Mexico News Daily compares manifestations of patriotism in Mexico and the United States
In Mexico, national pride, according to Andrea Fischer, the author of a column for Mexico News Daily, is more often expressed during Independence Day celebrations and major sporting events than through the daily use of national symbols. The author compares Mexicans’ and US residents’ attitudes toward patriotism and national identity.
Pride and colonial legacy
Fischer writes that she felt proud when Mexico’s anthem was played at this year’s FIFA World Cup. She also recalled celebrations of the team’s victories near the Angel of Independence monument on Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City.
Mexico’s national identity, the author notes, is closely connected to Indigenous peoples and the colonial past. According to data cited in the column, around 19% of Mexico’s residents identify with an Indigenous ethnic group, while fewer than 3% of the population in the United States identify as Native American. Mexico still has 68 Indigenous languages in use.
At the same time, according to the latest INEGI study cited by Fischer, 60.8% of Indigenous people live at some level of poverty. This amounts to nearly 8 million people.
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Symbols and self-identification
The author also mentions the concept of “malinchismo” — the belief that foreign things are supposedly better than Mexican ones. In her view, this phenomenon coexists with pride in the country and reflects Mexican society’s complex attitude toward its colonial history.
Unlike in the United States, where flags can more often be seen near private homes, in Mexico national symbols, according to Fischer’s observations, are used more actively in September, ahead of Independence Day on September 16, or during major international sporting events.
The columnist cites YouGov poll data according to which 70% of Americans are proud to be American, while 16% are not. At the same time, in Mexico’s 2020 National Survey of Civic Culture, 89% of respondents said they were proud to be Mexican.
