Hello Friends, it is I, Jokey Jokemaker. I have returned to blog about a recent failure of congress to support the DREAM Act. This is the act that would enable a select group of undocumented young men and women to exchange millitary service, community service hours, or hours spent in college classes earning passing grades for an easier path to citizenship. Congress was very clever in attachingthe legislation to another bill tied to the contraversy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and gay rights. The bill died before making on on the floor for a vote on wether or not to move on to the next step, which is probably reading it. This was just another perfect example of how our congress has failed us. We have issues going on that are hot topics, and congress does what they can to avoid taking a side. Recently, congress has even said that there will be no tax decrease vote untill after the November elections. Where is the outrage? Where is the coverage on CNN, NBC or Univision? Imagine this scenario. I walk into a restaurant and order, and the waiter says " I won't bring your food until much later because I AM WAITING TO SEE IF YOU ARE REALLY HUNGRY OR NOT." My first inclination would be anger, followed by intense rage, followed by smoldering hatred, then, scheming and plotting my vengeance. Yet here we are, just sitting there like idiots, starving for justice, letting some Cover Your ASS politicians dictate whether your voice is heard or not.
In crazy times like these, I turn to Los Tigres Del Norte. La Jaula De Oro tell the sad story of a man who feels trapped in a golden cage. he laments having come here to give his family better opportunities, and the fact that he has left his home, culture , and way of life behind where he can never go back. he laments that growing divide of his family, as his children grow up in another culture and language, and have forgotten their roots. The singer sings "What good is money, if I feel trapped like a prisoner in this great country? When I think about home it makes me cry, because even though its golden, this cage remains a prison."
The song has a break in the middle where he talks to his son in Spanish, and the son answers him in English. The verse goes on to delve into the psychology of first generation children born here wanting to establish their own identity distinct from their parents. The singer goes on to basically lay out all of the sacrifices made on his behalf for the sake of his family. The singer sings that he is afraid to leave his own house and panics on the way to work out of fear that he will be deported and separated from his family and way of life now. This is the reality of a great deal of people in our communitieses. They are under served, under represented, and abused. When this song is played at a backyard BBQ, its not surprising to see a few wet eyes and beer bottle microphones.
I understand that unique pain, because I am a first generation Mexican American. I struggled with creating an identity that was my own. I can distinctly remember grabbing some of my dad's cassette tapes t record some crappy music like Vanilla Ice or whatever fad was popular at the moment. The rich treasure of music that I now ferociously seek was dubbed over with episodes of B96 morning drivel. I got some good HOTMIX 5 stuff too, but i still jam to that so its o.k. The culture that I have made an intricate part of me, was resisted by my younger self. I think back to what a fool I was not to embrace my roots and wacth Beverly Hills 90210 instead of Sabado Gigante. The CHACAL should blow his horn in my ear! Righ songs like La Jaula De Oro tell tales that are significant because they are still going on today. I figure the best way I can atone for my transgressions is to work towards a better tomorrow for the raza, which includes my daughter, who knows less Spanish than I did at her age. My culture and heritage will be passed on to my daughter, and I am in the same position my parents were years ago when I was small. This song speaks to me on so many levels because I fear that our heritage has to compete more vigorously with Nickelodeon and The Disney channel. I will instill in her the need for justice, and do my own part to see that songs like these are ancient history. Will you do the same?
Jokey Jokemaker
DREAMer
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