TAKAKI CHAPTER 12

TAKAKI CHAPTER 12
EL NORTE-The Borderland of Chicano America
In this chapter Takaki writes about how the Mexicans came to the United States of America. He states how America was viewed as a land of promise by many people from other nations. But he says “to the immigrants from Mexico, it was ‘El Norte,’ a land across the river, this country became the stuff of boundless dreams for Mexican migrants” (311). To this land of many boundless dreams, many Mexicans came with a lot of high hopes. As they crossed the northern border, they had vivid images of success. There were several reasons why the Mexicans moved in numbers to America.
Those that managed to get to America told their friends in Mexican about the joy they had in America. This led to “a chain reaction that brought others and others” (312). One of the reasons for this chain reaction in who came was that it was easier for Mexicans than any other immigrants to cross the border. “Unlike the immigrants from Asia and Europe, Mexicans could enter and leave without passports whenever they wished” (312).
Part of the reason for this El Norte migration was that it was an extension of population movements already under way within Mexico. Rural workers and their families had begun migrating to urban centers” (312). On top of this were the declining industries and the non cultivation of land. This led to competition in employment and so most Mexicans migrated to America in search of jobs. The frustration caused in the economy of Mexico led to the 1910 Mexican revolution. By 1911, a “civil war spread across Mexico” (314). To find refuge most Mexicans fled to El Norte with the view to come back once the war ended. “But the civil war seemed endless, forcing tens of thousands of refugees to flee northward in search of safety” (314). In other words, most of them were forced to move northward due to the poverty and the horror of the war. Most of them left with the view that they will get better jobs and better wages. The American “wages [were] two to three times higher than the wages in Mexico” (315). This hope of better wages also drew Mexicans towards the north.
Another major factor that facilitated the migration of Mexicans to America “was the development of transportation” (316). In 1895 the Mexican international railway had extended into Texas thereby facilitating the movement. Most of the Mexicans who moved were from the agricultural class. “During the early twentieth centaury, Mexicans [Chicanos] were encouraged to cross the border because their labor was needed” (317).Yet it was clear that race was being used as a weapon by the American Federation was of Labor. When Mexican tried to attain citizenship, the Americans denied them citizenship for the fear that Mexican would not easily assimilate the American culture. Those who were American by birth were still reminded that they were still Mexicans.
As I read this article, I saw the same things that happened to other immigrants in other articles we read happening to Mexicans as well. This made me realize the fact that Americans at this time were only interested in cheap labor from the immigrants. And once this purpose was fulfilled, and then the immigrants had no other use. Its as though all that mattered to white Americans at this time was maximizing profit by taking advantage of cheap labor.