Our peninsula, which since I reached the age of reason has been named Baja California, is no longer called that and is no longer ours. In fact, there
already exists two mutually exclusive realities, one of which is called Baja California, and that’s the one that many of the Mexicans that live here
know. The other is called “Baja,” and it is comprised principally of Americans, as well as a few Mexicans who are politicians or who have a lot of
money.
I enumerate in the following the most important characteristics of each of these realities:
In Baja California live basically Mexicans, whom the authorities rarely acknowledge and whom they consider second or even third class citizens. The
official monetary unit is the Mexican peso and the language, Spanish.
Corruption rules, just as does insecurity (lack of safety) and impunity. Its inhabitants are being displaced from the most beautiful regions of the
peninsula, almost always with legalistic reasoning.
They are being confined to the principal urban centers, with the new type of mini-houses that are genuine ghettos, without green areas or cultural or
sports venues.
In “Baja,” live basically Americans, as well as a few Mexicans with lots of money. They use different place names from the ones used in Baja
California, starting with the peninsula’s own name, since for them it’s “Baja,” not Baja California.
Other examples: Laguna Ojo de Liebre they call “Scammon Lagoon,” Bahía de los Ángeles, (LA Bay), Malarrimo they call “Miller Landing,” and these
cases multiply throughout the peninsula and there are many.
They have not only changed the name of the peninsula, they are also renaming the regional fauna and flora. For example, the cirio, emblematic of Baja
California, for the inhabitants of “Baja,” is called “boojum,” the torote is called “elephant tree,” and there are many other examples.
In “Baja,” the monetary unit is the dollar and the language, English. Furthermore, we can almost say the nationality is American, as they accept
Mexicans with difficulty, and only if they are of use to them and have lots of money and influence.
The inhabitants of “Baja” are concentrated on the coasts of the peninsula; in fact it appears they want to take over the entire coast. Furthermore,
they have placed a series of obstacles like walls, buildings, fences, barricades, security guards, control (vigilance) towers, security booths, and
even dogs to prevent the inhabitants of Baja California from seeing the coast and access the beaches, and all this with the consent of the
authorities, despite that according to the Mexican constitution, the coasts are the exclusive property of the Mexicans.
Those who complain about the wall that the US government is planning between its country and ours, ought to protest more forcefully the wall that
already exists between “Baja” and Baja California.
As is the case there (at the border) the inhabitants of “Baja” also have their border patrol, but the one here is managed by Mexicans, not to prevent
the flow of immigrants, but to prevent the inhabitants of Baja California from enjoying their coasts and their beaches.
The day does not seem far when bajacalifornianos will need to use a visa to enter their beaches, if they are allowed to enter at all.
They control the territory
In some cases, the inhabitants of “Baja” have taken control of entire towns, as is the case in Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos, in Baja California
Sur.
The inhabitants of “Baja” live in luxurious houses with ocean views and access, with all the services and security, isolated from the inhabitants
of Baja California. They have their own newspapers and magazines, in English ¡off course!.
Any person from another country that sees these publications will think that the peninsula is part of the United States. Similarly, they have their
own meeting areas, churches and other services exclusively for them.
Many of the inhabitants of “Baja” actually live in the United States and come to stay in their homes only during certain seasons, thus their houses
are unoccupied during the best part of the season, preventing bajacalifornianos from seeing and enjoying their coast.
Also, a great number of “bajeños” buy almost all they need in the United States, which further reduces their contact with bajacalifornianos, and which
does nothing to contribute to improving the economy of Baja California.
Many “bajeños” wish that we bajacalifornianos did not exist; in fact, they act as if that were the case.
An important aspect is that the Baja California authorities appear to be at the service of the inhabitants of “Baja” as they facilitate everything
and even do all sorts of procedures and run errands so that the “bajeños” can rest easy, including cases where their actions run counter to the
interests of the citizens of Baja California, to whom (the authorities) supposedly owe their allegiance.
Cultural Imperialism
As “bajeños” come from the United States, little by little they have succeeded in infiltrating their traditions among the people of Baja California,
as is the case of Halloween, Santa Claus, Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, etc.
There are very dangerous traditions like the off road races, that have cajoled many bajacalifornianos into believing that they are their traditions
and making them view the foreign racers as gods. Every race more seriously impacts the natural environment of the peninsula.
There are certain sectors of Baja California that believe that the presence of the “bajeños” is the best thing that could have happened to this land,
and they are prepared to come to disgrace , and all that comes with conquering the peninsular coasts for a fistful of dollars. It is a reminder of
times gone by, as when the Spanish conquistadors traded glass for gold with the indigenous peoples.
The penetration of “Baja” has been so deep that now many bajacalifornianos think that our land is called “Baja,” more and more there are more
businesses, events, and products that only use the term “Baja,” unaware of the rich history of the name California, that among other things,
originated with our peninsula, not in the California of the United States.
If bajacalifornianos do not react and remain aware of this situation, we will end up losing control of our land, and the day will come when the
inhabitants of “Baja” will arrive to enjoy our coasts and natural environment, and those of us who live here will be working for them as their
servants.
Our politicians have given us a very good sample of that.
“…The nation will always have the right to impose on private property changes dictated for the public interest, as well as to regulate, in the public
benefit, the use of natural elements which are susceptible to appropriation, with the object of making an equitable distribution of public wealth.
La Nación tendrá en todo tiempo el derecho de imponer a la propiedad privada las modalidades que dicte el interés público, así como el de regular, en
beneficio social, el aprovechamiento de los elementos naturales susceptibles de apropiación, con objeto de hacer una distribución equitativa de la
riqueza pública…”
“…The territorial waters of oceans…interior marine waters…those of lakes and estuaries…of interior lakes…rivers…up to the emptying into the ocean are
the property of the nation…
Son propiedad de la Nación las aguas de los mares territoriales…las aguas marinas interiores…las de las lagunas y esteros…las de los lagos
interiores…las de los ríos…hasta su desembocadura en el mar…”
“…In (a(strip of) land within 100 kilometers of the borders and 50 kilometers from beaches, under no circumstance may foreigners acquire the direct
power (direct ownership?) over land and waters.
En una faja de cien kilómetros a lo largo de las fronteras y de cincuenta en las playas, por ningún motivo podrán los extranjeros adquirir el dominio
directo sobre tierras y aguas…”.
Artículo 27 de la Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos. |
