ANTI-MEXICAN VIOLENCE IN TEXAS
Monica Munoz Martinez's Book: The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence
in Texas
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The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas
Introduction
The novel "The Injustice never leaves you” gives an insight into the sought of injustices
executed by the Texas Rangers onto the Mexican citizens on the Mexico-US border, i.e., Texas
city. These Rangers perpetuated intimidation and brutal killing by law enforcement officials in
large numbers. However, there was no accurate official document to explain the brutal lynching
by the Texas Rangers. This, in turn, bred protests by the Mexican citizens forcing the country’s
diplomats to intervene to address the issue with its urgency. The book addresses existential
violence, how it has impacted generations of the Mexican community, and their resilience to
counter the violence.
The Economic Rivalry between the US and Mexico
It is in the year before 1822 when Mexico gained its independence from Spain; however,
after about 40 years of freedom, a boundary conflict emerged between the US and Mexico. The
United States wanted to conquer and control a good section of Mexico, resulting in the Texas
revolution under the US-Mexico war (Martinez, 2018). The United States wanted to acquire
almost half of Mexico's territory, which led to the continuous shifting of the Texas border, the
region between Mexico and the USA. There had been a massive migration of native Americans
and Mexicans into the area leading to conflict as each group struggled to maintain their place in
the region. This led to the construction of boundaries that were continuously shifting. Later, an
Anglo settler in the area, which was soon going to be named Texas, organized a small group of
men called Rangers to protect the US settlers and their property (Martinez, 2018). After Texas
claimed its independence from Mexico, the Rangers worked tirelessly to ensure that Anglo
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settlers flourished in the new republic of Texas. However, this came as an enemy to the other
colonists and those groups that were seeking labor. The Texas Rangers took the battle against
Mexican landowners and indigenous nations, all of whom they considered enemies of white
supremacy. They also continued with the culture of slavery of the African men and women; the
Rangers tracked and punished slave people trying to cross the border. They perpetrated various
forms of violence, including terrorizing ethnic Mexicans accused of harboring the escaping
slaves (Martinez, 2018). All these they did in the name of enforcing laws. The Ranger's atrocities
continued, and they soon found a group called Vigilantes; these Vigilantes continued to commit
violence against Mexican ethnic groups; they even murdered many Mexican citizens (enslaved
people) whom they claimed were trying to escape. Later, the Texas city would become an
independent state. However, the Texas Rangers continued to violate the rights and freedoms of
Mexican citizens in the name of law enforcement under the government's watch.
The memories of the mass lynching of Mexican citizens in Texas city
The novel opens with a Mexican national, Miguel Garcia, living in Texas and getting
worried about his son (Florencio). The latter has delayed returning home from his job as a cattle
herder in Cameron County. He resolves to start walking around town to inquire from the
relatives, friends, neighbors, and even the county attorney and local law enforcement officers if
they had seen Florencio (Martinez, 2018). All these turns futile, and days pass without the news
of his son. He is later informed by someone that Texas Rangers had arrested Florencio over a
week ago. He is aware of the fate of ethnic Mexicans disappearing after being detained and
proceeds to search for his son's remains in the rural Texas landscape. Miguel asks for help from
the local authorities, the Cameron County Attorney, who accepts to assist. Florencio is later
found murdered, and the body has three bullet holes. So, Miguel is saddened by the murder of his
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son, whom even the County Attorney admits was a respectful and committed laborer. Although
the County authority files a death certificate, there is no clarity on the investigation concerning
the death of Florencio. The murderer had been executed once again by Texas Rangers out of
suspicion, and how even those in authority conceal information regarding the death is enough to
associate the lynching with the Anti-Mexican violence in Texas city.
The racial discrimination by Texas Rangers
Throughout the novel, the Texas Rangers are seen fighting for white supremacy; they
mistreat non-American citizens who are primarily inhabitants of Mexico. They extended slavery
by using the blacks, most of whom were transported from Africa to provide labor in the
agriculture sector and industries. However, they still commit violence against these Mexican
citizens to the extent of even murdering the workers. The authority is imminently involved in the
mass lynching as there is no clear information about the deaths conducted by the local authority.
For example, the county Attorney blindly believes in the false information given to him by the
rangers about murdering or killing Florencio while trying to escape (Martinez, 2018). A death
certificate is later filed but with no clear information regarding the death, and this is a depiction
of white supremacy.
In conclusion, the descriptions above from Monica Murioz Martinez’s book, "the
Injustice Never Leaves You," depict the life of Mexican citizens in Texas city, the sought of
violence committed against them, and how they have developed resilience towards the atrocities.
This title suggests that no matter how long it takes, any form of injustice one may have faced
will eternally linger, as seen in the traumas of Mexican ethnic groups living in Texas. This goes
across generations and is only better than the diplomats and those in authority to intervene,
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investigate the matter, come up with an existential mitigation measure, and create peace and
diversification.
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References
Martinez, M. M. (2018). The injustice never leaves you: Anti-Mexican violence in Texas.
Harvard University Press.