I agree with what Domingo Martinez stated in his memoir Boy Kings of Texas, "Texas Mexicans and Californian Mexicans are very different from each other –the same genetic code but completely different in accent and habit" (Martinez 93). However, while reading his memoir I found that although Texas Mexicans and Californian Mexicans are different, no one culture is superior or less “scary”. Taking into consideration the fact that he was a male growing up in the 1980's on the boarder of Texas and Mexico and also that he has Chicano parents, really helped me to strengthen my argument because many of the things that he was taught growing up changed as he got older. My experience growing up as the oldest to Mexican parents in San Jose, California
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The morals and customs I learned were similar to the author’s parents, even though they were born in the United States. For my parents, talking to me about tier border crossing story and everything they sacrificed to get here was justice. From the moment they told me their lives and stories I can honestly say that I was very jealous and proud of what my family went through to be able to give me a better life. I understand many of the reactions that Mr. Martinez talks about when he mentions his parents facing racism and unfair challenges in their lives, but what I question a lot is, is being Mexican or Chicano always about fighting the enemy with as unfairly as they fought you? Fortunately growing up I never experienced racism, pr maybe I did but I never really took it as racism because I never felt different; in terms of my culture. What many Chicano authors today call labeling or racist I call it my childhood. I did grow up in barrio with all my cousins along one block. My father and my grandfather from both sides owned old cars and snazzy low-riders, and for me it wasn’t weird or made me think differently, it was just cool. This is how I believe the author was looking into his life; from every culture there are things you want to change and there are things you want to cherish forever, through analyzing his life he understood what the bad points were and what the precious tradition were as well. Maybe at the time many Chicano or Mexican parents believed that teaching their children to be defensive from the beginning, in order to save them from the racism and humiliation they or their ancestors went through was what they wanted to do all
The morals and customs I learned were similar to the author’s parents, even though they were born in the United States. For my parents, talking to me about tier border crossing story and everything they sacrificed to get here was justice. From the moment they told me their lives and stories I can honestly say that I was very jealous and proud of what my family went through to be able to give me a better life. I understand many of the reactions that Mr. Martinez talks about when he mentions his parents facing racism and unfair challenges in their lives, but what I question a lot is, is being Mexican or Chicano always about fighting the enemy with as unfairly as they fought you? Fortunately growing up I never experienced racism, pr maybe I did but I never really took it as racism because I never felt different; in terms of my culture. What many Chicano authors today call labeling or racist I call it my childhood. I did grow up in barrio with all my cousins along one block. My father and my grandfather from both sides owned old cars and snazzy low-riders, and for me it wasn’t weird or made me think differently, it was just cool. This is how I believe the author was looking into his life; from every culture there are things you want to change and there are things you want to cherish forever, through analyzing his life he understood what the bad points were and what the precious tradition were as well. Maybe at the time many Chicano or Mexican parents believed that teaching their children to be defensive from the beginning, in order to save them from the racism and humiliation they or their ancestors went through was what they wanted to do all