I feel like this is a particularly interesting moment to revisit this need to enshrine the myth of the barbaric Mexica. Since every GOP presidential candidate has voiced support for an invasion of Mexico to fight cartels, the justification seems to be built on these same ideas: sensationalizing and pathologizing brown man violence while whitewashing or completely ignoring the other side (US guns and drug use, long term consequences of US foreign and trade policy, etc etc). To do something as destructive as US military intervention in Mexico, the potential victims must be dehumanized. If we can dehumanize them back to their ancestors from half a millennium ago, even better
I feel like this is a particularly interesting moment to revisit this need to enshrine the myth of the barbaric Mexica. Since every GOP presidential candidate has voiced support for an invasion of Mexico to fight cartels, the justification seems to be built on these same ideas: sensationalizing and pathologizing brown man violence while whitewashing or completely ignoring the other side (US guns and drug use, long term consequences of US foreign and trade policy, etc etc). To do something as destructive as US military intervention in Mexico, the potential victims must be dehumanized. If we can dehumanize them back to their ancestors from half a millennium ago, even better
Good piece. Not sure you've seen the latest culture war "skirmish" which has gotten a queer black artist and teacher fired and arrested in the Bronx. Some resonances with this https://hyperallergic.com/823995/arts-professor-shellyne-rodriguez-fired-after-confrontation-with-anti-abortion-group/
Very very very interesting piece. You make my Sundays better.
The Aztecs WERE vicious and violent tyrants to those THEY dominated. And no amount of excuses and obfuscations can erase that fact.