La Voz de Aztlan, March 5 1979
Item
Title
La Voz de Aztlan, March 5 1979
Creator
Associated Students of Fresno State
Relation
La Voz de Aztlan (Daily Collegian, California State University, Fresno)
Coverage
Fresno, California
Date
3/5/1979
Format
PDF
Identifier
SCUA_lvda_00099
extracted text
March 5, 1979
Remember the
Alamo-Page 3
Alvarado In
The Running
-Page 4
. .. "
_. varado runs toward the City Council ,while Vazquez speaks for Chicanos
Vazquez: A
visible Chicano
-Page 5
Poetry:Hija
de Aztlan
-Page 6
La Huelga
spreads to the
Valley
-Page 8
a.avoz•Azttan
MardtS,'lffl
Conieritafio&1·
,..
....
....
AIVaFado for
City Council
'' Most local elections seem so trivial
we sometimes don ' t take the time
to learn the issues, much less take the
time to vote. But, tomorrow we should
pay very close attention to the city
elections.
In the race for the City Council ,
District 5, it is important we get
involved.
A responsible, young
Chicano, Leonel Alvarado is making
a run for the Roosevelt-area post,
and we should all help him get elected .
We should help him win, not just
because he is a Chicano and would
provide the only Raza voice on the
council, but because he is the superior
.,,
candidate. His opponents have ~II
issued the same weak goals and bland
generalities , but Alvarado has spoken
clearly and seeks genuine progress .
He favors affirmative action programs, closer ties with Mexico, and
supports La Causa of the United Farmworkers.
Alvarado could provide
Chicano leadership that is sorely
needed.
If you, too \)'ant La Raza to gain a
responsible voice, call and visit
Alvarado' s campaign headquarters
at 1822 Van Ness Avenue and volunteer
to help get out the vote .' Help today,
tomorrow it will be too late.
Sat. Night Live tunis into
Sat. Night Racist
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Two weeks ago the late night NBC
program "Saturday Night Live" crossed
the line separating good taste and
plunged into offensiveness. It was not
the first time that the show had done
this but, it was bad because it blindly
helped spread stereotypes about Chicanos .
A skit that starred regulars Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and guest host, Rick
Nelson acted out an imaginary game
show called "Quien es mas macho?"
The skit was conducted •in broken
Spanish-language by all three. All
three were dressed in outlandish garb,
used wild gestures and expressions,
and the men had their hair greased
back.
La Vaz de Aztlan la published by thE
Associated Students at C&llfornla StatE
University, Fresno and the newapape1
staff. Unsigned ,editorials are the oplnl
ons of the La Voz staff,·and not necessarily the views of the Associated Stu
dents, CSUF or the State of California.
Editor... Richard Aguirre
Photography ... George Aguirre, RlcardtJ
Pimentel. Luoe Mora.
.Art . . .Alvino Franco, Arturo Ocampo
Heporters ... Dora Lara, Margarita Mar
tlnez, Octavio Yescas.
Contributors ... Felix Contreras, Artirc
Ocampo, Elvia Ruiz, Dianne So//s, Ri
cardo Pimentel.
The goal of the game show was to
pick the most macho male between
guest personalities . But, even before
the first round could be finished,
series regular Dan Ackroyd, who portrayed FBI man Elliot Ness, broke in.
He told the three that they were under
arrest for being "illegal aliens."
When the contestants protested that
they had their "papeles", Ackroyd told
them to shut up and to take up the matter with the lmmigraton and Naturalization Service.
Ackroyd then ordered his men to look
around for more "illegals ." His agents
poked around the set and came up with
three or four other "Mexicans ." But,
these suspects looked like the stereotypiqtl Mexicans portrayed in U.S.
western films. They wore huge sombreros, had mustaches, wore peasant
garb, and had expressions of absolute
terror on their faces.
Before they were all led away,
Radner commented that "Elliot Ness
es muy macho." But Murray quickly
1 corrected her by saying: "Elliot Ness es
muy macho, pero el Departmento de
lmmigracion es mas macho que todos!"
Besides being in poor taste, the skit
helped maintain damaging stereotypes about Chicanos . It made all Latinos look dumb, useless, defenseless,
. and pathetic .
There is a fine line between sharp
satiric co,nedy and poor taste . It seems
the staff of "Saturday Night Live" stepped over that line and tramped reek' lessly into irresponsibility and covert
, racism .
MEXtCO.
o.s. A.
When President Carter visited Mexico two weeks ago some protest
banners read: wearter viene a cambiar cacahuates por petroleo. w (Carter
is coming to exchange oil for peanuts.)
La Voz illustration by Albino Franco.
Carter snubbed by Chicano group
While President Carter was preparing to leave for Mexico two weeks ago,
top Chicano leaders were voicing their
opposition tci current U.S. policy, near
San Diego.
An estimated 1,500 mostly-Chicano
demonstrators met in Sari Ysidro, Ca.,
on Feb. 11. There, they protested Carter's trip to Mexico, current U.S. immigration policy, and a proposed fence
along three points of the border, designed to keep out Mexican citizens .
Henry Baca, of the Committee on
Chicano Rights, Inc., called the proposed fence a "symbol of racism and
discriminatfon against 16 million Chicanos."
THl;.MEANING OF
LA VOZ De AZTLAN
La Voz de Aztlan means "The voice
of Aztlan." Aztlan has been translated
by most historians to be th~ mythic~/
name of the Aztec (or Mex,ca or Ch,chimeca) people who held the area
around present-day Mexico City when
the Spaniards under Hernan Cortes
entered Mexico in 1519.
"This fence can only serve as a monument to the government ' s unwillingness and inability to resolve the immigration issue," Baca said . "Why isn't
there a fence between Canada and the
United States?"
"It's ridiculous to believe that a
six-mile fence along a 2,000-mile
border is going to stop anyone or is
going to ,'esolve the social, economic,
and political factors which make up
the immigration issue," Baca said.
The group turned down an invitation
to meet with Carter in Washington
before the Mexico trip and instead
chose to listen to Chicano leaders in
the Sunday afternoon rally and march.
In their native Nahuatl language,
Aztlan meant "the place of herons "
and also "the place they had ~ n
before. • Dr. Jose Canales of the CSUF
History Department said he has traced
the origins of the Aztecs, a migratory
tribe as far north as present-day St.
Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota .
To Chicanos, Aztlan is the name for
the entire Southwest -- our symbolic
homeland.
Marc:t.S,1"'
• ~..s: ._ ,,.
-
.. ~
h .. J
~ - ..;.
Reme.mbe.r tHe )\latno! The Anglo
history--more fiction than fact? ·
I.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Tomorrow marks the 143rd anniversary of the
Mexican victory over nTexansn at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
The history of that battle has been shrouded in myth ever since the
Republic of Texas became a state. U.S. historians and Hollywood filmmakers have portrayed that struggle as one between freedom-loving
Texans and cruel, oppressive Mexicans.
Needless to say, that view is inaccurate and those' misconceptions
should be cleared up. That biased account has made many Chicanos
feel a powerless conquered people in their own Southwest, far too
long.
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
In the spring of 1836, a small Franciscan chapel-fort in Texas would become the focal point of a battle between
forces that would eventually change the
character of the Southwest. There, a
small band of Mexicans, "Texians,"
and U.S. citizens would hold the Alamo
for 10 days against a huge Mexican
government army .
William Travis, James Bowie, Davy
Crockett and other "selfless heroes",
who fought to make Texas an independent Republic would be immortalized
in death. That in brief is the version
of "history" most Chicanos and other
Americans have been told .
But, a closer study of many historical accounts reveals that version to be
closer to a fictionalized Walt DisnevJohn Wayne tale, than to fact . The
Mexican side about the battle ot March
6, 1836 has been ignored .
can "was, or so the traders in the
Southwest reported, dirty, lazy, and
untrustworthy," said Quirk.
MEN AT ALAMO
The loyal Texian and Mexican forces had their first si,mificant encounter
at the Alamo. Foremost among the defenders there was William Barrett
Travis, the comm_ander and a 28-yea_rold lawyer who had illegaly entered
Mexican terrritory in 1831.
Rafael Trujillo Herrera in his book,
Olvidate de el Alamo said that Travis
was a murderer who had killed a man
who made advances to his wife. Travis
then, rather than confess, allowed a
slave to be tried and convicted for the
crime and fled to Texas alone .
Another defender, James Bowie, 40,
was a living legend because in brawls
he had killed dozens of men with the
famous knife designed by his brother,
according to the People's Almanac
II.
SANTAANA
During that time, Mexico was once
again in the grip of the evil dictator,
Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana (would
eventually rule the country 11 times) .
Santa Ana considered himself a European "'criollo," and mistreated the people of Mexico every time he gained
power.
But this time he had the support
of many as he marched northward
with a conscript army of 4000 and was
determined to squash the traitorous
colonists.
That revolt in Texas began as a
separatist movement by deposed liberal Mexicans . Soon immigrants from
the U.S . in the area also rallied around
the cry for independence.
ROOTS OF REBELLION
Some of the rebels had legally entered that Mexican territory with Stephen
F. Austin 10 years earlier. Then they
had agreed to become Mexican citizens and abide by the laws . But now
the "Texia ns " wanted their own Republic and demanded: the right to own
slaves; that other U.S. settlers to be admitted; the free importation of good_s
from the U.S.; and for greater poli tica l freedom .
There we re also psychological reasons for the uprising . According to
Phillip Russel in his book, Mexico in
Transition , the Texans "saw themselves to be morally, intellecturally,
and politically superior to the Mexicans .
"To the Americans , the Mexican was
cruel and cowardly .. . " said Robert
Quirk in his book, Mexico . The Mexi-
Bowie had "made a fortune running
slaves and had wandered into Texas
searching for lost mines and more money, " said Rodolfo Acuna in his book
Occupied America. The People's Almanac said that Bowie apparently did
end up making a small fortune,·through
"illegal land speculation which had netted him nearly a million acres in
Texas."
But probably the most famous man
at the Alamo was Davy Crockett, the·
former Indian fighter, bear hunter and
Conaressman from Tennessee. The
People's Almanac said that after
Crockett was defeated for re-election
he told his constituents to "'go to hell"'
and left for Texas with 12 men. There
he assumed the rank of private in the
rebel forces.
The men he brought with him, doctors, lawyers, and engineers,. sought
cheap lands and fortune, despite popular accounts that say they came only to
fight.
On arriving at the Alamo Crockett
is reported to have said: "We heard you
were having trouble with the likes of
old Santy Anny (Pres. Santa Ana)
and we 'lowed as how we might help
you since we like a good fight."
ILLEGAL ALIENS
Of the battle of the Alamo, popular
history reported that it was a noble
fight by the brave Texans. Actually it
was not much of a fight and was not
waged entirely by "Texans."
"At the Alamo,"' two-thirds of the
defenders were recent arrivals from the
United States, and only a half dozen
had been in Texas for more than six
years," according to Acuna. As Phillip
Russell said in his book, "a large proportion of the Alamo defenders were to
use the current term, illegal aliens ."'
And most did not come to the Alamo
to give up their lives to buy more time
for their comrades and fight for the
Texan cause. Most came for fortune
and glory and only a handful came to
actually fight .
"The facts are that the Alamo had
little strategic value, the men fully expected help, and the Alamo was the
best fortified fort west of the Mississippi/ said Aq.ma. And while the defenders only numbered about 180, they
had 21 cannons to the Mexicans' eight
or ten .
MORE TEXAN ADVANTAGES
From the fort the Texan marksmen,
who were armed with superior rifles,
could easily pick off weary Mexican
troops, who had travelled hundreds of
miles over hot, arid desert to get to
the battle. The Texans defended famiIiar J;1round against an army from a nation was undergoing economic, socical and po!itical chaos.
The battle began as a seige, but soon
General Santa Ana sent wave after
wave of soldiers against the welldefended fort. On March 6 the final
assault began at 5 a.m. By 8 a.m. the
Alamo was taken and the last surrendering defenders were executed.
Despite claims to the contrary,
Rodolfo Acuna said the battle was a
minor one. Santa Ana was delayed only
four days in his northwest drive . "It
represented a battle where two fools
engaged in useless conflict," Acuna
said.
ALLEGED HEROISM
Before sucumbing to the Mexican
forces, the Texans killed and wounded
1,544 Mexicans, and earned a place
in history as courageous heroes. The
People's Alamanac said Crockett was
"a man full of humor and unafraid of
death. He would fall near the end of the
battle, along with two of his men and
17 Mexican soldiers, near the chapel
wall."
However, according to Walter Lord
in Myths. and Realities of the Alamo,
"Crockett did not fall at the end like a
tiger killing "Meskins" with his bare
hands . Lord said "seven of the defenders surrendered, and Crockett was
among them . They were executed."
SeePage4
Pa1e4
March s, 197'
u Voz de Aztlan
Alvarado running~
for
Fresno(:hicanos
.
CIT\ OF J'JH; 5V)
l,rt-\ ... (1 !O(\ti
'
\
l.
t
!,·
-\Ut•}ft'-1•
'♦
•
> •. :;.c~
•
~.tr~\,;,,-.;_• -~:
When the voters go to the polls
tomorrow to vote in the city elections
they may be deciding more than
the political fate of City Council
candidate Leonel Alvarado.
The
voters may also be issuing a statement
to all future Chicano political hopefuls.
Alvarado, 34, is running for election
to Post 5, the Roosevelt High
school district. It elected he would
be the only Chicano on the city council
and would provide virtually the only
voice for La Raza in· ·· Fresno.
He is running against Elvin C.
Bell, a 14-year veteran of the council,
Gerald W. Bud Jones, and J. lrmie.
A Fresno Bee poll that was published
in Sunday's newspaper showed
Alvarado leading Bell by a slight
margin. But, a large sector, 46.8
percent, were still undecided.
If the turnout in the election is
high, Alvarado could stand a good
chance of being elected. But, among
Chicanos, low election day turnout,
and low voter registration have
plagued Chicanos for decades.
Supervisor Bruce Bronzan and Leonel Alvarado plan Tuesday's campaign strategy.
And, that electoral process is the
only way Chicanos can gain power,
according to Alvarado.
"people
must be registered to vote--people
have to go out and vote."
from the FETC, but has said ttiat
if elected would resign from that
post to avoid conflicts of interest.
Alvarado is a lifelong resident of
Fresno and executive director of the
Fresno Employment and Training
Commission and management consultant. He entered the race for
many reasons .
Alvarado said that Fresno is in the
same stage in its development as
San Jose was 15 years_ago. He said
that during this period a balance
must be struck to allow "orderly
growth."
"It was several reasons," he said .
"One, we suffered a severe setback
as a result of Proposition 13, and I
thought there had to be a way to get
a Chicano elected to City Council,"
said Alvarado.
•
Alvarado said he would use 'this
philosophy when voting on the proposed Macy's department store planned for Fresno St. at Shaw Ave.
That location has raised the ire of
many who believe that North Fresno
is growing too rapidTy.
"I think alot of people are cynical
about government," and that's bad
said Alvarado. "We have to change
government for the better before
government changes us for the
worse."
Alvarado worked his way through
high school and college, graduating
from CSUF in 1973 with honors,
and a degree in Bu~iness Administration .
He also served in th~ U.S.Army,
rising from the rank of private to First
Lieutenant. In Vietnam he was a
combat infantry commander and won
the Bronze Star, Army Commendation
Medal, and the Purple Heart.
Later he served in the county
adll'inistrative office and with the
state as migrant a 1~ rural affairs
coordinator. He is n1~ on leave
"I like Macy's stores personally,"
said Alvarado, and "we need a Macy's
store in Fresno, "but the location
they chose is inappropriate."
In his drive to City Hall, Alvarado
has collected the support of Congressman Tony Coehlo, Assemblyman
Jim Costa, Supervisors Bruce Bronzan
and John Donaldson, Mayor Dan
Whitehurst, and City Council members
Linda Mack and Joe Williams.
He has also been endorsed by the
Amalgameted Transit union, the
AFSCME, COPE-AFL-CIO, the
Democratic Coalition of Fresno, the
La Raza Faculty at Fresno City
College, MAPA, and the CSUFchapter
ofMEChA .
It has been a tough campaign for
Alvarado. He has not only had to survive the ri~ors of a hectic campaign,
but has also had to battle claims
that he could not be a good councilman
for district 5.
One of his opponents, J . Imrie has
spoken out against Alvarado and Bell,
calling them "Carpetbaggers" for
moving to the District right before
the election in order to qualify
for the post.
*The changing district issue is
no issue," said Alvarado. "I don ' t
think being a life-long area resident
gives you a better understanding of
the problems of the district."
"I come from a background of
poverty," said Alvarado. "I feel I
will bring a new dimension to the
council."
Alvarado would without a doubt
bring a different type of voice to the
council.
Despite the conservative
wave sweeping the nation, Alvarado
is in favor of some typically liberal
causes--the
United
Farmworkers
movement, Affirmative Action programs in employment, and closer
ties with our southern neighbor,
Mexico.
" I think it is the people's right to
self-determination," to organize and
maintain farmworker unions said
Alvarado.
Of Affirmative Action Alvarado
said: "I believe that the work force
ought to represent the community
it serves ." And Alvarado said that
the U.S .and Mexico are linked by
economies and should seek closer
ties to deal with mutual problems .
When speaking of his major opponent, Elvin Bell, and his possible f.uture
as a new city councilman, Alvarado
is equally direct. _
.
"He's (Bell) been on the Ci~ Counc,_I
for a long time, it's time for a change_"
and, "If during my term I'm unable
to do a good job, "I won't run for
the City Council again .*
Remember
the Afumo!
More fiction
than fact
From Page3
Although there are reports that revisionists are now accurately rewriting
this chapter of Texas history the longtold myths have hurt all Chicanos.
False reports of evil Mexicans and
Texan heroes helped justify later U.S.
aggression . Even those Mexicans,
like Captain Juan Sequin, who fought
against the Mexicans at the Alamo
have been ignored in the roll call of
Texas Heroes .
Because of the myths and distortion
of history, the Alamo has proven to be a
symbolic, as well as historic event in
U.S. and Mexican history.
The incident paved the way for the
Mexican-American War. It also helped
fan hatred and mistrust of Mexicans
by U.S . citizens that many believe
is still in force against Chicanos in
the Southwest today.
March 5, 1979
Pages
La Voz de Aztla.,
~ictor Vazquez-- the Valley's
visible Chicano anchorman
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
A new wrinkle was thrown- into tne Fresno news media scene in December
when Victor Vazquez became the Valley's first regular Chicano television
co-anchor. (Channel 47, KJ EO, at 11
p.m.)
That move put the 26-year old University of Southern California graduate
into a highly visible position and open
to attack from both La Raza and nonChicanos.
"In this position you often times are
trapped between a rock and a hard
place ... ," said Vazquez," ...you can't
please everybody."
"I know there are people out there
watching me ... and J know that the people out there watching me can see who
I am. There's nothing that's going
to get rid of this 'cara de mestizo' I
have," sa.id Vazquez. "There's nothing
that's gonna get rid of my-last name."
"I sure hope 1'm coming across in
a way that people can be proud of me
and not embarrassed," he said. "I
know I gotta do my best."
