In the past 100 or so years, exactly three people have orchestrated acts of war that resulted in the deaths of American people on American soil—Osama bin-Laden, Imperial Japanese Army General Hideki Tojo, and Pancho Villa. Tojo was hanged for war crimes and bin-Laden got a bullet in the forehead. Villa was memorialized with a statue in Downtown Tucson. Doesn’t seem right.
The jury has never been out on Villa. It is universally acknowledged that he personally killed people and was responsible for hundreds of other deaths. His treatment of women was, at the very least, reprehensible and he had a ridiculously inflated sense of self-worth. His politics and morality were built on shifting sands and his motives rarely, if ever, strayed from his own narrow self-interest.
The statue of Pancho Villa was unveiled July 1, 1981. Tucson Mayor Lew Murphy was smart enough to boycott the ceremony, which featured Governor Bruce Babbitt babbling on about Villa being a “great revolutionary hero.” (Babbitt, the one-time golden boy of Arizona politics, showed himself to be tone deaf with the support of Villa and his use of troops against striking copper miners).
Some say it would be rude to take it down because Mexico offered it as a gift and a sign of good will. Well, if Mexico considers that as a sign of being gracious, then Mexico can perform an anatomically impossible act upon itself.
Latin America—from Northern Sonora to the tip of Patagonia—has a sordid history of one ruthless dictator being supplanted by some guy who spouts populist phrases but then, once he grabs power, becomes even more ruthless than the guy he replaced. So it was in the Mexican Revolution. Porfirio Diaz had ruled Mexico from 1876 to 1911, often with the tacit—if not outright—support of the United State government, which saw Diaz’s iron-fisted order as being good for American financial interests in Mexico.
When Diaz was finally ousted, all hell broke loose and it was actually more like a civil war than a revolution. The names come tumbling forward—Venustiano Carranza, Francisco Madero, Victoriano Huerta, Emiliano Zapata, Eulelio Gutierrez, Alvaro Obregon, and Jose Doroteo Arango Arambula (Pancho Villa). Each wanted power and each believed that he knew what was best for Mexico. What resulted, however, was a decade of in-fighting, political chicanery, shifting loyalties, and bloody battles that served no one but the undertaker.
Was Villa the worst of the lot? Maybe, maybe not. He certainly wasn’t the best or most noble. He raped girls who were barely in their teens. He slaughtered untold numbers of his own people. He was, by all accounts, a really crappy military leader. He marched into small villages like San Pedro de la Cueva, picked out the barely pubescent girl of his liking to be his next “wife,” then lined up all the men in the town and had them gunned down in front of the town’s women and children. His quest wasn’t quixotic; it was sadistic.
However, if he had just done all that stuff in Mexico, then it would be up to the Mexican people to decide whether to revere or revile him. We in America could sneer at him from a distance and piss on his worthless memory. Unfortunately, he made it our business when he launched an attack on American soil that killed American citizens.
In 1915, Pancho Villa laid siege to Agua Prieta, Sonora, but avoided the bordering Arizona town of Douglas. He became less careful as his military losses mounted and his popular support dwindled. A couple months before the Columbus raid, Villistas attacked a train in Chihuahua and killed 17 Americans, including 15 who worked for the ASARCO mining company. Finally on the night of March 9, 1916, about 100 of his men crossed into the United States and attacked the border town of Columbus, New Mexico, in search of military supplies. They killed 18 Americans and burned the town to the ground. However, members of the 13th Cavalry Regiment, from whom Villa was attempting to steal, repelled the attack and killed 80 Villistas in the process.
I’m sure that there are apologists who will point out that, at the time of the attack, New Mexico had only been a state for a few years and that the international border was even more porous than it is today. Furthermore, Villa was apparently upset that the United States government had shifted its support away from him and toward Carranza, who was, by then, running the country. But please know that apologizing for that bitch makes one even more of a bitch than the bitch for whom you are apologizing.
In the morning paper, columnist Tim Steller suggested that in the coming year, the west side of downtown Tucson may begin to catch up with the dizzying pace of upgrading and development that the east side of downtown has enjoyed. I have a suggestion for city leaders. Instead of sitting around, twiddling your thumbs waiting for Allan Norville or Humberto Lopez to get off their butts and do something, why don’t you kick-start the proceedings by taking down that abominable, disgusting, insulting statue?
I’ve complained about the statue in the past. This year, I plan on doing something about it. Perhaps some of you can join in. I’ll keep you posted.
This article appears in Jan 8-14, 2015.
Tom, as long as you’re going after the Villa statue, why not fight to re-name Columbus Park and other references honoring the one bastard that was worse than Villa?
Gee, I bet this guy here is not a member of the Knights of Columbus.
Sorry Tom, but this really seems like tilting at windmills in my opinion. After the events in Paris with the killings of the editorial staff and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo, your complaints about a long dead Mexican revolutionary really appears very quaint. Who really cares about the statue at this point in time?
GW Bush, Vice President Cheney, Bonehead Rumsfeld and all their neocon cohorts did worse and were not even sanctioned. So STFU about Villa and get to work on getting the aforementioned PIGS jailed!!!!!!
Off your meds, eh Lad. See you at the civility concert.
This guy is starting to sound a lot like Bill Cosby.
On the day of the unveiling of the Villa statue in 1981, there was a simultaneous rally being held across Congress Street in La Placita village in support of the Equal Rights Amendment. I recall Mo Udall shuffling between the two events as a featured speaker at the ERA rally and as a distinguished attendee at the statue ceremony. I distinctly remember the quizzical look on the faces of the Mexican Army band as the boisterous, mostly female crowd at the ERA rally chanted, “What do your Want? ERA! When Do You Want It? Now!” The chanting easily drowned out the “international” festivities in 20 de Agosto Park. It was indeed an awkward, as well as an embarrassing moment for the many Tucsonans who felt the Villa statue has no place on this side of the Mexico/US border. Today, the statue remains while true social and economic equal rights remains out of reach for many women and minorities in our society. It is one of those memories that helps make Tucson the schizophrenic and funky town we all know and love. Go get ’em Tom!
Imagine the irony in the firing of Mark Udall for lying to taxpayers.
Apple/fall/tree?
An informative, well researched, and very funny article.
As usual the responses immediately veer off into “left field” when Tom dares to leave the hipster plantation.
We cannot possibly care about rad Muslim terrorism in Paris and still hate the statue downtown?
Sounds like a preachy hand wringing comment.
I notice that mister civility (STFU) didn’t mention also throwing B.O. in the slammer for drone murders of innocent civilians.
Sounds like selective outrage.
Then we head off to the evil Chris Columbus analogy. Puhlease. What do really know about what went on in the 15th century? Wanna get started on native Americans butchering weaker native Americans.?
Just enjoy the article and stay on topic with your comments and try to rise above the indoctrination of your youth.
Sounds like that may be impossible for most weekly readers.
I like the statue, in spite of the horror General Villa imposed on so many people. I want the statue to remain out of respect for Mexico and their gift to Tucson that the Old Pueblo accepted so long ago. Danahey, go perform an anatomically impossible act upon yourself, pendejo.
Tom, I think that chap doesn’t care for you. Just a guess.
“I like the statue, in spite of the horror General Villa imposed on so many people. I want the statue to remain out of respect for Mexico and their gift to Tucson that the Old Pueblo accepted so long ago. Danahey, go perform an anatomically impossible act upon yourself, pendejo.”
So speaks a guy from Portland, OR.
JCC writes: “Sorry Tom, but this really seems like tilting at windmills in my opinion. After the events in Paris with the killings of the editorial staff and cartoonists at Charlie Hebdo, your complaints about a long dead Mexican revolutionary really appears very quaint. Who really cares about the statue at this point in time?”
Isn’t hindsight wonderful. Who, other than Danehy, knows when this piece was actually written?
“I like the statue, in spite of the horror General Villa imposed on so many people. I want the statue to remain out of respect for Mexico and their gift to Tucson that the Old Pueblo accepted so long ago. Danahey, go perform an anatomically impossible act upon yourself, pendejo.”
So writes a guy from Portland, OR.
I can’t believe I’m actually defending Danehy; usually I couldn’t disagree with him more. (Check the archives)
This time I can’t agree more. During the interminable trolley construction that I navigated on a daily basis, while stopped at the traffic light at Broadway and Church, I used to daydream about a big earthmover “accidentally” running over that piece of crap.
I say we melt it down and make some bronze urinals for the homeless who camp near the park to use. What could be more fitting? If not that, then at least truck it back to Mexico and plug a hole in the fence with it.
If Obama had no reservations about offending Great Britain by returning to them a bronze bust of Sir Winston Churchill (and then as usual, lying about it), then who gives a rat’s behind about what the Mexicans think?
Wes S., you can continue typing your grossly mistaken sentences, if you must. However, you really should verify what you tap out on your keyboard, before demonstrating such eroneous prejudicial stuff.
I am NOT from Portland, OR! I’ve lived in Tucson from 1959, after moving here from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. I graduated from Palo Verde High School in 1964, from the U of A in 1969 and in 1971. I worked in Tucson for over 40 years. Tucson is my home town and always will be. My aunt’s, uncle’s, cousins’, mother’s and father’s ashes are scattered in the Catalina Mtns. Someday, my ashes will be, too. My children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were and are being born in Tucson. My wife & I have season tickets to the UofA home basketball games. We now spend five winter months in Tucson and seven warmer months in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
Your attitude toward our neighbors in Mexico and our fellow citizens with Mexican heritage is disgusting, pendejo. You, too, should go perform an anatomically impossible act upon yourself.
I want the statue of Pancho Villa to remain! It is iconic. It is a work of art that enhances downtown Tucson. Southern Arizona used to be part of Mexico, and we should honor and recognize that by caring a great deal what Mexicans think.
Here is a link to a photo essay from a year ago that includes slide 3 of 15 stating how I feel about the statue of Pancho Villa: http://ricardosmall.smugmug.com/Other-10/C….
Hate to see you go off on this. It’s a No. 10 can of worms. These are highlyhighly-devisive issues. You will change no one’s mind. No one’s. Get a copy of Katz; it’s dispassionate and thorough. You have no proof of all this hate speech you have embraced as fact; I don’t have any proof that what you say is not true. What?! He ate babies and kicked puppies?! Jeez, I’ll bet he didn’t floss, either. I mean no disrespect, and have no malicious intent – but – you’re evidencing what I would call an “Evening News” mentality. Again, just sayin’ – there is more to heaven and earth than what is presently demonstrated in your philosophy.
If a statue posse is formed; I suggest they go after Padre Kino next. He was the segue between Columbus and Villa.
Oh please, Ricky. I remember you from the old AZ Starnet days and know you moved to Portland. Even in your screed, you confess to living in the Willamette Valley seven months of the year. Saying that you don’t live in Portland is like me saying I don’t live in Tucson because I’m not within the city limits.
That makes you an Oregon resident, pendejo. Or more like a snowbird when you’re here. Even when you lived here, you were a newcomer; 1959, big deal, I was graduating high school in 1959. My parents moved back here with me in tow in 1945. My mom was here in 1929.
As for my attitude about Mexican-Americans (can I still say that?) maybe it is bad. Probably comes from having been married to one for 13 years, Worst 13 years of my life. My step-mom was from Mexico though and she was okay.
As for the statue, my opinion is unwavering.
Wes S., I do not live in Portland. That is no where near you saying “Tucson” for not in the city limits. Your geographical information about Portland and the Willamette Valley is grossly flawed, like saying my residency in Tucson starting in 1959 is a “newcomer”. I live a two hour drive south of Portland for part of the year. You repeating that you “know” I live in Portland would be like me saying you live in Phoenix, even though you’re close to Tucson. Such mistaken logic on your part tells in your position about the Pancho Villa statue. BIG mistake.
