Customer Reviews

The New American Pioneers: Why Are We Afraid of Mexican Immigrants?

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

The author is a paid propagandist for Mexico..what more needs to be said about his credibility. He has several objectives. One is that Latinos who become US citizens will think of themselves as Mexicans first...as he does. His second goal, is to reclaim the lands transferred via the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Gadsden Purchase because by today's standards, the price to was too low. Russians say the same thing about Catherine's sale of Alaska. The difference is the the Mexican Congress ratified both transactions. The Russians did not. Yet there is no movement in Russia comparable to the Reconquista or Astlan movement that many, no most Mexicans subscribe to. "We didn't cross the border, the border crossed us." is the war cry these enemies of America chant.

Mr Hernandez is dishonest. He quotes statistics showing that foreign-born residents are less likely to commit crime. True! But as Hernandez knows, that statistic in only true because legal immigrants are screened before they enter so those will criminal backgrounds are barred. But Hernandez puts illegal aliens in the same category as those fine people who proudly call themselves immigrants. He, for good reason, borrows the good reputation of legal immigrants to hide the high rate of criminal activity of illegal aliens..especially those from Latin America. Let's remember that an true immigrant moves to another country in accordance with that country's laws. Anyone else cannot lay claim to the title. One who enters a country wihout consent breaks the law. If they try to get a job, that's also against the law and if they present false documents to defraud an employer that is a serious crime and it is repeated each day that the person works. Anyone who, as Hernandez does, put such bad actors in the category of immigrant is dishonest and propagandist. Besides the race card (is there any more racist group than "El Conciio de la Raza") Hernandez also plays the guilt/sympathy card..referring often to the poverty in Latin American and these miserable conditions of it's inhabitants (owing to the corruption of the goverment who pays his salary).

Don't be deceived by Hernandez's phoney sob story. Try living in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ukraine, China, North Korea, Moldova, Belarus...(I could go on)...most of the world's countries are much poorer than Mexico.

The backstory about Hernandez is political power for himself and his cronies in the DF.. He dreams of the day Mexicans will be the majority in the United States and when that day comes, the rest of us will find that our sympathies for poor Latinos and our accomodation of their refusal to assimilate, have only sowed the seeds of another Hugo Chavez style take-over on American soil.

Hernandez cannot accomplish his mission without pacifying non-latinos lest we oppose the invasion. And, he cannot pacify us unless he puts on his pattented smile and lies about the facts and true Mexican intentions. Therefore, he writes this piece of rubbish. Don't buy it...neither the book nor the smile.

Juan Hernandez is slick and writes well... While he may be knowledgable about the issues his view is biased. He can't see past race long enough to realized that this isn't about race. It is about national security, economics, enforcing our laws and reinforcing our sovreignty. So Juan... tell us again how we only have to follow the laws we agree with... and one more time to help me understand how that makes us a better country?

This is one of the most poorly written books I have ever read. It was not well thought out or researched at all. A am an American of Mexican decent so I read it with with a very open mind. Senor Hernandez is in la-la land. He does not have a clue. Nothing he says makes a lick of sense.

Having worked closely with Mexican immigrants, both documented and undocumented, I was very excited to read Dr. Hernandez's take on the issue of immigration. I have seen Dr. Hernandez on televsion, and he is undeniably charismatic and well spoken. His book does not disappoint. Most poignant were the stories of Mexican immigrants that Dr. Hernandez wrote based upon interviews with the immigrants, themselves. The story of Sandra, a young girl going to school in Mexico, Missouri. Or Lucia the grape picker, trying to save enough money to buy a decent home. When we are able to look past the rhetoric, and learn about the lives of the actual people involved, we are able to make decisions based upon what is right, and not what is politically expedient or popular.

Dr. Hernandez is doing God's work. For Christians, the Lord has instructed us that "the stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt."

If you have any interest in the issues surrounding immigration, do yourself a favor and read this book. It just may change your mind.

This book brings a highly documented balanced look at the immigration issue. Written from a strong Christian perspective, Hernandez evangelical faith guides him in his political stance on the undocumented worker. The reader will be challenged with strong footnoted research that Hernandez (who has a Ph.d in poetry) brings to his viewpoints. Hernandez hopes that the both political parties will hear his message. However, it is the Republican Party that can benefit the most from the "family values" oriented immigrants. Studies reveal a majority of the undocumented are to the right of most conservatives. Those who disagree with Hernandez will have a hard time finding authoratative research to back their arguement. Chrisitans will be warmed by how Dr. Hernandez led former Mexican President Vincente Fox to Christ. Those who cannot see that it is a "Good Samartian" philosophy that guides Hernandez writing, are sadly blinded by their own "heart issues of prejudice".