It is apparent that Vazquez' contributions have begun to help KJ EOnews. "In the last ratings period we
had increased our audience by 100 oercent ... we' re growing,"' said Vazquez.
The native of Southern California
said he tries to keep an eye on news
that pertains to the Chicano community and pronounces names in Spanish
the way they "should" be pronounced.
He does so because he can read and
write and speak Spanish.
"I will make an attempt to pronounce
them (names) how they should be pronounced," said Vazquez. However,
doing so has at time not proved easy.
He has received calls from irate viewers who objected to the way he has said
some street or city names .
Even though complaints about pronunciation are pesky, they are minor in
comparison to barbs issued more directly at Vazquez. More serious and disturbing were critical remarks that implied that because he is a Chicano, he
"'I was very much into the Chicano
was unqualified and only got media
movement as a student," said Vazquez .
jobs because of his race .
"I was a member of MEChA, and I
.. It tQOk nie a little while to let that
was very involved in it ...
slide (negative comments)," said VazVazquez was in East Los Angeles
quez. "I know, and 1've learned who I during the riots of the 70's and said he
am and I know my capabilities," said
vividly remembered the death of L.A.
Vazquez.
Times correspondent Rueben Salazar
"It's about time that this business
at the hands of the police. "'I know what
started to open up, and however this
it's all about and I remember what the
business did open up to bring in Chicamovement is all about," said Vazquez.
nos, we're in now and I think a lot
Vazquez was born in El Paso, Texas,
of us have shown to be as capable as
but moved to Los Angeles with his famany other reporter," said Vazquez.
ily to attend junior high, high school
"I'm a professional journalist."
and college.
But, Vazquez has also been hit with
He got his first taste of journalism in
complaints by Chicanos who have comjunior high when he started his own
plained that he doesn't spend enough
newspaper, "Rottentales" (an alternatime covering news of the Chicano tive to the official school paper, "Cotcommunity.
tontales.) In high school he broadened
"That's where you' re damned if
his experiences by writing and taking
you do, damned if you don't," said
pictures for the school newspaper and
Vazquez. But, "'I don't gotta go out and
yearbook.
cover Chicano stories just to prove to
myself that I am a Chicano ... I know I
Vazquez got his first broadcast exam, .. said Vazquez.
perience at the University of Southern
Victor Vazquez-Channel 47·
--Photo by George Aguirre
California. At the time he was a copyboy and wire editor for the Los Angeles
Times . He began to save wire copy pertaining to Chicanos for weekend newsbriefs and did on a school radio show,
"'Ritmos Latinos ."
That broadcast was heard off campus
and he was soon hired away to put together the same newsbriefs for KTFPradio. During his last year at .USC he
was hired at KPFK-radio where he
stayed for two years .
J ust one-and-one-half years after
graduation, while at KPFK, he cap-
tured the prestigious "Golden Mike".
- radio's equivalent to the Oscar of
the movies. He won the award for feature news reporting in the Los Angeles
area for a series he broadcast of the incorporation of East L.A. in 1974.
.. That was a real thrill," said Vazquez. "It was that award that gave me
the confidence to go out and try to find
a job in television," said Vazquez.
.. I stayed there (KPFK) for two years
and then I wanted to get into televi-
s1on,"' said Vazquez. "I figured, well,
I've fiad some experience in the print
media, and I've had some experience
in the radio media and I wanted to get
some experience now in television,"
said Vazquez.
He was selected for a minority training program over dozens of applicants
and spent two years in Philadelphia as
an intern at a television station. He
then spent a year with an all-news radio
station there.
But, after three years he tired of the
East Coast and returned to Southern
California at radio station KWIZ in
Santa Ana.
Then in June, 1978, Vazquez came
to Fresno. He took a job as an oncamera reporter at CBS affiliate,
KFSN-TV, Channel 30. Vazquez was
not new to the area.
"I 'd been up here when Cesar Chavez was organizing." "I came up here
as a college student interested in the
farmworker's movement," said Vazquez.
But he stayed at Channel 30 for only
a few months, mostly because he got
a better offer at ABC affiliate, KJEOChannel 47, but also because he tired
of Channel 30's news program format
and marketing program.
He said that Channel 30, unlike
Channel 47, the co-anchors were given
more importance than the reporters
and put in the position of "telling all."
Vazquez was also critical of the advertising campaign of the Capital
Cities-owned station. He attributed
Channel 30's top ratings to an aggressive strategy of "selling" the co-anchors. "They've done a good job of selling" co-anchors John Wallace and
Nancy Osborne. They have sold the
newscast and news staff like any other
product, "like a hairspray,"' said Vazquez.
At Channel 47, Vazquez took the coanchor spot with J.C. Cooper on the
11 p.m . newscast. Now, besides
writing copy, he helps produce the
. newscast.
Vazquez said he enjoys the "Eyewitness News" format that is used at
Channel 47 and most ABC affiliates.
He said that format, which places
some reporters on the n'ews set, emphasizes the "eyewitness" aspect in
story-gathering and features more reporter involvement in the stories and
the program .
Vazquez also said he like his coworkers at Channel 47. "There's much
more comraderie here at 47," said
Vazquez. "'I 'II tell you we may be number three according to the ratings, but
we have more fun."
"There's a pleasure in putting this
show together and I think there's an
equal pleasure of being on the set to
say: 'Good evening, here's what's
happening,'"' said Vazquez.
In the future Vazquez said he would
like to help keep Channel 47 a "quality"
newscast and in turn help the station
grab a larger share of the ratings .
"I like television news," said Vaz.quez. "'TV news has proven to be pretty
good to me and vice-versa, I hope. "
_ _ _ _ __ _.._...,_ __,....,.,~,--==:::-:;..._.. __ ...,.....,..
March 5,-1"'
/
j
I
Hijo de los Aztecas
Warrior de Aztlan
By MARIA ANITA TORRES
la Voz Contributor
My hands crave for cultural murals
But yet they only paint red, white, and
blue.
I am torn between discontent and
shame.
I am asking you amigo to help me
Lift my head and restore my lost pride.
They tell me I am lazy
But it was I who nurtured this country.
Yes it was I who sweated in their
fields
Which once were my backyards .
I was a sheep who went astray
Pero ahora cuando yo digo,
"Yo Soy Chicano!"
Es de mi corazon .
And Old Man how I love celebrations
For I celebrate from my heart.
But whenever I display this beauty of
self-pride
I am called a loud drunk.
Look at me now Old Man
For I have learned through my own
people
That I am important to my Raza
And to Myself.
Old Man tell me who is wrong
And who is right?
Is it "me llamo Juan"
Or is it my name is John?
I miss the beauty of my language
Because I am drowning in English .
And my tacos are turning into sandwiches
And my sarape into a coat.
Yes you are right Old Man
Mexicanos are proud people who have
Fought long battles to survive .
My heart aches for cumbias y corridos
pero mis pies saben solamente los disco
steps.
Old Man I have searched and not
Found the answers to my troubled
questions.
Since I've become part of the system
I've felt empty and trouble minded.
It was yesterday when I decided that
It was time to cure my ugliness.
Today I shall seek answers
For my troubled questions .
For it is today I seek the Old Man.
For his wisdom represents that
Of an Aztec Warrior de Aztlan .
Viejo sabes que?
Me llamojuan
Y soy de Aztlan !
.........,
Mardi 5, 1979
Pqe7
,
i
--------Noticias de la Raza---------t
4
By DORA-LARA .
La Voz Writer
STATEWIDE CHICANO TOURNEY
j
A state-wide Chicano basketball
tournament has been set for April 2122 here in Fresno.
Sponsored by the Chicano Youth
Center, the tourney will include 16
teams in a single elimination competition .
Teams from Fresno, Hayward, Los
Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San
Jose, and Woodland will vie for the
awards .
LARAMA
La Rama is a medical association designed to help the Chicano student get
into a medical career. The student is
provided with financial aid information
and helped prepare
applications
concerning medical schools . Also available is information to help the student
stay in school .
For further information contact
Roberto V. Rubalcava at (415) 548-9300
or write to: La Rama, 2131 University
Avenue, Berkeley CA. 94704.
CREST GOES MEXICAN
IRS
Need help with Income Tax Forms?
The Internal Revenue Service is providing the community with assistance
in spanish between the hours of 8:30
to 4:30, Monday through Friday. .
·
For assistance call· toll free 1-800253-2023 . This assistance is on a trial
basis and if there is enough response,
these services will be continued.
RSVP
Recruiting Students Via Parents
(RSVP) is a project available to Chicano
students and their parents to help them
plan an educational future . It provides
cultural information, tours and visits to
CSUF and help filling out forms and .
applications . RSVP also offers personal
counselling and can help provide housing. For more information concerning
this project, call 487-2048.
CHIHUAHUA!
MEDICAL NEEDS IGNORED
Fresno's own Chihuahua, Inc., a
large manufacturer of Mexican foods,
was recently named one of the top
Latino companies in the country .
The health needs of Chicanos in the
San Joaquin Valley are not beim~ met
according to Octavio Colon of Reedley
and Tony Risco of Fresno.
The February issue of . Nuestro
magazine ranked Chihuahua 78th
among the top 100 latino-owned firms
in the U.S. All of the 100 had at least
In an article published in the Fresno
Bee Feb. 22, both men said that Chicanos are underrepresented on the Central California Health Systems Agency.
That six-county agency helps plan
health efforts for the federal government.
$3 million in sales of goods and services in 1978. Chihuahua, Inc., which
hires 120 people, had sales of.$3.8 million last year.
The piant, which is located at 718
F. St. in West Fresno, is the biggest
tortilla plant in the valley and was started by the Villegas brothers in 1948.
Colon, a member of that board. and
Risco of El Concilio de Fresno charged
that the special needs ot Chicanos were
being ignored. They said that since
Chicanos comprise 25 per cent of the
six-county population, Latinos should
have better representation.
Sears found guilty of violating
federal e01ploy01ent practices
able jobs; failing to hire blacks and/or
Spanish-surnamed Americans" for
jobs in certain stores "in proportion to
their rate of application"; relegating
Heinz may be able to boast 57 variwomen to lower-paying, less desirable
eties, but in a decision that was revealjobs and in some cases paying women
ed last week by the Equal Employment
less than" men and blacks less than
and Opportunity Commission, Sears
"Anglos* for the same work.
Roebuck & Co. was found to have vioThe EEOC investigated Sears'
lated federal hiring laws 69 different
employment practices and negotiated
ways in four years .
with the company over the disputed job
That decision was first ordered suppractices. By law the Commission was
pressed by the U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals last year after Sears sued to · required to seek a settlement with the
firm before making any public stateprevent disclosure of the report.
ments or issuing public statements .
The Commission found npatterns of
sex, race, and national origin discrimiBut, last month Sears broke the sination" at all levels of the firm. It was
lence when it filed a heavily publicized
responsible to believe, the study said, · civil suit against the Commission and
that the nation's largest retailer was
nine other civil rights and statistical
violating federal laws 69 specific ways .
agencies of the federal government.
According to the Washington Post,
Company spokesmen claimed that a
the alleged violations included : nremyriad of regulations made it imposstricting blacks and Spanish-surnamed
sible to effectively implement federal
Americans , to lower-paying less desiremployment mandates .
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Sears contended that it had always
strongly supported affirmative action
and had earmarked millions of dollars
toward the realization of equal employmentopportunity ..
The firm said it had increased hiring
of minorities 250 per cent in the last
13 years (19.9 per .cent of all .employees now). Sears also said that in management positions, minorities comprised 10.5 per cent and women 36 per
cent, through 1977.
The Washington Post reported that
the EEOC will soon go public with the
charges by taking the case to court.
And, despite Sears' claim to the contrary, the EEOC found that the firm
had an underrepresentation of women
and minorities in top level management.
Almost all major personnel decisions
at Sears "are made by a network of
. Anglo, male supervisors without the
benefit of objective standards,# the
Commission said.
Fresno recently gained its fourth
Spanish-language cinema with the purchase of the Crest Theatre by the 1170
Corporation of Southern California .
The theatre was recently sold by
Mann Theatres inc. of Los Angeles.
The Crest, built in 1949, is on Broadway Ave .
MINORITY STUDY
Backed by a $700,000 grant from the
Ford Foundation, a select nine-member
commission will soon study the current
status of minorities in U.S. higher
education.
The committee will gauge the progress made by the four main minority
groups (Blacks, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans) in recent
years, determine factors that hamper
their success in gaining access to higher education, and suggest steps for
theirfull participation in society.
Although minority enrollment in
two and four-year colleges has increased in recent years, minorities still represent only 9.7 per cent of higher education enrollment. Minorities comprise
16.1 per cent of the U.S . population.
Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native
Americans have lower rates of representation in college than Blacks. Prestudy research also indicates that minority enrollment tends to be concentrated in the lower levels of education the higher the class, the lower the representation (percentages) of minority
students.
CHICANO SURVEY
The National Chicano survey will
be taking place until late spring . The
primary purpose of the survey is to
get viewpoints and information relating to experiences of people of Mexican
descent.
Chicanos will be given the choice of
speaking either Spanish or English during interviews. Interviews will be conducted throughout approximately 42
different areas in the United States,
(including Fresno) .
This information may help provide
for an improvement of government policies and community services for
Chicanos . Knowledge of and an understanding of Chicanos and their specific
needs is the reason for the survey.
Page&
March s, 1979
La Voz de Aztlan
La Huelga enters seventh week
As the harvest winds down in the
The lettuce strike continues in full
Imperial Valley, the focus of the strike
force after seven weeks and the end appears nowhere in sight.
may shift to the lettuce harvest in AriThe strike has spawned many devezona and San Joaquin Valley. Chavez
traveled to San Luis, Arizona last week
lopments. Last week, Cesar Chavez
called on the public to boycott "Chiquifor a five hour rally . And he has asked
ta" Brand bananas . The plea was an efother farmworkers to join the strike
fort to put pressure on United Brands
aainst California lettuce producers.
Inc., owner of the banana company and
He told those attending the rally in
also Sun Harvest Inc., the largest of
Arizona that lettuce workers were the
the 11 lettuce companies being picketvictims of "racial exploitation." "They
ed.
think workers are just Mexicans and
Chavez ' call for a boycott came 10
they don't need any money because of
days after he personally took part in
how they live," said Chavez.
private bargaining talks with Sun HarOnly two growers are being affected
vest negotiators in Los Angeles. These
by the strike efforts in Arizona. Gary
talks, first seen as a breakthrough, pro-. Esquinelli, a Yuma grower, said he has
duced no progress .
been hurt by harmful leftover images of
Sun Harvest officials said that they
"Grapes of Wrath" workers. He stated
doubted the UFW's ability to effectivethat he was tired of the image of downly carry out the planned boycott of . trodded farmworkers kept under the
Chiquita bananas and other produce.
· thumb of the growers. He felt his oper· They felt the organizing machinery
ation should be considered a business
needed to carry out the country-wide
boycott was no longer under the control
of Chavez.
Saturday in El Centro an Imperial
County Superior Court Judge signed a
temporary restraining order limiting
picketing to 100 persons on Imperial
Valley farms ~ That was an effort, the
judge said, to prevent more violence.
He said that at times the UFW had
snown no desire to control the violence.
One man has been killed since the
beginning of the strike on January 19.
In addition 160 people have beet! arrested and at least 30 injured. And
Chavez has blamed the violence on
"police riots ."
Chavez, has also charged that the 28
lettuce growers have bargained in
bad faith by breaking contract talks . He
claims that growers created an impasse
in negotiations for their own benefit.
Yet the union has remained willing to
negotiate.
These charges will. be investigated
by the Agricultural Labor Relations
Board (ALRB), to decide what action,
if any, will be taken to break the impasse.
Two California lettuce growers met
with legislators last week, and asked
that the ALRB act be revised . They feel
that the decertification law has benefitted Cesar Chavez, and that his Union is
too strong.
The strike began at the peak of the
lettuce harvest season, after two .
months of negotiation failed to produce
a new contract to replace the one expired Jan1,1ary 1. Nearly $5 million
worth of lettuce is now rotting in the
fields .
The strike by over 4,000 UFW members affects 11 major growers and has
stopped the harvesting of 40 percent of
the nation's supply of winter lettuce.
like any other industry.
Since abandoning the bargaining
table growers and the UFW have tried
to reach the public, through aggressive
media campaigns.
Growers have launched a newspaper
advertising campaign designed to force
Governor Brown to put political pressure on Cesar Chavez.
One of the ads appeared March 2 in
the Fresno Bee and attacked Governor
Brown and Cesar Chavez. It blames
Brown for letting Chavez help him during his quest for the Presidency and
for letting Chavez nominate him in
the '76 Democratic Convention. It
accused Chavez of attempting to keep
himself "above the law" and superior to
the people of California.
It asked Brown to help enforce laws,
stop mass picketing and send national
Segregation
still alive
V
Almost half this country's minority
students still attend racially segregated
public schools a full 25 years after the
U.S. Supreme Court outlawed such discrimination . According to a· report is·
sued by the U.S . Civil Rights Commission on Feb . 13, 46 per cent of minority
school children still go to these "separ·
ate " institutions .
The commission accused Congress
and the Carter Admi nistration of weak·
ening the enforcement of federal policies that require desegregation. They
said that Carter has yet to mount an
all-out enforcement effort that will
make it clear that the nation is firmly
committed to the goal of insuring equal
educational opportunities.
The most segregated schools of the
16,000 school districts surveyed, were
found to be those in the north-central
and northeast l,J .S. - 68 and 65 per cent
respectively.
Brown to speak
at conference
(---'-=-_U_F_
-. W_a_s_ks_._fo_r_h_el_p~~J
The plea for food and money to help
farmworkers on strike in Huron has
again been issued . Contributions are
urgently needed by these local United
Farm workers .
Donations may be left at the La Raza
Studies office in SR 4, room 118. For
more information call 487-2848 or con-
- FLASH!-Cesar Chavez
scheduled-to
speak at Huron
Rally and March
tomorrow.
Brown has also been under attack b1
acting Governor Mike Curb because r:i.
his close ties with Cesar Chavez and
for attending the fu neral of the slain
farmworker , Rufino Contreras.
Curb, who said he supports the
growers in the current dispute, said if
he was Gove rnor he would send the
National Guard into the fields.
-♦lf___A,rdiKtt ••
. The uni~n is demanding a 40 percent
increase rn wages plus piece rate
wages. The growers are offering raises
up to se.ven percent in each year of a
three year contract.
The reason UFW members are striking for more than a seven percent increase, according to Marc Grossman a
UFW spokesman, is that "due to infiation and the spiralling cost of living ,
workers are realizing less earning power now then they had eight years ago ."
guard riot control troops into the fields
It also asked t hat Brown use his politi•
cal influence with Cesar Chavez to
have him end the stri ke. A picture accompanying t he ad showed "rioting
farmworkers " overturning a lettuce
loader during t he " Imperial Valley Ri•
ots ."
·
tact Ben Bustos at 251-9380.
Mecha President Priscilla Contreras
has also requested that each Chicano
group on campus contribute food and at
least $25 per group for the strikers .
She may be contacted through the La
Raza Studies office.
"Excellence in Primary Care-Rural
Approaches" will be the theme of the
Second National Conference on Rural
Primary Care to be held in Fresno,
March 19-22.
