold not taken. (Occupied America: A History of Chicanos, Acuna) And Mexicans in our military deserve a lot of respect and honor. A lot of Mexicans die in combat for this country. While other run away they warriors fight to the death for the freedom we all take for granted. Please don’t give be the assumption that this is they’re last resort. All your saying there is that your own culture settles for the less demeaning positions because of failure or stupidity. Those brave men and women know what they get themselves into and go forth in doing so to protect all of us here, even those of you who are ungrateful for them and assume the worst of them.
One more thing that binds us to our roots, familia. Family,nanas, papas, ninos, ninas, all of our bloodline, the people that make our culture my grandma’s rice can change your dining preference with a simple taste. Family is what keeps our heart beats pumping and our blood line thick. Always know family is the source of your culture. My friend’s grandpa, Jesus Rincon, was the first Mexican to work at Oscar Mayer. “they white people would crowd around me and watch me work. Even Oscar Mayer came to watch me work… I worked longer
hours and cut more meat in one day then the white people did in a week. They used to throw away the liver, tongues, eye balls, feet, and other parts of the cow…I used to gather them and bring them home. When they asked why I did that…I told them Mexicans love a lot of things from a cow and pig. Menudo, pigs feet, bull balls soup, etc…after me they hired a lot of Mexicans”(Jesus Rincon). This Grandpa had one wife and eight kids and he supported each and everyone of them.
We have been overlooked, put down and forget about to society’s advantage. There is nothing like feeling lower than someone because of our media’s perception and how it grows to reach out beyond than just the TV show or politicians comment. It is worse when our own race of Mexican Americans forget their own culture and fall into the category of ’mainstream media.’ I love my culture and try to keep it going beyond my generation. But do not get me wrong, before I’m ‘raza’, before I’m a descendant from the Aztecs, before all of what I just read you, I still am and will always be, Proud of being an American.
p.s. our food is far beyond the best!
1. Acuna, Rodolfo. Anything But Mexican: Chicanos In Contemporary Los Angeles. Pearson, 1999. Print.
2. Acuna, Rodolfo. Occupied America: A History of Chicanos. New York: Verso, 1995. Print.
3. Bonfil Batalla, Guillermo. Mexico Profundo: Reclaiming A Civilization. Texas: University of Texas, 1996 Print.
4. Honour, Hugh. The Free Dictionary By Fairplex Online. 2000. Web. 28 September 2009.
5. “Felly Fel.” DJ at Power 106. KPWR Los Angeles Radio Station.
6. Phillips, Kate. “Partisan Barbs Follow House Stimulus Vote.” New York Times 29 January 2009. E12. Print.
7. Rincon, Jesus. Grandfather of Andres Rincon.
8.Santana, Carlos-Musician in an interview with Tom Watson of Modern Guitars Magazine, 5th June 2006.
9. “Survivor Parody: Episode 1302.” Mad TV. Narr. Michael McDonald. Writ. Christa Flanagan, Keeyan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Bobby Lee, Nicole Parker, and Jordan Peele. Dir. Michael McDonald. Fox Entertainment Network. 22 September. 2007.


English 1A
Wow I Just Crated My Blog!!! Kinda Weird but I'm Excited, I've Never Really 'Blogged' and This Is My First Year Back To School So I Am A Little More Psyched About That, Not To Mention Apprehensive!!
September 30th 2009,
I just turned in my media essay. The subject on mine was “Mexican American” touching base with the way we are perceived by the public and the way we ourselves look at each other as a culture and different individuals. I did a little research on where we came from and how we came about to actually ‘be’ Mexican. I actually learned a lot of great facts myself that I thought I knew but actually had been misled by the media (ironic based on the fact that the whole essay was on media perception and yet here I was all along thinking something myself the was stereotyped by others along the years). I felt I did a very good job on it and despite the fact that it was so long I feel it was not a bore to read and that it was informative. I also felt that it touched many points that would be appealing to the audience and pointed out many aspects from where the Mexican Heritage was stared and what it has built along the years.
