Gael Garcia Bernal mocked for essay on Mexico attacks

Gael Garcia Bernal, the Mexican actor and heartthrob, has responded to the bombings in the Mexican state of Michoacan last week with a column for the newspaper El Universal.

The article, written from Europe in complicated Spanish, is a poetic tribute to the eight people who died in last week's bombings in Morelia, and a lamentation of the state of affairs in Mexico. Garcia Bernal's father was born in Michoacan.

"It hurts me not to be close. To be so far -– now more than ever. Instead of feeling relieved for being so far, I feel sad and vulnerable," writes Bernal.

"Why, when I see so much violence, do I feel like the aggression was against my memories, and my identity? Each death robs me of my freedom to remember, an attempt against the future."

Garcia Bernal, the star of films including "The Motorcycle Diaries" and "Amores Perros," revisits his childhood memories and remembers breakfast in the local markets and the smell of tamales.

But this morning, another national newspaper, Milenio, published a criticism of Bernal's piece, lambasting him for having written something in such complicated language using words that "three dictionaries and two encyclopedias" were needed to decipher.

Jairo Calixto's column treats the actor's reaction to events in the country in sarcastic tones, and mocks his level of understanding of Mexico's problems:

"Relax, Gael. Instead of asking, from a very nice place, 'Why, when I see so much violence, do I feel like the aggression was against my memories, and my identity?,' we should celebrate the fact that Mexico, for the third year running, has maintained its position as the 72nd most corrupt country in the world.

"You say, Gael, that it hurts you to be far away. Don't you worry -- they also say that to be far away is to forget."

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Photo credit: Tom Wagner / For The Times

Comments

[Eric Sanz]

Well, I can only agree with the journalist on her mocking. Gael is far away from his country, living a Hollywood life style, away from the problems and the insecurity that Mexico lives, and from that position I find it very comfortable for him to complain, blame and condemn.

Probably what bothers me the most is that Gael is obsessed with coming across as a left winged intellectual, publishing this opportunistic essay, supposedly intended to reflect the voice of his people, but written in such a way that it is clear he is just trying to show off how "literate" he is and how he thinks he can outsmart any opinion leader out there.

I question the integrity of a newspaper who gives voice to a pretentious little actor, in first page, under the premise of freedom of speech just because he is famous, when there are million other -more cultured- voices that could express our frustration in a more honest, truthful and informed way.

My two cents are that Gael just loves the attention, and that like every artist, he has a huge ego to feed, only that his cravings have big intellectual pretensions.

[Athene]

Hilarious article, the reporter is right, no one in this country talks like this not even politicians and we not only mock him for being a pseudo intellectual, we also make fun of him because he is an hypocrit and huge drama queen.

[southoc]

I guess only stupidity is valued in Mexican culture? Fools.

Since when is it insulting to be an intelligent Hispanic from Mexico? I guess we should all throw away our 4 and 6 year college education and start rapping and throwing gang signs to make others feel less vulnerable.

[Leticia]

The poem was NOT difficult at all...and this is coming from someone who is fluent in English AND Spanish. The whole point of the article was to express his feelings and if they came out as "difficult words" then that should say something about the Milenio reporter because those words were not hard at all. What would he say if he studied REAL poetry...?

[TAYLOR]

What just happen was sad and tragic and for that reporter to waste his time trashing someone for how they feel about the situation was mean and unnecessary.
Just because a person no longer live in their old neighborhood doesn’t mean what happens there now doesn’t effect them.
I for one understand what he means.

[Jackie]

If the Spanish Gael used in his piece is too complicated for anyone who claims to be fluent in Spanish... Go back to school, because you're far from fluent!

Now, it all you're used to reading is simple sentences, then yes, I see why Gael was criticized. It's sad to realize that even in Mexico, where the language is Spanish, someone would have trouble understanding this. Could he had simply said, "I'm sad. I remember my family, the time I spent in Michoacán, the beauty, the peace... I wish I could find a way to help, etc.?" Sure, but why do so? Seriously, it's come to this....? What does that say about our society and our intellect?