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Courtesy of Ramon Rivera
Members of the Wenatchee High School mariachi band get ready to perform at the Washington Apple Blossom Festival in Yakima, Wash., on April 28.
Mariachi is resounding in hundreds of U.S. public schools offering the festive Mexican folk music as part of their band classes, music experts say. Many student musicians will get a chance to show their passion for it at events surrounding Cinco de Mayo on Saturday.
“Its popularity has exploded, and music programs all around the country are bursting with enthusiasm,” said Ramon Rivera, the mariachi program director for the Wenatchee School District in Wenatchee, Wash. His mariachi program boasts 300 students, he says, and draws more young players every year from the community of 30,000 residents in north-central Washington.
Mariachi bands are no longer confined to states along the U.S. border or American cities with growing Hispanic populations, said Daniel Sheehy, a mariachi expert and director of the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington, D.C.
At least 500 U.S. public schools now offer mariachi as part of their music curricula and there are local and state competitions, Sheeny said. He said members at the Music Educators National Conference have created a task force to see how many mariachi programs had taken root in the last five years.
"Mariachi has all the ingredients to make it a powerful movement," Sheeny said. "It’s infectious and honest music and a touchstone of identity." Sheehy has studied the genre for nearly three decades and is the author of "Mariachi Music in America: Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture."
Many school bands are gearing up for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. “There is a saying that we live and breathe mariachi in Texas, and that’s no joke,” said Robert Rodriguez, a mariachi director for the Victor Independent School District in Victoria, Texas. “Cinco de Mayo is one of the biggest days for us. We’ll be playing all day long, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.” He said he teaches mariachi to 50 students from the district’s two high schools.
In the Las Vegas area, the Clark County School District's mariachi program has experienced a boom. "We started with four schools and about 250 students in the first year," said Javier Trujillo, who was recruited to help develop the program in southern Nevada in 2002. He said within a decade, the program blossomed to include 15 schools, 16 instructors and 2,500 students. He said he doesn't teach in the schools anymore, but plays in a mariachi band.
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Marcia Neel, who retired this year as coordinator of secondary fine arts for Clark County schools, said Trujillo was being modest about the mariachi program's growth in Las Vegas.
"I would say the numbers of students involved in mariachi is somewhere near 3,000 students," she said. "Mariachi is so popular that I have made it my own personal business, and I have been busy."
She said school districts in Iowa, Tennessee and northern Nevada have invited her to help start mariachi programs at their middle and high schools.
"It is folk music of a country that engages not only the child, but the parent and the entire family," she said. "What is not to love about it?"
The growing number of Mexican-Americans has helped bump up the number of youths interested in the music from their homeland, music instructors say.
But students say it's the beat and the joy of the music that drew them.
"It's my passion, I love it," said Monica Moreno, 14, from Wenatchee High School.
She said she grew up listening to mariachi in her home, where her parents often danced to the music.
"I couldn't stand it," Moreno said. "I hated listening to it while I was growing up. Then everything changed when I watched a performance of mariachi performers at high school. They had passion. They had smiles. They were having fun and that's when I knew I wanted to play in a mariachi band."
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Moreno plays the violin in Wenatchee High School's ninth-grade program.
"I will never stop doing it," she said.
The music of mariachi originated in the state of Jalisco, in Mexico, sometime during the 19th century. While no one knows for sure how mariachi started, the style is certain. Musicians wear elaborate traditional suits of the horseman, traje de charro. Love, betrayal, revolutionary heroes, even animals are common themes of mariachi songs. Common instruments are violins, trumpets, guitars, vihuelas (a five-stringed relative of the guitar), and the guitarrón (a large-bodied acoustic bass).
Megan Howard, a 12-year-old seventh-grader at Pioneer Middle School in Wenatchee, says she had always wanted to play guitar but wasn’t interested in classical instruction.
Howard said she first learned how to play mariachi music in fifth grade and now wants to try out for a spot on the high school's mariachi team.
“The music is beautiful, upbeat and fun to play,” said Howard. She said her heart beats along to mariachi.
“Through the music and the musicians I learned about how Mexicans care [about] their land,” she said. “I’ve learned not only to play, but learned to appreciate things that are important in life. Mariachi has changed my life.”
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Leave a Comment:
Nice to see that something positive of Mexico is catching... Not everything in Mexico is drugs, violence and immigration. Hopefully we start doing some research on the country and find all that's good in it.