October 5th 2009,
Today we have let Murphy see our Proposal Essay. I think this might be a tough essay to work since you need so many things to back up whatever you propose. I feel I am the type of writer that brings up many points and kind of writes a little too much so when I ‘propose’something I think it might drag on or have too much information so it goes on for pages and pages and pages making it hard to accumulate all the information needed to do the essay on the proposal itself. Then to top it all of I’m a bit of a perfectionist so I might go and scrutinize it so much that I’ll probably have re-written it so many times that I mine as well written five other classmates proposal essays as well. My proposal is actually on education. I feel we need some type of education reform and that means work from many sources such as parents, teachers, administrators, and of course the student themselves. In all I think it will be a bit of a toughie.
October 9th 2009,
Today I started reading Three Cups of Tea. I started with reading the prelude which was a drag!! I now know what Murphy meant by Relin going on and on about Mortenson! Lol he really does, I mean this is just the prelude and I’m already sick of hearing about Mortenson. And then the description of the land kept getting so confusing no wonder they had to put a map in the book. I expect the ‘great tasks of Mortenson” as he has been so greatly described to be a bit more entertaining in the telling than that of just an in depth description of the opinion that someone has of the oh-so-great Mortenson.
October 14th 2009,
Today I read chapter one of the book Three Cups of Tea. It was okay I guess. I mean it’s no sci- fi or crime finding or action filled book but it was filled with description and adjectives, I mean isn’t that the way were told was the best way to be writer since like the 4th grade? Well I think not. I mean description is great it really does bring the life into the story making it more and more realistic with words but when it comes to become a drag cutting short and sweet is the best. I did like the description of the view of the peaks, since I am a nature lover this sounded marvelous but I think I had to re read a lot of the chapter as I kept falling asleep or daydreaming while I read! I think the most exciting part of the chapter was when Mortenson got lost ! It was finally something that I thought was going to lead into something else!
October 25th 2009,
Today we had a midterm. I feel like I did so badly on it, I mean not only was I late but I read the short story just to get it done and since I did that I feel that picking the longer one would have had more to write on, with the short story I felt that I was trying to grasp whatever information I could suck out of it. I mean it was only about a page and a half if that. The short essay I wrote about was “If only We All Spoke Two Languages” by Ariel Dorfman. I question what kind of name is Dorfman for someone from South America(as well as Ariel) but anyway what helped me a lot with writing about the essay was his subject, it is one that many of us face today whether you come from a different country or have been brought up with a different dialect or have not and just deal with people who have or simply wish you understood what the person next to you on the bus was saying then taking learning the native language as others and reinforcing it for others is a great idea. It’s something I do wish would be offered to students all over since our country is so diverse and it would be such an advantage to have a second or maybe even third language.
October 28, 2009
Well I have a whole lot to catch up since I lost all my stuff in a car accident!!! Oh my god those are the worse. What’s worse is it happened on my husband and my anniversary! What a bad sign huh! Well thank goodness they are okay now and not as bad as all the stuff and car that was involved!!! It was my hubby and daughter in the car and they had just dropped me off at work, they had all my “junk as my hubby” likes to call it and they were on the way home. The tire popped and threw them off road and they flipped over like twice or three times. They got rushed off to the hospital, I rushed it over there. It was totally traumatic for all of us, I thought the worse when I heard what happened. But hey great thing is they’re all great now!! My daughters still kind of shook up, if you were to see the car you would know why, it looks like it was smashed into a pancake. As for all my junk, it was totaled like the car or flew away out the window when everything happened but I plan to catch up as soon as I can since I finally got to replace some of my stuff, the book Three Cups of Tea my internet card and some other stuff.
