La Voz de Aztlan, August 17 1979
Item
Title
La Voz de Aztlan, August 17 1979
Creator
Associated Students of Fresno State
Relation
La Voz de Aztlan (Daily Collegian, California State University, Fresno)
Coverage
Fresno, California
Date
8/17/1979
Format
PDF
Identifier
SCUA_lvda_00105
extracted text
Trustee race heats •Up
·Hiraoka levels'charges of Chicano radsm
by Scott Lafee
u Voz Contributor
Sounding bitter and defensive, Harry
Hiraoka, a State Center Community Col-
lete District trustee, denounced Chiranos Wednesday as being "'vicious and
racist• after several Chicano organizations had accused Hiraoka of racism and
abusin1 his role in the SCCCD.
Hiraoka drew the wrath of minority
fGl'5 when he said in an Aug. 19
fl'IIIID Bee Article that he thought
Oliclnos lacked the ability to succeed.
1lle article quoted him ' as sayinJ,
• • can make it (on their own), some
can't This is the brown people's enigma rflllt now-they just don't have it.
TheBlacks are making strides. They are
eaptior.s.•
Hnaka defended the statement by
out that Blacks in the south are
taking on more and newer responsi- canos. You have to understand them.
bilities. "'Why"', he asked "'doesn't a They live by the mob rule."'
Chicano ever try to be vice-c'hancellor?"'
The normally quiet race, which ends
He denied that what he said was ra- on election day, Nov. 6, is bound to becist, saying it was merely "'a personal come even more volatile with the recent
observation."'
Instead, he accused announcement that Hiraoka will not go
the Chicano groups of being racist unopposed. Alexander Rendon; a junior
since they are making his statement a high school vice-principal with no pocampaign issue.
Speaking quickly and angrily, Hiraoka
Hiraoka t'tipshooting
charged the groups with harassment and
intimidation. He said his brother has
Editorial, pag~ 2
been receiving threatening phone calls
and he was being hounded by large, unruly sroups of Chicanos that attend litical experience, declared his candidacy
SCCCD board meetings.
· only two days ~fore the deadline to do
Asked why he thought minority so.
groups would resort to threats, Hiraoka
Rendon appears to be a man caught in
said, "'You don't know them. You're the middle of a crossfire. Admitting he
still too immature. I've been around for has no experience in politics and isn't a
more than 60 years. I grew up with Chi- "'politician,"' the Fowler resident is en-
tering the race simply because he "'is
very concerned about the community
college."
However, on one side he faces Hir,
aoka, an outspoken controversial veteran
with nearly 30 years of experience in
education. On the other side is the coalition of angry Chicano groups determined to oust Hiraoka. In the middle is
Rendon, who says, "I 'm not the type of
guy who wants to say anything bad about
anybody."
Bl.it verbal warfare and mudslinging
may be the dominant characteristic in
this year's race. Hiraoka, dropping
another bombshell, has said he favors
limiting community college enrollment
to students with grade point averages
of about 3 .5 or above.
He explained in the Bee article,
(continue<! on page 4)
,
Special Publication of The Daily Collegian
LA VOZ de AZTLAN
r:5_4-Jl'J
Monday
Aug. 17, 1979
I..
El Grito de Dolores -- Sept. 16
Editor's note -- Yesterday was a day of celebration. But do we really know what we 're celebr~ting? Mexican Independence Day serves
not only as a tie to our not-sa-distant past, but also a reminder that
the struggle continues. Dr. Jesus Luna, noted historian, explains
the significance of El Crito de Po/ores.
By Dr. Jesus Luna
La Raza Studies
· September 16, also known as El Grito de Delores (Shout at Dolores),
signifies the beginning of the movemen~ for independence by the
colony of Mexico against the mother country Spain.
When the revolt came against Spain, all races and classes had a
hand in it. Of these, the lnd!ans h~d the most grievances. Shouldered
with the heaviest phsyical burdens, yet denied any voice in shaping
his own fate, he was seldom more than a slave in his ancestral homeland.
·
.