Why wouldn't "Mexican music" catch on in U.S. schools? U.S. schools are filled with mexicans, this only further highlights just how bad the problem is.
I suppose the students who aren't into Mariachi are now pretty well screwed at these schools as I doubt additional funding is being provided for two music curriculum's.
The Mexican culture is Vibrant. Coming soon, DONKEY SHOWS.
How charming....
and I guess it's time to replace all of those hard-to-comprehend textbooks printed in English with those in our new native tongue - Spanish
...sorry, but you gringos will just have to learn to live with it....
Having lots Mexicans in our schools is a problem? From Wenatchee southeast through Yakima down to the Tri-Cities the population is mostly hispanic, so of course there will be a lot of them in the schools there.
The problem isn't with Mexicans or hispanics, it's with the people who can't get it through their thick f*cking skulls that the US is a nation of laws and that if they want to come here that they need to do it legally.
Just being brown/Mexican/hispanic/latino doesn't mean that you are here illegally, and I don't think that allowing them to celebrate their culture represents a 'problem'.
What is becoming increasingly clear to this 58-year-old native born American is that the American people are becoming more ignorant, bigoted, intolerant and hateful by the day; if the posts to these discussion threads (such as those above) and the standard political rhetoric of our nation exemplifies the popular, acceptable norm.
We should be ashamed of the direction we are heading as a society; the de-evolution of American civility and compassion.
Unfortunately what those of you who practice your hate, intolerance and ignorant bigotry are missing, is the incredible richness, and pleasure which could be added to your lives by embracing other cultures and ethnicities, ...and thanking your lucky stars for the opportunity to 'grow' as individuals and human beings through your exposures to cultural and ethnic diversity.
Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is just ignorance. And willful ignorance is just pathetic.
If ignorance isn't bliss, I don't know what is.
I believe many, if not most, citizens of the United States appreciate other cultures that are part of and incorporated into the social fabric of the United States in a lawful, orderly manner. There are aspects of cultures from third world nations that are a vibrant part of what makes the United States the great country it is; however, many people are frustrated because some cultures are effectively being thrust upon this country as a result of illegal behavior (i.e. the millions who have broken the law by sneaking into this country illegally). This has resulted in significant shifts in the cultural makeup of the United States that to a very large extent (as stated above) are the result of illegal behavior. Furthermore, because there are so many illegals, they are really APART from society, not a part of society.
What confounds me is the fact that there are so many hispanics who are United States citizens demanding that elected officials better not do anything to combat this illegal behavior or else they will suffer politically. That is truly amazing that they would put their race and background above their country.
Based on the comments here, can someone please tell me why kids playing music is bad?
I must be missing something here
The only thing missing (at least in Mexico) are the 10-12 million Mexican citizens who are in the United States illegally and rightly belong in Mexico.
Very misleading headline. Just look at the pictures and the names. Obviously, these are not U.S. students, but mexicans. So mexicans like mariachi music, this is news? Next they'll be telling us black people like rap or swiss like yodeling. The suspense is killing me.
@Robert in Oregon
The only bigot here is you, you're a bigot against American soverignty.
3000 kids? Mariachi music? this is news why??????
1. As a general manager of a large Music store in Southern California, that handles many schools districts band needs, we have never ONCE been asked for Mariachi instrument sales or service, for a school...ever. We rent 1000+ horns ever year to kids. We repair literally close to a thousands instruments for the whole school district in our area alone. To put your 3000 kids in perspective, that is literally not even worth mentioning in relation to any national level, as MSNBC is spinning here.
2. 3000 kids in a country with a population of 330+ million is not even worth mentioning.
3. This article is nothing more then pro illegal alien propaganda.
4. MSNBC is a political corporate infotainment system and nothing more.
If mariachi music is all that I do not see it in our Music Stores... at all. Yes we sell a few Mariachi Instruments, NO, it is no new rage.
You know whats raging.? Ukulele's are flying out my door over almost anything else for two years now.
I call bull@!$%# on MSNBC's liberal propaganda machine period. This article is total crap. It is a BIG PILE OF CRAP PROPAGANDA from corporate media.
Good for the few Hispanic kids that do it...big deal... clap clap
DeVille223
REPLY: That's hilarious, DeVille. Thank you for the hearty chuckle on a Friday evening. As an aside, if you want to be more affective at insulting people you might first want to look up the definition of "bigot"; ...and you might also look up "irony."
You're a hoot, thanks!
