Rudy Acuna - [LRL] Se me hizo tarde, se me poncho la llanta. It Never seems to change

 August 20, 2011

 

“Todo se paga en este mundo”

Payback Time

By

Rodolfo F. Acuña

 

When listening to recently arrived immigrants I am reminded of the sayings or as we called them dichos, refranes, that my parents and extend family used to repeat depending on the occasion.  Everyone would nod with quiet approval. At the time I did not realize how much they informed my thought process.

 

My family would repeat phrases such as “tienes que tener amor propio,” which like most Mexican sayings cannot be literally translated. For us, it meant self-respect, loving oneself or pride in one’s identity and family. This was punctuated by sayings such as “no les pido aqua,” "I don't even ask them for water.” Pride meant an awful lot and the sayings were moral lessons for how we lived our lives as Mexicans, which even then were deprecated. 

 

My sister, my cousins and I spent a lot of time with our grandparents who often lived with us.  My grandfather gently brainwashed us with sayings such as “no deseches como en vano el consejo del anciano,” “Do not dismiss the advice of an old person.” And my favorite now that I am old, “El diablo sabio más por viejo que por Diablo,” “The Devil knows more because he is old than because he is the Devil.” The dichos underscored life experiences; some did not survive and unconsciously reflected the fear of the old at the time. My grandfather used tell me stories and would punctuate them with “Los gringos no tienen sentido de familia ponen a sus abuelos en casas de ancianos,” “Americans don’t have a love of family; they put grandparents in old age homes.”  

 

One of the first political sayings I remember is Benito Juárez’s famous saying, “entre los individuos, como entre las naciones, el respeto al derecho ajeno es la paz,” “among individuals, as among nations, respect for the rights of others is peace.”  This saying was usually coupled with the words of Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz, “Pobre de México, tan lejos de Dios y tan cerca de los Estados Unidos,” “Poor Mexico, so far away from God and so close to the United States,” a memory that not even the Arizona demagogue Tom Horne can erase.

 

Horne defines a patriot as a person who has developed historical amnesia; he forgets that people remember injustices.  “Palo dado ni díos lo quita.”  “Not even God can take away a blow or hurtful insult” or “watch your tongue.”  The late Américo Paredes noted that Tejanos expressed their antipathy toward social climbing Mexicans with the saying, “No te fíes del mexicano que fuma puro ni del gringo que te dice compadre,” "Don't trust a Mexican who smokes a cigar or a gringo who calls you compadre."

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These sayings like the corridos (ballads) are countless and reflect the tribulations of the people and critique behavior. Sayings like “Dime con quien andas...y te diré quien eres,” “Tell me who you run with and I’ll tell you who you are” are universal “Mejor solo que mal acompañado,”  “better alone than in bad company,” has multiple meanings.  “Por el árbol se conoce el fruto,”  “By the tree the fruit is known.” They are helpful when assessing the behavior of Arizona Senator Russell Pearce and the Tea Party and their association with JT Ready, the head of the American Nazi Party.

 

The sayings were based on common sense and the principle of personal responsibility: “El que quiere baile, que pague el músico,” “Who wants to dance, should pay the musician.”  “El infierno está lleno de buenas intenciones y el cielo de buenas obras,” “Hell is full of good intentions and heaven with good works.” “Lo que bien se aprende, nunca se pierde,” “What is well learned is never lost.”

 

Listening to Arizona politicos and functionaries reminds me of “En boca del mentiroso, lo cierto se hace dudoso,” “In the mouth of a liar, what is certain becomes doubtful.”  Or another of Díaz’s sayings is “Nadie aguanta un cañonazo de 50 mil pesos,” No one can withstands a canon blast of 50 thousand pesos,” is applicable again to Arizona’s bought politicians and public servants such as Tucson Unified School District superintendent John Pedicone and Board Member Mark Stegeman. For those who think that I am being too harsh, I say “la verdad no peca, pero incomoda,” “the truth may hurt but it does make you uncomfortable.”

 

At the risk of sounding obsessed and having others dismiss me with the saying “Cada loco con su tema,” “Every crazy guy has his obsession,” I will return to Arizona because I can find countless lessons from my family that cast a bright light on the actions of Pedicone and his cabal. There are some sayings that I don’t agree with perhaps because of my early Catholic education, sayings such as “Que cada quien que se rasque con sus popias uñas,” “Everyone fend for themselves.” But nevertheless they are guideposts for the person who thinks critically. They remind us that history has a meaning and that those in power cannot erase the truth – unless we let them.  

 

Some of the sayings hit too close to home. My wife keeps reminding me, “Candil de la calle y... oscuridad de su casa,” “Light of the street, darkness in your home.” Naturally, I prefer   “A prophet is never respected in his own home,” Nadie es profeta en su propia casa.”  But I agree with her questions, why should the pronoun always be masculine?  And, how long are we going to wait for “Todo se paga en este mundo.” Certainly the Pedicone cabal will not go to heaven, but at the same, can I hold on long enough to inherit the earth?

 

According to Rudy Acuña, pure Chicano politics need to be at the forefront to save us from white supremacy, thus, Latinx inclusivity waters down Chicanismo. Oh, and apparently, Chicanismo doesn't just protect Mexican identity, but Central American identity too. #paternalism

 

1:25 PM · Apr 1, 2019

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