. The restless mestizo, who was the offspring of the illicit love of the
Spanish conqu~ror for the Indian woman, emerged as an e~plosive
social force. Offspring of both white and Indian, the mestizo was
accepted by neither. His soul was torn on one hand by pride in his·
father's power and on the other by resentment of the slight against
his mother.
Economically., socially, and politically, he was an outcast. However,
the mestizo multiplied until he formed a sizable segment of the
colonial population with no loyalty to the Spanish kings :
Then there were the creoles, the Spanish born in the new world,
who for 300 years seethed in anger at the superior privileges of the
Gachupinos, Spaniards ,born in Spain. These Gachupinos or Peninsulares held most of the high positions in the r:,ew world. Thus, when
the revolt came, all Americans, creoles, mestizos an~ Indians joined
in the clamor against the abuses of colonial Spain.
In 1808, when news came of Napolean 's usurpation of power in
Madrid there was considerable excitement in Mexico City and
throughout the countryside. Local cabildos (city councils), controlled
by creoles, declared that they were the government since Ferdinand VII was imprisoned by Napolean.
However the standard bearer or leader of the Mexican movement
for indepen'dence from Spain was Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costi_lla,
a parish priest in the village of Dolores, Guanajuato, loc~ted 100 mtl~s
northwest of Mexico City. Hidalgo had won respect for his scholarship
and curiosity and was made president of the Colagio de San Nicolas
(continued on page 3)
~
LaVozdeAztlan
Paae2
(
Aua.11, 1m
CoD1D1entario )
Editorial
Chicano community
Shoots from hip,.misses
Harry Hiraoka, the embattled State Center Community College District tru~tee,
seems surprised that his remar_ks in an August 19 Fresno Bee interview have
become a campaign issue in his bid for reelection. They were merely a "personal
observation," he said in an interview with La Voz de Aztlan.
That's not very realistic. People judge candidates, in part, from what they say.
In Hiraoka 's case his words speak for themselves. "Some can make it, some
can't. This is the brown people's enigma right now--they just don't have it,"
Hiraoka told the Fresno Bee.
_
·
What is this elusive "it" we don '{have? If Hiraoka means we don't have equal
opportunity; good high school counseling, money to attend prestigious schools, •
or understanding teachers and administrators, then he would be pretty close to
the truth. Unfortunately, Hiraoka 's subsequent remarks reveal his true meaning.
•~Aher all, for a nation to progress you can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of what's on top. What you 're doing is sacrificing
the top and you 're taking care of the lower people, " he said. Apparently, Hiraoka
prefers to see Chicanos subservient, docile, uneducated and in the fields. He
seems totally unwilling to take the steps as trustee to ensure that Chicanos
assume their rightful place in society. To make sure Chicanos remain in the fields,
he now proposes that the grade point requirement for community colleges be
raised to 3.5. Harvard, watch out!
But does Hiraoka think his remarks are racist? No, the racists are Chicanos
who resent being equated with "the bottom of the barrel, " Hiraoka says. Perhaps
the definition of racism has changed. Arbitrarily delegating a lower status on the
basis of race or color has always been a good indicator of racism. And that is
precisely what Hiraoka has done.
Fortunately Hiraoka will not run unopposed. Alex Rendon of Fowler, a junior
high school vice principal, will run against Hiraoka. This will present voters with
a real choice.
:
Actually, it's surprising that, given' the furor Hiraoka 's remarks have created,
that Hiraoka is running at all. What is·even more surprising, however, is that he
was ever elected.
f:
.'[
Hiraoka -- "Now what was I saying about the bottom of the barreU"
MEChA readies for semester officer elections
.
!
...
MEChA completed the nominating
process for new officers at their Sept. 13 :
meeting. The general membership will
vote for new leadership in elections
slated for Sept. 20 from 12:30 to 2 in
Room 2 in the upstairs cafeteria. Profiles
on each of the nominees follow: ·
Chairperson
-
MEChA chairperson because, "'I have "'more student involvement in terms of
alot of experience and am tired of seeing the community."' He said he wou.ld
inexperience running MEChA. In the · become involved in opening the doors
past, because . of weak leadership, to college to Chicano high schoolers.
MEChA has turned off potential
"'We have to get more Chicanos in here,"'
Mechistas ... With my experience I can
he said.
get the community involved. MEChA
has potential."'
Silverio Haro
Sam Benabides
Vice Chairperson
Yolanda Hernandez
no photo available
►
Yolanda Hernandez, 23, of Oxnard,
is a junior majoring in child psychology.
Her qualifications for the vice-chairperson position include a three-year
membership in MEChA, participation in
United Farmworker Union marches and
rallies, and she is presently employed
at the Chicano Youth Center.
She is running for the post, she said,
because,,, always li~e to get involved· in
the movimiento, helping out our brothers and sisters. I want to help build a
stronger MEChA."'
Sam Benabides, 28, of San Fernando
Ca., is a junior majoring in criminolog;
and minoring in psychology. He has
lived in Fresno about eight years.
His list of qualifications include: a
term as a CSUF student freshman
senator, chairman of the MEChA fundraising committee, MEChA Sergeant
at arms from 1976-77, and advisor to
the MEChA president. Benabides also
served as chairman of MEChA Central
for a year and has worked for the Fresno
Housing Authority. He has also served
as security for Cesar Chavez when the
UFW held their conventions in Fresno.
Benabides said he wants to be
iSilverio Haro, 20, is a resident of
Fresno's Parkside district. He is a junior
majoring in Public Administration with
ambitions for law school. ,
;Haro' s credentials include, employm~nt ·with several Chicano organizations
including: La Brocha del Valle, the
Summer Mural Project, Teatro del
Espiritu, Teatro del Valle, the Recruiting
Students Via Parents program, the
Educational Opportunity Program, and
El 1Comite Consejero. Haro has been a
. "11:tChA member for three years.
1
Haro wants the chairmanship in order
tQ provide "'input,"' he said. He added
there doesn 't seem to be any major
issues confronting Chicanos on campus,
but one of his goals will be to induce
Sylvia Rodriguez, 28, has been a lifelong Fresno resident. She is a senior
maioring in liberal studies.
Rodriguez' credentials include: a
term as chairperson for the ·Fresno City
College _Las Adelitas; organizing work
for the United Farmworkers Union;
membership in the Mexican American
Political Association, the League of
Mexican American Women, El Concilio
de Fresno, La Brocha del Valle, Teatro
del Valle and Teatro Espiritu.
Rodriguez wishes to become vicechairperson, she said, to form a stronger
MEChA comprised of the entire Chicano
student body and "'to make Chicanos
such a force that the administration
will be accountable not only at school
but in the entire valley. We have to get
everyone involved."'
·
Treasurer
Sylvia Rodriquez
Margarita Martinez, 21, of Macfarland, Ca., is running unopposed for
MEChA treasurer. She is a pre-law
student majoring in political science. She
(continued on page 4)
.17, 1979
Poor H.S. counseling
attracts few Chicanos
This is the second in a 'series of articles
tional Opportunity Program, thinks that
many counselors are uninformed about
programs to help Chicanos, and some ·
"don't make any extended effort to find
out about the programs ."
the total. Different aspects of the prob.. Sometimes we found that the counlem will be discussed each week.
' , selors think that EOP is just for -students
who don't do very well, and that's just
By Steve Le Vine
not true," he said.
Theresa Perez of the La Raza Studies Department, right, speaks to students about
La Voz Staff Writer
"In some instances, I think they (high
minority involvement in government Tuesday in the CU. She told students that
school counselors) are not really intestrides made in the· past must be maintained. She also recommended student
Thousands of local college-able Chi- rested,~ Perez said . "Other times - I
minority involvement in <:ampus politics. Dr. Herman George of the Ethnic Stucanos are not aspiring toward higher don 't.knowwhattheir problem is."
dies
Department and Gail Wasser, left, of the Womens Studies Department also
education partly because of poor counPerez thinks that counselors have to
· spoke. (Photo by George Aguirre)
·
seling at their high schools.
make an extra effort to help some
That is the conclusion of Francis Pena, Ch1canos--for instance in filling out
director of the Recruiting Students Via entrance forms--because "parents (of
Parents Program, who last year went students) are eager and want their kids
ID many of the local high schools to to go to college, but they don't have the·
~it Chicanos for CSUF.
background to help them fill out the
She found that many counselors, who forms ... .
~said play a "major role .. in students'
"And maybe the student doesn 't go to
academic and career pursuits, are doing school if the counselors don't help,"
by Ricardo Pimentel
The course is divided into three gen- .
a :very good job.. in counseling Chi- Perez said.
La Voz Editor
eral categories. The class is a require- '
canos.
Pena and Perez agree that counselors
A La Raza Studies class is taking theoment for those seeking· bilingual, cross
'We talked to thousands of students have a huge load of students, which, ry out of the classroom and putting it to
cultural specialist credentials. The crimthis past semester,.. Pena said . "We they "'Say, adds tremendously t9 the practical use.
inal justice system and Chicanos is
MMJld ask them who their counselor problem. That, they said, is the reason
Field Work in the Community, LR
another category. Students who have a
was, and they wouldn't know ~The coun- their programs are important.
145, places students in the actual culparticular community agency_or project
selors never called them in to ask them
Pena pinpointed the counseling prob- tural conditions they will encounter in
in mind comprise the third category.
about their career goals ...
lem to eight local high schools, where jobs after graduation. "'Students have
Most of the field work involves little or
no pay. ···
'
While counselors could be directing she said, "uncooperative" counselors an -understanding of culture from a
students into the fields of law, medicine affect thousands of students. ·
text," said Teresa Perez, one of three
Since the course originates in the La
or nursing, she said, they instead
Raza Studies department, it ,isn't surPerez thinks that by establishing instructors for the course. "They need
direct them into "welding, carpentry, "better lines of communication with the a hands-on experience." The two other
prising that most of the placements are
and secretarial jobs ...
counselors," much of the problem could instructors are Alex Gonzalez, a new
in the Chicano community. But students
P~a thinks the problem can be be alleviated.
aren't restricted to Chicano \agencies.
addition to the L:a!Raza Studies staff, and
attri~ to "racism .. or .. stereotypes
"We keep harping about the same Tony Garduque, EOP counselor.
There are basic problems comrilon to all
that Chicanos can't perform ...
problem," he said ... We need to think
Twenty-five students have registergroups, Perez said . Most of the stuManuel Perez, director of the Educa- about how we can do better."
~ . ed for this semester's class, down from
dents, however, want to work with young
people in trouble, Perez and Conzalez
the 65 who completed the course last
observed .
semester, according to Perez. In the
Before the students can be placed in
past, students have been placed with
their field assignments, they must sign a
with Centro La Familia, the Chicano
contract ensuring they meet with the in-Youth Center, Chicano media projects,
(continued from page 1)
structor for at least one hour a week,
juvenile hall, with ex-offender programs
in Morelia. However, becaus~ of his curious mind and his reading of
spend six hours minimum a week in an
and
chicano
,
student
organizations.
French philosophers like Rousseau and others, Hidalgo was ·charged
approved field placement, and keep a
Although placement has traditionally
with heresy and moral lapses . He escaped conviction but was bandetailed record of their activities via a
been with community agencies, students
ished to the parish of Dolores.
daily or weekly log or a final term pamay develop their own programs for
Hidalgo's convictions soon involved him in politics where he champer. The contract, according to Conzalcredit.
on~
woman
is
working
in
migrant
pioned the rights of the underdogs of Mexican society--the Indian and
es, ensures that the student just doesn't
education this semester with an eye to
mestizo. He became involved in a social and literary club of Queetaro,
find an agency, sit down and do noth ing .
developing a comprehensive study of miwhere a plot was already underway for declaring independence
grant children for next semester . .
Something concrete must come out of
against Spain. The conspirators had pla]lned to announce in October,
.each student's placement, he added .
The sky seems to be the limit. Perez
however Spanish officials got word of it and began to arrest the
said the only restraint placed on a stuAside from providing a valuable commembers of the Queretaro Literary Club . At t~is point, Dona ·Josefa
dent is his or her lack of creativity. One
munity service, the course often results
Ortiz de Dominguez, rode out to Dolores to warn Hidalgo of the situgroup of students, for instance, will devin permanent jobs for some students . A
ation. In the evening of September 15, 1810; Hidalgo rang the churchelop a male parenting group for Centro
student, once placed at an employment
bells at Dolores, called on the Indian masses and recounted the indevelopment agency, is now wor:king full
La Familia, a family advocacy group .
ju~tices Spaniards had committed over the past 300 years.
time for that agency. Another stud~nt is
Still another student is worJ<ing at Roose"Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe," "Long live our lady of Guada- •
velt High informing others of college working for Wakefield School after working there as a student intern through the
lupe ... Muera el Mal Gobierno, Mueran los Gachupines" (Death to bad
opportunities. One student is holding
La Raza course. "We don't guaran~ee a
goyernment, death to the Gachupines). This was the beginning of
down two positions, one at an Orange
job, "Perez· said, "but our students have
the Crito de Dolores, the battle cry of the Mexic~n Revolution . The
• Cove health clinic and another tutoring
the inside track."
sy111bol of the movement was the Virgin of Guadalupe . •
·
biology.
.. At the very least,.. Conzalez said,
The war would rage on for the next eleven years. Hidalgo would be •
But no one is working as a flunky, Per"students get the opportunity to try on
captured by March of 1811 and executed . However, the revolution
ez and Gonzalez said. ..No one is shut off
a job to see if it fits ...
would pass into the hands of others who would continue the struggle
in the back to do filing or clerical jobs ...
until Mexico obtained its independence on September 21, 1821.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla· had settled nothing, but his Grito· de
Dolores inspired others to battle and he is therefore remembered .
as the first hero an~ father of the Mexican Independence movement
from Spain.
· "
dealing with the disparity between the
lor.aJ Chicano population and CSUF 's
Chicano enrollment; the former stands at
:r, percent, and the latter 9 percent of
La Raza Studies course :.
~
.offers on-job experief?ce
El Grito de Dolores
La Voz de Aztlan Staff Box
Today, September 16, the day of Hidalgo's Crito de Dolores, is
cel~rated in Mexico and throughout the Southwest as Mexico's in.~pendence day. Chicanos in the Southwest and throughout most ,
'parts of the United States also celebrate it in recognition of the fact
that as long as there is oppressive government, like Hidalgo, we will
continue to struggle against it. Moreover, we sti.11 recognize the fact
that many of our ancestors and relatives came from Mexico or still
reside in Mexico today and we have a link between us.
Editor ........... ·......... Ricardo Pimentel
·Photo Editor ......... ~ .. George Aguirre
Staff ........ :.......... :.. Dora Lara
Margarita Martinez
Arturo Ocampo _
Steve Le Vine
· La Voz de Atzlan is published by
the A810Clated Students at Callfornla State University, Fresno and l1
the newspaper staff. Unslgflecd
edltorlals are the opinions of the La
Voz staff and not necessarily the
views of the Associated s·tudents,
CSUF or the State of California.
Aua.11, 1ffl
LaVudeAztlan
Pap4
Psychologist newest addition to La Raz.a Studies
by Yolanda Soto ·
La Voz Contributor
Students may notice a new face on
campus. The face belongs to Alex
Gonzalez, the newest addition to the La
Raza Studies staff.
.
Gonzalez is from East Los Angeles and
attended Garfield High School. Even
. though he did well in high school, . he
was advised not to go tc , college because
he wouldn't make it . He decided to join
the Air Force. After a four~year stint in
the Air Force, he went to East L.K College for one semester and then decided
to attend Pomona College. There he received his B.A. in history. He was also
involved in many activities and received
scholarships. He was Resident Preceptor, Academic Preceptor, