Vasquez: Perry’s use of Texas Rangers along border reminds us of an ugly past

Late last week, Texas Governor Rick Perry announced that the Texas Rangers — no, not the baseball team formerly run by George W —  woulkd begin patrolling the state’s southern border with Mexico. Josemaria Vasquez objects: “Am I supposed to be thrilled that Perry is bringing Los Rinches back? They just don’t get it, do they? Now comes PERRY – an Anglo – to remind us Mexicans/Chicanos that the killer Texas Rangers are still alive and well. Known by Mexicans as Los Rinches de Tejas – these foul-mouthed lawmen too often took the law into their own hands and lynched Mexicans simply because they were there and because they were defenseless. By some estimates, thousands of Mexicans were lynched by Los Rinches who, in their brutality, executed them without suffering any repercussions from Texas courts. Los Rinches would falsely arrest Mexicans and would promptly lynch them, without benefit of a court trial or any other venue where the person’s guilt or innocence could be proved.”

The history of lynching of Latina/os is analyzed in Richard Delgado, The Law of the Noose:  A History of Latino Lynching, 44  Harv. C.R.-C.L. L. Rev. 297 (2009).

Hat tip to Cappy White!

KJ