This booklet is a study of the opinions of Mexican journalists regarding the United States. The study was made by examining articles in ten leading Mexican daily papers for the randomly selected month of January, 1960, plus questionnaires sent to about sixty-five journalists in 1962, selected at random from those who wrote the articles mentioned.
The author of this booklet feels that the Mexican journalist is, by and large, a superior figure in his culture. This reviewer, with contacts with Mexican journalism and journalists for about 30 years would say that this is a purely relative thing. Taking into consideration the high degree of illiteracy and the limited educational opportunities in Mexico, any fairly intelligent, reasonably well-educated and socially oriented person is superior in the culture. It is true that Mexican journalism attracts a greater proportion of important literary, legal, and scientific figures than does United States journalism. It is this reviewer’s opinion, however, that, in the main, Mexican journalism is not markedly superior to journalism elsewhere.
One of the points examined is the attitude of the journalists on Castro and Cuba; they were almost unanimously in favor of both. This was to be expected in 1960 but, surprisingly, the attitude was almost the same in 1962 after Castro’s espousal of Russian communism. We wonder what it would be now in view of events in Venezuela and elsewhere. Mexican journalists would seem to be steadfast, consistent and not bothered by facts.
Traditionally, the intellectuals of Mexico have feared and, perhaps in most cases, envied the United States and her citizens. The journalists have been in a positon to vocalize this feeling and have done so happily. Because of this, perhaps, this study shows a bit stronger anti-United States attitude than actually exists in Mexico generally. Unfortunately there have been far too many actions on the part of the United States and its citizens conducive to a development of resentments in Mexico and the rest of Latin America. Frequently this has been the result of ineptness, not intent.
We would like to point out that the word “gringo” is rarely used in the Mexican press.
