Animosities have Reasons

 

     There is a constant accusation from Afro Americans that Mexicans hate Afro Americans simply because they hate Afro Americans. NO reasons are considered or even remotely mentioned. Just a irrational; NEED to hate.   This accusation goes completely contrary to certain historical facts  which indicates that they felt compassion for Afro Americans prior to losing their territories north of the Rio Grande. For example: Please note that the first Mexican President  was black.  The governor of Mexican California was black.  They have a statue erected to a black Mexican hero  They provided amnesty to black Afro American escaped slaves giving them a new lease on life.  That doesn't seem like an anti black attitude to me. Such things were unthinkable during that time in the racist USA where blacks were viewed as merely property or livestock.  

     After the Mexican American War wherein Mexico lost nearly 50 percent of its territory, fugitive slaves still crossed the border seeking refuge from the merciless oppression of their masters. Mexico once more reaffirmed her protection of fugitive slaves recommitting in the Constitution of 1857 to freedom for all fugitive slaves who set foot on Mexican soil.

     Mexico also constitutionally banned any intentional extradition treaty-covering individuals who had been slaves.

www.finalcall.com/artman/publish/Perspectives_1/blacks_and_mexicans_101472.shtml

     So the question is, what happened in the USA AFTER Mexico lost all that territory that created negative feelings of Mexicans towards Afro Americans? Could it be that they observed the same people they had tried to help suddenly take sides with the Anglo Americans in persecuting them?  Too far-fetched? Really?  Not at all! I personally have observed Anglo and Afro Americans setting aside their differences temporarily to focus their animosity on Latinos as a team. I would not be at all surprised if that is exactly what happened in the southwest.