Robert, you should learn your AMERICAN history! Because the Indians didnt control the flow of incoming immigrants into this country, they were almost wiped out!! Care to replay history and let the current population of Americans get wiped out too because controlling the huge onslaught of immigrants is just too rough for you? I bet you do.
Exactly, Ru. A few hundred years ago the indians said sure, come on over europeans, the more the merrier, we'll learn from each other and both our cultures will be enriched and stronger from the diversity. That worked out really well for them, didn't it? Naturally we should do the same thing. What could go wrong?
With the repubilcan agenda in full force just wait, your KKK meetings are about 20 years away from being conducted in Spanish. Keep eroding benefits, pushing for deregulation and more tax cuts for the wealthy and your kids will immigrating into Mexico.
But to stay on topic maybe they should start music programs that celebrate the white race. Like um.... you know.... what is it called.... something whites came up with on their own.... come on... there's gotta be some kind of music whites came up with...oh yeah, Polka.
Yeah, polka...and every other music except hitting a hollow log and calling it a drum. Keep trying, though, you'll get one right sooner or later.
FYI, cutting out everything but the bass and putting 10 foot speakers in you car does not qualify as creating new music, so no credit for "rap" either.
You guys make me so proud. It only took seconds for you to turn a music story into yet another idiotic rant on immigration.
Happy Cinco de Mayo to my friends and neighbors of Mexican descent. I am very glad you are part of my community, and your presence has enriched the lives of our neighborhood.
Thank you Jose and Layla for being such wonderful next door neighbors, and for inviting me to be a part of your joyous family celebrations, including Mariachi music. And for joining me in mid-March to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, acknowledging my own heritage. And no, Layla, green beer is not an old country cultural tradition so it will not hurt my feelings if you pass on it next year; but I am charmed that you were concerned that I might be.
Thank you to Maria and Hugo from across the street. Maria for making me the most delicious, and nourishing homemade chicken (pollo) soup and bringing it to me when I was sick with the flu in late February, and for having your son and daughter check on my welfare each school morning while I was sick on their way to the school bus, and each afternoon on their way home from the bus stop. And thank you Hugo for gathering my mail and newspaper for me, and calling me each day while commuting from your first job to your second job to ask if I needed anything from the market.
To my wonderful Mexican immigrant neighbors, your presence in the lives of our local community has enriched us all beyond measure. I will celebrate your Cinco de Mayo Fiesta with you today, .... but just wait until you see what I have planned next St. Patrick's Day!!
;-)
We should not be allowing anything from mexico into a decent country. Illegals should be shot. Simple.
So, 'BoredofStupid', in your opinion excluding anything from Mexico (including art, music, culture, cuisine, scholarship, philosophy, etc.) and shooting illegal aliens would make a country "decent"????
That is an interesting perspective. I think your personal philosophy closely parallels that practiced by people like Adolph Hitler. Proud of yourself?
I'm just sayin' ....
@Robert in Oregon
bigot - a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion.
That sums up your first comment perfectly. According to you, anyone who believes in the defense of our borders and citizenship laws is "ignorant, bigoted, intolerant and hateful." Give me a break already.
The irony in your comment, DeVille, is that I was arguing for tolerance, compassion, and for not converting the actual subject of this discussion thread (about the growing interest in Mariachi music) to just another rant about "illegal aliens and protection of the US Borders", as you seem to want to do.
But then, I can't really be too critical of you. An intolerant and bigoted mind cannot be expected to be introspective, nor to grasp the irony in labeling another person who is arguing for tolerance and for embracing diversity ... as a "bigot."
I know, it's hard, isn't it? I feel for you. Reality is such a difficult concept, huh?
Robert in Oregon...sounds like your whole neighborhood is nothing but Mexicans, which probably means you are too. If you love them so much, go live in Mexico. For me, "illegal" really does mean illegal. Stop trying to placate your "neighbors".... nut up or shut up. The whole story is crap. Its just trying to make the beaners feel better about ruining our country and trying to make it look as if we are so happy to have them pouring in by the thousands daily. Work in the county jails in Wisconsin. 75% of the inmates are Hispanic. That's not a problem? Almost all countries on this planet severly punish illegal entry into their countries... some even punish with death. But yet we are supposed to sit back and enjoy 3000 mexican kids who want mariachi music put into our schools. Hell, everything we buy is labeled in English and Spanish already. I say death penalty to illegals, I really do.
