The OG Mexican Prince

Way interesting cover story by Daniel Hernandez in L.A. Weekly about what he calls Mexican American Princes -- you know, brown guys in power suits straight outta the barrio with a Mecha-informed UC Berkeley degree picked up along the way to their Boyle Heights City Council seats. Yeah, all those vatos.

Since at times I'm unsure of the intended tone of the piece, shifting as it is (is it satire? is it making fun of the princes? are the self-references self-depricating?) I'll refrain from detailed analysis. Besides, it's too dense with delicious and esoteric brown cultural specificity to adequately ponder in the space of a single blog entry. But for those of you who care about such things, it's required reading.

This mammoth feature article, complete with timeline, who's who list, and goofy quiz, it is, at turns, hilarious, brilliant, maddening, contradictory, always well-written, yet frustratingly unfinished with any kind of conclusion. And don't get me started on what the mujers will have to say about its vatocentric point of view. Still, at the end of the day, the piece is remarkable because it's such a nuanced and delicious Latino conversation in the context of a white, mainstream publication. Chockful of cultural references such as Zoot Suits, Richard Rodriguez, and Spanglish, Hernandez's piece, I'm sure, left a lot of bewildered gringos scraching their collective white boy heads wondering what the hell is a Chavez Ravine. and why should they care.

How utterly delightful.

But in an admitted nod to my own Tejano bias, the only real quibble I have with the piece is that while Villaraigosa and company may indeed be a recent phenom in these parts, reducing San Antonio's OG Prince Henry Cisneros's rise and fall and rise again to a 43 word sidebar-mention utterly fails to explore the true origins of the Mexican American Prince. Not to mention the subsequent ramifications of ol' Hank's career ups and downs. Like, what does it mean when a third gen Mexican American serves with Allende-killing Henry Kissenger on a mid 80s panel looking into the wars of Central America? Or, what is the significance that in 1984, twenty two long years ago, a Mexican American was runner-up as Walter Mondale's Vice Presidentail choice? Etc., etc.

It's like riffing on the crazy ass moves of Kobe Bryant without a mention of Michael Jordan. And while I realize Laker fans are now scratching their collective purple heads wondering "and what the hell is wrong with that?," trust me, the lack of historical perspective and so cal regional parochialism only weakens this otherwise thought-provoking Mexican Prince theory. Especially when the article goes back in history to mention Royball, and skips cross country to talk about New Mexico's Bill Richardson and D.C.'s Alberto Gonzales.

Finally, and more importantly, a potential cautionary tale is lost when neglecting the life story of Henry C, the original Mexican Prince.

Ignoring him -- this first Mex Am mayor of a major American city in over century; this dazzling and articulate speaker with his own Obama moment at his own Democratic National Convention; this 1983 Playboy Sexiest Man of the Year; this most famous Brown man in the United States circa 1988 -- it begs the question: why is it the dude's barely rememered today at all?

Comments

[Mr.Fellini]

On May 4 Salvador Carrasco's powerful movie about the Aztec conquest by the Spanish, "The Other Conquest," is coming out in select cities. For more information visit www.theotherconquest.com

[ana]

Off the Map: a mujer response to the MAP article: http://blog.myspace.com/oralearte

[katynka]

I had to revisit this in light of Villasinvergüenza's admission of his latest affair. So what would be the cautionary tale of Henry Cisneros? I mean, how does it play out in ths post-monica lewinsky era of Politics?

[White Person]

Do you realize that in making your comments about "white people" and about Ken Burns and "gringos" you are exceeding RACIST yourself. Do you have any idea that within the sphere of "white people" there are millions of nationalities and mixed races and cultures? Your sweeping comment about white people and your comments about Burns calling them "condescending" are CONDESCENDING in itelf. If you hate the United States so much, why don't you return to a land where you don't feel hateful of many of the people who share the country with you? You don't seem to have any problem when accepting a grant from the evil empire and taking their money? You just need to realize that while you think it's okay to put down "whites" and their "bland" artistry, you are doing EXACTLY to them what you keep moaning and whining and complaining they are doing to YOU.

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