HUMA 2319: Week Three Lecture, Readings, and Discussion Board Question—
For this week’s assignment, analyze the excerpt from The Milagro Beanfield War. The narrative is steeped in race relations, but they are effected or affected by land and water disputes that are based in the historical treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848, which ended the Mexican-American War. However, the war, itself, was less ideological than geographical and economical. The Treaty annexed a larger portion of what we think of the Southwest: Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, etc. Thus, it was a type of political land grab, rather than a war against a sworn enemy. In fact, the dispute arose from Mexican and American disagreements about land boundaries and resources. To obtain the full territory and avoid further conflict, the United States quickly struck a deal that would (at least on paper) guarantee area Mexican residences the rights they had prior to the treaty. The National Archives describes the following terms:
The United States paid Mexico $15,000,000 “in consideration of the extension acquired by the boundaries of the United States” (see Article XII of the treaty) and agreed to pay American citizens debts owed to them by the Mexican government (see Article XV). Other provisions included protection of property and civil rights of Mexican nationals living within the new boundaries of the United States (see Articles VIII and IX), the arbitration of future disputes between the two countries (see Article XXI). (“National Archives” para. 4)
However, such promises were fleeting at best and completely untrue on a cultural and social level—i.e. the “law” may have given former Mexican Nationals such privileges and protections, but they were not enforced by the regional, territorial, or federal government. Instead, rampage abuse of the people and land ensued without checks or balances. As critic and historian Donathan Olliff describes, the provisions of the treaty have frequently been interpreted and applied in a fashion that violates both the letter and spirit of the agreement (962). The lasting consequences of such actions are addressed in The Milagro Beanfield War: The narrative’s conflict is directly linked to the dominant’s appropriation of land and its given resources (water, in this case). Thus, we must understand the oppressed peoples’ (minority) role as more than simple racism; it is linked to wealth, economics, and livelihood—i.e. the power structure is supported and maintained by institutionalized racism. The minority is then only useful as another resource (labor) or for exploitation.
DISCUSSION BOARD QUESTION: Expound on at least one element of racism that is addressed in the piece and explain how such discrimination is either grounded in a larger economic issue and/or used to the advantage of the dominant. For example, you could analyze water, land, culture, capital, etc. Access The Milagro Bean Field War from this link: https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Milagro_Beanfield_War.html?id=WbN_AQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false . Support your argument with at least ONE additional scholarly source.
The exerpt is fairly short, but it is based on the longer work of the John Nickel’s novel of the same name. If you enjoy the selection, I suggest picking up a copy and reading it in its entirety. It might be a piece you wish to focus on. Now that being said, you can explore and analyze the film or the book. It is your choice.
Work Cited
Olliff, Donathon C. American Historical Review. 1991, Vol. 96 Issue 3, p962-964. 2p.
“National Archives.” Educator Resources, 25 April 2018, https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/guadalupe-hidalgo. Accessed 15 Nov. 2018.
Discussion of the required readings and/or materials is crucial to understanding the historical, social, political, linguistic, and/or philosophical aspects of each piece and how they represent an investment in or critique of culture through mimesis. Therefore, students are required to answer weekly discussion board questions in a minimum of 150 words and respond to at least two of their classmates in 75 words each. Initial posts are due by 11:59 on Friday of each work week, and responses to classmates are due by 11:59 on Sunday of each work week. At least one additional scholarly source is required to support students’ initial claims each week, and each source must be correctly cited in-text (as a parenthetical reference) and in the Work Cited in MLA style and format. (The materials I provide in the course DO NOT count towards your secondary sources. Outside research is required for every assignment). Do not delay. Late or incomplete posts, responses, written arguments, etc. will be penalized heavily.
these are the discussions from my classmates.
This is the first discussion.
Cielo,
The Milagro Beanfield War discusses the disadvantages a community experiences and how one person caused an uproar, which could have led to a new revolution. One could have never thought that water would be the main cause of a war between the superiorities and the minorities. In the town of Milagro, New Mexico, the community was prohibited from using the river water for their own personal use. It was only for those who had the economic wealth and the higher social standing. This can be seen as a form of discrimination and racism against the minority class. In this particular excerpt, the minorities were more of Hispanic descent, while the superiors were white. Thus, explaining how the town’s community was taken advantage of and were not provided with equal rights. This in fact did not stop them from defending their rights as people because though they were not from the same race, they were the ones being raised on the same land. “Hispanics by and large do not see themselves as a distinct minority group; they do see themselves as Americans” (Etzioni). Water and culture were the main issues for the constant debates that could have caused a massive war. The community were only allowed to use dirty water, while the wealthy were allowed to use the prohibited water as well as the clean water. This obviously depicts how the townspeople were neglected and had no political or social standing in order to defend themselves from persecution. Therefore, merely by accident, the character Joe, used the prohibited water which caused the community to defend their political and moral values.
