thanks, Kevin. The unfortunate outcome of Rodriguez's work is that
rather than it being understood as one individual's trajectory, it has
been mapped onto all other U.S. Latinos—generalizing his experience,
his way of negotiating the challenges of being a member of a
non-dominant group in the U.S, on to the rest of us. In the absence of
a critical mass of other 'visible' Latino thinkers/voices, his voice
has come to represent the 'successful' Latino without challenge (except
from the less powerful Latino community). I think he's an excellent
writer—although I disagree with him, especially his earlier work—and
his rendering of his story makes him the perfect candidate for the
English speaking Union, the anti-bilingual, and anti-affirmative action
crowd. Kris
Kris D. Gutierrez
Professor
GSE&IS
Moore Hall 1026
UCLA
Los Angeles, CA 9009501521
310-825-7467
On Apr 4, 2005, at 4:43 PM, Mike Cole wrote:
> This is for YOU!!
> mike
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: willthereallsvpleasespeakup who-is-at nateweb.info
> <willthereallsvpleasespeakup who-is-at nateweb.info>
> Date: Apr 4, 2005 3:03 PM
> Subject: Re: Butterflies and life
> To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
>
> Kevin Rocap wrote:
>
> > Dear Dorie, David, et al,
> >
> > Actually one of the striking things about Rodriguez's book, imho, is
> > that it is a well-wrought chronicle of one who, though extremely
> > articulate, ultimately seems to reflect a near perfect form of
> > internalized oppression. While he recounts painful experiences of
> > having his race/ethnicity/cultural values ripped apart or ripped
> away,
> > rather than condemn the oppressor he, instead, chooses to embrace the
> > notion that assimilation at the expense of family and cultural ties
> is
> > "the way" and now reflects that viewpoint in his politics being often
> > anti-bilingual education or anti-affirmative action, etc.
> >
> > Rather than critique the oppression itself; he seems to embrace it
> and
> > lend his political voice to its work.
> >
> > In Peace,
> > K.
>
> Opting out of a career in acadamia certainly sounds like a critique to
> me. I have always found his essays powerful and thought provoking.
> Here is an interview where he explains his position.
>
> http://www.scottlondon.com/insight/scripts/rodriguez.html
>
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