Issues Concerning Mexican-Americans

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Issues Concerning Mexican-Americans

I have recently visited the web-site "Chicano Park" and viewed the video Chicano! I took a critical look at both and evaluated how well the two educated the general public to the issues of Mexican American history. As a point of reference, I used information from the Vargas book, along with class lectures and discussions, and compared it to information found on the video and the web-site. In the following essay I aim to show that the video and web-site do not serve as adequate tools to educating the general public. While they do touch upon many issues of Mexican- American history, they do not do so with the detail of Vargas. Also, they do not depict the hardships experienced by the Mexicans and the racism of the Anglos as well as the Vargas book.

The essay will address the web-site and video separately. It will point out the issues that are addressed by each, along with those that are not. In the end, I hope to prove that the web-site and video should be used as supplementary materials to Vargas, lectures, and discussions as a means of enhancing education. In addition, I will be addressing the content of two essays written by my peers in the class who are also addressing the subject of Mexican American history. I will be commenting on these works throughout this essay when appropriate.

The web site: Chicano Park addressed several issues dealing with Mexican American history. Through the presentation of the Logan Heights barrio, the web-site shows the influx of Mexicans into the United States due to revolution in Mexico. In the Logan Heights community, there was a steady population increase of over 500,000 people , most of whom were Mexican. Logan Heights became primarily a border community. It has suffered from pollution, poverty, high crime, and unemployment, and continues to do so today. This is further evidence of the poor socioeconomic conditions the Mexicans have faced since their arrival in the US.

The jobs held by the residents of the community is further illustration of the status of a labor class held by the Mexicans. They worked as laborers in the fisheries, lumber, shipbuilding, and railroad industries of the area. Also, WWII activity attracted many laborers to the area, many of whom were Mexicans, along with other immigrants.

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