I really enjoyed watching the video of the conversation with Alex Dawson. It made me aware of the different facets of a revolution and how one cannot really name a “winner” in the Mexican Revolution. Before reading this week’s material or watching the video, I had a romanticized idea of both Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa. Quite honestly, I did not know much about them other than them being symbols of the revolution and the ongoing fight for justice in Mexico. Given my romanticized idea of them, it struck me when Dawson spoke about “the revolution eating its young”. I had never thought about how revolutionary leaders usually end up being killed young and so they do not have time to disappoint since they die as martyrs. This fact may seem quite obvious, however, it really made me think of revolutionaries with a less romanticized viewpoint.

I find it ironic how the political party (PRI) that sprung from the Mexican Revolution, definitely has not retained revolutionary values in the past administrations and presently. Despite the Mexican Revolution shaking things up, in many ways, the old system was reinstated in a different way. Although the Mexican Revolution did not bring ultimate justice to the country, it definitely paved the way in granting indigenous peoples their rightful land. The Mexican Revolution has also inspired millions of Mexicans by giving them an example to fall back on when they think, speak, and act on their revolutionary ideas. This is evident in the existence of the Zapatistas. It is upsetting to see that the fight for land and liberty is ongoing. The component of “The Old Guard” is a component that I believe still clearly exists in Mexico. There is a group of elite businesspeople and politicians who benefit from the status quo.

I really enjoyed reading Rubèn Darío’s “To Roosevelt”. I found the text quite emotional and it really intrigued me because of the various underlying themes. I liked how he called out the United States for their obsession with war. I especially liked the phrase “You think that life is a fire, that progress is an eruption, that the future is wherever your bullet strikes…No”. I believe this text clearly challenges the idea of modernity. Darío acknowledges several strengths the United States has but at the same time expresses that he does not believe the United States’ actions are progressive. I enjoyed this text because I liked how Darío questioned power so eloquently. To me, this is a brilliant example of how it is important to question political leaders and not simply accept the status quo.