America sits powerfully now from sea to shining sea. There is a whole continent washed by both oceans carved out of the lands of native Americans, Mexicans, and anyone else who was not white enough to be coopted or Black enough to be enslaved.
To the south is Mexico. They are our closest neighbors except for Canada. Both share lengthy, contiguous borders with us. But, unlike Canada with whom we bicker now that we can no longer atttack it 18th c style, Mexico is part of a wholly alien culture. It is not America or Canada with a Spanish accent. It is a unique and sovereign country with a totally unique culture even for Central and South America.
It did not share our history of English Common Law nor the American ideal (never met) of democracy and the Rights of Man. It was at one and the same time European, Spanish colonial; multiple, mixed indigenous tribes that had shared ancient civilizations of much mystery (still) and of beautiful cities and advanced scientific and mathematical sciences. The Mayans and Aztecs are the best known although they were and are not the only indigenous groups of Mexico.
This is a complex sovereignty and a unique country that may or may not ever be understood by the English speaking countries. The USA is at the top of that list. The gap of deep understanding between the two is closer to an abyss.
As a stranger in a strange land, living here but still an American; I cannot comment on Mexican politics nor any negative aspects of the culture — it is my adopted land for now. Therefore I present a short review of a good, long book on the subject.
Read Alan Riding's book, Distant Neighbors: A Portrait of the Mexicans. It is composed of his thoughts and observations-- and they are insightful — from his years here as a New York Times correspondent. He wrote the book after leaving Mexico.
Article comments
1 - Victor Lana
Good points made here about the "other" country that shares the continent with Canada and the US. It sometimes seems that Americans (and aren't all three countries part of North America and thus all their citizens Americans?) are divided by borders, and it would do us all well to make some sort of effort to understand and relate.
I don't think the problem is so much to the south of the border as it is right here. Instead of trying to seal up everything from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico, we should be promoting a new relationship, sort of like what the EU has done.
I know people are worried about terrorism and all, but there is more to it than that. Good fences don't make good neighbors; they only make people alienated.
2 - Phillip Winn
The EU is trying to keep Turkey out for many of the same reasons people here would want to keep Mexico out of any EU-like arrangement here in North America. It would not be perceived as a union of equals, or even close-to-equals.
I grew up in SoCal, and so have a different view of Mexico that I suppose northerners do.
I'm very interested in reading this book now.
3 - alpha
It is amazing how easy it is to agree with both of you.
Victor Lana writes of alienation. We are certainly in the midst of that. It is also true that we are educated to understand Anglo-American culture, law and history. The history and culture of our other neighbor south of the border is totally ignored.
I am afraid to admit that there is not only America as the world power in that equation; but more of the ignorance of any culture that has been made by "people of color". We are awfully good at that in the US.
Phillip Winn writes that he is a from "SoCal" and therefore feels differently.
He is concerned with a tripartite continent where one country is not equal to the others and, like Turkey and the EU; not ready to hold up its end of the stick.
True. Mexico did not progress as the two other countries did for a number of reasons that Alan Riding writes of far better than I could. I live here and am bound by laws for resident foreigners.
My review was a suggestion to read a passionate but multi-faceted view of the dichotomies of a society so different in history, temperament, culture, and feelings than ours.