From the middle 1960s to the early 1980s I traveled to Mexico two to three times a year.  Though I traveled all over Mexico, I found it heartwarming to vist the hometowns (Penjamo, Guanajuato and La Piedad, Michoacan) of my grandparents (mother’s parents) prior to them immigrating to the United States in the early 1900s.  I also took my mother-in-law, Betty, to visit her family in Nuevo Laredo, Tamualipas and Saltillo, Coauhila, annually.  Prior to traveling to Mexico, friends who had relatives in Mexico and visited them, warned me about the broad corrupt practice of the custom border agents and more so, the police.  “James, please heed my words,” friends warned me, “for the safety of you and your family, don’t try to get into any altercation with these guys.  They literally will take you to the cleaners!”  “How?” I’d ask.  “If you commit a traffic violation such as speeding, run a stop light, etc. they will bilk you out of as much money as they can.  And, if you don’t fork over the cash, they’ll take your tags and driver’s license and make you appear in court at a designated date.”  With that in mind, I’d buy travelers insurance not only to protect me, but Mexican drivers as well in case I had an auto accident when I drove in Mexico.  I also taught myself to learn to read Spanish so I could interpret the traffic signs.  And, I learned to convert kilometers (Mexico’s method of measuring speed or distance) into miles.  For instance, I learned that 32.1868 kilometers equaled to about 20 miles per hour.  Thus, if a Mexican highway speed sign displayed 90 kilometers I’d interpret that as around 60 miles per hour.

Prepared to tackle the highways and byways of Mexico, I eagerly welcomed the challenge of travel to the land of my grandparents.  Visiting many wonderful tourist spots in Mexico (Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Acapulco, Mazatlan, San Miguel Allende and so on) I did just fine without any problems with the police or customs.  After 20 years of traveling throughout Mexico without any police or custom agent problems soon came to a halt in 1981.  Driving to a small village where my mother-in-law’s nephew lived, I, along with several other American tourists, were caught in a speed trap scam.  I remember a sign that read, “Zona Escolar, 40 klm” (School Zone, 40 kilometers per hour).  As I interpret the school sign, which by the way was on a Sunday, I slowed down to 20 mph.  Soon the Mexican police waved me to stop.  The police then told me that I was speeding.  I told them that I was aware of the speed school sign and had slowed down to the legal speed.  Then the officer said bluntly, “le quito las placas, o va cooperar?” (Do I take off your license plates, or will you cooperate?).  Folks, that scam cost me $50, and right then and there I swore that I would never travel to Mexico again, which I haven’t.

By now, many of you are aware of a lady, Enerstina V. Mondragon, who was fined by a Dallas police officer for making an illegal U turn, not carrying a drivers license, and not fluent in English.  What I found so offensive was that Police Chief David Kunkle, soon apologized to Ms. Mondragon and promised an investigation to her lawyer, Mr. Domingo Garcia, and League of United Latin American Citizens representatives, that similar police ticketing incidents would be investigated in Dallas.  To add injury to insult, Ms. Mondragon stated that she was so humiliated by the police that it made her ill and was taken to the hospital where she incurred about $7,000 in medical expenses for her overnight stay to relieve her stress-related symptoms. 

Folks, this Dallas traffic ticket incident is ludicrous!  I don’t know where Ms. Mondragon hails from, but if she’s from Mexico, she’s well aware of how Mexican drivers are treated there.  The police in Mexico can’t hold a light to how American police officers conduct themselves.  I ask, what if Ms. Mondragon had caused an accident when she made the illegal U-turn?  What if she was caught speeding in a school zone?  What if she entered wrongfully a one-way only street?  What if she was using a phone on a school zone?  Driving zones where multiple English signs are posted to warn drivers.  Would Police Kunkle apologized to her had she injured herself, or a child, or caused an accident injuring others, due to her inability to read English signs?  However, the most disturbing thing I found about Ms. Mondragon is that she has been a legal U.S. resident since 1980.  Ladies and gentlemen, there is no excuse for someone who has been in our country for 3 decades not to speak some English.  Having said that, I don’t totally blame Ms. Mondragon for not learning English.   Hispanic groups like LULAC and others, along with willing politicians encourage all this Spanish usage nonsense.  And after all is said and done, Hispanics still have the highest drop out rate, lowest attendance in institutions of higher learning, and have a dismal attendance at the voting polls.

My grandmother, God bless her, spoke Spanish most of her life, until my Uncle James bought a house in the 1940s in a predominately white neighborhood.  I remember within a year or so, my grandmother learned enough English to shop, catch a bus to downtown Fort Worth, and converse in her broken English with her white neighbors.  No, she wasn’t at all fluent in English, but, though broken she made herself understood.  Now, if my grandmother who had no formal education and learn English, surely Ms. Mondragon can to if she wants to apply herself.

Just last week my cousin in New York sent me an email that reminded me of the manner in which my grandmother spoke English.  Here are some examples:  Mushroom — When all my family get in the car, there’s not mushroom.  July — Ju told me ju were going to tha store and July to me!  Julyer!  Chicken Wing — My wife plays the lottery so chicken wing.

Finally, to whom it may concern, “I, an American Hispanic, Back the Blue” any day of the week!

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