September 30th 2009,
I just turned in my media essay. The subject on mine was “Mexican American” touching base with the way we are perceived by the public and the way we ourselves look at each other as a culture and different individuals. I did a little research on where we came from and how we came about to actually ‘be’ Mexican. I actually learned a lot of great facts myself that I thought I knew but actually had been misled by the media (ironic based on the fact that the whole essay was on media perception and yet here I was all along thinking something myself the was stereotyped by others along the years). I felt I did a very good job on it and despite the fact that it was so long I feel it was not a bore to read and that it was informative. I also felt that it touched many points that would be appealing to the audience and pointed out many aspects from where the Mexican Heritage was stared and what it has built along the years.
October 5th 2009,
Today we have let Murphy see our Proposal Essay. I think this might be a tough essay to work since you need so many things to back up whatever you propose. I feel I am the type of writer that brings up many points and kind of writes a little too much so when I ‘propose’something I think it might drag on or have too much information so it goes on for pages and pages and pages making it hard to accumulate all the information needed to do the essay on the proposal itself. Then to top it all of I’m a bit of a perfectionist so I might go and scrutinize it so much that I’ll probably have re-written it so many times that I mine as well written five other classmates proposal essays as well. My proposal is actually on education. I feel we need some type of education reform and that means work from many sources such as parents, teachers, administrators, and of course the student themselves. In all I think it will be a bit of a toughie.
October 9th 2009,
Today I started reading Three Cups of Tea. I started with reading the prelude which was a drag!! I now know what Murphy meant by Relin going on and on about Mortenson! Lol he really does, I mean this is just the prelude and I’m already sick of hearing about Mortenson. And then the description of the land kept getting so confusing no wonder they had to put a map in the book. I expect the ‘great tasks of Mortenson” as he has been so greatly described to be a bit more entertaining in the telling than that of just an in depth description of the opinion that someone has of the oh-so-great Mortenson.
October 14th 2009,
Today I read chapter one of the book Three Cups of Tea. It was okay I guess. I mean it’s no sci- fi or crime finding or action filled book but it was filled with description and adjectives, I mean isn’t that the way were told was the best way to be writer since like the 4th grade? Well I think not. I mean description is great it really does bring the life into the story making it more and more realistic with words but when it comes to become a drag cutting short and sweet is the best. I did like the description of the view of the peaks, since I am a nature lover this sounded marvelous but I think I had to re read a lot of the chapter as I kept falling asleep or daydreaming while I read! I think the most exciting part of the chapter was when Mortenson got lost ! It was finally something that I thought was going to lead into something else!
October 25th 2009,
Today we had a midterm. I feel like I did so badly on it, I mean not only was I late but I read the short story just to get it done and since I did that I feel that picking the longer one would have had more to write on, with the short story I felt that I was trying to grasp whatever information I could suck out of it. I mean it was only about a page and a half if that. The short essay I wrote about was “If only We All Spoke Two Languages” by Ariel Dorfman. I question what kind of name is Dorfman for someone from South America(as well as Ariel) but anyway what helped me a lot with writing about the essay was his subject, it is one that many of us face today whether you come from a different country or have been brought up with a different dialect or have not and just deal with people who have or simply wish you understood what the person next to you on the bus was saying then taking learning the native language as others and reinforcing it for others is a great idea. It’s something I do wish would be offered to students all over since our country is so diverse and it would be such an advantage to have a second or maybe even third language.
October 28, 2009
Well I have a whole lot to catch up since I lost all my stuff in a car accident!!! Oh my god those are the worse. What’s worse is it happened on my husband and my anniversary! What a bad sign huh! Well thank goodness they are okay now and not as bad as all the stuff and car that was involved!!! It was my hubby and daughter in the car and they had just dropped me off at work, they had all my “junk as my hubby” likes to call it and they were on the way home. The tire popped and threw them off road and they flipped over like twice or three times. They got rushed off to the hospital, I rushed it over there. It was totally traumatic for all of us, I thought the worse when I heard what happened. But hey great thing is they’re all great now!! My daughters still kind of shook up, if you were to see the car you would know why, it looks like it was smashed into a pancake. As for all my junk, it was totaled like the car or flew away out the window when everything happened but I plan to catch up as soon as I can since I finally got to replace some of my stuff, the book Three Cups of Tea my internet card and some other stuff.
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