Mexican Independence, No King Protests, Latino Hip Hop
A weekly newsletter dedicated to Mexican American news, politics, and commentary.
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MAXWELL: THE COST OF "KING CONSERVATISM"
Dangerous people have existed in the past. Dangerous people will exist again in the future. But at this place, at this time, Donald Trump is perhaps the most dangerous.
Like a bull in a china shop, Trump has not only alienated millions with his rhetorical brimstone and bombast, but hijacked an entire political party that once promoted limited government, setting the stage for a fiscally disastrous and alarmingly intrusive federal government.
Yet as convenient as it might be to blame the legion of anti-establishment matadors who unleashed the bull to begin with, the fact remains Trump is merely the byproduct of precedent set before him, and an archaic conservative ideology that has adapted to modern times in all the wrong places.
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PADILLA AND THE ATTENTION ECONOMY
What began as a routine press conference spiraled into chaos last Thursday when U.S. Senator Alex Padilla of California was forcibly removed by federal agents after approaching Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during her remarks.
The dramatic exchange, captured on video and now widely circulated online, has ignited debate over the limits of protest, the rights of public officials, and the balance between security and speech.
Padilla, a Democrat and former California Secretary of State, said he was attempting to ask Noem a question about the administration’s immigration enforcement policies when officers intervened.
THE MAN WHO FOUGHT FOR MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE
Like no other leader, the name Antonio López de Santa Anna remains forever united to the history of the United States. As the only General who posed a real military threat to a country considered to be impassable, Santa Anna is probably the only Mexican who has caused headaches to America.
I will lay Washington City in ashes,” he said on one occasion. The man wasn’t boasting—he had fought (and defeated) the Spanish and French armies, the most powerful at the time.
He is also the star of hundreds of songs, movies and even comic books, a feat no other Mexican has accomplished.
LINKS FROM THE WEB
SMITHSONIAN TO OPEN LOWRIDER EXHIBIT IN OCTOBER
In a powerful tribute to a uniquely American art form, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History will unveil “Corazón y Vida” in October 2025, a major new exhibition tracing the rich, 80-year history of lowrider culture and its role in community building.
Through an evocative mix of photographs, posters, custom tools, car club jackets, trophies, and other artifacts, “Corazón y Vida” will explore how lowriding became a symbol of identity, resilience, and artistic expression—especially within Latino communities across the United States.
IS ZACK DE LA ROCHA A LATINO HIP HOP GOAT?
Zack has popped up on a variety of projects, including the aforementioned RTJ collab, as well as work in Son Jarocho groups and even a few performance with Northern California Norteno legends Los Tigres Del Norte.
Zack’s most well-known work is often lumped in with the rap-rock genre, and his MCing is rarely mentioned in reference to the most influential voices of his era. He has also stayed low-key for the most part since Rage broke up. He did release a collaborative EP with Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore under the name One Day as a Lion.
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