BajaNomad

Viva la Revolución!(?)

unbob - 11-20-2010 at 09:31 AM

Feliz Día de la Revolución!

Woooosh - 11-20-2010 at 10:01 AM

the rain today is appropriate.

shari - 11-20-2010 at 11:09 AM

Today is my very favorite holiday here in Mexico...so colourful and historical and the kids have a blast. Here are a few pics from this morning's parade of the banditos and adelitas...tonight is the big fiesta with entertainment and traditional food booths...dont miss it in your pueblo amigos!!











bajajazz - 11-20-2010 at 12:46 PM

I'm halfway through a biography of Pancho Villa, an 800 page slog by a historian named Friedrich Katz. The parallels between the situation in the border states that existed in 1910 are eerily similar to what's going on there today.

The Rurales of 1910, an armed force of 3,000 men who weren't to be trifled with, resemble the Los Zetas gang that is responsible for much of the violence today. Also, there was the fear then -- as there is now -- of U.S. intervention if the fighting got too close to the border. When doing battle in and for Ciudad Juarez, both sides agreed to a policy of shooting east to west or north to south, lest gunshots fired south to north might hit targets in El Paso, as has happened recently with incidences of random gunfire pocking the walls and windows of a public school in El Paso, prompting some in Congress to advocate sending U.S. troops into Mexico.

In view of the fact that many of the Los Zetas gang are former soldiers in the Mexican Army who were trained in weapons and torture techniques at the School of the Americas' in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the case could be made that in a way the U.S. has already intervened in Mexico's BS "War On Drugs," and not on the right side.

I was very struck by the similarity between President Madero (who succeeded the dictator, Porfirio Diaz, having been put into power by the efforts of the revolutionary peons) and President Obama, who was elected to the White House by a political base that he has neglected, as Madero neglected his. Madero paid for his mistaken effort to suck-up to the conservatives with his life, while Mr. Obama has so far only lost one house of Congress, due to his mistaken belief that he can work both sides of the political street.

The conclusion I've reached so far is that the Mexican Revolution was won by the generals, specifically Villa and Zapata, and immediately lost by the politicians they put into power. There's an old saying, "Every revolution is lost twenty minutes after it's won." Sad, but true.

DENNIS - 11-20-2010 at 01:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajajazz
I'm halfway through a biography of Pancho Villa, an 800 page slog by a historian named Friedrich Katz.


OK....but you arn't done yet. Next on your list might be "Memoirs of Pancho Villa" by Martín Luis Guzmán....1965.

mcfez - 11-20-2010 at 02:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
Today is my very favorite holiday here in Mexico...so colourful and historical and the kids have a blast. Here are a few pics from this morning's parade of the banditos and adelitas...tonight is the big fiesta with entertainment and traditional food booths...dont miss it in your pueblo amigos!!













Sort of post I thrive on. All loving stuff...no killer BS articles. Any of more these pictures shari? The pirate pic is great! Txs for sharing

[Edited on 11-20-2010 by mcfez]

Cypress - 11-20-2010 at 02:30 PM

shari, Thanks. Those kids are having some fun!:bounce:

BajaRat - 11-20-2010 at 02:54 PM

Does the Fiesta always fall on 11/20?

shari - 11-21-2010 at 08:20 AM

here it is always celebrated on the 20th...the kids were bummed it fell on a saturday and they didnt get the day off school!!! We have several families visiting us this week who's kids LOVED the fiesta last night at the cancha....this day is one to mark on your calendars for next year...anyone who finds themselves in a mexican town shouldnt miss this fiesta.

Bajatripper - 11-21-2010 at 04:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajajazz
The conclusion I've reached so far is that the Mexican Revolution was won by the generals, specifically Villa and Zapata, and immediately lost by the politicians they put into power. There's an old saying, "Every revolution is lost twenty minutes after it's won." Sad, but true.


Jazz
I thoroughly enjoyed your analysis of the two eras in U.S.-Mexican border relationships.

Some comments;
While both Zapata and Villa were excellent field commanders who would likely have easily won the presidency if circumstances had permitted their running for it, neither was interested. They were smart enough to know that their strong points in leadership styles didn't necessarily translate into presidential material.

The "politicos" that you say lost the revolutionary movement were some of the same generals who helped win the conflict. The first two elected presidents following the Revolution, (Alvaro Obregon and Plutarco Elias Calles, both generals during the war), weren't much interested in changing the status quo that had existed before 1910, but rather, to get their share, too.

Real social reform tied to the principles enshrined in the Constitution of 1917 (Mexico has had several such documents in its history, hence the inclusion of the year when mentioning them) didn't come until the presidency of Lazaro Card##as, who was, ironically, also a general in the Revolution. Card##as not only instituted land reform benefitting the country's campesinos, but also sought to protect industrial workers. While he was a hero of the working classes, he is best remembered for nationalizing the oil industry of Mexico, kicking out American and British companies to do it (although restitution was paid).

Madero, in truth, wasn't much interested in reforming the system. What he wanted was a change in the dictatorial leadership that had been running Mexico for over 30 years.
Coming from a family of the landed elit, he would have been risking his holdings if he really bought into the rhetoric he adopted to raise an army.

For a good read on Mexican history, I'd recommend Lesley Byrd Simpson's Many Mexicos or Henry Bamford Parkes' A History of Mexico. Both are a bit dated, but offer an entertaining summation of Mexican history up to the immediate post-revolutionary period.

lizard lips - 11-21-2010 at 06:33 PM

I had a hotel right in front of the Mexico City Zocolo yesterday 11/20 and saw the parade and the president standing reviewing all participants.

Last night at 9:30 the festivities started again at the Zocolo and you could not move there was sooooo many people. The light show was fantastic as were the fireworks. Had a great time. Everyone dancing and singing.

I moved to another hotel away from the center of town just because of the noise and traffic. I will sleep good tonight.

Martyman - 11-22-2010 at 10:52 AM

We were driving the San Quintin corridor and saw 4 parades! Love all the Pancho Villas!

shari - 11-22-2010 at 12:44 PM

It's all about attitude isnt it...some people just arrived that same day you drove through there martyman and said it was the WORST baja drive they'd ever had...they were pee'd off they were slowed down by so many parades:lol:

It was a great pleasure to hang with you martyman and your cool son...we may have to change your nomad name to partyman though...guess the fireworks will have to wait for another visit!

Martyman - 11-22-2010 at 02:17 PM

Nice to see you too Shari. We did blast off some skyrockets but I guess you wern't around. Loved those crunchy lobster rolls!

Bajatripper - 11-24-2010 at 05:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaRat
Does the Fiesta always fall on 11/20?


Yes.