Not only that..... But if you hate your country so much and have such a lack of respect for it, and also feel all immigrants should be given a free pass ( and just think, son... even the terrorists who took part in the 9-11-2001 attacks took the time to apply for work visas). Leave this country. Go ahead, go enter any other country illegally, march around their streets carrying the American flag, tell them you should have a free pass to stay, and then take a dump on their land. Let us know how it works out for you. You ignorant flag burner.
You people that are full of hate are so damn clueless. As if this has been the first demonstration from a foreign culture in the US!
You guys need to get your heads out and read some history books. What is happening here with Latinos isn't different from what has been hapenning for 150 years with Chinese & Japanese cultural history in the west coast, German & Scandinavian culture in the midwest, Irish & Italian culture in the Northeast!
So until latinos assimilate, which many other immigrants have had to before them, your poor ears will be spared from having to hear Spanish. You damn whiners.
Also, if you have a problem with illegal immigrants, don't blame the immigrants themselves, blame the leaders you elected for allowing them to work and receive benefits. Maybe you guys could do some research before heading to the the election polls to vote for the right people, instead of watching reality tv and stuffing your faces with bacon. Just sayin'
Let's do without this too.Heard more than 5 minutes it's annoying as F***
I live in a "diverse" neighborhood and as more Mexicans move in we have more parties on Saturdays from 9 a.m. into the wee hours with amplified mariachi music in the backyards for hours on end. We don't have this issue with the many other racial/ethnic groups. They refuse to turn it down when asked or simply pretend not to hear/understand you. Why are they so rude and inconsiderate? This is why I dread having more Mexicans moving to my area.
leonhl, call the police. That's what I do. I don't care who moves in next door to me, but the amplified music is just plain rude and inconsiderate. If I ask them to turn it down, and they ignore me, I call the police.
I can not STAND the sound of Mariachi music. Keep that @!$%# where it belongs, in Mexico!
exactly, I can not stand that crap either...keep it where it belongs.
So, foriegn music of any kind has no business here? well that means we should stop listening to Reggae and Ska since they're from Jamaica. Oh yeah, Classical music too because it's from Europe. And we'll also have to ban salsa music because it's from Cuba.
No, just Mariachi.
the crazy thing is, a lot of this "happy" music is full of really sick lyrics celebrating the drug gangs. just imagine- la la, la la, the bullets ripped thru my love, she had to die to save my cocaine! i must kill her brother who took my stash... the whole culture of mexico is some sick third world macho sh*t, and they bring all their gangs and violence and crime with them. other immigrations didnt bring so many so fast that they took over everything. most should go back, the ones who stay should not be allowed to become citizens, only their children.
Matthew 22 39 !
Amen, Joeg. Amen.
Be careful, can't say "Amen". That's Latin... too close to Spanish... people might think you're Mexican... *rolls eyes*
Thank you, Joeg.
Joeg-2179880,
Quoting from fictional works is not relevant to any discussion.
amen is Hebrew for "It is most certanly true", definatley not latin
America should just make a deal and add Mexico to America. Then set up about 20,000 Planned Parenthood clinics in Mexico City. Split it up into a couple states. There you go Barack. 57 STATES.
We get land, oil, Workers , soldiers, hookers and cock fights. They finally get a government.
You must have not been raised by humans to make such a comment. People of all races and nationalities deserve the same amount of respect, looks like you have none for people south of the border. This pretty much goes against your pic.
To each his own, I suppose. Can't say I care for it much myself, too brassy. Country and classic rock rule!
Yes, you're just a beacon of culture...
Better than being a beacon of hate, like all the other comments on here
Thank you for actually having an honest opinion on the article and the music itself. I really appreciate that.
WOW another no news piece, and as I've observed those with the biggest welcoming arms to the USA for illegals and hispanics in general have a finanical interest as the hispanic communities themselves do in growing their
market demographic it's not about multiculturalism it's about the money!! how many mexicians you know when they vacation they go to England? how many go to learn about Egypt? how many have a interest in anything outside their own culture?
No surprise since the schools are full of Mexicans.
I live near Yakima and that would make a lot of sense that the bands would be coming from there. Did they look at the population of caucasion or kids from other races at the schools? Those schools are 95% hispanic... would they really pick up steel drum band?
that is because of all the illegal that live there. Does this pay for the cost of supporting all of the cost of paying for the illegals and their children?????? i think not.
Every time I hear Mariachi music I'm usually downing chips & salsa and a burrito with a Pacifico to drink!
