Is the world coming to an end? Oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico, volcanic ashes creating havoc–and now, SanTana Mayor Don Papi Pulido joining wabs in not only condemning Arizona's anti-illegals SB1070, but bringing forth a resolution to oppose it AND vote for its passage?
That's what happened last night at SanTana's City Council meeting, and represents an unprecedented dive in the Reconquista ocean for the Don Papi. Sooooooo much different than the last time such an issue came up–1994, when he was running for mayor of Orange County's seat for the first time and flip-flopped like some huachinango or something.
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Let's hop into the Hot Tub Impala Time Machine to 1994, when Proposition 187 was roiling the California waters and the Don Papi–then simply known as Miguel Pulido–was trying to become SanTana's first-ever Latino mayor. He still had the support of the usual Aztlanistas but infuriated them when he wouldn't take a stance on Proposition 187, that nasty bit of legislation written by bona fide witch Barbara Coe, of the California Coalition for Immigration Reform. Pulido finally came out against the proposition, but his supporters said he didn't come out fast enough. Then Pulido, once he placated them, did an end-around and sent out a mailer to Floral Park types saying he felt Proposition 187 didn't go far enough.
¿Qué que? Pulido never gave a cogent explanation for trying to have it both ways other than incessantly repeating his family came over legally, and that his mother was of French heritage (Gustavo aside–HA!). But that little slip made Miguel into the Papi, although it didn't stop Alfredo Amezcua (currently challenging Papi Pulido for SanTana's mayoral seat) to gush shortly after Pulido's election, “That's why
he's the man of our times…this city needs someone who
is able to pull everyone in, and almost be at the pulpit to ensure that
all voices, and all perspectives, and everybody's position is taken into
consideration.”
Proposition 187 was nowhere near as punitive as Arizona's SB1070, yet you now have Don Papi voting to condemn the state. What gives? Pulido's politics have only grown more conservative over the years–can it be that he's afraid that SanTana's Aztlanistas are going to Amezcua in droves, and that his vote last night was a fajita thrown their way? Or is the Don Papi finally, amazingly, becoming the person SanTana voters elected nearly 25 years ago–an honest-to-goodness progressive? The mind explodes at the latter possibility…
