Us vs. Them vs. Them

I have always been interested in the convergence of cultures. Living in major cities all of my life I have seen that very seldom, only one culture exists in a place. Even in the most normative places, the culture of other groups passes through the boundaries. It is for that reason that I found Mina Yang's chapter so interesting because it talks about the importance of place and boundaries, along with the different subcultures within those borders.

First there are the physical boundaries of USA/Mexico and West/East Los Angeles. By painting the "Mexicans as unhygienic, primitive, and violent" (100,) those from West L.A. were creating a very defined us vs. them mentality. By portraying this image to others, the inhabitants of Mexican descent had to use music to subvert the powers that be. By using multiple genres of music, the Mexican Americans illustrated solidarity within their subculture; however, by showing that they had a strong subculture, they were lumped into the category of the ethnic other.

They weren't the only ones in this category however, as they were also associated with the other "others" in the L.A. area, such as Asian Americans and African Americans. I found it very interesting when Yang pointed out that, since the different hyphenated subcultures were "competing for the same limited economic opportunities and resources...[the] Mexican Americans' love for black music did not...translate into...amity or respect for African Americans outside of the dance hall" (113.) This quote illustrates that while music can break the boundaries between subcultures (especially when there is an "absor[ption of]...each other's rhythms and patterns" [116,]) these boundaries will be resolidified after the music stops. Do the subcultures not realize that there is power in numbers? Do they want their own identities even if that means their own struggles? Or do they believe that once the music stops the us vs. them identity resumes since everyone else is an "other", even those of other Latin descent?