The conference, to be held at the
downtown Sheraton Inn, will feature
top local, state, and national speakers
in the medical and health care fields ,
as well as Governor Edmund C . Brown .
For more information contact the
California Rural Health Federation at
268-9644.
Remember the
Alamo-Page 3
Alvarado In
The Running
-Page 4
. .. "
_. varado runs toward the City Council ,while Vazquez speaks for Chicanos
Vazquez: A
visible Chicano
-Page 5
Poetry:Hija
de Aztlan
-Page 6
La Huelga
spreads to the
Valley
-Page 8
a.avoz•Azttan
MardtS,'lffl
Conieritafio&1·
,..
....
....
AIVaFado for
City Council
'' Most local elections seem so trivial
we sometimes don ' t take the time
to learn the issues, much less take the
time to vote. But, tomorrow we should
pay very close attention to the city
elections.
In the race for the City Council ,
District 5, it is important we get
involved.
A responsible, young
Chicano, Leonel Alvarado is making
a run for the Roosevelt-area post,
and we should all help him get elected .
We should help him win, not just
because he is a Chicano and would
provide the only Raza voice on the
council, but because he is the superior
.,,
candidate. His opponents have ~II
issued the same weak goals and bland
generalities , but Alvarado has spoken
clearly and seeks genuine progress .
He favors affirmative action programs, closer ties with Mexico, and
supports La Causa of the United Farmworkers.
Alvarado could provide
Chicano leadership that is sorely
needed.
If you, too \)'ant La Raza to gain a
responsible voice, call and visit
Alvarado' s campaign headquarters
at 1822 Van Ness Avenue and volunteer
to help get out the vote .' Help today,
tomorrow it will be too late.
Sat. Night Live tunis into
Sat. Night Racist
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Two weeks ago the late night NBC
program "Saturday Night Live" crossed
the line separating good taste and
plunged into offensiveness. It was not
the first time that the show had done
this but, it was bad because it blindly
helped spread stereotypes about Chicanos .
A skit that starred regulars Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and guest host, Rick
Nelson acted out an imaginary game
show called "Quien es mas macho?"
The skit was conducted •in broken
Spanish-language by all three. All
three were dressed in outlandish garb,
used wild gestures and expressions,
and the men had their hair greased
back.
La Vaz de Aztlan la published by thE
Associated Students at C&llfornla StatE
University, Fresno and the newapape1
staff. Unsigned ,editorials are the oplnl
ons of the La Voz staff,·and not necessarily the views of the Associated Stu
dents, CSUF or the State of California.
Editor... Richard Aguirre
Photography ... George Aguirre, RlcardtJ
Pimentel. Luoe Mora.
.Art . . .Alvino Franco, Arturo Ocampo
Heporters ... Dora Lara, Margarita Mar
tlnez, Octavio Yescas.
Contributors ... Felix Contreras, Artirc
Ocampo, Elvia Ruiz, Dianne So//s, Ri
cardo Pimentel.
The goal of the game show was to
pick the most macho male between
guest personalities . But, even before
the first round could be finished,
series regular Dan Ackroyd, who portrayed FBI man Elliot Ness, broke in.
He told the three that they were under
arrest for being "illegal aliens."
When the contestants protested that
they had their "papeles", Ackroyd told
them to shut up and to take up the matter with the lmmigraton and Naturalization Service.
Ackroyd then ordered his men to look
around for more "illegals ." His agents
poked around the set and came up with
three or four other "Mexicans ." But,
these suspects looked like the stereotypiqtl Mexicans portrayed in U.S.
western films. They wore huge sombreros, had mustaches, wore peasant
garb, and had expressions of absolute
terror on their faces.
Before they were all led away,
Radner commented that "Elliot Ness
es muy macho." But Murray quickly
1 corrected her by saying: "Elliot Ness es
muy macho, pero el Departmento de
lmmigracion es mas macho que todos!"
Besides being in poor taste, the skit
helped maintain damaging stereotypes about Chicanos . It made all Latinos look dumb, useless, defenseless,
. and pathetic .
There is a fine line between sharp
satiric co,nedy and poor taste . It seems
the staff of "Saturday Night Live" stepped over that line and tramped reek' lessly into irresponsibility and covert
, racism .
MEXtCO.
o.s. A.
When President Carter visited Mexico two weeks ago some protest
banners read: wearter viene a cambiar cacahuates por petroleo. w (Carter
is coming to exchange oil for peanuts.)
La Voz illustration by Albino Franco.
Carter snubbed by Chicano group
While President Carter was preparing to leave for Mexico two weeks ago,
top Chicano leaders were voicing their
opposition tci current U.S. policy, near
San Diego.
An estimated 1,500 mostly-Chicano
demonstrators met in Sari Ysidro, Ca.,
on Feb. 11. There, they protested Carter's trip to Mexico, current U.S. immigration policy, and a proposed fence
along three points of the border, designed to keep out Mexican citizens .
Henry Baca, of the Committee on
Chicano Rights, Inc., called the proposed fence a "symbol of racism and
discriminatfon against 16 million Chicanos."
THl;.MEANING OF
LA VOZ De AZTLAN
La Voz de Aztlan means "The voice
of Aztlan." Aztlan has been translated
by most historians to be th~ mythic~/
name of the Aztec (or Mex,ca or Ch,chimeca) people who held the area
around present-day Mexico City when
the Spaniards under Hernan Cortes
entered Mexico in 1519.
"This fence can only serve as a monument to the government ' s unwillingness and inability to resolve the immigration issue," Baca said . "Why isn't
there a fence between Canada and the
United States?"
"It's ridiculous to believe that a
six-mile fence along a 2,000-mile
border is going to stop anyone or is
going to ,'esolve the social, economic,
and political factors which make up
the immigration issue," Baca said.
The group turned down an invitation
to meet with Carter in Washington
before the Mexico trip and instead
chose to listen to Chicano leaders in
the Sunday afternoon rally and march.
In their native Nahuatl language,
Aztlan meant "the place of herons "
and also "the place they had ~ n
before. • Dr. Jose Canales of the CSUF
History Department said he has traced
the origins of the Aztecs, a migratory
tribe as far north as present-day St.
Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota .
To Chicanos, Aztlan is the name for
the entire Southwest -- our symbolic
homeland.
Marc:t.S,1"'
• ~..s: ._ ,,.
-
.. ~
h .. J
~ - ..;.
Reme.mbe.r tHe )\latno! The Anglo
history--more fiction than fact? ·
I.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Tomorrow marks the 143rd anniversary of the
Mexican victory over nTexansn at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
The history of that battle has been shrouded in myth ever since the
Republic of Texas became a state. U.S. historians and Hollywood filmmakers have portrayed that struggle as one between freedom-loving
Texans and cruel, oppressive Mexicans.
Needless to say, that view is inaccurate and those' misconceptions
should be cleared up. That biased account has made many Chicanos
feel a powerless conquered people in their own Southwest, far too
long.
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
In the spring of 1836, a small Franciscan chapel-fort in Texas would become the focal point of a battle between
forces that would eventually change the
character of the Southwest. There, a
small band of Mexicans, "Texians,"
and U.S. citizens would hold the Alamo
for 10 days against a huge Mexican
government army .
William Travis, James Bowie, Davy
Crockett and other "selfless heroes",
who fought to make Texas an independent Republic would be immortalized
in death. That in brief is the version
of "history" most Chicanos and other
Americans have been told .
But, a closer study of many historical accounts reveals that version to be
closer to a fictionalized Walt DisnevJohn Wayne tale, than to fact . The
Mexican side about the battle ot March
6, 1836 has been ignored .
can "was, or so the traders in the
Southwest reported, dirty, lazy, and
untrustworthy," said Quirk.
MEN AT ALAMO
The loyal Texian and Mexican forces had their first si,mificant encounter
at the Alamo. Foremost among the defenders there was William Barrett
Travis, the comm_ander and a 28-yea_rold lawyer who had illegaly entered
Mexican terrritory in 1831.
Rafael Trujillo Herrera in his book,
Olvidate de el Alamo said that Travis
was a murderer who had killed a man
who made advances to his wife. Travis
then, rather than confess, allowed a
slave to be tried and convicted for the
crime and fled to Texas alone .
Another defender, James Bowie, 40,
was a living legend because in brawls
he had killed dozens of men with the
famous knife designed by his brother,
according to the People's Almanac
II.
SANTAANA
During that time, Mexico was once
again in the grip of the evil dictator,
Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana (would
eventually rule the country 11 times) .
Santa Ana considered himself a European "'criollo," and mistreated the people of Mexico every time he gained
power.
But this time he had the support
of many as he marched northward
with a conscript army of 4000 and was
determined to squash the traitorous
colonists.
That revolt in Texas began as a
separatist movement by deposed liberal Mexicans . Soon immigrants from
the U.S . in the area also rallied around
the cry for independence.
ROOTS OF REBELLION
Some of the rebels had legally entered that Mexican territory with Stephen
F. Austin 10 years earlier. Then they
had agreed to become Mexican citizens and abide by the laws . But now
the "Texia ns " wanted their own Republic and demanded: the right to own
slaves; that other U.S. settlers to be admitted; the free importation of good_s
from the U.S.; and for greater poli tica l freedom .
There we re also psychological reasons for the uprising . According to
Phillip Russel in his book, Mexico in
Transition , the Texans "saw themselves to be morally, intellecturally,
and politically superior to the Mexicans .
"To the Americans , the Mexican was
cruel and cowardly .. . " said Robert
Quirk in his book, Mexico . The Mexi-
Bowie had "made a fortune running
slaves and had wandered into Texas
searching for lost mines and more money, " said Rodolfo Acuna in his book
Occupied America. The People's Almanac said that Bowie apparently did
end up making a small fortune,·through
"illegal land speculation which had netted him nearly a million acres in
Texas."
But probably the most famous man
at the Alamo was Davy Crockett, the·
former Indian fighter, bear hunter and
Conaressman from Tennessee. The
People's Almanac said that after
Crockett was defeated for re-election
he told his constituents to "'go to hell"'
and left for Texas with 12 men. There
he assumed the rank of private in the
rebel forces.
The men he brought with him, doctors, lawyers, and engineers,. sought
cheap lands and fortune, despite popular accounts that say they came only to
fight.
On arriving at the Alamo Crockett
is reported to have said: "We heard you
were having trouble with the likes of
old Santy Anny (Pres. Santa Ana)
and we 'lowed as how we might help
you since we like a good fight."
ILLEGAL ALIENS
Of the battle of the Alamo, popular
history reported that it was a noble
fight by the brave Texans. Actually it
was not much of a fight and was not
waged entirely by "Texans."
"At the Alamo,"' two-thirds of the
defenders were recent arrivals from the
United States, and only a half dozen
had been in Texas for more than six
years," according to Acuna. As Phillip
Russell said in his book, "a large proportion of the Alamo defenders were to
use the current term, illegal aliens ."'
And most did not come to the Alamo
to give up their lives to buy more time
for their comrades and fight for the
Texan cause. Most came for fortune
and glory and only a handful came to
actually fight .
"The facts are that the Alamo had
little strategic value, the men fully expected help, and the Alamo was the
best fortified fort west of the Mississippi/ said Aq.ma. And while the defenders only numbered about 180, they
had 21 cannons to the Mexicans' eight
or ten .
MORE TEXAN ADVANTAGES
From the fort the Texan marksmen,
who were armed with superior rifles,
could easily pick off weary Mexican
troops, who had travelled hundreds of
miles over hot, arid desert to get to
the battle. The Texans defended famiIiar J;1round against an army from a nation was undergoing economic, socical and po!itical chaos.
The battle began as a seige, but soon
General Santa Ana sent wave after
wave of soldiers against the welldefended fort. On March 6 the final
assault began at 5 a.m. By 8 a.m. the
Alamo was taken and the last surrendering defenders were executed.
Despite claims to the contrary,
Rodolfo Acuna said the battle was a
minor one. Santa Ana was delayed only
four days in his northwest drive . "It
represented a battle where two fools
engaged in useless conflict," Acuna
said.
ALLEGED HEROISM
Before sucumbing to the Mexican
forces, the Texans killed and wounded
1,544 Mexicans, and earned a place
in history as courageous heroes. The
People's Alamanac said Crockett was
"a man full of humor and unafraid of
death. He would fall near the end of the
battle, along with two of his men and
17 Mexican soldiers, near the chapel
wall."
However, according to Walter Lord
in Myths. and Realities of the Alamo,
"Crockett did not fall at the end like a
tiger killing "Meskins" with his bare
hands . Lord said "seven of the defenders surrendered, and Crockett was
among them . They were executed."
SeePage4
Pa1e4
March s, 197'
u Voz de Aztlan
Alvarado running~
for
Fresno(:hicanos
.
CIT\ OF J'JH; 5V)
l,rt-\ ... (1 !O(\ti
'
\
l.
t
!,·
-\Ut•}ft'-1•
'♦
•
> •. :;.c~
•
~.tr~\,;,,-.;_• -~:
When the voters go to the polls
tomorrow to vote in the city elections
they may be deciding more than
the political fate of City Council
candidate Leonel Alvarado.
The
voters may also be issuing a statement
to all future Chicano political hopefuls.
Alvarado, 34, is running for election
to Post 5, the Roosevelt High
school district. It elected he would
be the only Chicano on the city council
and would provide virtually the only
voice for La Raza in· ·· Fresno.
He is running against Elvin C.
Bell, a 14-year veteran of the council,
Gerald W. Bud Jones, and J. lrmie.
A Fresno Bee poll that was published
in Sunday's newspaper showed
Alvarado leading Bell by a slight
margin. But, a large sector, 46.8
percent, were still undecided.
If the turnout in the election is
high, Alvarado could stand a good
chance of being elected. But, among
Chicanos, low election day turnout,
and low voter registration have
plagued Chicanos for decades.
Supervisor Bruce Bronzan and Leonel Alvarado plan Tuesday's campaign strategy.
And, that electoral process is the
only way Chicanos can gain power,
according to Alvarado.
"people
must be registered to vote--people
have to go out and vote."
from the FETC, but has said ttiat
if elected would resign from that
post to avoid conflicts of interest.
Alvarado is a lifelong resident of
Fresno and executive director of the
Fresno Employment and Training
Commission and management consultant. He entered the race for
many reasons .
Alvarado said that Fresno is in the
same stage in its development as
San Jose was 15 years_ago. He said
that during this period a balance
must be struck to allow "orderly
growth."
"It was several reasons," he said .
"One, we suffered a severe setback
as a result of Proposition 13, and I
thought there had to be a way to get
a Chicano elected to City Council,"
said Alvarado.
•
Alvarado said he would use 'this
philosophy when voting on the proposed Macy's department store planned for Fresno St. at Shaw Ave.
That location has raised the ire of
many who believe that North Fresno
is growing too rapidTy.
"I think alot of people are cynical
about government," and that's bad
said Alvarado. "We have to change
government for the better before
government changes us for the
worse."
Alvarado worked his way through
high school and college, graduating
from CSUF in 1973 with honors,
and a degree in Bu~iness Administration .
He also served in th~ U.S.Army,
rising from the rank of private to First
Lieutenant. In Vietnam he was a
combat infantry commander and won
the Bronze Star, Army Commendation
Medal, and the Purple Heart.
Later he served in the county
adll'inistrative office and with the
state as migrant a 1~ rural affairs
coordinator. He is n1~ on leave
"I like Macy's stores personally,"
said Alvarado, and "we need a Macy's
store in Fresno, "but the location
they chose is inappropriate."
In his drive to City Hall, Alvarado
has collected the support of Congressman Tony Coehlo, Assemblyman
Jim Costa, Supervisors Bruce Bronzan
and John Donaldson, Mayor Dan
Whitehurst, and City Council members
Linda Mack and Joe Williams.
He has also been endorsed by the
Amalgameted Transit union, the
AFSCME, COPE-AFL-CIO, the
Democratic Coalition of Fresno, the
La Raza Faculty at Fresno City
College, MAPA, and the CSUFchapter
ofMEChA .
It has been a tough campaign for
Alvarado. He has not only had to survive the ri~ors of a hectic campaign,
but has also had to battle claims
that he could not be a good councilman
for district 5.
One of his opponents, J . Imrie has
spoken out against Alvarado and Bell,
calling them "Carpetbaggers" for
moving to the District right before
the election in order to qualify
for the post.
*The changing district issue is
no issue," said Alvarado. "I don ' t
think being a life-long area resident
gives you a better understanding of
the problems of the district."
"I come from a background of
poverty," said Alvarado. "I feel I
will bring a new dimension to the
council."
Alvarado would without a doubt
bring a different type of voice to the
council.
Despite the conservative
wave sweeping the nation, Alvarado
is in favor of some typically liberal
causes--the
United
Farmworkers
movement, Affirmative Action programs in employment, and closer
ties with our southern neighbor,
Mexico.
" I think it is the people's right to
self-determination," to organize and
maintain farmworker unions said
Alvarado.
Of Affirmative Action Alvarado
said: "I believe that the work force
ought to represent the community
it serves ." And Alvarado said that
the U.S .and Mexico are linked by
economies and should seek closer
ties to deal with mutual problems .
When speaking of his major opponent, Elvin Bell, and his possible f.uture
as a new city councilman, Alvarado
is equally direct. _
.
"He's (Bell) been on the Ci~ Counc,_I
for a long time, it's time for a change_"
and, "If during my term I'm unable
to do a good job, "I won't run for
the City Council again .*
Remember
the Afumo!
More fiction
than fact
From Page3
Although there are reports that revisionists are now accurately rewriting
this chapter of Texas history the longtold myths have hurt all Chicanos.
False reports of evil Mexicans and
Texan heroes helped justify later U.S.
aggression . Even those Mexicans,
like Captain Juan Sequin, who fought
against the Mexicans at the Alamo
have been ignored in the roll call of
Texas Heroes .
Because of the myths and distortion
of history, the Alamo has proven to be a
symbolic, as well as historic event in
U.S. and Mexican history.
The incident paved the way for the
Mexican-American War. It also helped
fan hatred and mistrust of Mexicans
by U.S . citizens that many believe
is still in force against Chicanos in
the Southwest today.
March 5, 1979
Pages
La Voz de Aztla.,
~ictor Vazquez-- the Valley's
visible Chicano anchorman
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
A new wrinkle was thrown- into tne Fresno news media scene in December
when Victor Vazquez became the Valley's first regular Chicano television
co-anchor. (Channel 47, KJ EO, at 11
p.m.)
That move put the 26-year old University of Southern California graduate
into a highly visible position and open
to attack from both La Raza and nonChicanos.
"In this position you often times are
trapped between a rock and a hard
place ... ," said Vazquez," ...you can't
please everybody."
"I know there are people out there
watching me ... and J know that the people out there watching me can see who
I am. There's nothing that's going
to get rid of this 'cara de mestizo' I
have," sa.id Vazquez. "There's nothing
that's gonna get rid of my-last name."
"I sure hope 1'm coming across in
a way that people can be proud of me
and not embarrassed," he said. "I
know I gotta do my best."
It is apparent that Vazquez' contributions have begun to help KJ EOnews. "In the last ratings period we
had increased our audience by 100 oercent ... we' re growing,"' said Vazquez.
