Davidow, who was appointed ambassador in 1998, began by bringing the audience up to date with some basic facts about the current status of U.S.-Mexico relations. President George W. Bush met with Mexican President Vicente Fox in February to discuss the ways to improve U.S.-Mexico relations. According to Davidow, Bush believes that there is no other country in the world more important to the U.S. than Mexico.
Davidow stressed that U.S.-Mexico relations are important because, since the arrival of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), U.S. trade with Mexico has tripled. Mexico is second only to Canada as the largest trading partner with the U.S.
He explained that the two countries also share many of the same problems, such as law and order, narcotics trade and public health. They also have a demographic bond, as approximately 10 million Americans were born in Mexico.
According to Davidow, of these 10 million people, approximately half are undocumented and reside in the U.S. illegally. But Davidow said that he prefers to look at this issue another way. "I don't like to use the term 'illegal' because it connotes criminal activity. I don't think it's appropriate to consider [undocumented immigrants] criminals," he said.
Davidow repeatedly stressed that the U.S.-Mexico relationship is "not a foreign policy issue. It is an issue of 'intermesticity." By this, Davidow means that while there are obviously elements of foreign policy because it is a relationship between two separate countries, the relationship is also one that concerns many domestic issues.
Davidow used the issue of migration as a case study for "intermesticity." He began by saying that most Americans view migration as a legal matter, as something for the government to handle.
To the average Mexican, however, migration is a "natural phenomenon, something that has been going on for many generations." In Mexico, it is socially accepted and understood. Mexicans know there are jobs in the U.S. and view migration as a way to fill the labor market.
Davidow explained that the immigration process has changed over the past few years because the size of the Mexican population in the U.S. has grown considerably.
There have been many attempts by the government to strengthen vigilance on the border to keep Mexicans out of the country. Now many Mexicans do not cross the border in the previously popular border cities such as San Diego, but instead use underpopulated areas in Arizona and Texas. Davidow said that this is often quite dangerous and many migrants have died while crossing the border.
"There is an element of hypocrisy in the U.S. position on immigration," said Davidow. While many Americans want to keep Mexicans out, they also promise them jobs. He added that many U.S. industries, especially the hospitality industry, could not survive without undocumented Mexican immigrants and are indifferent about the legal status of their employees.
While Davidow said that Mexico must do more to deal with sources of migration, he added that "it is not enough simply for the Mexicans to point northward and the U.S. to point southward … When we deal with Mexico, what we must do is continue down a path of shared responsibility." Davidow said he believes that the two countries are moving in this direction.
"We have a great possibility to create a new North American mentality," said Davidow. While he doesn't believe it could equal that of Europe in the next 10 to 15 years, he said that "the first step is to recognize that North America is an entity."
Many Amherst students and professors attended the lecture, in addition to members of the surrounding community. "I thought he was appropriate in emphasizing the immigration issue because I think it is the most important issue to most Mexicans and most Americans," said Anne Ferguson, who is a student at UMass.
Davidow was introduces by Jill Meredith, the director of the Mead Art Museum. She said that the lecture "was an appropriate counterpart to the [Casa Mañana] exhibit since the donator to the museum was a Mexican ambassador. It brought [the exhibit] to contemporary times."
The exhibit was a gift from Dwight Morrow, who graduated from the College in 1895, and his wife, Elizabeth Cutter. Morrow served as U.S. Ambassador to Mexico in the late 1920s.
Davidow is also a collector of Mexican art and said that he currently owns more pieces than can fit in his home.
"I thought [Davidow's lecture] was really important with Mexico becoming the focus again," said Aimee Wilczynski '03, the Foreign Policy Forum's officer for South American affairs, who helped organize the lecture.
Others wished Davidow had focused slightly more on the current Bush administration and its policies towards Mexico. "He was talking more about migration in terms of daily life," said May Nguyen '04. "I would have preferred more of a political perspective."
Before being appointed ambassador to Mexico, Davidow was the assistant secretary of state for inter-American affairs from 1996-98. He has also served as the ambassador to Zambia and Venezuela.