The View From 1776

The Fallacy of Aztlan
By Melanie K. Wooten, Iowa

There is much consternation and confusion over those portions of the united States claimed by the “Reconquistas”, but one area is never mentioned in the confusion and consternation.

First, on February 2, 1848, under the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, the united States PAID Mexico $15,000,000 to compensate her citizens for damages to private property during the war, which Mexico lost.  Mexicans who lived within the post-treaty border (the ceded 55% lands!) who did not wish to abide by the treaty signed by Mexico at the conclusion of this war could return to Mexico.  Those who elected to stay were offered citizenship in the united States but they had to disavow allegiance to Mexico.

Second, on December 30, 1853, the united States PAID Mexico $10,000,000 for the lands commonly referred to as The Gadsden Purchase.  As any American schoolchild should know, the Gadsden Purchase was a real estate deal (just like the Louisiana Purchase and the Alaska Purchase) regarding a disputed strip of land across the bottom of Arizona and New Mexico where the border now lies.  This purchase became necessary because there was an oversight in the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo regarding access to El Paso, Texas, by citizens in the ceded lands to those areas west of that city.  The united States PAID $10,000,000 for this 29,000-acre strip of land rather than get into another war and made the payment to the other country involved in the oversight:  Mexico.

Money changed hands here, folks—a fact that is conveniently forgotten by the “Reconquistas”.  For those who can’t understand what I just wrote, I repeat:  in 1848, the united States PAID then-President of Mexico Santa Ana $15,000,000 for damaged Mexican private property as part of the treaty that also ceded to the US 55% of Mexican territories; in 1853, the united States PAID then-President of Mexico Santa Ana $10,000,000 in exchange for the lands commonly referred to as the Gadsden Purchase.  This is the same Santa Ana of Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto infamy.  If the $10,000,000 did not make its way into the coffers of Mexico for the benefit of the people of Mexico or if the government of Mexico did not pay the $15,000,000 to citizens of Mexico who sustained damage to their property during the fifty-year war between Mexico and the united States, that is not a problem that the united States needs to concern herself with.  That is Mexico’s business and her problem, if one exists.  The united States owns these lands the “Reconquistas” claim.

Considering that no move has been made to honor the terms of previous loans to Mexico, I think it would be safe to assume that the “Reconquistas” have no intention of paying that money back or seeing that Mexico does so.  The sole argument of the “Reconquistas” is they want back land that was lost in a fifty-year war and/or purchased outright by the winner of the war, the United States. 

If Mexico wants to pay back ALL loans to Mexico by the united States, whether as a good neighbor or a group member --- $1.6 billion in 2002 alone --- with interest from the date EACH loan was made to the date each is repaid, plus the aforesaid $25,000,000, with interest from the dates of each payment to the present, AND pay the current owners of private property in the lands the “Reconquistas” claim for themselves the value of their property before vandalizing and destruction by the influx of illegals, with interest and cost of all improvements and repairs of vandalism since purchase, from the date of each such improvement and/or repair, then MAYBE we have something to talk about.  Until then, the purported “Reconquistas” are bound by the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Gadsden Purchase to either put up or shut up:  stay as citizens of the united States (if that is indeed what they are) or return to Mexico!  In either case, if the “Reconquistas” don’t like what either country did, they have the right as well as obligation under the treaties to leave the united States instead of undermining the united States and destroying property --- and encouraging others to do so. 

Put bluntly, they should renounce their American citizenship and return to the country they owe true allegiance or they should shut up!  No one will stop them from doing either.