The native of Southern California
said he tries to keep an eye on news
that pertains to the Chicano community and pronounces names in Spanish
the way they "should" be pronounced.
He does so because he can read and
write and speak Spanish.
"I will make an attempt to pronounce
them (names) how they should be pronounced," said Vazquez. However,
doing so has at time not proved easy.
He has received calls from irate viewers who objected to the way he has said
some street or city names .
Even though complaints about pronunciation are pesky, they are minor in
comparison to barbs issued more directly at Vazquez. More serious and disturbing were critical remarks that implied that because he is a Chicano, he
"'I was very much into the Chicano
was unqualified and only got media
movement as a student," said Vazquez .
jobs because of his race .
"I was a member of MEChA, and I
.. It tQOk nie a little while to let that
was very involved in it ...
slide (negative comments)," said VazVazquez was in East Los Angeles
quez. "I know, and 1've learned who I during the riots of the 70's and said he
am and I know my capabilities," said
vividly remembered the death of L.A.
Vazquez.
Times correspondent Rueben Salazar
"It's about time that this business
at the hands of the police. "'I know what
started to open up, and however this
it's all about and I remember what the
business did open up to bring in Chicamovement is all about," said Vazquez.
nos, we're in now and I think a lot
Vazquez was born in El Paso, Texas,
of us have shown to be as capable as
but moved to Los Angeles with his famany other reporter," said Vazquez.
ily to attend junior high, high school
"I'm a professional journalist."
and college.
But, Vazquez has also been hit with
He got his first taste of journalism in
complaints by Chicanos who have comjunior high when he started his own
plained that he doesn't spend enough
newspaper, "Rottentales" (an alternatime covering news of the Chicano tive to the official school paper, "Cotcommunity.
tontales.) In high school he broadened
"That's where you' re damned if
his experiences by writing and taking
you do, damned if you don't," said
pictures for the school newspaper and
Vazquez. But, "'I don't gotta go out and
yearbook.
cover Chicano stories just to prove to
myself that I am a Chicano ... I know I
Vazquez got his first broadcast exam, .. said Vazquez.
perience at the University of Southern
Victor Vazquez-Channel 47·
--Photo by George Aguirre
California. At the time he was a copyboy and wire editor for the Los Angeles
Times . He began to save wire copy pertaining to Chicanos for weekend newsbriefs and did on a school radio show,
"'Ritmos Latinos ."
That broadcast was heard off campus
and he was soon hired away to put together the same newsbriefs for KTFPradio. During his last year at .USC he
was hired at KPFK-radio where he
stayed for two years .
J ust one-and-one-half years after
graduation, while at KPFK, he cap-
tured the prestigious "Golden Mike".
- radio's equivalent to the Oscar of
the movies. He won the award for feature news reporting in the Los Angeles
area for a series he broadcast of the incorporation of East L.A. in 1974.
.. That was a real thrill," said Vazquez. "It was that award that gave me
the confidence to go out and try to find
a job in television," said Vazquez.
.. I stayed there (KPFK) for two years
and then I wanted to get into televi-
s1on,"' said Vazquez. "I figured, well,
I've fiad some experience in the print
media, and I've had some experience
in the radio media and I wanted to get
some experience now in television,"
said Vazquez.
He was selected for a minority training program over dozens of applicants
and spent two years in Philadelphia as
an intern at a television station. He
then spent a year with an all-news radio
station there.
But, after three years he tired of the
East Coast and returned to Southern
California at radio station KWIZ in
Santa Ana.
Then in June, 1978, Vazquez came
to Fresno. He took a job as an oncamera reporter at CBS affiliate,
KFSN-TV, Channel 30. Vazquez was
not new to the area.
"I 'd been up here when Cesar Chavez was organizing." "I came up here
as a college student interested in the
farmworker's movement," said Vazquez.
But he stayed at Channel 30 for only
a few months, mostly because he got
a better offer at ABC affiliate, KJEOChannel 47, but also because he tired
of Channel 30's news program format
and marketing program.
He said that Channel 30, unlike
Channel 47, the co-anchors were given
more importance than the reporters
and put in the position of "telling all."
Vazquez was also critical of the advertising campaign of the Capital
Cities-owned station. He attributed
Channel 30's top ratings to an aggressive strategy of "selling" the co-anchors. "They've done a good job of selling" co-anchors John Wallace and
Nancy Osborne. They have sold the
newscast and news staff like any other
product, "like a hairspray,"' said Vazquez.
At Channel 47, Vazquez took the coanchor spot with J.C. Cooper on the
11 p.m . newscast. Now, besides
writing copy, he helps produce the
. newscast.
Vazquez said he enjoys the "Eyewitness News" format that is used at
Channel 47 and most ABC affiliates.
He said that format, which places
some reporters on the n'ews set, emphasizes the "eyewitness" aspect in
story-gathering and features more reporter involvement in the stories and
the program .
Vazquez also said he like his coworkers at Channel 47. "There's much
more comraderie here at 47," said
Vazquez. "'I 'II tell you we may be number three according to the ratings, but
we have more fun."
"There's a pleasure in putting this
show together and I think there's an
equal pleasure of being on the set to
say: 'Good evening, here's what's
happening,'"' said Vazquez.
In the future Vazquez said he would
like to help keep Channel 47 a "quality"
newscast and in turn help the station
grab a larger share of the ratings .
"I like television news," said Vaz.quez. "'TV news has proven to be pretty
good to me and vice-versa, I hope. "
_ _ _ _ __ _.._...,_ __,....,.,~,--==:::-:;..._.. __ ...,.....,..
March 5,-1"'
/
j
I
Hijo de los Aztecas
Warrior de Aztlan
By MARIA ANITA TORRES
la Voz Contributor
My hands crave for cultural murals
But yet they only paint red, white, and
blue.
I am torn between discontent and
shame.
I am asking you amigo to help me
Lift my head and restore my lost pride.
They tell me I am lazy
But it was I who nurtured this country.
Yes it was I who sweated in their
fields
Which once were my backyards .
I was a sheep who went astray
Pero ahora cuando yo digo,
"Yo Soy Chicano!"
Es de mi corazon .
And Old Man how I love celebrations
For I celebrate from my heart.
But whenever I display this beauty of
self-pride
I am called a loud drunk.
Look at me now Old Man
For I have learned through my own
people
That I am important to my Raza
And to Myself.
Old Man tell me who is wrong
And who is right?
Is it "me llamo Juan"
Or is it my name is John?
I miss the beauty of my language
Because I am drowning in English .
And my tacos are turning into sandwiches
And my sarape into a coat.
Yes you are right Old Man
Mexicanos are proud people who have
Fought long battles to survive .
My heart aches for cumbias y corridos
pero mis pies saben solamente los disco
steps.
Old Man I have searched and not
Found the answers to my troubled
questions.
Since I've become part of the system
I've felt empty and trouble minded.
It was yesterday when I decided that
It was time to cure my ugliness.
Today I shall seek answers
For my troubled questions .
For it is today I seek the Old Man.
For his wisdom represents that
Of an Aztec Warrior de Aztlan .
Viejo sabes que?
Me llamojuan
Y soy de Aztlan !
.........,
Mardi 5, 1979
Pqe7
,
i
--------Noticias de la Raza---------t
4
By DORA-LARA .
La Voz Writer
STATEWIDE CHICANO TOURNEY
j
A state-wide Chicano basketball
tournament has been set for April 2122 here in Fresno.
Sponsored by the Chicano Youth
Center, the tourney will include 16
teams in a single elimination competition .
Teams from Fresno, Hayward, Los
Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San
Jose, and Woodland will vie for the
awards .
LARAMA
La Rama is a medical association designed to help the Chicano student get
into a medical career. The student is
provided with financial aid information
and helped prepare
applications
concerning medical schools . Also available is information to help the student
stay in school .
For further information contact
Roberto V. Rubalcava at (415) 548-9300
or write to: La Rama, 2131 University
Avenue, Berkeley CA. 94704.
CREST GOES MEXICAN
IRS
Need help with Income Tax Forms?
The Internal Revenue Service is providing the community with assistance
in spanish between the hours of 8:30
to 4:30, Monday through Friday. .
·
For assistance call· toll free 1-800253-2023 . This assistance is on a trial
basis and if there is enough response,
these services will be continued.
RSVP
Recruiting Students Via Parents
(RSVP) is a project available to Chicano
students and their parents to help them
plan an educational future . It provides
cultural information, tours and visits to
CSUF and help filling out forms and .
applications . RSVP also offers personal
counselling and can help provide housing. For more information concerning
this project, call 487-2048.
CHIHUAHUA!
MEDICAL NEEDS IGNORED
Fresno's own Chihuahua, Inc., a
large manufacturer of Mexican foods,
was recently named one of the top
Latino companies in the country .
The health needs of Chicanos in the
San Joaquin Valley are not beim~ met
according to Octavio Colon of Reedley
and Tony Risco of Fresno.
The February issue of . Nuestro
magazine ranked Chihuahua 78th
among the top 100 latino-owned firms
in the U.S. All of the 100 had at least
In an article published in the Fresno
Bee Feb. 22, both men said that Chicanos are underrepresented on the Central California Health Systems Agency.
That six-county agency helps plan
health efforts for the federal government.
$3 million in sales of goods and services in 1978. Chihuahua, Inc., which
hires 120 people, had sales of.$3.8 million last year.
The piant, which is located at 718
F. St. in West Fresno, is the biggest
tortilla plant in the valley and was started by the Villegas brothers in 1948.
Colon, a member of that board. and
Risco of El Concilio de Fresno charged
that the special needs ot Chicanos were
being ignored. They said that since
Chicanos comprise 25 per cent of the
six-county population, Latinos should
have better representation.
Sears found guilty of violating
federal e01ploy01ent practices
able jobs; failing to hire blacks and/or
Spanish-surnamed Americans" for
jobs in certain stores "in proportion to
their rate of application"; relegating
Heinz may be able to boast 57 variwomen to lower-paying, less desirable
eties, but in a decision that was revealjobs and in some cases paying women
ed last week by the Equal Employment
less than" men and blacks less than
and Opportunity Commission, Sears
"Anglos* for the same work.
Roebuck & Co. was found to have vioThe EEOC investigated Sears'
lated federal hiring laws 69 different
employment practices and negotiated
ways in four years .
with the company over the disputed job
That decision was first ordered suppractices. By law the Commission was
pressed by the U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals last year after Sears sued to · required to seek a settlement with the
firm before making any public stateprevent disclosure of the report.
ments or issuing public statements .
The Commission found npatterns of
sex, race, and national origin discrimiBut, last month Sears broke the sination" at all levels of the firm. It was
lence when it filed a heavily publicized
responsible to believe, the study said, · civil suit against the Commission and
that the nation's largest retailer was
nine other civil rights and statistical
violating federal laws 69 specific ways .
agencies of the federal government.
According to the Washington Post,
Company spokesmen claimed that a
the alleged violations included : nremyriad of regulations made it imposstricting blacks and Spanish-surnamed
sible to effectively implement federal
Americans , to lower-paying less desiremployment mandates .
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Sears contended that it had always
strongly supported affirmative action
and had earmarked millions of dollars
toward the realization of equal employmentopportunity ..
The firm said it had increased hiring
of minorities 250 per cent in the last
13 years (19.9 per .cent of all .employees now). Sears also said that in management positions, minorities comprised 10.5 per cent and women 36 per
cent, through 1977.
The Washington Post reported that
the EEOC will soon go public with the
charges by taking the case to court.
And, despite Sears' claim to the contrary, the EEOC found that the firm
had an underrepresentation of women
and minorities in top level management.
Almost all major personnel decisions
at Sears "are made by a network of
. Anglo, male supervisors without the
benefit of objective standards,# the
Commission said.
Fresno recently gained its fourth
Spanish-language cinema with the purchase of the Crest Theatre by the 1170
Corporation of Southern California .
The theatre was recently sold by
Mann Theatres inc. of Los Angeles.
The Crest, built in 1949, is on Broadway Ave .
MINORITY STUDY
Backed by a $700,000 grant from the
Ford Foundation, a select nine-member
commission will soon study the current
status of minorities in U.S. higher
education.
The committee will gauge the progress made by the four main minority
groups (Blacks, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans) in recent
years, determine factors that hamper
their success in gaining access to higher education, and suggest steps for
theirfull participation in society.
Although minority enrollment in
two and four-year colleges has increased in recent years, minorities still represent only 9.7 per cent of higher education enrollment. Minorities comprise
16.1 per cent of the U.S . population.
Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native
Americans have lower rates of representation in college than Blacks. Prestudy research also indicates that minority enrollment tends to be concentrated in the lower levels of education the higher the class, the lower the representation (percentages) of minority
students.
CHICANO SURVEY
The National Chicano survey will
be taking place until late spring . The
primary purpose of the survey is to
get viewpoints and information relating to experiences of people of Mexican
descent.
Chicanos will be given the choice of
speaking either Spanish or English during interviews. Interviews will be conducted throughout approximately 42
different areas in the United States,
(including Fresno) .
This information may help provide
for an improvement of government policies and community services for
Chicanos . Knowledge of and an understanding of Chicanos and their specific
needs is the reason for the survey.
Page&
March s, 1979
La Voz de Aztlan
La Huelga enters seventh week
As the harvest winds down in the
The lettuce strike continues in full
Imperial Valley, the focus of the strike
force after seven weeks and the end appears nowhere in sight.
may shift to the lettuce harvest in AriThe strike has spawned many devezona and San Joaquin Valley. Chavez
traveled to San Luis, Arizona last week
lopments. Last week, Cesar Chavez
called on the public to boycott "Chiquifor a five hour rally . And he has asked
ta" Brand bananas . The plea was an efother farmworkers to join the strike
fort to put pressure on United Brands
aainst California lettuce producers.
Inc., owner of the banana company and
He told those attending the rally in
also Sun Harvest Inc., the largest of
Arizona that lettuce workers were the
the 11 lettuce companies being picketvictims of "racial exploitation." "They
ed.
think workers are just Mexicans and
Chavez ' call for a boycott came 10
they don't need any money because of
days after he personally took part in
how they live," said Chavez.
private bargaining talks with Sun HarOnly two growers are being affected
vest negotiators in Los Angeles. These
by the strike efforts in Arizona. Gary
talks, first seen as a breakthrough, pro-. Esquinelli, a Yuma grower, said he has
duced no progress .
been hurt by harmful leftover images of
Sun Harvest officials said that they
"Grapes of Wrath" workers. He stated
doubted the UFW's ability to effectivethat he was tired of the image of downly carry out the planned boycott of . trodded farmworkers kept under the
Chiquita bananas and other produce.
· thumb of the growers. He felt his oper· They felt the organizing machinery
ation should be considered a business
needed to carry out the country-wide
boycott was no longer under the control
of Chavez.
Saturday in El Centro an Imperial
County Superior Court Judge signed a
temporary restraining order limiting
picketing to 100 persons on Imperial
Valley farms ~ That was an effort, the
judge said, to prevent more violence.
He said that at times the UFW had
snown no desire to control the violence.
One man has been killed since the
beginning of the strike on January 19.
In addition 160 people have beet! arrested and at least 30 injured. And
Chavez has blamed the violence on
"police riots ."
Chavez, has also charged that the 28
lettuce growers have bargained in
bad faith by breaking contract talks . He
claims that growers created an impasse
in negotiations for their own benefit.
Yet the union has remained willing to
negotiate.
These charges will. be investigated
by the Agricultural Labor Relations
Board (ALRB), to decide what action,
if any, will be taken to break the impasse.
Two California lettuce growers met
with legislators last week, and asked
that the ALRB act be revised . They feel
that the decertification law has benefitted Cesar Chavez, and that his Union is
too strong.
The strike began at the peak of the
lettuce harvest season, after two .
months of negotiation failed to produce
a new contract to replace the one expired Jan1,1ary 1. Nearly $5 million
worth of lettuce is now rotting in the
fields .
The strike by over 4,000 UFW members affects 11 major growers and has
stopped the harvesting of 40 percent of
the nation's supply of winter lettuce.
like any other industry.
Since abandoning the bargaining
table growers and the UFW have tried
to reach the public, through aggressive
media campaigns.
Growers have launched a newspaper
advertising campaign designed to force
Governor Brown to put political pressure on Cesar Chavez.
One of the ads appeared March 2 in
the Fresno Bee and attacked Governor
Brown and Cesar Chavez. It blames
Brown for letting Chavez help him during his quest for the Presidency and
for letting Chavez nominate him in
the '76 Democratic Convention. It
accused Chavez of attempting to keep
himself "above the law" and superior to
the people of California.
It asked Brown to help enforce laws,
stop mass picketing and send national
Segregation
still alive
V
Almost half this country's minority
students still attend racially segregated
public schools a full 25 years after the
U.S. Supreme Court outlawed such discrimination . According to a· report is·
sued by the U.S . Civil Rights Commission on Feb . 13, 46 per cent of minority
school children still go to these "separ·
ate " institutions .
The commission accused Congress
and the Carter Admi nistration of weak·
ening the enforcement of federal policies that require desegregation. They
said that Carter has yet to mount an
all-out enforcement effort that will
make it clear that the nation is firmly
committed to the goal of insuring equal
educational opportunities.
The most segregated schools of the
16,000 school districts surveyed, were
found to be those in the north-central
and northeast l,J .S. - 68 and 65 per cent
respectively.
Brown to speak
at conference
(---'-=-_U_F_
-. W_a_s_ks_._fo_r_h_el_p~~J
The plea for food and money to help
farmworkers on strike in Huron has
again been issued . Contributions are
urgently needed by these local United
Farm workers .
Donations may be left at the La Raza
Studies office in SR 4, room 118. For
more information call 487-2848 or con-
- FLASH!-Cesar Chavez
scheduled-to
speak at Huron
Rally and March
tomorrow.
Brown has also been under attack b1
acting Governor Mike Curb because r:i.
his close ties with Cesar Chavez and
for attending the fu neral of the slain
farmworker , Rufino Contreras.
Curb, who said he supports the
growers in the current dispute, said if
he was Gove rnor he would send the
National Guard into the fields.
-♦lf___A,rdiKtt ••
. The uni~n is demanding a 40 percent
increase rn wages plus piece rate
wages. The growers are offering raises
up to se.ven percent in each year of a
three year contract.
The reason UFW members are striking for more than a seven percent increase, according to Marc Grossman a
UFW spokesman, is that "due to infiation and the spiralling cost of living ,
workers are realizing less earning power now then they had eight years ago ."
guard riot control troops into the fields
It also asked t hat Brown use his politi•
cal influence with Cesar Chavez to
have him end the stri ke. A picture accompanying t he ad showed "rioting
farmworkers " overturning a lettuce
loader during t he " Imperial Valley Ri•
ots ."
·
tact Ben Bustos at 251-9380.
Mecha President Priscilla Contreras
has also requested that each Chicano
group on campus contribute food and at
least $25 per group for the strikers .
She may be contacted through the La
Raza Studies office.
"Excellence in Primary Care-Rural
Approaches" will be the theme of the
Second National Conference on Rural
Primary Care to be held in Fresno,
March 19-22.
The conference, to be held at the
downtown Sheraton Inn, will feature
top local, state, and national speakers
in the medical and health care fields ,
as well as Governor Edmund C . Brown .