Sounds like fun. I used to listen to the Mexican radio station allot. Great music and fun way to practice my Spanish.
looks like you're gonna need to be fluent in Spanish....the way things are going in this country
"Ok class...repeat after me: uno.... dos.....tres"
Good lord, people -- stop being so hateful.
You don't have to learn very much spanish, be accomodating to our guests. All you need to know is "don't forget to clean the toilets" and "remember to trim the shrubs and blow the leaves" and maybe if you get really desperate "how much for a BJ?" That's not so much to ask, now is it?
Juan , donde esta el bano? Cruzar el balon
You people that are full of hate are so damn clueless. As if this has been the first demonstration from a foreign culture in the US!
You guys need to get your heads out and read some history books. What is happening here with Latinos isn't different from what has been hapenning for 150 years with chinese culture showing in the west coast, German & Scandinavian culture in the midwest, Irish & Italian culture of the Northeast!
So until latinos assimilate, which many other immigrants have had to before them, your poor ears will be saved from having to hear Spanish you damn whiners.
Also, if you have a problem with illegal immigrants, don't blame the immigrants themselves, blame the leaders you elected for allowing them to work and receive benefits. Maybe you guys could do some research before heading to the the election polls to vote for the right people, instead of watching reality tv and stuffing your faces with bacon. Just sayin'
Does anyone think it possible that MSNBC could dedicate one day per month to publish actual news stories instead of meaningless fluff? Who cares. If I said the term "black Irish" would the next fluff piece be about clog dancing?
Great to see this sweet, positive story bring out all of the fearful racist trolls. Mexico, like every country, has its share of charming folk art and culture. America is supposedly a melting pot that welcomes all cultures. Sadly that's not the case with these hateful racist nimrods posting on comment sections. Your loss. Mexican folk art is beautiful and exciting and, unlike you sad, scared and sorry old racists, these kids get it.
Amen! @WyoDan
I don't normally feed into trolls, but this is actually really sad. First of all, these ARE US students... They were born in the US, they have US social security numbers, they're parents pay US taxes, and they are Mexican-American. Just like you might be Irish-American, or German-American, or African-American, or Polish-American, or Chinese-American, or Native-American, or Canadian-American etc etc etc. It's their ancestors' culture. Should we ban steel drum band? Or Celtic band? Or polka band? (Which by the way, my high school in Arizona had all of.) What saddens me most is the ignorance and hate from most of these comments. I'm sure if one of your children came home so excited because he/she got to be a part of the new band at school, you would shoot them down and make them feel like an idiot for wanting to be a part of the "Illegal band"... Do you not let your kids talk to Hispanic students in their classes, too? Do you make sure they go to the "Whites only" fountains and stores, so they don't have to deal with the "Browns only" ones? The reason they posted this story is for Cinco de Mayo, which I'm not sure if anyone actually knows the real history of the day. I'll use the easiest website I know possible for you: Wikipedia. "had Mexico not defeated the French in Puebla on May 5, 1862, France would have gone to the aid of the South in the U.S. Civil War and the United States' destiny could have been very different..." In response to "Mexicans don't care about embracing other cultures or music, just their own" or whatever hogwash that was, most of my cousins have gone to college, studied abroad in other (non-Hispanic) countries, try new foods from other cultures, and yes, some of us do go on vacations to England, France, Germany, Ireland... Just because some of your neighbors don't turn down their music, doesn't mean it's because they're Hispanic, or as many have incorrectly called us, "Mexicans", it's because those particular people are @!$%#s. I lived next to a house full of white people who would blast their country music for an entire weekend... I didn't tell them to go back to hickville... I asked them to turn down their music, and they told me to "f#$% off". My mistake.. they must have been Mexicans in disguise! God bless, y feliz cinco de Mayo.
FEBRUARY 2nd, 1845, the date of "Mexican Surrender to the USA" following the Mexican-American War :-)
That's a much better day for Americans to Celebrate anyway !!!
Besides... Mariachi music is "about as catchy as Polka music"... some like it, mostly Mexicans; others, not so much. Most "normal people" can handle a few songs, but after a few, the music is absolutely NAUSEATING, just like Polka music... unless you're really drunk.
The PMSNBC article "as usual" incorrectly states, "Grabs U.S. students?" What does that headline imply?
Exactly "what U.S. students" are they referring to and "where" are they?
The answer is, "We all know exactly which students and where those students attend school."
