Julian Castro’s Grandmother Would Be Rolling in her Grave

By Bruce Bialosky

Monday, September 10, 2012

 

Julian Castro, Mayor of San Antonio, had the honored position of giving the keynote speech at the Democratic Convention. The 37-year-old had a lot of pressure as he was being compared to Barack Obama giving his speech in 2004. Fortunately his grandmother was not there because she would have taken him over her knee and given him a good thrashing.

 

Castro spoke of his grandmother often during the speech, speaking of her coming to America from Mexico as an orphan. She persevered despite never even finishing grade school. She worked as a maid, a cook, and a babysitter, Castro told us, and she scraped by to provide an opportunity for Castro’s mother. Castro tells us that she prayed for a grandchild and ended up with two as his mother had twins.

 

His grandmother lived with him and his brother and learned along with him. She taught herself to read in both English and Spanish and remained a deeply religious person. He tells us how unfortunate it is that she did not live to see him and his brother in public service. What is very fortunate is that she did not see him dishonoring everything that she created and sacrificed herself for.

 

You see Mayor Castro never once paid tribute to the private sector. His grandmother worked in the private sector to give his mother and him a better life. Castro and his brother graduated from a private university (Stanford) funded by successful Americans, where they obtained their undergraduate degrees. They then attended law school at a university (Harvard), funded by successful Americans where they obtained law degrees. But never did they think of working in this private sector that provided their grandmother her living and them their high level education.

 

Castro displayed his complete ignorance of the private sector by making fun of a comment Mitt Romney made about starting a business. Romney suggested to students instead of waiting around to find a job that they start their own business. He suggested they borrow some dough from Mom and Dad. Castro thought that was silly. That is because he made no effort to understand how many people have done just that -- how many minority communities like Jews, Greeks, and Japanese had pooled their money to provide start-up capital for businesses. That tradition has now continued with Indian and Afghan immigrants. It appears Castro would rather do what Paul Ryan characterized as having these young adults staying in their childhood bedrooms staring at faded Obama posters and hoping to someday get a job.

 

Castro went on to talk about “investment,” which, as you know, is the Democratic code word for government spending. After all, he borrowed $596 million as Mayor to spend on government projects. He speaks of “investing” seven times. His answer appears reminiscent of our president – the government will do the job.

 

Castro only mentions his mother once and barely tells her story. That might be because she is the real source of his commitment to government as the solution. In fact, he previously stated "My mother is probably the biggest reason that my brother and I are in public service.” She was a political activist that helped establish La Raza Unida which means The United Race. When asked about the Alamo, Rosie Castro stated "I can truly say that I hate that place and everything it stands for." This is not exactly mainstream American thinking. There is nothing wrong with ethnic identity and pride. We have many such manifestations. But being against an iconic American symbol speaks loudly of her twisted perception of American life.

 

Now Ms. Castro has her two sons in office where, instead of aiming toward providing impetus for their community building businesses and participating in the miracle of American free enterprise, they want to tether people to government through their “investment” of our money on the projects they deem appropriate.

 

Yes, Grandma would be rolling in her grave; and, though she might be proud of her grandsons for achieving public office, she also might say to them “Go get a job and see what real life is like.”