In a discussion on the immigration riots of recent months, my philosophy professor said, completely seriously, "Well, I've noticed that most of the people who have a problem with immigration are conservatives from the American Southwest. Why don't we just give it back to Mexico?"
As a daughter of Texas and a Southerner, I am used to hearing slurs directed at my home state and section. It seems to be one of the few forms of prejudice permissable on campus. I call the anti-Texas variant "Texism."
But my professor's statement was not only inaccurate, it was treasonous.
I walked out and stomped around outside for a while to calm down.
On the other hand, this statement is an accurate reflection of university liberalism. And it doesn't just affect the Southwest. For example, I have never heard anything other that criticism of the way the United States grew. I've never heard a defense of "Manifest Destiny." It's all happening in a university near you. I have a feeling that even Texans are falling short in this battle.
The facts: Texas and the southwest were won by a rebellion after Santa Ana rescinded the Constitution of 1824 and asserted dictatorial control over the settlers there. It was not acquired through American conquest as some multiculturalists try to suggest. And as far as resident population is concerned, the Anglo-American "Texians" far outnumbered the Hispanic "Tejanos", who were never more than a minor presence.
Give it back? I don't think so.
Instead of rolling over and "admitting" that the southwest should belong to Mexico, we should do one thing: Remember San Jacinto!