By Juan Montoya
The stage was set for the unveiling of a charro at the installation of a Mr. Amigo star for Itati Cantoral at Brownsville's Memorial Park in front of the federal courthouse.
Just a little north of the memorial to the fallen U.S. soldiers, Cantoral's star was the 51st one to be added on Wednesday's ceremony.
But, alas, as often is the case, the best-laid plans of mice and men (and now the Mr. Amigo Association) was delayed because Cantoral's plane at the Brownsville airport was a mite late. The 3 o'clock ceremony was delayed until 5:30.
But that didn't really matter because the installation of a "charro" statue that was to be placed simultaneously as Cantoral's star was put on hold. It appears that the pedestal where the 13-foot, 3,000-plus bronze (or copper) statue was too heavy for the hollow wooden pedestal and engineers nixed the idea. Just as well, because, as the words spread around Mr. Amigo circles, the statue was not of a charro, but rather, they thought at first, that of Pancho Villa.
Villa, as it will be remembered, was no friend of the United States and in fact invaded Columbus, New Mexico and killed six soldiers and 10 civilians.
How can the Mr. Amigo guys, some said, erect a statue of this bandit in front of the federal courthouse?
Well, we looked a little closer and discovered that it was a case of mistaken identity. It was not the Villa, the Centaur of the North, but rather Emiliano Zapata, El Caudillo del Sur who is depicted in bronze (or copper).
Not that the Mr. Amigo denizens didn;t try to make the Mexican martyr look like your average charro.
Instead of the rifle the statue held in its right hand, they removed it and placed a rope (rope-a-dope?) in it to give it the charro look.
Of course they couldn't remove the bandoleers and that had to stay. Now it looks like there might be some debate on whether the statue goes up at all in the Linear Park.
By any chance, did Mr. Amigo Favorite Mexican Consul Rodolfo Quintalan have a hand in advising the Mexican history-challenged Mr. Amigo denizens in identifying and purchasing the Zapata statue?If the Mr. Amigo bunch would follow our advice (and they have not been known to do that), we'd tell them to give it up.
"Better to think people you're stupid, then to do something like this and prove you are."
"Better to think people you're stupid, then to do something like this and prove you are."
5 comments:
Aww Jeeze, say it isn't so. A bronze plaque bearing a list of the officer and positions held by Jefferson Davis is offensive and a bronze statue of a Mexican bandit and revolutionary is not.
First folks complained about the neo-Confederates and now the neo-Zapatistas are salivating over Mexican history.
Time for this whole idiotic phony Mexican Charro days to be knocked in the head.
(Time for this whole idiotic phony Mexican Charro days to be knocked in the head.)
I'm Mexican American myself and I agree with the above. Ever since I was born (mid 50s), there's never been any actual reason to feel proud for Mexico. If anything, there's more reason to feel ashamed of that country, than anything else. And I fully agree, that there is no stinking reason to celebrate anything Mexican. Especially on a yearly basis.
Jake.
Close enough. The statue stays. Get over it
alchile no mames.
quiero un pinche pancho villa lite de vermillion.... yum yummmm
Post a Comment