For more information contact the
California Rural Health Federation at
268-9644.
March 5, 1979
Remember the
Alamo-Page 3
Alvarado In
The Running
-Page 4
. .. "
_. varado runs toward the City Council ,while Vazquez speaks for Chicanos
Vazquez: A
visible Chicano
-Page 5
Poetry:Hija
de Aztlan
-Page 6
La Huelga
spreads to the
Valley
-Page 8
a.avoz•Azttan
MardtS,'lffl
Conieritafio&1·
,..
....
....
AIVaFado for
City Council
'' Most local elections seem so trivial
we sometimes don ' t take the time
to learn the issues, much less take the
time to vote. But, tomorrow we should
pay very close attention to the city
elections.
In the race for the City Council ,
District 5, it is important we get
involved.
A responsible, young
Chicano, Leonel Alvarado is making
a run for the Roosevelt-area post,
and we should all help him get elected .
We should help him win, not just
because he is a Chicano and would
provide the only Raza voice on the
council, but because he is the superior
.,,
candidate. His opponents have ~II
issued the same weak goals and bland
generalities , but Alvarado has spoken
clearly and seeks genuine progress .
He favors affirmative action programs, closer ties with Mexico, and
supports La Causa of the United Farmworkers.
Alvarado could provide
Chicano leadership that is sorely
needed.
If you, too \)'ant La Raza to gain a
responsible voice, call and visit
Alvarado' s campaign headquarters
at 1822 Van Ness Avenue and volunteer
to help get out the vote .' Help today,
tomorrow it will be too late.
Sat. Night Live tunis into
Sat. Night Racist
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Two weeks ago the late night NBC
program "Saturday Night Live" crossed
the line separating good taste and
plunged into offensiveness. It was not
the first time that the show had done
this but, it was bad because it blindly
helped spread stereotypes about Chicanos .
A skit that starred regulars Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and guest host, Rick
Nelson acted out an imaginary game
show called "Quien es mas macho?"
The skit was conducted •in broken
Spanish-language by all three. All
three were dressed in outlandish garb,
used wild gestures and expressions,
and the men had their hair greased
back.
La Vaz de Aztlan la published by thE
Associated Students at C&llfornla StatE
University, Fresno and the newapape1
staff. Unsigned ,editorials are the oplnl
ons of the La Voz staff,·and not necessarily the views of the Associated Stu
dents, CSUF or the State of California.
Editor... Richard Aguirre
Photography ... George Aguirre, RlcardtJ
Pimentel. Luoe Mora.
.Art . . .Alvino Franco, Arturo Ocampo
Heporters ... Dora Lara, Margarita Mar
tlnez, Octavio Yescas.
Contributors ... Felix Contreras, Artirc
Ocampo, Elvia Ruiz, Dianne So//s, Ri
cardo Pimentel.
The goal of the game show was to
pick the most macho male between
guest personalities . But, even before
the first round could be finished,
series regular Dan Ackroyd, who portrayed FBI man Elliot Ness, broke in.
He told the three that they were under
arrest for being "illegal aliens."
When the contestants protested that
they had their "papeles", Ackroyd told
them to shut up and to take up the matter with the lmmigraton and Naturalization Service.
Ackroyd then ordered his men to look
around for more "illegals ." His agents
poked around the set and came up with
three or four other "Mexicans ." But,
these suspects looked like the stereotypiqtl Mexicans portrayed in U.S.
western films. They wore huge sombreros, had mustaches, wore peasant
garb, and had expressions of absolute
terror on their faces.
Before they were all led away,
Radner commented that "Elliot Ness
es muy macho." But Murray quickly
1 corrected her by saying: "Elliot Ness es
muy macho, pero el Departmento de
lmmigracion es mas macho que todos!"
Besides being in poor taste, the skit
helped maintain damaging stereotypes about Chicanos . It made all Latinos look dumb, useless, defenseless,
. and pathetic .
There is a fine line between sharp
satiric co,nedy and poor taste . It seems
the staff of "Saturday Night Live" stepped over that line and tramped reek' lessly into irresponsibility and covert
, racism .
MEXtCO.
o.s. A.
When President Carter visited Mexico two weeks ago some protest
banners read: wearter viene a cambiar cacahuates por petroleo. w (Carter
is coming to exchange oil for peanuts.)
La Voz illustration by Albino Franco.
Carter snubbed by Chicano group
While President Carter was preparing to leave for Mexico two weeks ago,
top Chicano leaders were voicing their
opposition tci current U.S. policy, near
San Diego.
An estimated 1,500 mostly-Chicano
demonstrators met in Sari Ysidro, Ca.,
on Feb. 11. There, they protested Carter's trip to Mexico, current U.S. immigration policy, and a proposed fence
along three points of the border, designed to keep out Mexican citizens .
Henry Baca, of the Committee on
Chicano Rights, Inc., called the proposed fence a "symbol of racism and
discriminatfon against 16 million Chicanos."
THl;.MEANING OF
LA VOZ De AZTLAN
La Voz de Aztlan means "The voice
of Aztlan." Aztlan has been translated
by most historians to be th~ mythic~/
name of the Aztec (or Mex,ca or Ch,chimeca) people who held the area
around present-day Mexico City when
the Spaniards under Hernan Cortes
entered Mexico in 1519.
"This fence can only serve as a monument to the government ' s unwillingness and inability to resolve the immigration issue," Baca said . "Why isn't
there a fence between Canada and the
United States?"
"It's ridiculous to believe that a
six-mile fence along a 2,000-mile
border is going to stop anyone or is
going to ,'esolve the social, economic,
and political factors which make up
the immigration issue," Baca said.
The group turned down an invitation
to meet with Carter in Washington
before the Mexico trip and instead
chose to listen to Chicano leaders in
the Sunday afternoon rally and march.
In their native Nahuatl language,
Aztlan meant "the place of herons "
and also "the place they had ~ n
before. • Dr. Jose Canales of the CSUF
History Department said he has traced
the origins of the Aztecs, a migratory
tribe as far north as present-day St.
Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota .
To Chicanos, Aztlan is the name for
the entire Southwest -- our symbolic
homeland.
Marc:t.S,1"'
• ~..s: ._ ,,.
-
.. ~
h .. J
~ - ..;.
Reme.mbe.r tHe )\latno! The Anglo
history--more fiction than fact? ·
I.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Tomorrow marks the 143rd anniversary of the
Mexican victory over nTexansn at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
The history of that battle has been shrouded in myth ever since the
Republic of Texas became a state. U.S. historians and Hollywood filmmakers have portrayed that struggle as one between freedom-loving
Texans and cruel, oppressive Mexicans.
Needless to say, that view is inaccurate and those' misconceptions
should be cleared up. That biased account has made many Chicanos
feel a powerless conquered people in their own Southwest, far too
long.
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
In the spring of 1836, a small Franciscan chapel-fort in Texas would become the focal point of a battle between
forces that would eventually change the
character of the Southwest. There, a
small band of Mexicans, "Texians,"
and U.S. citizens would hold the Alamo
for 10 days against a huge Mexican
government army .
William Travis, James Bowie, Davy
Crockett and other "selfless heroes",
who fought to make Texas an independent Republic would be immortalized
in death. That in brief is the version
of "history" most Chicanos and other
Americans have been told .
But, a closer study of many historical accounts reveals that version to be
closer to a fictionalized Walt DisnevJohn Wayne tale, than to fact . The
Mexican side about the battle ot March
6, 1836 has been ignored .
can "was, or so the traders in the
Southwest reported, dirty, lazy, and
untrustworthy," said Quirk.
MEN AT ALAMO
The loyal Texian and Mexican forces had their first si,mificant encounter
at the Alamo. Foremost among the defenders there was William Barrett
Travis, the comm_ander and a 28-yea_rold lawyer who had illegaly entered
Mexican terrritory in 1831.
Rafael Trujillo Herrera in his book,
Olvidate de el Alamo said that Travis
was a murderer who had killed a man
who made advances to his wife. Travis
then, rather than confess, allowed a
slave to be tried and convicted for the
crime and fled to Texas alone .
Another defender, James Bowie, 40,
was a living legend because in brawls
he had killed dozens of men with the
famous knife designed by his brother,
according to the People's Almanac
II.
SANTAANA
During that time, Mexico was once
again in the grip of the evil dictator,
Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana (would
eventually rule the country 11 times) .
Santa Ana considered himself a European "'criollo," and mistreated the people of Mexico every time he gained
power.
But this time he had the support
of many as he marched northward
with a conscript army of 4000 and was
determined to squash the traitorous
colonists.
That revolt in Texas began as a
separatist movement by deposed liberal Mexicans . Soon immigrants from
the U.S . in the area also rallied around
the cry for independence.
ROOTS OF REBELLION
Some of the rebels had legally entered that Mexican territory with Stephen
F. Austin 10 years earlier. Then they
had agreed to become Mexican citizens and abide by the laws . But now
the "Texia ns " wanted their own Republic and demanded: the right to own
slaves; that other U.S. settlers to be admitted; the free importation of good_s
from the U.S.; and for greater poli tica l freedom .
There we re also psychological reasons for the uprising . According to
Phillip Russel in his book, Mexico in
Transition , the Texans "saw themselves to be morally, intellecturally,
and politically superior to the Mexicans .
"To the Americans , the Mexican was
cruel and cowardly .. . " said Robert
Quirk in his book, Mexico . The Mexi-
Bowie had "made a fortune running
slaves and had wandered into Texas
searching for lost mines and more money, " said Rodolfo Acuna in his book
Occupied America. The People's Almanac said that Bowie apparently did
end up making a small fortune,·through
"illegal land speculation which had netted him nearly a million acres in
Texas."
But probably the most famous man
at the Alamo was Davy Crockett, the·
former Indian fighter, bear hunter and
Conaressman from Tennessee. The
People's Almanac said that after
Crockett was defeated for re-election
he told his constituents to "'go to hell"'
and left for Texas with 12 men. There
he assumed the rank of private in the
rebel forces.
The men he brought with him, doctors, lawyers, and engineers,. sought
cheap lands and fortune, despite popular accounts that say they came only to
fight.
On arriving at the Alamo Crockett
is reported to have said: "We heard you
were having trouble with the likes of
old Santy Anny (Pres. Santa Ana)
and we 'lowed as how we might help
you since we like a good fight."
ILLEGAL ALIENS
Of the battle of the Alamo, popular
history reported that it was a noble
fight by the brave Texans. Actually it
was not much of a fight and was not
waged entirely by "Texans."
"At the Alamo,"' two-thirds of the
defenders were recent arrivals from the
United States, and only a half dozen
had been in Texas for more than six
years," according to Acuna. As Phillip
Russell said in his book, "a large proportion of the Alamo defenders were to
use the current term, illegal aliens ."'
And most did not come to the Alamo
to give up their lives to buy more time
for their comrades and fight for the
Texan cause. Most came for fortune
and glory and only a handful came to
actually fight .
"The facts are that the Alamo had
little strategic value, the men fully expected help, and the Alamo was the
best fortified fort west of the Mississippi/ said Aq.ma. And while the defenders only numbered about 180, they
had 21 cannons to the Mexicans' eight
or ten .
MORE TEXAN ADVANTAGES
From the fort the Texan marksmen,
who were armed with superior rifles,
could easily pick off weary Mexican
troops, who had travelled hundreds of
miles over hot, arid desert to get to
the battle. The Texans defended famiIiar J;1round against an army from a nation was undergoing economic, socical and po!itical chaos.
The battle began as a seige, but soon
General Santa Ana sent wave after
wave of soldiers against the welldefended fort. On March 6 the final
assault began at 5 a.m. By 8 a.m. the
Alamo was taken and the last surrendering defenders were executed.
Despite claims to the contrary,
Rodolfo Acuna said the battle was a
minor one. Santa Ana was delayed only
four days in his northwest drive . "It
represented a battle where two fools
engaged in useless conflict," Acuna
said.
ALLEGED HEROISM
Before sucumbing to the Mexican
forces, the Texans killed and wounded
1,544 Mexicans, and earned a place
in history as courageous heroes. The
People's Alamanac said Crockett was
"a man full of humor and unafraid of
death. He would fall near the end of the
battle, along with two of his men and
17 Mexican soldiers, near the chapel
wall."
However, according to Walter Lord
in Myths. and Realities of the Alamo,
"Crockett did not fall at the end like a
tiger killing "Meskins" with his bare
hands . Lord said "seven of the defenders surrendered, and Crockett was
among them . They were executed."
SeePage4
Pa1e4
March s, 197'
u Voz de Aztlan
Alvarado running~
for
Fresno(:hicanos
.
CIT\ OF J'JH; 5V)
l,rt-\ ... (1 !O(\ti
'
\
l.
t
!,·
-\Ut•}ft'-1•
'♦
•
> •. :;.c~
•
~.tr~\,;,,-.;_• -~:
When the voters go to the polls
tomorrow to vote in the city elections
they may be deciding more than
the political fate of City Council
candidate Leonel Alvarado.
The
voters may also be issuing a statement
to all future Chicano political hopefuls.
Alvarado, 34, is running for election
to Post 5, the Roosevelt High
school district. It elected he would
be the only Chicano on the city council
and would provide virtually the only
voice for La Raza in· ·· Fresno.
He is running against Elvin C.
Bell, a 14-year veteran of the council,
Gerald W. Bud Jones, and J. lrmie.
A Fresno Bee poll that was published
in Sunday's newspaper showed
Alvarado leading Bell by a slight
margin. But, a large sector, 46.8
percent, were still undecided.
If the turnout in the election is
high, Alvarado could stand a good
chance of being elected. But, among
Chicanos, low election day turnout,
and low voter registration have
plagued Chicanos for decades.
Supervisor Bruce Bronzan and Leonel Alvarado plan Tuesday's campaign strategy.
And, that electoral process is the
only way Chicanos can gain power,
according to Alvarado.
"people
must be registered to vote--people
have to go out and vote."
from the FETC, but has said ttiat
if elected would resign from that
post to avoid conflicts of interest.
Alvarado is a lifelong resident of
Fresno and executive director of the
Fresno Employment and Training
Commission and management consultant. He entered the race for
many reasons .
Alvarado said that Fresno is in the
same stage in its development as
San Jose was 15 years_ago. He said
that during this period a balance
must be struck to allow "orderly
growth."
"It was several reasons," he said .
"One, we suffered a severe setback
as a result of Proposition 13, and I
thought there had to be a way to get
a Chicano elected to City Council,"
said Alvarado.
•
Alvarado said he would use 'this
philosophy when voting on the proposed Macy's department store planned for Fresno St. at Shaw Ave.
That location has raised the ire of
many who believe that North Fresno
is growing too rapidTy.
"I think alot of people are cynical
about government," and that's bad
said Alvarado. "We have to change
government for the better before
government changes us for the
worse."
Alvarado worked his way through
high school and college, graduating
from CSUF in 1973 with honors,
and a degree in Bu~iness Administration .
He also served in th~ U.S.Army,
rising from the rank of private to First
Lieutenant. In Vietnam he was a
combat infantry commander and won
the Bronze Star, Army Commendation
Medal, and the Purple Heart.
Later he served in the county
adll'inistrative office and with the
state as migrant a 1~ rural affairs
coordinator. He is n1~ on leave
"I like Macy's stores personally,"
said Alvarado, and "we need a Macy's
store in Fresno, "but the location
they chose is inappropriate."
In his drive to City Hall, Alvarado
has collected the support of Congressman Tony Coehlo, Assemblyman
Jim Costa, Supervisors Bruce Bronzan
and John Donaldson, Mayor Dan
Whitehurst, and City Council members
Linda Mack and Joe Williams.
He has also been endorsed by the
Amalgameted Transit union, the
AFSCME, COPE-AFL-CIO, the
Democratic Coalition of Fresno, the
La Raza Faculty at Fresno City
College, MAPA, and the CSUFchapter
ofMEChA .
It has been a tough campaign for
Alvarado. He has not only had to survive the ri~ors of a hectic campaign,
but has also had to battle claims
that he could not be a good councilman
for district 5.
One of his opponents, J . Imrie has
spoken out against Alvarado and Bell,
calling them "Carpetbaggers" for
moving to the District right before
the election in order to qualify
for the post.
*The changing district issue is
no issue," said Alvarado. "I don ' t
think being a life-long area resident
gives you a better understanding of
the problems of the district."
"I come from a background of
poverty," said Alvarado. "I feel I
will bring a new dimension to the
council."
Alvarado would without a doubt
bring a different type of voice to the
council.
Despite the conservative
wave sweeping the nation, Alvarado
is in favor of some typically liberal
causes--the
United
Farmworkers
movement, Affirmative Action programs in employment, and closer
ties with our southern neighbor,
Mexico.
" I think it is the people's right to
self-determination," to organize and
maintain farmworker unions said
Alvarado.
Of Affirmative Action Alvarado
said: "I believe that the work force
ought to represent the community
it serves ." And Alvarado said that
the U.S .and Mexico are linked by
economies and should seek closer
ties to deal with mutual problems .
When speaking of his major opponent, Elvin Bell, and his possible f.uture
as a new city councilman, Alvarado
is equally direct. _
.
"He's (Bell) been on the Ci~ Counc,_I
for a long time, it's time for a change_"
and, "If during my term I'm unable
to do a good job, "I won't run for
the City Council again .*
Remember
the Afumo!
More fiction
than fact
From Page3
Although there are reports that revisionists are now accurately rewriting
this chapter of Texas history the longtold myths have hurt all Chicanos.
False reports of evil Mexicans and
Texan heroes helped justify later U.S.
aggression . Even those Mexicans,
like Captain Juan Sequin, who fought
against the Mexicans at the Alamo
have been ignored in the roll call of
Texas Heroes .
Because of the myths and distortion
of history, the Alamo has proven to be a
symbolic, as well as historic event in
U.S. and Mexican history.
The incident paved the way for the
Mexican-American War. It also helped
fan hatred and mistrust of Mexicans
by U.S . citizens that many believe
is still in force against Chicanos in
the Southwest today.
March 5, 1979
Pages
La Voz de Aztla.,
~ictor Vazquez-- the Valley's
visible Chicano anchorman
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
A new wrinkle was thrown- into tne Fresno news media scene in December
when Victor Vazquez became the Valley's first regular Chicano television
co-anchor. (Channel 47, KJ EO, at 11
p.m.)
That move put the 26-year old University of Southern California graduate
into a highly visible position and open
to attack from both La Raza and nonChicanos.
"In this position you often times are
trapped between a rock and a hard
place ... ," said Vazquez," ...you can't
please everybody."
"I know there are people out there
watching me ... and J know that the people out there watching me can see who
I am. There's nothing that's going
to get rid of this 'cara de mestizo' I
have," sa.id Vazquez. "There's nothing
that's gonna get rid of my-last name."
"I sure hope 1'm coming across in
a way that people can be proud of me
and not embarrassed," he said. "I
know I gotta do my best."
It is apparent that Vazquez' contributions have begun to help KJ EOnews. "In the last ratings period we
had increased our audience by 100 oercent ... we' re growing,"' said Vazquez.
The native of Southern California
said he tries to keep an eye on news
that pertains to the Chicano community and pronounces names in Spanish
the way they "should" be pronounced.