[yawn]
Tear every confederate memorial down first. Rhe reasons should be obvious.
Just rename it pancho grehalva.
Pancho Villa is an icon of the Mexican Revolution. Yes, he definitely was a man of his times and a man of contradictions. While I do not condone the killing of innocent people of Columbus, NM, I strongly support our statue and Pancho’s struggle for the poor of Mexico, and for Mexico’s national sovereignty. One must also look at the role of President Wilson (who provided and withheld arms) during the Mexican Revolution and how it resulted in the deaths of many Mexicans. Any comprehensive study of all that Doroteo Arango did and fought for would logically result in support of and for, our statue. George Washington was a slave-owner general. Thomas Jefferson also owned slaves. If anyone thinks slavery was “cool,” please watch the film “12 years as a Slave.” Should we go to Washington D.C. and tear down monuments to George and Thomas?
I have to agree with Tom. My Great Uncle, John Healy was in the Calvary, and used to chase that murdering bastard back over the Arizona border.
CAVALRY.
What Danehy, like the American media, said about Villa is quite the opposite of what he was portrayed. Danehy is simply upset or angry that the statue of a Mexican revolution leader was erected in Tucson. While it has been over 20 years since I read into Villa, Villa did not go into “banditry” just because. There are conflicting sources that stated that Villa, the oldest of 5 children and who was a teenager at that time, shot the landowner who either “attempted to rape” or “raped” his younger sister. After killing him, Villa knew that the law would pursue him so he escaped into the mountains and the only way he could make money for room and board was to steal livestock. He would have been caught if he got a job so he kept a low profile until he changed his name from Doroteo Arango to Francisco “Pancho” Villa.
Fast forward, it was Abraham Gonzalez, a provisional and constitutional governor of Chihuahua, befriended Villa before the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution. It was Gonzalez who saw the leadership potential in Villa and persuaded him to join in the revolution-Villa accepted and quickly climbed up the ranks until he became a general.
To put him in positive light:
1. Villa prohibited liquors and did not allow his soldiers, the Villistas, to become drunk. Anyone caught drunk is shot because drunk soldiers are dead soldiers when it comes to battle.
2. Villa is literate despite what the media alleged. There are evidences of Villa’s signatures. The fact is that since he can read/write, he knows that he is not well educated so he values education.
3. Villa help the poor by fighting the rich and corrupted politicians’ soldiers.
4. Villa believes in giving people chances between life and death. Even the captured enemy soldiers are given chance to switch to Villa’s side or face execution before putting them to death.
5. Villa did not rape girls or women. The fact is he is a womanizer and had many wives (I can’t remember how many).
6. Villa instructed his soldiers to not take anything without talking to the rich owners first–if the owners don’t support Villa’s cause-he gives the owners to give up their wealth or be taken away by force. If owner resists, it means death sentence. Some did not resist and their lives are spared. There is one article where the owner resisted and he was shot to death.
7. Villa buys guns, rifles, cannons, and food for his soldiers with what was taken from the wealthy.
8. Villa buys food and is distributed to the poorest people.
9. Villa funded some schools so the children can have education that Villa didn’t have.
10. Villa worked for ASARCO in El Paso where he lived briefly.
11. Villa was an exemplary leader that the people wanted him to be the President of Mexico, but Villa refused by saying that he was not well educated and not qualified to be President. At least, he was honest about it.
12. Villa was, indeed, a governor of Chihuahua from 1913-1914 (his leadership proves it).
13. Villa, despite what Danehy claimed about being a “crappy leader”, outsmarted the U.S. military during the Punitive Expedition in 1913. Over 5,000 soldiers were pursuing him, but Villa disappeared without trace.
14. Villa’s battle tactics were admired so much by the U.S. military that it was closely studied and also taught at the West Point Academy (U.S. Military Academy).
Danehy is a liar, just like Trump, and a crappy writer. Humph.
To: jlm713
I suggest you actually meant the “New Mexico border.”
(“One of Our 50 is Missing.”)