This morning we arrived about thirty minutes before the school graduation began. Julio, seventeen, was graduating along with his class and I was to be his "padrino." We found three empty plastic chairs and sat down among the parents and friends of the graduating class. I have been to many, many graduations both here in the United States, Mexico and even South America.
Mexican graduations are different!
The set up area was a large rectangle of people. To my right was the long platform where the school dignitaries sat behind a long decorated table. The speakers podium was located to the right of the dignitaries. Across from us the graduating class sat quietly in their school uniforms. To my left, and where I sat were hundreds of parents, relatives and friends.
Graduations in Mexico are radically different from the graduations here in the United States. The impacting difference is pure patriotism. Mexicans are patriots! (That word may not be familiar with some of you; look it up.)
At the beginning of the ceremony all were asked to stand as the bugles and drums signaled the flag presentation. Six marching girls in uniform marched around the open field proudly presenting the flag of Mexico. Then there was the salute to the flag, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. The flag team then paraded back to their original position. This was a big part of the program.
I was actually witnessing something America lost years ago.
After a couple of speeches the graduates were called one by one to accept their diplomas and shake hands with the school dignitaries. Pretty much standard in graduations.
Then a dozen dancers, guys and gals, danced into the center. Mexican music, Mexican kids in costume ... folkloric at it's best. Cute. Colorful. Another dozen patriots.
Make no mistake, Mexicans are patriotic and they bring their patriotism with them. When they come north, they enter the United States, a country with little or no patriotism left. A vacuum they gladly fill.
Many just don't understand this; primarily because they don't know what a patriot is ...
Along that line, the fourth of July is coming; so this afternoon I went into a large store and saw a small assortment of patriotic items. As I was selecting a small American flag, I felt a flush of guilt and bought an even smaller flag. I wished I had my dark glasses on so no one would recognize me. You see I live in progressive California, the "Left Coast" ... where it's dangerous to be seen a patriot.
