eric cordova

Eric Cordova                                              803

7-28-14                      

 

         In Martin Espada's poems "The New Bathroom Policy at English High School", "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson," and "Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California May 3, 1877" make the reader think about different ways Latinos face racism and injustice. In some cases people in power are abusing their power and treating the Mexicans like animals, or disrespecting them in some way.  

      Espada's "New bathroom Policy" makes me think about how people respond to their own fear rather than trying to understand it. The principal is sitting in the bathroom stall when he hears Hispanic boys talking in the bathroom and hears his name being mentioned and becomes constipated so he decides to ban Spanish from the bathroom rather than speaking it over with them. In the poem it says, "The principal decides to ban Spanish from the bathrooms." This makes the reader think the principal is being racist because he is not letting Hispanics speak Spanish in the bathroom or during lunch. It makes me feel upset that they are doing that because, what if the person only speaks Spanish? He is not going to be able to speak to other kids during lunch or in the bathroom.

      In Martin Espada's poem, "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson" he makes people think about how when someone doesn't take the time to pronounce your name, it could make feel disrespected. In "Revolutionary Spanish Lesson" it says when his name is mispronounced he wants to "hijack a busload of republican tourists and make them chant anti-American slogans in Spanish." He wants to do this to make them pay attention and see that he feels disrespected. Even though he is saying these horrible things about what he wants to do, he is fantasizing about what he will do and we know he would not intently do it. I learned that everyone should take the time to respect other's cultures and taking time to pronounce or learn someone's name can make a difference to another person.

      Espada's Poem "Two Mexicanos Lynched in Santa Cruz, California, May 3, 1877" is inspired by a true story of two Mexicans who were victims of unfair vigilantes. What Espada is more upset about is that they took a picture of the horrific event. This poem makes the reader think about how these two Mexican men were killed not for the crime they committed, but because they were Mexicans. They did this because back in 1877 white people were racist to Mexicans and also this would have never happened to a white person. An example from the text is, "forty gringo vigilantes cheered the rope that snapped two mexicanos into the grimacing sleep of broken necks." The gringo vigilantes pulled the two Mexicans out of jail and hanged them instead of having a trial. It reminds the reader that minorities were often victims of this injustice and we need to remember that.

      In conclusion, in Martin Espada's 3 poems, he wants the reader to learn that everybody should be treated equally and not be discriminated by the color of their skin or race because everyone is different in their own way.  Everybody should be treated the same and nobody should be treated unfairly or feel disrespected no matter who they are or where