“Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!” Most Americans readily associate these words with the Warner Bros character, and “fastest mouse in all of Mexico,” Speedy Gonzales (or Gonzalez). This abnormally fast, heroic and sneaky sombrero-wearing Mexican rodent repeatedly defeats Sylvester the Cat and Duffy Duck to save the day. In thinking about what seem to be trivial representations of everyday life and their relation to terror, genocide and human right abuses, Speedy Gonzales caught my attention. While still popular, in recent years, Speedy Gonzales cartoons have been criticized (even banned by Cartoon Network between 1999 and 2002) for their stereotypical portrayal of Mexicans as slow, lazy, drunkards and always ready for a good fight or fiesta (very often, Speedy’s friends are shown celebrating Cinco de Mayo). The promotion and internalization of these stereotypes are likely to lead to prejudice and even discrimination against Mexicans. The show also depicts other Mexican mice as highly dependent on Señor Speedy to get the food they need, often from across the northern border, making this fast mouse a migrant of sorts. Such depiction, in my opinion, is likely to promote a misguided view of Mexican immigrants, of their experience and of their social role in the United States.
Is Speedy Gonzales a migrant? In the strict demographic sense of the word, Speedy is not a migrant. In fact, he does not permanently reside in the United States; his home is Mexico, without a doubt. Yet, as his short trips across the US-Mexico border demonstrate, Speedy is a sojourner, i.e. “an international migrant seeking temporary employment in another country” (as noted by demographer John R. Weeks). Just as a large portion of Mexican immigrants to the United States, Speedy eventually (quite rapidly in his case) returns home. Yet, instead of bringing back laboriously earned money, Speedy brings back stolen cheese from an American cheese corporation.
What does Speedy Gonzales tell us about the Mexican immigrant experience? In Speedy Gonzales’ second TV appearance, his help is requested by a group of border-town mice who are trying to get cheese from a factory across the fence. The fence, however, is not the only obstacles to their ultimate goal, as Sylvester the Cat guards the factory from the perseverant Mexican mice. Many a mouse have lost their lives attempting to cross the border, but despite the many traps (including anti-personnel mines!) set up by Sylvester, the fast and cocky Speedy crosses the border and brings back the cheese as if it were a kids game. In addition to the many stereotypes about Mexicans that Speedy Gonzales’ cartoons have been criticized for promoting, they also advance the following about Mexican immigrants: firstly, that they only take from the United States and do not contribute anything in exchange; secondly, that they steal American resources (cheese); and finally, while some of them fail to make it across the border, nothing can stop those most astute from crossing the fence.
In reality, the Mexican immigrant experience could be referred to, for some, as a plight. Historically, rapid population growth in Mexico led to more job seekers than jobs available, motivating Mexican to cross the northern border seasonally to get jobs. Most recently, the North American Free Trade Agreement, which greatly affected the livelihood of Mexico’s small farmers, has continued to push outward and northward migration from Mexico. Undocumented immigrants who cross the US-Mexico border by foot face great dangers, ranging from being robbed by gangs and the coyote to falling off moving trains to dehydrating in the dessert. Once in the United States, immigrants face fear, discrimination, exploitation and poor living conditions. While some economists have concluded that immigrants benefit the American economy others argue that they drain it (as noted by James H. Henslin). Despite this ongoing debate, it is certain that Mexican immigrants are not economic parasites. Many of them pay taxes that they cannot later collect and fill jobs that many Americans cannot afford to have.
Using modern standards to judge old cartoons can certainly be a questionable approach. However, misunderstanding and stigmatization are at the base of terror, genocide and human rights violations. The fact that a cartoon was created decades ago and reflects ideas of the time does not necessarily exempt it from scrutiny today, especially when what is portrayed in it relates to issues of much relevance today, such as immigration. While many of us would like to continue to enjoy the hilarious adventures of “the fastest mouse in all of Mexico” and his singular “Arriba! Arriba!,” it is important to consider that beyond the jokes and parodies remains the predicament of a people.
*This entry was inspired and based on a class on Latin American Politics at The University of Texas at Austin.
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