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.MEXIFORNIA Victor Davis Hanson 12through tumultuous times, but there is no reason to anticipate thatit must become a de facto colony of Mexico.More importantly, Ido not believe all that much in historical determinism—the ideathat broad social, cultural and economic factors make the futurecourse of events inevitable and render what individuals do in thehere and now more or less irrelevant.My main argument instead is that the future of the state—and the nation too, as regards the matter of immigration—isentirely in the hands of its current residents.California willbecome exactly what its people in the present generation chooseto make it.So it is high time for honest discussion, without fear ofrecrimination and intimidation.How else are we ever going to sortout the various choices that will decide our collective fate—espe-cially at a perilous time when we find ourselves at war with thosewho kill us as Americans regardless of accent, skin color or origin?That many in the business community will consider what followsnaïve or dub me a protectionist/isolationist worries me as little asthe critical voices I am sure to hear from an academic elite whosecapital remains largely separatist identities and self-interest.Bothparties, after all, did their part to get us into this predicament andhave so far escaped accountability for the harm they have done.I have changed the names of my teachers and associates in myhometown out of concern for their privacy, and because we liveand work together.In three cases, to protect the identity of closefriends I have made slight changes in the description of wherethey live and work.I thank my wife, Cara, and my colleague inclassics at California State University, Fresno, Professor Bruce S.Thornton, another rural San Joaquin Valley native, for reading themanuscript and offering criticism and help.Peter Collier first sug-gested that I write the present book—an expanded version of anessay that appeared in City Journal.I thank him and also MyronMagnet, editor of City Journal, for help in editing both the pres-ent book and the original article.My literary agents, Glen Hartleyand Lynn Chu, as always, have proven valuable representatives andfriends
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