He does so because he can read and
write and speak Spanish.
"I will make an attempt to pronounce
them (names) how they should be pronounced," said Vazquez. However,
doing so has at time not proved easy.
He has received calls from irate viewers who objected to the way he has said
some street or city names .
Even though complaints about pronunciation are pesky, they are minor in
comparison to barbs issued more directly at Vazquez. More serious and disturbing were critical remarks that implied that because he is a Chicano, he
"'I was very much into the Chicano
was unqualified and only got media
movement as a student," said Vazquez .
jobs because of his race .
"I was a member of MEChA, and I
.. It tQOk nie a little while to let that
was very involved in it ...
slide (negative comments)," said VazVazquez was in East Los Angeles
quez. "I know, and 1've learned who I during the riots of the 70's and said he
am and I know my capabilities," said
vividly remembered the death of L.A.
Vazquez.
Times correspondent Rueben Salazar
"It's about time that this business
at the hands of the police. "'I know what
started to open up, and however this
it's all about and I remember what the
business did open up to bring in Chicamovement is all about," said Vazquez.
nos, we're in now and I think a lot
Vazquez was born in El Paso, Texas,
of us have shown to be as capable as
but moved to Los Angeles with his famany other reporter," said Vazquez.
ily to attend junior high, high school
"I'm a professional journalist."
and college.
But, Vazquez has also been hit with
He got his first taste of journalism in
complaints by Chicanos who have comjunior high when he started his own
plained that he doesn't spend enough
newspaper, "Rottentales" (an alternatime covering news of the Chicano tive to the official school paper, "Cotcommunity.
tontales.) In high school he broadened
"That's where you' re damned if
his experiences by writing and taking
you do, damned if you don't," said
pictures for the school newspaper and
Vazquez. But, "'I don't gotta go out and
yearbook.
cover Chicano stories just to prove to
myself that I am a Chicano ... I know I
Vazquez got his first broadcast exam, .. said Vazquez.
perience at the University of Southern
Victor Vazquez-Channel 47·
--Photo by George Aguirre
California. At the time he was a copyboy and wire editor for the Los Angeles
Times . He began to save wire copy pertaining to Chicanos for weekend newsbriefs and did on a school radio show,
"'Ritmos Latinos ."
That broadcast was heard off campus
and he was soon hired away to put together the same newsbriefs for KTFPradio. During his last year at .USC he
was hired at KPFK-radio where he
stayed for two years .
J ust one-and-one-half years after
graduation, while at KPFK, he cap-
tured the prestigious "Golden Mike".
- radio's equivalent to the Oscar of
the movies. He won the award for feature news reporting in the Los Angeles
area for a series he broadcast of the incorporation of East L.A. in 1974.
.. That was a real thrill," said Vazquez. "It was that award that gave me
the confidence to go out and try to find
a job in television," said Vazquez.
.. I stayed there (KPFK) for two years
and then I wanted to get into televi-
s1on,"' said Vazquez. "I figured, well,
I've fiad some experience in the print
media, and I've had some experience
in the radio media and I wanted to get
some experience now in television,"
said Vazquez.
He was selected for a minority training program over dozens of applicants
and spent two years in Philadelphia as
an intern at a television station. He
then spent a year with an all-news radio
station there.
But, after three years he tired of the
East Coast and returned to Southern
California at radio station KWIZ in
Santa Ana.
Then in June, 1978, Vazquez came
to Fresno. He took a job as an oncamera reporter at CBS affiliate,
KFSN-TV, Channel 30. Vazquez was
not new to the area.
"I 'd been up here when Cesar Chavez was organizing." "I came up here
as a college student interested in the
farmworker's movement," said Vazquez.
But he stayed at Channel 30 for only
a few months, mostly because he got
a better offer at ABC affiliate, KJEOChannel 47, but also because he tired
of Channel 30's news program format
and marketing program.
He said that Channel 30, unlike
Channel 47, the co-anchors were given
more importance than the reporters
and put in the position of "telling all."
Vazquez was also critical of the advertising campaign of the Capital
Cities-owned station. He attributed
Channel 30's top ratings to an aggressive strategy of "selling" the co-anchors. "They've done a good job of selling" co-anchors John Wallace and
Nancy Osborne. They have sold the
newscast and news staff like any other
product, "like a hairspray,"' said Vazquez.
At Channel 47, Vazquez took the coanchor spot with J.C. Cooper on the
11 p.m . newscast. Now, besides
writing copy, he helps produce the
. newscast.
Vazquez said he enjoys the "Eyewitness News" format that is used at
Channel 47 and most ABC affiliates.
He said that format, which places
some reporters on the n'ews set, emphasizes the "eyewitness" aspect in
story-gathering and features more reporter involvement in the stories and
the program .
Vazquez also said he like his coworkers at Channel 47. "There's much
more comraderie here at 47," said
Vazquez. "'I 'II tell you we may be number three according to the ratings, but
we have more fun."
"There's a pleasure in putting this
show together and I think there's an
equal pleasure of being on the set to
say: 'Good evening, here's what's
happening,'"' said Vazquez.
In the future Vazquez said he would
like to help keep Channel 47 a "quality"
newscast and in turn help the station
grab a larger share of the ratings .
"I like television news," said Vaz.quez. "'TV news has proven to be pretty
good to me and vice-versa, I hope. "
_ _ _ _ __ _.._...,_ __,....,.,~,--==:::-:;..._.. __ ...,.....,..
March 5,-1"'
/
j
I
Hijo de los Aztecas
Warrior de Aztlan
By MARIA ANITA TORRES
la Voz Contributor
My hands crave for cultural murals
But yet they only paint red, white, and
blue.
I am torn between discontent and
shame.
I am asking you amigo to help me
Lift my head and restore my lost pride.
They tell me I am lazy
But it was I who nurtured this country.
Yes it was I who sweated in their
fields
Which once were my backyards .
I was a sheep who went astray
Pero ahora cuando yo digo,
"Yo Soy Chicano!"
Es de mi corazon .
And Old Man how I love celebrations
For I celebrate from my heart.
But whenever I display this beauty of
self-pride
I am called a loud drunk.
Look at me now Old Man
For I have learned through my own
people
That I am important to my Raza
And to Myself.
Old Man tell me who is wrong
And who is right?
Is it "me llamo Juan"
Or is it my name is John?
I miss the beauty of my language
Because I am drowning in English .
And my tacos are turning into sandwiches
And my sarape into a coat.
Yes you are right Old Man
Mexicanos are proud people who have
Fought long battles to survive .
My heart aches for cumbias y corridos
pero mis pies saben solamente los disco
steps.
Old Man I have searched and not
Found the answers to my troubled
questions.
Since I've become part of the system
I've felt empty and trouble minded.
It was yesterday when I decided that
It was time to cure my ugliness.
Today I shall seek answers
For my troubled questions .
For it is today I seek the Old Man.
For his wisdom represents that
Of an Aztec Warrior de Aztlan .
Viejo sabes que?
Me llamojuan
Y soy de Aztlan !
.........,
Mardi 5, 1979
Pqe7
,
i
--------Noticias de la Raza---------t
4
By DORA-LARA .
La Voz Writer
STATEWIDE CHICANO TOURNEY
j
A state-wide Chicano basketball
tournament has been set for April 2122 here in Fresno.
Sponsored by the Chicano Youth
Center, the tourney will include 16
teams in a single elimination competition .
Teams from Fresno, Hayward, Los
Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San
Jose, and Woodland will vie for the
awards .
LARAMA
La Rama is a medical association designed to help the Chicano student get
into a medical career. The student is
provided with financial aid information
and helped prepare
applications
concerning medical schools . Also available is information to help the student
stay in school .
For further information contact
Roberto V. Rubalcava at (415) 548-9300
or write to: La Rama, 2131 University
Avenue, Berkeley CA. 94704.
CREST GOES MEXICAN
IRS
Need help with Income Tax Forms?
The Internal Revenue Service is providing the community with assistance
in spanish between the hours of 8:30
to 4:30, Monday through Friday. .
·
For assistance call· toll free 1-800253-2023 . This assistance is on a trial
basis and if there is enough response,
these services will be continued.
RSVP
Recruiting Students Via Parents
(RSVP) is a project available to Chicano
students and their parents to help them
plan an educational future . It provides
cultural information, tours and visits to
CSUF and help filling out forms and .
applications . RSVP also offers personal
counselling and can help provide housing. For more information concerning
this project, call 487-2048.
CHIHUAHUA!
MEDICAL NEEDS IGNORED
Fresno's own Chihuahua, Inc., a
large manufacturer of Mexican foods,
was recently named one of the top
Latino companies in the country .
The health needs of Chicanos in the
San Joaquin Valley are not beim~ met
according to Octavio Colon of Reedley
and Tony Risco of Fresno.
The February issue of . Nuestro
magazine ranked Chihuahua 78th
among the top 100 latino-owned firms
in the U.S. All of the 100 had at least
In an article published in the Fresno
Bee Feb. 22, both men said that Chicanos are underrepresented on the Central California Health Systems Agency.
That six-county agency helps plan
health efforts for the federal government.
$3 million in sales of goods and services in 1978. Chihuahua, Inc., which
hires 120 people, had sales of.$3.8 million last year.
The piant, which is located at 718
F. St. in West Fresno, is the biggest
tortilla plant in the valley and was started by the Villegas brothers in 1948.
Colon, a member of that board. and
Risco of El Concilio de Fresno charged
that the special needs ot Chicanos were
being ignored. They said that since
Chicanos comprise 25 per cent of the
six-county population, Latinos should
have better representation.
Sears found guilty of violating
federal e01ploy01ent practices
able jobs; failing to hire blacks and/or
Spanish-surnamed Americans" for
jobs in certain stores "in proportion to
their rate of application"; relegating
Heinz may be able to boast 57 variwomen to lower-paying, less desirable
eties, but in a decision that was revealjobs and in some cases paying women
ed last week by the Equal Employment
less than" men and blacks less than
and Opportunity Commission, Sears
"Anglos* for the same work.
Roebuck & Co. was found to have vioThe EEOC investigated Sears'
lated federal hiring laws 69 different
employment practices and negotiated
ways in four years .
with the company over the disputed job
That decision was first ordered suppractices. By law the Commission was
pressed by the U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals last year after Sears sued to · required to seek a settlement with the
firm before making any public stateprevent disclosure of the report.
ments or issuing public statements .
The Commission found npatterns of
sex, race, and national origin discrimiBut, last month Sears broke the sination" at all levels of the firm. It was
lence when it filed a heavily publicized
responsible to believe, the study said, · civil suit against the Commission and
that the nation's largest retailer was
nine other civil rights and statistical
violating federal laws 69 specific ways .
agencies of the federal government.
According to the Washington Post,
Company spokesmen claimed that a
the alleged violations included : nremyriad of regulations made it imposstricting blacks and Spanish-surnamed
sible to effectively implement federal
Americans , to lower-paying less desiremployment mandates .
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Sears contended that it had always
strongly supported affirmative action
and had earmarked millions of dollars
toward the realization of equal employmentopportunity ..
The firm said it had increased hiring
of minorities 250 per cent in the last
13 years (19.9 per .cent of all .employees now). Sears also said that in management positions, minorities comprised 10.5 per cent and women 36 per
cent, through 1977.
The Washington Post reported that
the EEOC will soon go public with the
charges by taking the case to court.
And, despite Sears' claim to the contrary, the EEOC found that the firm
had an underrepresentation of women
and minorities in top level management.
Almost all major personnel decisions
at Sears "are made by a network of
. Anglo, male supervisors without the
benefit of objective standards,# the
Commission said.
Fresno recently gained its fourth
Spanish-language cinema with the purchase of the Crest Theatre by the 1170
Corporation of Southern California .
The theatre was recently sold by
Mann Theatres inc. of Los Angeles.
The Crest, built in 1949, is on Broadway Ave .
MINORITY STUDY
Backed by a $700,000 grant from the
Ford Foundation, a select nine-member
commission will soon study the current
status of minorities in U.S. higher
education.
The committee will gauge the progress made by the four main minority
groups (Blacks, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans) in recent
years, determine factors that hamper
their success in gaining access to higher education, and suggest steps for
theirfull participation in society.
Although minority enrollment in
two and four-year colleges has increased in recent years, minorities still represent only 9.7 per cent of higher education enrollment. Minorities comprise
16.1 per cent of the U.S . population.
Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native
Americans have lower rates of representation in college than Blacks. Prestudy research also indicates that minority enrollment tends to be concentrated in the lower levels of education the higher the class, the lower the representation (percentages) of minority
students.
CHICANO SURVEY
The National Chicano survey will
be taking place until late spring . The
primary purpose of the survey is to
get viewpoints and information relating to experiences of people of Mexican
descent.
Chicanos will be given the choice of
speaking either Spanish or English during interviews. Interviews will be conducted throughout approximately 42
different areas in the United States,
(including Fresno) .
This information may help provide
for an improvement of government policies and community services for
Chicanos . Knowledge of and an understanding of Chicanos and their specific
needs is the reason for the survey.
Page&
March s, 1979
La Voz de Aztlan
La Huelga enters seventh week
As the harvest winds down in the
The lettuce strike continues in full
Imperial Valley, the focus of the strike
force after seven weeks and the end appears nowhere in sight.
may shift to the lettuce harvest in AriThe strike has spawned many devezona and San Joaquin Valley. Chavez
traveled to San Luis, Arizona last week
lopments. Last week, Cesar Chavez
called on the public to boycott "Chiquifor a five hour rally . And he has asked
ta" Brand bananas . The plea was an efother farmworkers to join the strike
fort to put pressure on United Brands
aainst California lettuce producers.
Inc., owner of the banana company and
He told those attending the rally in
also Sun Harvest Inc., the largest of
Arizona that lettuce workers were the
the 11 lettuce companies being picketvictims of "racial exploitation." "They
ed.
think workers are just Mexicans and
Chavez ' call for a boycott came 10
they don't need any money because of
days after he personally took part in
how they live," said Chavez.
private bargaining talks with Sun HarOnly two growers are being affected
vest negotiators in Los Angeles. These
by the strike efforts in Arizona. Gary
talks, first seen as a breakthrough, pro-. Esquinelli, a Yuma grower, said he has
duced no progress .
been hurt by harmful leftover images of
Sun Harvest officials said that they
"Grapes of Wrath" workers. He stated
doubted the UFW's ability to effectivethat he was tired of the image of downly carry out the planned boycott of . trodded farmworkers kept under the
Chiquita bananas and other produce.
· thumb of the growers. He felt his oper· They felt the organizing machinery
ation should be considered a business
needed to carry out the country-wide
boycott was no longer under the control
of Chavez.
Saturday in El Centro an Imperial
County Superior Court Judge signed a
temporary restraining order limiting
picketing to 100 persons on Imperial
Valley farms ~ That was an effort, the
judge said, to prevent more violence.
He said that at times the UFW had
snown no desire to control the violence.
One man has been killed since the
beginning of the strike on January 19.
In addition 160 people have beet! arrested and at least 30 injured. And
Chavez has blamed the violence on
"police riots ."
Chavez, has also charged that the 28
lettuce growers have bargained in
bad faith by breaking contract talks . He
claims that growers created an impasse
in negotiations for their own benefit.
Yet the union has remained willing to
negotiate.
These charges will. be investigated
by the Agricultural Labor Relations
Board (ALRB), to decide what action,
if any, will be taken to break the impasse.
Two California lettuce growers met
with legislators last week, and asked
that the ALRB act be revised . They feel
that the decertification law has benefitted Cesar Chavez, and that his Union is
too strong.
The strike began at the peak of the
lettuce harvest season, after two .
months of negotiation failed to produce
a new contract to replace the one expired Jan1,1ary 1. Nearly $5 million
worth of lettuce is now rotting in the
fields .
The strike by over 4,000 UFW members affects 11 major growers and has
stopped the harvesting of 40 percent of
the nation's supply of winter lettuce.
like any other industry.
Since abandoning the bargaining
table growers and the UFW have tried
to reach the public, through aggressive
media campaigns.
Growers have launched a newspaper
advertising campaign designed to force
Governor Brown to put political pressure on Cesar Chavez.
One of the ads appeared March 2 in
the Fresno Bee and attacked Governor
Brown and Cesar Chavez. It blames
Brown for letting Chavez help him during his quest for the Presidency and
for letting Chavez nominate him in
the '76 Democratic Convention. It
accused Chavez of attempting to keep
himself "above the law" and superior to
the people of California.
It asked Brown to help enforce laws,
stop mass picketing and send national
Segregation
still alive
V
Almost half this country's minority
students still attend racially segregated
public schools a full 25 years after the
U.S. Supreme Court outlawed such discrimination . According to a· report is·
sued by the U.S . Civil Rights Commission on Feb . 13, 46 per cent of minority
school children still go to these "separ·
ate " institutions .
The commission accused Congress
and the Carter Admi nistration of weak·
ening the enforcement of federal policies that require desegregation. They
said that Carter has yet to mount an
all-out enforcement effort that will
make it clear that the nation is firmly
committed to the goal of insuring equal
educational opportunities.
The most segregated schools of the
16,000 school districts surveyed, were
found to be those in the north-central
and northeast l,J .S. - 68 and 65 per cent
respectively.
Brown to speak
at conference
(---'-=-_U_F_
-. W_a_s_ks_._fo_r_h_el_p~~J
The plea for food and money to help
farmworkers on strike in Huron has
again been issued . Contributions are
urgently needed by these local United
Farm workers .
Donations may be left at the La Raza
Studies office in SR 4, room 118. For
more information call 487-2848 or con-
- FLASH!-Cesar Chavez
scheduled-to
speak at Huron
Rally and March
tomorrow.
Brown has also been under attack b1
acting Governor Mike Curb because r:i.
his close ties with Cesar Chavez and
for attending the fu neral of the slain
farmworker , Rufino Contreras.
Curb, who said he supports the
growers in the current dispute, said if
he was Gove rnor he would send the
National Guard into the fields.
-♦lf___A,rdiKtt ••
. The uni~n is demanding a 40 percent
increase rn wages plus piece rate
wages. The growers are offering raises
up to se.ven percent in each year of a
three year contract.
The reason UFW members are striking for more than a seven percent increase, according to Marc Grossman a
UFW spokesman, is that "due to infiation and the spiralling cost of living ,
workers are realizing less earning power now then they had eight years ago ."
guard riot control troops into the fields
It also asked t hat Brown use his politi•
cal influence with Cesar Chavez to
have him end the stri ke. A picture accompanying t he ad showed "rioting
farmworkers " overturning a lettuce
loader during t he " Imperial Valley Ri•
ots ."
·
tact Ben Bustos at 251-9380.
Mecha President Priscilla Contreras
has also requested that each Chicano
group on campus contribute food and at
least $25 per group for the strikers .
She may be contacted through the La
Raza Studies office.
"Excellence in Primary Care-Rural
Approaches" will be the theme of the
Second National Conference on Rural
Primary Care to be held in Fresno,
March 19-22.
The conference, to be held at the
downtown Sheraton Inn, will feature
top local, state, and national speakers
in the medical and health care fields ,
as well as Governor Edmund C . Brown .