Aside from the water issue, culture was also an important aspect in understanding the racism used in this excerpt. There are certain moments where the people of Milagro would sing in their native language, but were told to keep quiet because the authorities, who were white, told them to. This particular example explains the racism used throughout the novel. “We inhabit cultural worlds that, in turn, promote racialized ways of seeing, being in, and acting in the world” (Salter et al.) The superiors intended to modernize the town and revoke its historical value. It can be seen as a scam towards the minorities because they were completely unaware of the true intentions of the renovation. The community was blinded and thought that this opportunity was going to benefit them financially, but it was the opposite. Their taxes were to be high to the point that they would not be able to pay it, therefore, they would have to move to a place they could afford. This grants the wealthy an opportunity to expand their new town and gain more money. In the end, the minorities would be left with nothing. They would be stripped of their values and culture because it would be destroyed together with the town. It is disappointing that racism consists of these two factors, but in this specific excerpt the ending was unexpected. The minorities overcame the obstacles and defeated the superiors without losing touch of their culture.
Works Cited:
Etzioni, Amitai. “Inventing Hispanics: A Diverse Minority Resists Being Labeled.” Brookings, Brookings, 28 July 2016, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/inventing-hispanics-a-diverse-minority-resists-being-labeled/.
Salter, Phia S., et al. “Racism in the Structure of Everyday Worlds: A Cultural-Psychological Perspective.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 27, no. 3, June 2018, pp. 150–155, doi:10.1177/0963721417724239
Edited by Cielo Espinoza on Nov 5, 2021, 8:23:30 AM
This is the second discussion from my classmate,
Ricky,
After reading “The Milagro Beanfield War” It is evident there is racism. Milagro is a small town of people located in New Mexico and that group of people depend on farming and the water from the land for their survival. Ladd Devine has decided to buy land and water rights and changed how the water will be used and that would deprive the Hispanics in Milagro and causing them to potential lose their farms. However, Ladd Devine has planned to start construction on the exact land that the Hispanic minorities depend on for that survival, which would cause them to lose a lot of their water resources, Because of Ladd Devine the war has begun. The governor Kyril Montana has tried to settle these disputes between the white American’s and Hispanics to ensure the construction of the resort was not affected or cancelled. The Governor from an ethical standpoint is supposed to be responsible for helping the people and providing equal rights for everyone. However, He has made it very known that he wants to ensure the resort has no hiccups and can be built regardless if the Hispanic minorities are affected or not even able to survive. The way the Governor is handling the situation makes it very known that the city of Milagro has a racism issues and is based on a political standpoint. The newspaper Reporter Charlie Bloom knows the issues with water rights and land between the Milagro residents and Ladd Devine, But the reporter did not address and not able to justify that the construction job of the resort would benefit individuals. However, a closer look at the build of the resort would show the benefit short term and would not be smart decision to cancel due to long-term benefits. Parden explains that the Hispanic Milagro residents would retire 64.55 acres of irrigated land for this resort to be fully constructed. As the war started Joe Mondragon stood up for him and the people of Milagro. It really opens my eyes to how bad the minorities had it based on race, religion, & beliefs. It is documented and shown that “The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo” was signed on February 2 of 1848 which in their words ended the Mexican- American war. Its states the Mexican government surrendered to the United states and started negotiating. I do seem to question that because even now in our current world 2021 there is so much racism. Nicholas Trist and President Polk went back and forth on different agreements on different lands. However, Polk was not interested in losing land and he planned do everything he could to redeem and take over Texas once again. Even though with the treaty Mexicans did receive 55% of the land. I hope that in the end of it all the city of Milagro stands up and fights for what they believe in, laying down and not fighting will eventually cause them to lose more than just 45% of their land and water. The importance of their survival should be at hand. “The Mexican–American War was an embarrassment for Mexico and a goldmine for the United States, literally. Within days, the important port of Veracruz was blockaded by the U.S. navy. The U.S. army fought their way overland into Mexico from California, Texas, and eventually from Veracruz straight to the capitol. Mexico’s Santa Anna, back in power again, sent a peace treaty to Washington in early 1847, but his terms were not approved. Later on that year, with U.S. troops just outside Mexico City, peace talks occurred. When Mexico would not admit defeat and offer up territory, American troops invaded the capital city and quickly took control. Santa Anna resigned as president and fled central Mexico in defeat. The United States now occupied the Mexican capital.” The united states hit a gold mine once the treaty was signed. It’s hard to believe that United states was not aware of the gold in California and that’s why they invaded the Mexicans to obtain their land.
The Mexican-American War, 1846–1848 – U.S. History (hawaii.edu)
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo | National Archives
[PDF] The Milagro Beanfield War Book by John Nichols Free Download (456 pages) (blindhypnosis.com)
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