THE RFM REACTION

Ufda.  That’s Wow! in Swedish.  The reaction to the concept of a Radio Free Mexico has been amazing.  Yesterday (4/19), for example, I was interviewed on the Roger Hedgecock talk show in San Diego, and he was so excited about RFM he barraged me with questions:  Have you got your funding yet?  When will it be launched?  Do you have your programming lined up?

I had to explain to him:  "Roger – we only came up with this idea six days ago."  So let me give you an update.

RFM is forming a Board of Advisors, several of whom helped run Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in the Reagan years and were thus instrumental in collapsing the Soviet Empire.

Within a few days, we will have completed a proposal for a feasibility study, which will determine such things as the scope of the audience, the themes for programs, identifying Mexican free market intellectuals, what the technical requirements are, etc.  We have already had offers for funding the study.

The study should take about 90-120 days to complete, so by September we should see a clear plan on launching RFM.  I hope to post the feasibility study proposal next week.

I want to thank all of you who sent a message of support.  I appreciate every one.  A number of you sent in very helpful suggestions.  Joe Katzman (whose blog, Winds of Change, is one of the most valuable resources on the internet) reminded me to work with Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto and his Lima-based Institute for Liberty and Democracy. 

No one has done more solid research on how to cure Third World poverty via economic freedom than de Soto – and he’s Hispanic.

Joe also suggested flipping the chant of the illegal alien demonstrators, Si se puede (Yes we can) on its head:

The Si se puede program on RFM would feature "good news" stories re: people who are succeeding in Mexico and making people’s lives better through successful business, religious charity work, ecologically smarter development/farming/innovations, etc., giving hope to Mexicans that "yes we can" succeed and get rich in their own country.

See what I mean about great advice?

Brent Moody shared the research he’s done on the population of Mexico prior to the Mexican-American War of 1848.  Recall that the results of this war are the source of the Aztlan/Reconquista Movement sponsored by the Mexican government with the goal of returning one-third of the US back to Mexico.

In 1846, Brent reveals, Mexico had a population of some eight million – of whom only 60,000 or so lived in the Northern Territory, what is now California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah.

(Texas had been independent since 1836.  Prior to independence Texas contained roughly 30,000 Anglo-American settlers, 14,200 Indians, and 3,470 Hispanic Mexicans.)

In other words, at the time of the Mexican-American War, three-quarters of one percent of Mexico’s people lived in the territory ceded to the US.  Not a very good claim for Reconquista.

RFM will focus on Reconquista as a ridiculous pipe-dream fantasy.  For Mexicans to create prosperity and opportunity for themselves, they have to abandon such fantasies, focusing instead on the corrupt reality of their country and how to change it for the better.

Thus a primary theme of RFM will be responsibility:  Mexicans assuming responsibility for the future of their country – which means staying in or returning to Mexico and working to achieve economic freedom and success.

Again, thank you all for your enthusiasm and support.  Together, we will make Radio Free Mexico a reality.