For more information contact the
California Rural Health Federation at
268-9644.
Remember the
Alamo-Page 3
Alvarado In
The Running
-Page 4
. .. "
_. varado runs toward the City Council ,while Vazquez speaks for Chicanos
Vazquez: A
visible Chicano
-Page 5
Poetry:Hija
de Aztlan
-Page 6
La Huelga
spreads to the
Valley
-Page 8
a.avoz•Azttan
MardtS,'lffl
Conieritafio&1·
,..
....
....
AIVaFado for
City Council
'' Most local elections seem so trivial
we sometimes don ' t take the time
to learn the issues, much less take the
time to vote. But, tomorrow we should
pay very close attention to the city
elections.
In the race for the City Council ,
District 5, it is important we get
involved.
A responsible, young
Chicano, Leonel Alvarado is making
a run for the Roosevelt-area post,
and we should all help him get elected .
We should help him win, not just
because he is a Chicano and would
provide the only Raza voice on the
council, but because he is the superior
.,,
candidate. His opponents have ~II
issued the same weak goals and bland
generalities , but Alvarado has spoken
clearly and seeks genuine progress .
He favors affirmative action programs, closer ties with Mexico, and
supports La Causa of the United Farmworkers.
Alvarado could provide
Chicano leadership that is sorely
needed.
If you, too \)'ant La Raza to gain a
responsible voice, call and visit
Alvarado' s campaign headquarters
at 1822 Van Ness Avenue and volunteer
to help get out the vote .' Help today,
tomorrow it will be too late.
Sat. Night Live tunis into
Sat. Night Racist
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Two weeks ago the late night NBC
program "Saturday Night Live" crossed
the line separating good taste and
plunged into offensiveness. It was not
the first time that the show had done
this but, it was bad because it blindly
helped spread stereotypes about Chicanos .
A skit that starred regulars Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, and guest host, Rick
Nelson acted out an imaginary game
show called "Quien es mas macho?"
The skit was conducted •in broken
Spanish-language by all three. All
three were dressed in outlandish garb,
used wild gestures and expressions,
and the men had their hair greased
back.
La Vaz de Aztlan la published by thE
Associated Students at C&llfornla StatE
University, Fresno and the newapape1
staff. Unsigned ,editorials are the oplnl
ons of the La Voz staff,·and not necessarily the views of the Associated Stu
dents, CSUF or the State of California.
Editor... Richard Aguirre
Photography ... George Aguirre, RlcardtJ
Pimentel. Luoe Mora.
.Art . . .Alvino Franco, Arturo Ocampo
Heporters ... Dora Lara, Margarita Mar
tlnez, Octavio Yescas.
Contributors ... Felix Contreras, Artirc
Ocampo, Elvia Ruiz, Dianne So//s, Ri
cardo Pimentel.
The goal of the game show was to
pick the most macho male between
guest personalities . But, even before
the first round could be finished,
series regular Dan Ackroyd, who portrayed FBI man Elliot Ness, broke in.
He told the three that they were under
arrest for being "illegal aliens."
When the contestants protested that
they had their "papeles", Ackroyd told
them to shut up and to take up the matter with the lmmigraton and Naturalization Service.
Ackroyd then ordered his men to look
around for more "illegals ." His agents
poked around the set and came up with
three or four other "Mexicans ." But,
these suspects looked like the stereotypiqtl Mexicans portrayed in U.S.
western films. They wore huge sombreros, had mustaches, wore peasant
garb, and had expressions of absolute
terror on their faces.
Before they were all led away,
Radner commented that "Elliot Ness
es muy macho." But Murray quickly
1 corrected her by saying: "Elliot Ness es
muy macho, pero el Departmento de
lmmigracion es mas macho que todos!"
Besides being in poor taste, the skit
helped maintain damaging stereotypes about Chicanos . It made all Latinos look dumb, useless, defenseless,
. and pathetic .
There is a fine line between sharp
satiric co,nedy and poor taste . It seems
the staff of "Saturday Night Live" stepped over that line and tramped reek' lessly into irresponsibility and covert
, racism .
MEXtCO.
o.s. A.
When President Carter visited Mexico two weeks ago some protest
banners read: wearter viene a cambiar cacahuates por petroleo. w (Carter
is coming to exchange oil for peanuts.)
La Voz illustration by Albino Franco.
Carter snubbed by Chicano group
While President Carter was preparing to leave for Mexico two weeks ago,
top Chicano leaders were voicing their
opposition tci current U.S. policy, near
San Diego.
An estimated 1,500 mostly-Chicano
demonstrators met in Sari Ysidro, Ca.,
on Feb. 11. There, they protested Carter's trip to Mexico, current U.S. immigration policy, and a proposed fence
along three points of the border, designed to keep out Mexican citizens .
Henry Baca, of the Committee on
Chicano Rights, Inc., called the proposed fence a "symbol of racism and
discriminatfon against 16 million Chicanos."
THl;.MEANING OF
LA VOZ De AZTLAN
La Voz de Aztlan means "The voice
of Aztlan." Aztlan has been translated
by most historians to be th~ mythic~/
name of the Aztec (or Mex,ca or Ch,chimeca) people who held the area
around present-day Mexico City when
the Spaniards under Hernan Cortes
entered Mexico in 1519.
"This fence can only serve as a monument to the government ' s unwillingness and inability to resolve the immigration issue," Baca said . "Why isn't
there a fence between Canada and the
United States?"
"It's ridiculous to believe that a
six-mile fence along a 2,000-mile
border is going to stop anyone or is
going to ,'esolve the social, economic,
and political factors which make up
the immigration issue," Baca said.
The group turned down an invitation
to meet with Carter in Washington
before the Mexico trip and instead
chose to listen to Chicano leaders in
the Sunday afternoon rally and march.
In their native Nahuatl language,
Aztlan meant "the place of herons "
and also "the place they had ~ n
before. • Dr. Jose Canales of the CSUF
History Department said he has traced
the origins of the Aztecs, a migratory
tribe as far north as present-day St.
Paul-Minneapolis, Minnesota .
To Chicanos, Aztlan is the name for
the entire Southwest -- our symbolic
homeland.
Marc:t.S,1"'
• ~..s: ._ ,,.
-
.. ~
h .. J
~ - ..;.
Reme.mbe.r tHe )\latno! The Anglo
history--more fiction than fact? ·
I.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Tomorrow marks the 143rd anniversary of the
Mexican victory over nTexansn at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
The history of that battle has been shrouded in myth ever since the
Republic of Texas became a state. U.S. historians and Hollywood filmmakers have portrayed that struggle as one between freedom-loving
Texans and cruel, oppressive Mexicans.
Needless to say, that view is inaccurate and those' misconceptions
should be cleared up. That biased account has made many Chicanos
feel a powerless conquered people in their own Southwest, far too
long.
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
In the spring of 1836, a small Franciscan chapel-fort in Texas would become the focal point of a battle between
forces that would eventually change the
character of the Southwest. There, a
small band of Mexicans, "Texians,"
and U.S. citizens would hold the Alamo
for 10 days against a huge Mexican
government army .
William Travis, James Bowie, Davy
Crockett and other "selfless heroes",
who fought to make Texas an independent Republic would be immortalized
in death. That in brief is the version
of "history" most Chicanos and other
Americans have been told .
But, a closer study of many historical accounts reveals that version to be
closer to a fictionalized Walt DisnevJohn Wayne tale, than to fact . The
Mexican side about the battle ot March
6, 1836 has been ignored .
can "was, or so the traders in the
Southwest reported, dirty, lazy, and
untrustworthy," said Quirk.
MEN AT ALAMO
The loyal Texian and Mexican forces had their first si,mificant encounter
at the Alamo. Foremost among the defenders there was William Barrett
Travis, the comm_ander and a 28-yea_rold lawyer who had illegaly entered
Mexican terrritory in 1831.
Rafael Trujillo Herrera in his book,
Olvidate de el Alamo said that Travis
was a murderer who had killed a man
who made advances to his wife. Travis
then, rather than confess, allowed a
slave to be tried and convicted for the
crime and fled to Texas alone .
Another defender, James Bowie, 40,
was a living legend because in brawls
he had killed dozens of men with the
famous knife designed by his brother,
according to the People's Almanac
II.
SANTAANA
During that time, Mexico was once
again in the grip of the evil dictator,
Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana (would
eventually rule the country 11 times) .
Santa Ana considered himself a European "'criollo," and mistreated the people of Mexico every time he gained
power.
But this time he had the support
of many as he marched northward
with a conscript army of 4000 and was
determined to squash the traitorous
colonists.
That revolt in Texas began as a
separatist movement by deposed liberal Mexicans . Soon immigrants from
the U.S . in the area also rallied around
the cry for independence.
ROOTS OF REBELLION
Some of the rebels had legally entered that Mexican territory with Stephen
F. Austin 10 years earlier. Then they
had agreed to become Mexican citizens and abide by the laws . But now
the "Texia ns " wanted their own Republic and demanded: the right to own
slaves; that other U.S. settlers to be admitted; the free importation of good_s
from the U.S.; and for greater poli tica l freedom .
There we re also psychological reasons for the uprising . According to
Phillip Russel in his book, Mexico in
Transition , the Texans "saw themselves to be morally, intellecturally,
and politically superior to the Mexicans .
"To the Americans , the Mexican was
cruel and cowardly .. . " said Robert
Quirk in his book, Mexico . The Mexi-
Bowie had "made a fortune running
slaves and had wandered into Texas
searching for lost mines and more money, " said Rodolfo Acuna in his book
Occupied America. The People's Almanac said that Bowie apparently did
end up making a small fortune,·through
"illegal land speculation which had netted him nearly a million acres in
Texas."
But probably the most famous man
at the Alamo was Davy Crockett, the·
former Indian fighter, bear hunter and
Conaressman from Tennessee. The
People's Almanac said that after
Crockett was defeated for re-election
he told his constituents to "'go to hell"'
and left for Texas with 12 men. There
he assumed the rank of private in the
rebel forces.
The men he brought with him, doctors, lawyers, and engineers,. sought
cheap lands and fortune, despite popular accounts that say they came only to
fight.
On arriving at the Alamo Crockett
is reported to have said: "We heard you
were having trouble with the likes of
old Santy Anny (Pres. Santa Ana)
and we 'lowed as how we might help
you since we like a good fight."
ILLEGAL ALIENS
Of the battle of the Alamo, popular
history reported that it was a noble
fight by the brave Texans. Actually it
was not much of a fight and was not
waged entirely by "Texans."
"At the Alamo,"' two-thirds of the
defenders were recent arrivals from the
United States, and only a half dozen
had been in Texas for more than six
years," according to Acuna. As Phillip
Russell said in his book, "a large proportion of the Alamo defenders were to
use the current term, illegal aliens ."'
And most did not come to the Alamo
to give up their lives to buy more time
for their comrades and fight for the
Texan cause. Most came for fortune
and glory and only a handful came to
actually fight .
"The facts are that the Alamo had
little strategic value, the men fully expected help, and the Alamo was the
best fortified fort west of the Mississippi/ said Aq.ma. And while the defenders only numbered about 180, they
had 21 cannons to the Mexicans' eight
or ten .
MORE TEXAN ADVANTAGES
From the fort the Texan marksmen,
who were armed with superior rifles,
could easily pick off weary Mexican
troops, who had travelled hundreds of
miles over hot, arid desert to get to
the battle. The Texans defended famiIiar J;1round against an army from a nation was undergoing economic, socical and po!itical chaos.
The battle began as a seige, but soon
General Santa Ana sent wave after
wave of soldiers against the welldefended fort. On March 6 the final
assault began at 5 a.m. By 8 a.m. the
Alamo was taken and the last surrendering defenders were executed.
Despite claims to the contrary,
Rodolfo Acuna said the battle was a
minor one. Santa Ana was delayed only
four days in his northwest drive . "It
represented a battle where two fools
engaged in useless conflict," Acuna
said.
ALLEGED HEROISM
Before sucumbing to the Mexican
forces, the Texans killed and wounded
1,544 Mexicans, and earned a place
in history as courageous heroes. The
People's Alamanac said Crockett was
"a man full of humor and unafraid of
death. He would fall near the end of the
battle, along with two of his men and
17 Mexican soldiers, near the chapel
wall."
However, according to Walter Lord
in Myths. and Realities of the Alamo,
"Crockett did not fall at the end like a
tiger killing "Meskins" with his bare
hands . Lord said "seven of the defenders surrendered, and Crockett was
among them . They were executed."
SeePage4
Pa1e4
March s, 197'
u Voz de Aztlan
Alvarado running~
for
Fresno(:hicanos
.
CIT\ OF J'JH; 5V)
l,rt-\ ... (1 !O(\ti
'
\
l.
t
!,·
-\Ut•}ft'-1•
'♦
•
> •. :;.c~
•
~.tr~\,;,,-.;_• -~:
When the voters go to the polls
tomorrow to vote in the city elections
they may be deciding more than
the political fate of City Council
candidate Leonel Alvarado.
The
voters may also be issuing a statement
to all future Chicano political hopefuls.
Alvarado, 34, is running for election
to Post 5, the Roosevelt High
school district. It elected he would
be the only Chicano on the city council
and would provide virtually the only
voice for La Raza in· ·· Fresno.
He is running against Elvin C.
Bell, a 14-year veteran of the council,
Gerald W. Bud Jones, and J. lrmie.
A Fresno Bee poll that was published
in Sunday's newspaper showed
Alvarado leading Bell by a slight
margin. But, a large sector, 46.8
percent, were still undecided.
If the turnout in the election is
high, Alvarado could stand a good
chance of being elected. But, among
Chicanos, low election day turnout,
and low voter registration have
plagued Chicanos for decades.
Supervisor Bruce Bronzan and Leonel Alvarado plan Tuesday's campaign strategy.
And, that electoral process is the
only way Chicanos can gain power,
according to Alvarado.
"people
must be registered to vote--people
have to go out and vote."
from the FETC, but has said ttiat
if elected would resign from that
post to avoid conflicts of interest.
Alvarado is a lifelong resident of
Fresno and executive director of the
Fresno Employment and Training
Commission and management consultant. He entered the race for
many reasons .
Alvarado said that Fresno is in the
same stage in its development as
San Jose was 15 years_ago. He said
that during this period a balance
must be struck to allow "orderly
growth."
"It was several reasons," he said .
"One, we suffered a severe setback
as a result of Proposition 13, and I
thought there had to be a way to get
a Chicano elected to City Council,"
said Alvarado.
•
Alvarado said he would use 'this
philosophy when voting on the proposed Macy's department store planned for Fresno St. at Shaw Ave.
That location has raised the ire of
many who believe that North Fresno
is growing too rapidTy.
"I think alot of people are cynical
about government," and that's bad
said Alvarado. "We have to change
government for the better before
government changes us for the
worse."
Alvarado worked his way through
high school and college, graduating
from CSUF in 1973 with honors,
and a degree in Bu~iness Administration .
He also served in th~ U.S.Army,
rising from the rank of private to First
Lieutenant. In Vietnam he was a
combat infantry commander and won
the Bronze Star, Army Commendation
Medal, and the Purple Heart.
Later he served in the county
adll'inistrative office and with the
state as migrant a 1~ rural affairs
coordinator. He is n1~ on leave
"I like Macy's stores personally,"
said Alvarado, and "we need a Macy's
store in Fresno, "but the location
they chose is inappropriate."
In his drive to City Hall, Alvarado
has collected the support of Congressman Tony Coehlo, Assemblyman
Jim Costa, Supervisors Bruce Bronzan
and John Donaldson, Mayor Dan
Whitehurst, and City Council members
Linda Mack and Joe Williams.
He has also been endorsed by the
Amalgameted Transit union, the
AFSCME, COPE-AFL-CIO, the
Democratic Coalition of Fresno, the
La Raza Faculty at Fresno City
College, MAPA, and the CSUFchapter
ofMEChA .
It has been a tough campaign for
Alvarado. He has not only had to survive the ri~ors of a hectic campaign,
but has also had to battle claims
that he could not be a good councilman
for district 5.
One of his opponents, J . Imrie has
spoken out against Alvarado and Bell,
calling them "Carpetbaggers" for
moving to the District right before
the election in order to qualify
for the post.
*The changing district issue is
no issue," said Alvarado. "I don ' t
think being a life-long area resident
gives you a better understanding of
the problems of the district."
"I come from a background of
poverty," said Alvarado. "I feel I
will bring a new dimension to the
council."
Alvarado would without a doubt
bring a different type of voice to the
council.
Despite the conservative
wave sweeping the nation, Alvarado
is in favor of some typically liberal
causes--the
United
Farmworkers
movement, Affirmative Action programs in employment, and closer
ties with our southern neighbor,
Mexico.
" I think it is the people's right to
self-determination," to organize and
maintain farmworker unions said
Alvarado.
Of Affirmative Action Alvarado
said: "I believe that the work force
ought to represent the community
it serves ." And Alvarado said that
the U.S .and Mexico are linked by
economies and should seek closer
ties to deal with mutual problems .
When speaking of his major opponent, Elvin Bell, and his possible f.uture
as a new city councilman, Alvarado
is equally direct. _
.
"He's (Bell) been on the Ci~ Counc,_I
for a long time, it's time for a change_"
and, "If during my term I'm unable
to do a good job, "I won't run for
the City Council again .*
Remember
the Afumo!
More fiction
than fact
From Page3
Although there are reports that revisionists are now accurately rewriting
this chapter of Texas history the longtold myths have hurt all Chicanos.
False reports of evil Mexicans and
Texan heroes helped justify later U.S.
aggression . Even those Mexicans,
like Captain Juan Sequin, who fought
against the Mexicans at the Alamo
have been ignored in the roll call of
Texas Heroes .
Because of the myths and distortion
of history, the Alamo has proven to be a
symbolic, as well as historic event in
U.S. and Mexican history.
The incident paved the way for the
Mexican-American War. It also helped
fan hatred and mistrust of Mexicans
by U.S . citizens that many believe
is still in force against Chicanos in
the Southwest today.
March 5, 1979
Pages
La Voz de Aztla.,
~ictor Vazquez-- the Valley's
visible Chicano anchorman
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
A new wrinkle was thrown- into tne Fresno news media scene in December
when Victor Vazquez became the Valley's first regular Chicano television
co-anchor. (Channel 47, KJ EO, at 11
p.m.)
That move put the 26-year old University of Southern California graduate
into a highly visible position and open
to attack from both La Raza and nonChicanos.
"In this position you often times are
trapped between a rock and a hard
place ... ," said Vazquez," ...you can't
please everybody."
"I know there are people out there
watching me ... and J know that the people out there watching me can see who
I am. There's nothing that's going
to get rid of this 'cara de mestizo' I
have," sa.id Vazquez. "There's nothing
that's gonna get rid of my-last name."
"I sure hope 1'm coming across in
a way that people can be proud of me
and not embarrassed," he said. "I
know I gotta do my best."
It is apparent that Vazquez' contributions have begun to help KJ EOnews. "In the last ratings period we
had increased our audience by 100 oercent ... we' re growing,"' said Vazquez.
The native of Southern California
said he tries to keep an eye on news
that pertains to the Chicano community and pronounces names in Spanish
the way they "should" be pronounced.
He does so because he can read and
write and speak Spanish.