Randy H. Skinner

Director of Urban Transformation

Highland Park Presbyterian Church

Dallas, Texas

This is a valuable contribution to the debate on the future of Mexico, America, and Mexicans in America. The middle part has thumbnail biographies of Mexicans who are living in the US, mostly illegally. These have excellent detail, introductory material that sets the stage, and enough direct quotes that you get a feel for the immigrant's personality and life situation.

Preceding that is an autobiography of author J. R. Hernandez, as well as some general comments on Mexican history and Mexican-American relations. This part helps the reader see where the author is coming from, and is particularly useful when there's a sudden turn into uncharted territory.

The concluding part offers some thoughts on legalization of illegal aliens currently in America, which the author is solidly for, economic development of Mexico, which the author thinks Canada and the US might be generous enough to fund, and the possible free movement of people across North America's borders.

American readers who prefer enforcement of their immigration laws will be incensed as they read repeated accounts of laws being ignored. The whole family eventually came? Driving without a license? Where was my government? Why weren't they stopping this? Let's throw the bums out and get someone in there who will enforce the laws!! Readers whose prefer forgiveness will find each biography to be of a person who should be granted amnesty. Such a wonderful person! Let this one stay! Let them all stay!!

This book won't change any minds, but it will give depth to everyone's knowledge of Mexicans illegally in the USA.

A minor, but important note: Hernandez often uses the peculiar term "U.S. America", as in "In today's U.S. America there is a vigorous emphasis on the controversial doctrine of separation of church and state." (p. 39) Huh? Perhaps for him the word "America" is ONLY to be used for that entity that has three parts: North, Central, and South. He might prefer new lyrics for the old song "God Bless US America/ Land that I love".

Despite its flaws, it's an honorable contribution to the immigration policy debate. Five stars.

Juan Hernandez has been in the thick of things. Been there/ done that. Even if you don't share his viewpoints, his insights and experiences are well worth considering!

if a person breaks a law, is that person "illegal"? our current president admits to drunk driving, and our previous president admitted to lying under oath. are they "illegals"?

that word is meant to equate a human being with crime itself. it is meant to DEHUMANIZE (even "criminals" are allowed an identity). "illegal" as a noun is meant to take away the humanity of people based on their nationality, ethnicity, language, class - today, mostly rich people can afford the fees to get "legal" status, while specific human families struggle and starve. you can blame the mexican government, you can blame NAFTA, and you can call them hateful names like "illegal," but that does nothing to help those in a desperate situation.

Hernandez is not some radical commie (didn't the cold war end?), as another reviewer suggests. Hernandez is reaching to the roots of the American nation, evoking the Declaration of Independence, the Statue of liberty, and the Homestead. will the America of the future be a place with opportunities available on the basis of hard work and merit? or will it be a place where rich (white) aristocrats reign over peons, in a new Feudal age?

in 1907, America had a higher percentage of foreign-born immigrants than we do now. "chicken little" nativists said the Irish, Germans, and Italians were destroying America, with their weird languages, high birthrate, abuse of public services, "papist" religion, and non-Anglo value systems. and in a way, these nativists were right: the immigrants helped change America into a better place. a place where you didn't have to have a British last name to find success, a place where women won the right to vote, and a place where African Americans, after a long struggle, gained legal protection of their rights.

Mexico's immigrants today are actually assimilating and learning English FASTER than the Italians and Germans did (i know, you had no idea because this isn't mentioned by Buchanan, Dobbs, and other children of last century's immigrants). still, they WILL change America -- and only for the better. as neither a Mexican nor a Chicano, i see the inequality that continues. when white people no longer have a monopoly on power, they (we) will have to learn to share, to "get along." America is an idea, an ideal. America is stronger than any particular ancestral land, whether it be England, Italy, Mexico, or Vietnam. we are a plural land, a land where everyone is not required to be the same. the idea of forcing everyone to be the same, whether in language, skin, or anything else? THAT is what sounds like stalinism to me.

Hernandez will continue to do good work, and I recommend this book to anyone who has never considered that maybe, just maybe, the chicken littles are the ones who threaten America. we are not a Fatherland. we are a Land of Opportunity.

Mr. Hernandez is a likable poet who got caught up in his father's countries history. Today, because of his expertise he is the best source I know of for information about Mexican Immigrants. The book highlights factual information and outlines personal histories of the new americans. Ultimately, the USA will have to accept the reality of our time. Latinos are here to stay. We are Mexico's neighbor, and they are not our enemy. Mr. Hernandez puts this information in perspective with great style. His thoughts aren't agenda driven but more practical and human. He certainly has more depth of knowledge than anyone else writing about this subject.