Migra Out Of Aztlan! Berlin Wall Style!
Today marks the 18th anniversary of 11/9. The day the Berlin Wall came down. On November 9th, 1989, thousands of people converged on the Berlin Wall and announced to the world that they were tired of the border. They rejected the wall of inhumanity that caused so much death and pain. They demanded an end to the separation of families and economies. Thousands stood up against the status quo to demand a change and the wall was dismantled piece by piece.
When I make the parallel to the U.S/Mexico Border I usually hear, “You will never get Mexicans to unite like that” or “The Berlin Wall kept people in”. But the fact is, they both sprung up from a line drawn in the sand by two competing military powers. Just like the Mexican Border, the Berlin Wall separated people of a common culture and common future.
Thomas Friedman, in his book The World Is Flat points out that 11/9 made the idea of a global economy a reality. Imagine what could be achieved with the free flow of ideas and commerce across the Southwest. The fear of terrorism has led to the cocooning of the American Economy, but just think of what is to emerge once the fearful are rejected by the brave. Yes, we know the history of the U.S/Mexico Border, but in the 21 Century the Border only exists to restrict trade. Demographically, the border has already moved north & east. I’m not talking about “Illegals” that can be deported. I am talking about U.S. Citizens of Mexican Descent. Read “Multiculturalism, Immigration, and Aztlan” by Prof. Maria Chang to get a glimpse of the future.
The Migra Out of Aztlan campaign started as the Million Mexican March that never materialized. Many felt that the Border affected all people not just Mexicans. So, I renamed it with dedication to the brave men and women that fought and won against the Berlin Wall, and to those that fight and will win against the U.S/Mexico Border.
“Migra Out of Aztlan…Berlin Wall Style”!