"I will make an attempt to pronounce
them (names) how they should be pronounced," said Vazquez. However,
doing so has at time not proved easy.
He has received calls from irate viewers who objected to the way he has said
some street or city names .
Even though complaints about pronunciation are pesky, they are minor in
comparison to barbs issued more directly at Vazquez. More serious and disturbing were critical remarks that implied that because he is a Chicano, he
"'I was very much into the Chicano
was unqualified and only got media
movement as a student," said Vazquez .
jobs because of his race .
"I was a member of MEChA, and I
.. It tQOk nie a little while to let that
was very involved in it ...
slide (negative comments)," said VazVazquez was in East Los Angeles
quez. "I know, and 1've learned who I during the riots of the 70's and said he
am and I know my capabilities," said
vividly remembered the death of L.A.
Vazquez.
Times correspondent Rueben Salazar
"It's about time that this business
at the hands of the police. "'I know what
started to open up, and however this
it's all about and I remember what the
business did open up to bring in Chicamovement is all about," said Vazquez.
nos, we're in now and I think a lot
Vazquez was born in El Paso, Texas,
of us have shown to be as capable as
but moved to Los Angeles with his famany other reporter," said Vazquez.
ily to attend junior high, high school
"I'm a professional journalist."
and college.
But, Vazquez has also been hit with
He got his first taste of journalism in
complaints by Chicanos who have comjunior high when he started his own
plained that he doesn't spend enough
newspaper, "Rottentales" (an alternatime covering news of the Chicano tive to the official school paper, "Cotcommunity.
tontales.) In high school he broadened
"That's where you' re damned if
his experiences by writing and taking
you do, damned if you don't," said
pictures for the school newspaper and
Vazquez. But, "'I don't gotta go out and
yearbook.
cover Chicano stories just to prove to
myself that I am a Chicano ... I know I
Vazquez got his first broadcast exam, .. said Vazquez.
perience at the University of Southern
Victor Vazquez-Channel 47·
--Photo by George Aguirre
California. At the time he was a copyboy and wire editor for the Los Angeles
Times . He began to save wire copy pertaining to Chicanos for weekend newsbriefs and did on a school radio show,
"'Ritmos Latinos ."
That broadcast was heard off campus
and he was soon hired away to put together the same newsbriefs for KTFPradio. During his last year at .USC he
was hired at KPFK-radio where he
stayed for two years .
J ust one-and-one-half years after
graduation, while at KPFK, he cap-
tured the prestigious "Golden Mike".
- radio's equivalent to the Oscar of
the movies. He won the award for feature news reporting in the Los Angeles
area for a series he broadcast of the incorporation of East L.A. in 1974.
.. That was a real thrill," said Vazquez. "It was that award that gave me
the confidence to go out and try to find
a job in television," said Vazquez.
.. I stayed there (KPFK) for two years
and then I wanted to get into televi-
s1on,"' said Vazquez. "I figured, well,
I've fiad some experience in the print
media, and I've had some experience
in the radio media and I wanted to get
some experience now in television,"
said Vazquez.
He was selected for a minority training program over dozens of applicants
and spent two years in Philadelphia as
an intern at a television station. He
then spent a year with an all-news radio
station there.
But, after three years he tired of the
East Coast and returned to Southern
California at radio station KWIZ in
Santa Ana.
Then in June, 1978, Vazquez came
to Fresno. He took a job as an oncamera reporter at CBS affiliate,
KFSN-TV, Channel 30. Vazquez was
not new to the area.
"I 'd been up here when Cesar Chavez was organizing." "I came up here
as a college student interested in the
farmworker's movement," said Vazquez.
But he stayed at Channel 30 for only
a few months, mostly because he got
a better offer at ABC affiliate, KJEOChannel 47, but also because he tired
of Channel 30's news program format
and marketing program.
He said that Channel 30, unlike
Channel 47, the co-anchors were given
more importance than the reporters
and put in the position of "telling all."
Vazquez was also critical of the advertising campaign of the Capital
Cities-owned station. He attributed
Channel 30's top ratings to an aggressive strategy of "selling" the co-anchors. "They've done a good job of selling" co-anchors John Wallace and
Nancy Osborne. They have sold the
newscast and news staff like any other
product, "like a hairspray,"' said Vazquez.
At Channel 47, Vazquez took the coanchor spot with J.C. Cooper on the
11 p.m . newscast. Now, besides
writing copy, he helps produce the
. newscast.
Vazquez said he enjoys the "Eyewitness News" format that is used at
Channel 47 and most ABC affiliates.
He said that format, which places
some reporters on the n'ews set, emphasizes the "eyewitness" aspect in
story-gathering and features more reporter involvement in the stories and
the program .
Vazquez also said he like his coworkers at Channel 47. "There's much
more comraderie here at 47," said
Vazquez. "'I 'II tell you we may be number three according to the ratings, but
we have more fun."
"There's a pleasure in putting this
show together and I think there's an
equal pleasure of being on the set to
say: 'Good evening, here's what's
happening,'"' said Vazquez.
In the future Vazquez said he would
like to help keep Channel 47 a "quality"
newscast and in turn help the station
grab a larger share of the ratings .
"I like television news," said Vaz.quez. "'TV news has proven to be pretty
good to me and vice-versa, I hope. "
_ _ _ _ __ _.._...,_ __,....,.,~,--==:::-:;..._.. __ ...,.....,..
March 5,-1"'
/
j
I
Hijo de los Aztecas
Warrior de Aztlan
By MARIA ANITA TORRES
la Voz Contributor
My hands crave for cultural murals
But yet they only paint red, white, and
blue.
I am torn between discontent and
shame.
I am asking you amigo to help me
Lift my head and restore my lost pride.
They tell me I am lazy
But it was I who nurtured this country.
Yes it was I who sweated in their
fields
Which once were my backyards .
I was a sheep who went astray
Pero ahora cuando yo digo,
"Yo Soy Chicano!"
Es de mi corazon .
And Old Man how I love celebrations
For I celebrate from my heart.
But whenever I display this beauty of
self-pride
I am called a loud drunk.
Look at me now Old Man
For I have learned through my own
people
That I am important to my Raza
And to Myself.
Old Man tell me who is wrong
And who is right?
Is it "me llamo Juan"
Or is it my name is John?
I miss the beauty of my language
Because I am drowning in English .
And my tacos are turning into sandwiches
And my sarape into a coat.
Yes you are right Old Man
Mexicanos are proud people who have
Fought long battles to survive .
My heart aches for cumbias y corridos
pero mis pies saben solamente los disco
steps.
Old Man I have searched and not
Found the answers to my troubled
questions.
Since I've become part of the system
I've felt empty and trouble minded.
It was yesterday when I decided that
It was time to cure my ugliness.
Today I shall seek answers
For my troubled questions .
For it is today I seek the Old Man.
For his wisdom represents that
Of an Aztec Warrior de Aztlan .
Viejo sabes que?
Me llamojuan
Y soy de Aztlan !
.........,
Mardi 5, 1979
Pqe7
,
i
--------Noticias de la Raza---------t
4
By DORA-LARA .
La Voz Writer
STATEWIDE CHICANO TOURNEY
j
A state-wide Chicano basketball
tournament has been set for April 2122 here in Fresno.
Sponsored by the Chicano Youth
Center, the tourney will include 16
teams in a single elimination competition .
Teams from Fresno, Hayward, Los
Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San
Jose, and Woodland will vie for the
awards .
LARAMA
La Rama is a medical association designed to help the Chicano student get
into a medical career. The student is
provided with financial aid information
and helped prepare
applications
concerning medical schools . Also available is information to help the student
stay in school .
For further information contact
Roberto V. Rubalcava at (415) 548-9300
or write to: La Rama, 2131 University
Avenue, Berkeley CA. 94704.
CREST GOES MEXICAN
IRS
Need help with Income Tax Forms?
The Internal Revenue Service is providing the community with assistance
in spanish between the hours of 8:30
to 4:30, Monday through Friday. .
·
For assistance call· toll free 1-800253-2023 . This assistance is on a trial
basis and if there is enough response,
these services will be continued.
RSVP
Recruiting Students Via Parents
(RSVP) is a project available to Chicano
students and their parents to help them
plan an educational future . It provides
cultural information, tours and visits to
CSUF and help filling out forms and .
applications . RSVP also offers personal
counselling and can help provide housing. For more information concerning
this project, call 487-2048.
CHIHUAHUA!
MEDICAL NEEDS IGNORED
Fresno's own Chihuahua, Inc., a
large manufacturer of Mexican foods,
was recently named one of the top
Latino companies in the country .
The health needs of Chicanos in the
San Joaquin Valley are not beim~ met
according to Octavio Colon of Reedley
and Tony Risco of Fresno.
The February issue of . Nuestro
magazine ranked Chihuahua 78th
among the top 100 latino-owned firms
in the U.S. All of the 100 had at least
In an article published in the Fresno
Bee Feb. 22, both men said that Chicanos are underrepresented on the Central California Health Systems Agency.
That six-county agency helps plan
health efforts for the federal government.
$3 million in sales of goods and services in 1978. Chihuahua, Inc., which
hires 120 people, had sales of.$3.8 million last year.
The piant, which is located at 718
F. St. in West Fresno, is the biggest
tortilla plant in the valley and was started by the Villegas brothers in 1948.
Colon, a member of that board. and
Risco of El Concilio de Fresno charged
that the special needs ot Chicanos were
being ignored. They said that since
Chicanos comprise 25 per cent of the
six-county population, Latinos should
have better representation.
Sears found guilty of violating
federal e01ploy01ent practices
able jobs; failing to hire blacks and/or
Spanish-surnamed Americans" for
jobs in certain stores "in proportion to
their rate of application"; relegating
Heinz may be able to boast 57 variwomen to lower-paying, less desirable
eties, but in a decision that was revealjobs and in some cases paying women
ed last week by the Equal Employment
less than" men and blacks less than
and Opportunity Commission, Sears
"Anglos* for the same work.
Roebuck & Co. was found to have vioThe EEOC investigated Sears'
lated federal hiring laws 69 different
employment practices and negotiated
ways in four years .
with the company over the disputed job
That decision was first ordered suppractices. By law the Commission was
pressed by the U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals last year after Sears sued to · required to seek a settlement with the
firm before making any public stateprevent disclosure of the report.
ments or issuing public statements .
The Commission found npatterns of
sex, race, and national origin discrimiBut, last month Sears broke the sination" at all levels of the firm. It was
lence when it filed a heavily publicized
responsible to believe, the study said, · civil suit against the Commission and
that the nation's largest retailer was
nine other civil rights and statistical
violating federal laws 69 specific ways .
agencies of the federal government.
According to the Washington Post,
Company spokesmen claimed that a
the alleged violations included : nremyriad of regulations made it imposstricting blacks and Spanish-surnamed
sible to effectively implement federal
Americans , to lower-paying less desiremployment mandates .
By RICHARD AGUIRRE
Editor of La Voz
Sears contended that it had always
strongly supported affirmative action
and had earmarked millions of dollars
toward the realization of equal employmentopportunity ..
The firm said it had increased hiring
of minorities 250 per cent in the last
13 years (19.9 per .cent of all .employees now). Sears also said that in management positions, minorities comprised 10.5 per cent and women 36 per
cent, through 1977.
The Washington Post reported that
the EEOC will soon go public with the
charges by taking the case to court.
And, despite Sears' claim to the contrary, the EEOC found that the firm
had an underrepresentation of women
and minorities in top level management.
Almost all major personnel decisions
at Sears "are made by a network of
. Anglo, male supervisors without the
benefit of objective standards,# the
Commission said.
Fresno recently gained its fourth
Spanish-language cinema with the purchase of the Crest Theatre by the 1170
Corporation of Southern California .
The theatre was recently sold by
Mann Theatres inc. of Los Angeles.
The Crest, built in 1949, is on Broadway Ave .
MINORITY STUDY
Backed by a $700,000 grant from the
Ford Foundation, a select nine-member
commission will soon study the current
status of minorities in U.S. higher
education.
The committee will gauge the progress made by the four main minority
groups (Blacks, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans) in recent
years, determine factors that hamper
their success in gaining access to higher education, and suggest steps for
theirfull participation in society.
Although minority enrollment in
two and four-year colleges has increased in recent years, minorities still represent only 9.7 per cent of higher education enrollment. Minorities comprise
16.1 per cent of the U.S . population.
Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Native
Americans have lower rates of representation in college than Blacks. Prestudy research also indicates that minority enrollment tends to be concentrated in the lower levels of education the higher the class, the lower the representation (percentages) of minority
students.
CHICANO SURVEY
The National Chicano survey will
be taking place until late spring . The
primary purpose of the survey is to
get viewpoints and information relating to experiences of people of Mexican
descent.
Chicanos will be given the choice of
speaking either Spanish or English during interviews. Interviews will be conducted throughout approximately 42
different areas in the United States,
(including Fresno) .
This information may help provide
for an improvement of government policies and community services for
Chicanos . Knowledge of and an understanding of Chicanos and their specific
needs is the reason for the survey.
Page&
March s, 1979
La Voz de Aztlan
La Huelga enters seventh week
As the harvest winds down in the
The lettuce strike continues in full
Imperial Valley, the focus of the strike
force after seven weeks and the end appears nowhere in sight.
may shift to the lettuce harvest in AriThe strike has spawned many devezona and San Joaquin Valley. Chavez
traveled to San Luis, Arizona last week
lopments. Last week, Cesar Chavez
called on the public to boycott "Chiquifor a five hour rally . And he has asked
ta" Brand bananas . The plea was an efother farmworkers to join the strike
fort to put pressure on United Brands
aainst California lettuce producers.
Inc., owner of the banana company and
He told those attending the rally in
also Sun Harvest Inc., the largest of
Arizona that lettuce workers were the
the 11 lettuce companies being picketvictims of "racial exploitation." "They
ed.
think workers are just Mexicans and
Chavez ' call for a boycott came 10
they don't need any money because of
days after he personally took part in
how they live," said Chavez.
private bargaining talks with Sun HarOnly two growers are being affected
vest negotiators in Los Angeles. These
by the strike efforts in Arizona. Gary
talks, first seen as a breakthrough, pro-. Esquinelli, a Yuma grower, said he has
duced no progress .
been hurt by harmful leftover images of
Sun Harvest officials said that they
"Grapes of Wrath" workers. He stated
doubted the UFW's ability to effectivethat he was tired of the image of downly carry out the planned boycott of . trodded farmworkers kept under the
Chiquita bananas and other produce.
· thumb of the growers. He felt his oper· They felt the organizing machinery
ation should be considered a business
needed to carry out the country-wide
boycott was no longer under the control
of Chavez.
Saturday in El Centro an Imperial
County Superior Court Judge signed a
temporary restraining order limiting
picketing to 100 persons on Imperial
Valley farms ~ That was an effort, the
judge said, to prevent more violence.
He said that at times the UFW had
snown no desire to control the violence.
One man has been killed since the
beginning of the strike on January 19.
In addition 160 people have beet! arrested and at least 30 injured. And
Chavez has blamed the violence on
"police riots ."
Chavez, has also charged that the 28
lettuce growers have bargained in
bad faith by breaking contract talks . He
claims that growers created an impasse
in negotiations for their own benefit.
Yet the union has remained willing to
negotiate.
These charges will. be investigated
by the Agricultural Labor Relations
Board (ALRB), to decide what action,
if any, will be taken to break the impasse.
Two California lettuce growers met
with legislators last week, and asked
that the ALRB act be revised . They feel
that the decertification law has benefitted Cesar Chavez, and that his Union is
too strong.
The strike began at the peak of the
lettuce harvest season, after two .
months of negotiation failed to produce
a new contract to replace the one expired Jan1,1ary 1. Nearly $5 million
worth of lettuce is now rotting in the
fields .
The strike by over 4,000 UFW members affects 11 major growers and has
stopped the harvesting of 40 percent of
the nation's supply of winter lettuce.
like any other industry.
Since abandoning the bargaining
table growers and the UFW have tried
to reach the public, through aggressive
media campaigns.
Growers have launched a newspaper
advertising campaign designed to force
Governor Brown to put political pressure on Cesar Chavez.
One of the ads appeared March 2 in
the Fresno Bee and attacked Governor
Brown and Cesar Chavez. It blames
Brown for letting Chavez help him during his quest for the Presidency and
for letting Chavez nominate him in
the '76 Democratic Convention. It
accused Chavez of attempting to keep
himself "above the law" and superior to
the people of California.
It asked Brown to help enforce laws,
stop mass picketing and send national
Segregation
still alive
V
Almost half this country's minority
students still attend racially segregated
public schools a full 25 years after the
U.S. Supreme Court outlawed such discrimination . According to a· report is·
sued by the U.S . Civil Rights Commission on Feb . 13, 46 per cent of minority
school children still go to these "separ·
ate " institutions .
The commission accused Congress
and the Carter Admi nistration of weak·
ening the enforcement of federal policies that require desegregation. They
said that Carter has yet to mount an
all-out enforcement effort that will
make it clear that the nation is firmly
committed to the goal of insuring equal
educational opportunities.
The most segregated schools of the
16,000 school districts surveyed, were
found to be those in the north-central
and northeast l,J .S. - 68 and 65 per cent
respectively.
Brown to speak
at conference
(---'-=-_U_F_
-. W_a_s_ks_._fo_r_h_el_p~~J
The plea for food and money to help
farmworkers on strike in Huron has
again been issued . Contributions are
urgently needed by these local United
Farm workers .
Donations may be left at the La Raza
Studies office in SR 4, room 118. For
more information call 487-2848 or con-
- FLASH!-Cesar Chavez
scheduled-to
speak at Huron
Rally and March
tomorrow.
Brown has also been under attack b1
acting Governor Mike Curb because r:i.
his close ties with Cesar Chavez and
for attending the fu neral of the slain
farmworker , Rufino Contreras.
Curb, who said he supports the
growers in the current dispute, said if
he was Gove rnor he would send the
National Guard into the fields.
-♦lf___A,rdiKtt ••
. The uni~n is demanding a 40 percent
increase rn wages plus piece rate
wages. The growers are offering raises
up to se.ven percent in each year of a
three year contract.
The reason UFW members are striking for more than a seven percent increase, according to Marc Grossman a
UFW spokesman, is that "due to infiation and the spiralling cost of living ,
workers are realizing less earning power now then they had eight years ago ."
guard riot control troops into the fields
It also asked t hat Brown use his politi•
cal influence with Cesar Chavez to
have him end the stri ke. A picture accompanying t he ad showed "rioting
farmworkers " overturning a lettuce
loader during t he " Imperial Valley Ri•
ots ."
·
tact Ben Bustos at 251-9380.
Mecha President Priscilla Contreras
has also requested that each Chicano
group on campus contribute food and at
least $25 per group for the strikers .
She may be contacted through the La
Raza Studies office.
"Excellence in Primary Care-Rural
Approaches" will be the theme of the
Second National Conference on Rural
Primary Care to be held in Fresno,
March 19-22.
The conference, to be held at the
downtown Sheraton Inn, will feature
top local, state, and national speakers
in the medical and health care fields ,
as well as Governor Edmund C . Brown .
For more information contact the
California Rural Health Federation at
268-9644.