In the course of human events and because politics is mostly about lowering expectations and shifting responsibility . . . It's time to play Kansas City's favorite game: Blame the Mexican!!!
Full-disclosure: TKC is a proud Latino with 100% Mexican heritage so we SHOULD be able to get away with this absurdist shtick even if our writer heroes like Christopher Hitchens might've suggested that our arguments should be judged solely by their merits and not by way of ethnic perspective.
But I digress . . .
In the aftermath of former & future Prez Trump's historic victory it seems that Democratic Party leaders are casting blame on Latinos more than any other group of minority voters. Per ushe, if this kinda conversation was directed at ANYONE ELSE it would be immediately shut down and condemned but the rules of "Blame The Mexican" are that any rough talk up to outright slurs is seemingly permissible.
Here's headline sampling of the very rough discourse . . .
And then . . .
A more mainstream summary . . .
These Latino and Black voters were once Democrats, but Donald Trump changed everything
Now, we could be serious and try to explain why election 2024 defeat for Veep Kamala Harris reveals that neither progressives nor moderate Democratic Party leaders bothered to understand the Latino community and basically treated EVERYBODY like a migrant crossing the border and looking for free housing in NYC.
However . . . Even a hint of that kinda reasoned debate isn't fun.
Instead . . .
LET'S GET PERSONAL & OFFER LOCAL LATINOS FOR KANSAS CITY DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADERS TO BLAME FOR PREZ TRUMP VICTORY!!!
From the top photo let's go right to left . . .
Salvy - Just because he's Dominican doesn't mean he can't play "Blame The Mexican" given that, clearly, American political discourse lacks any nuance. To start, remember that Salvador Perez proved unable to get KC voters to vote for a downtown stadium and this might be a second FAIL for him in 2024. HOWEVER, he hit his 250th home run this season and has scored 1500 career base hits whilst proving an integral part the Royals 2024 turnaround . . . So he should get a pass.
KC Journalist Mary Sanchez - We blame her for a lot of things but she's CLEARLY one of the loudest progressive voices in Kansas City. So much so that she PROBABLY isn't responsible for MAGA victory.
Council Dude Crispin Rea - Now we're starting to find suspects. Crispin is a moderate BUT has strong union ties and energy far too low to inspire the frenetic MAGA crowd.
Raytown Alderman (Or is it Alderwoman???) Theresa Garza . . . Again, the union connections MIGHT get her off the hook but living out in the sticks after retreating from urban core politics makes her suspect. So keep your eye on her.
Jackson County Legislator Manny Abarca - More than anybody else, Manny was front and center on the VP Kamala Harris bandwagon. Check his X/Twitter -- Manny is a progressive true believer . . . So much so that we'd be willing to bet that he COULD be willing to wear one of those pink hats if enough progressive constituents asked him to do it. So we can disagree and debate but there's no denying the Democratic Party loyalty of this elected official.
And that's about it . . .
Just in case anybody was wondering . . . NO . . . MO State Rep. Ashley Aune & Council Dude Duncan didn't make the list because they're prominent, they seem like fine people but they're about as Latino as Marlon Brando playing Emiliano Zapata.
And so, while the blame game isn't very productive we're using this sordid topic to inspire tonight's www.TonysKansasCity.com playlist with the campiest songs about Mexicans & Latinos we could find . . .
To start . . .
In the early days of music video, the track "Mexican Radio" by "Wall Of Voodoo" was captured on film with a micro-budget of only $15,000. The song achieved cult status thanks to frequent rotation at then fledgling cable channel MTV in 1984. It was the only song by the group to break the Billboard Top 100 but critics from Rolling Stone to NPR have adored the tune & iconic video so much that most contend the track is better than the average one-hit-wonder.
Next up . . . ‘Illegal Alien’, released as a single in January 1984 by the British pop band Genesis was intended to be lighthearted and fun but, sorry, hit all the wrong notes. Here's a bit of recent commentary for a track that was universally panned upon its release and reminds us that Phil Collins is one of the most successful mediocre singers the world has ever heard . . . "Another reason to slam the song, the music video depicts Genesis as a group of Mexican men in ponchos and sombreros, leaving a particularly sour taste in the mouth. Although the song is 40 years old, there’s no escaping how misjudged it was. In light of former President Donald Trump’s incendiary comments about Mexican immigrants on the election trail, it is made all the more unsavoury."
And now things get really awful . . . Released in 1999, “Livin’ La Vida Loca” is (tragically) one of the best-selling singles of all time, and it catapulted Puerto Rican Ricky Martin into the global spotlight, earning him the nickname “King of Latin Pop.” And even though that title is completely fake, it's better than being known as the guy who REALLY had to endure some horrific stuff as a former member of the equally awful 80s band Menudo.
It's pretty clear we're joking around here but just to get the point across we're going to share a bit of Latino self-deprecation from a beloved film which was before our time but still reminds us of the days when there was a vibrant American counterculture and not just various special interest groups. While negatively received upon its release, Up in Smoke grossed over $104 million, is credited with establishing the stoner film genre, and is now considered a cult classic. A scene that still holds up . . . The ballad of Mexican-Americans . . .
Finally . . . Mañana (Is Soon Enough for Me) was written by American Pop Star Peggy Lee and it was the biggest hit of her career. Released in November of 1947, the single entered Billboard's Best Sellers chart, where it spent 21 weeks, nine of those at number one. Ms. Lee regretted that some of her fans mistook the song for mockery and the faux-Mexican accent she cultivated has been subsequently deeded cultural appropriation or worse . . . For most, even given the apology, the song isn't regarded kindly and remains a quaint and "best forgotten" moment in American popular culture.
For readers who have made it this far . . . We feel comfortable (if not just a bit guilty) admitting that we kinda like the tune, appreciate that it can still be found online and regard it as an artifact of a mostly forgotten age.
As always, thanks for reading this week and have a safe & fun Saturday night.
Comments
Post a Comment
TKC COMMENT POLICY:
Be percipient, be nice. Don't be a spammer. BE WELL!!!
- The Management