Hola, Book Clubs!

Many thanks for choosing Mexican Enough to read in your club. I'd be honored to do a telephone "call-in" to answer any questions you might have during your meeting (or drop by, if I happen to be in town). Just click on the little red "Mailing List" button and send me a note. Meanwhile, here are some questions you might like to discuss in your group:

QUESTIONS ABOUT CULTURAL IDENTITY

Did the author's travels to Mexico make her "more Mexican"? How or how not?

What does it mean to be "enough" of a race, culture, or ethnicity? Must you be born and raised into it? Or can you become a member later in life?

Must a "person of color" have dark skin in order to be considered a "person of color"?

Does someone have to experience hardship in order to be considered a minority?

How do you respond to the question "What are you?" Does your answer depend on who asks? Why? Do you ever feel like you are lying?

Have you ever felt "not enough" of a race, ethnicity, culture, religion, or other identity?

Have you ever sought to become "more" of an identity (be it Latino, Muslim, Jewish, Hungarian, etc.)? Were you successful? How are you working toward this goal now (i.e. learning a language, taking dancing or cooking lessons, engaging in activist groups or causes, etc)?

Is it important to belong to a cultural identity? Why or why not?

Where is your motherland? Have you ever visited? Why or why not?

ETHICAL QUESTIONS

In the chapter "Mexican Road Trip," was Fabian right in questioning the author's motives to collect so many people's stories? Was his anger justified? What did you think of the author's defense?

What responsibilities do authors/journalists have to the owners of their stories? Is writing about an issue enough? What else should be done?

QUESTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES IN MEXICO

What could be done to "win" the Drug War? Should Mexico legalize drugs? Should the United States?

What do you think of the use of violence by indigenous resistance groups like the EPR? Do the ends justify the means? How else can the marginalized indigenous groups of Mexico defend their land and dignity?

How do you feel about the flow of undocumented workers into the United States? Does it need to be halted? Why or why not? How else could the U.S. government curb it besides building a 2,000 mile border wall that costs $3 million a mile?

Why does the murdering of young women in Ciudad Juarez persist? Should the maquiladoras be held responsible in any way? What should the U.S. government do about it?

FINAL QUESTIONS

How has this book changed your perceptions about Mexico? About Latinos? About U.S. involvement in other nations?