Reflection Post

One of the readings that I found to be quite interesting is the one on LULAC. In the beginning of the article, it stated that LULAC was founded to "fight widespread discrimination against Mexican Americans". However, it seems to me that this organization was more for people who were "small capitalists, business managers, merchants, lawyers, doctors...", like it was for certain types of Mexican Americans, almost shutting out the people who were not as well educated or who do not hold a job with a decent wage--basically discriminating those who were not middle class or upper class citizens. I couldn't help but think that was a bit hypocritical. Here is LULAC, trying to fight discrimination against Mexican Americans, and the members are trying to stay away from the newer arrivals who threaten to "create a backlash" on the gains that were already made.
I feel like these members advocated the stripping of their Mexican culture that they grew up with, disregarding the whole "embrace your nationality" idea that we are so fond of today. They wanted equal rights and equal opportunity like the white Americans, and it seems like they thought that the only way to gain those rights was to become white-washed, brain-washed, and completely unaware of their own culture to be seen as worthy to be considered a true American. To me, I think this way of thinking is backwards. I would rather have a sense of who I am, an identity, a culture I can surround myself in than taking on a fake identity and trying to live a life that is portrayed through the media.