Contrary to the implication, "Mariachi music is ONLY popular in communities in the Southwest USA, where there are overwhelming numbers of legal and ILLEGAL alien students... like, what a surprise?"
Outside the Southwest USA, the ONLY time or place you'll hear that music is IN a Mexican restaurant.
Oh... and on HALLOWEEN too.
February 14th, 1912, the day Arizona became part of the USA, allowing my Mexican family to become US citizens! Sorry, honey, most of us didn't jump the border, the border jumped us.
....the music isn't catching on,...... its following after, the illegal Mexican invasion! Lots of new Mexican faces in schools now a days!
there goes the neighborhood..
It does appeal to a certain IQ demographic. 15th century savage. I am more into 1955-1975 rock-n-roll savage myself.
I can get behind that-well some anyways.It is obnoxious after 5 min,like reggae
When I studied music in school we learned everything there is to know about mariachi music in part of an hour. Then, for the other 45 minutes we just ate beans and made fart jokes. The artistic value was about equal.
When I first checked the comment section when I saw the story there weren't any comments yet. I thought to myself, I should check later to see how many racist a**holes comment. I must say I'm impressed. Bravo racist sh*t bags, you never fail to descend to new lows. You turn a harmless little article about music into some pretty damn impressive ranting and raving. So I say again, bravo for reinforcing my belief that c*m gobbling p*ss bags like yourselves will eventually help destroy the world. I hope most of you get to taste your own blood as you die and all your daughters have babies from "ethnic" dads.
Another fine example of the liberal cowards in the Government trashing American culture by bending over backwards for the hispanic interest groups. They need to make English the official language of the land and limit the number of latino immigrants. It is shameful that the President is celebrating the Cinco de Mayo in the White House and trying to get hispanic votes by supporting the "Dream Act." President O'Dumbo needs to recognize that the rest of America doesn't want America to look like Mexico or to have Spanish spoken in every neighborhood.
Cinco De Mayo is not a major holiday in Mexico. It's a commercial invention in the US, intended to boost the sales of alcohol in the Spring
I love Classic Rock 'N Roll, Classic Country and Country Rock, some of the Classical music made popular by Disney movies, Blues... nothing beats the Stones, Zepplin, Grateful Dead, the early "rockers".... Deep Purple... MoTown... even Swing music is great.
Can't stand the rappers, just ain't my style, too much hate in the music.
Love the Native American drums and flutes and chants, the pure soul and feeling in all of it, could listen to it all day... the words and history that resonate within me from all the Native American lyrics and singers.
Have watched "The Mask of Zorro" dozens of times and every time the background music starts that beat, I want to get up, throw my cowboy hat on the floor and start stomping around it as I clap my hands in time to the movie.
I have watched the movie with Vanessa Williams where she dances with a Cuban boy in a Spanish nightclub several times, and like all situations where I hear/see such music I can't sit still. I am snapping my fingers, moving my body in time to the music smiling from ear to ear.
Might not like to listen to it 24/7 at full volume, but condemning the music because of the actions of rude members of the culture would be as ridiculous as banning classical German music of the great masters because of Hitler.
I believe many, if not most, citizens of the United States appreciate other cultures that are part of and incorporated into the social fabric of this country in a lawful, orderly manner. There are aspects of cultures of third world countries that make up a vibrant part of what makes the United States the great country it is; however, many people are frustrated because some cultures are effectively being thrust upon this country as a result of illegal behavior (i.e. the millions who have broken the law by sneaking into the United States illegally). This has resulted in significant shifts in the cultural and demographic makeup of the United States that are occuring as a result of such illegal behavior. Furthermore, because there are so many illegals, they are really APART from the culture of the United States, not a part of the culture.
What amazes me is the fact that there are many hispanics who are United States citizens demanding that elected officials better not do anything to combat illegal immigration or else they will suffer politically. That to me is unbelievable that they would put their race or background about their own country.
Whatever
The music is fine it is the Illegal alien immigrants that we should be catching. And not just the ones that have broken other laws that are violent or felonies. All of the Illegals should be sent back to their homes.
Mariachi music has all the artistic merit of banging two empty bean cans together, only without the subtlety.
Who are you to judge a certain genre of music that you've never heard before? If you look into it and maybe even read Dr. Sheehy's book, mariachi music is stylistically sophisticated with influences from Europe.
Never heard it? I should be so lucky. I've heard all three chords in the mariachi repertoire. Very impressive.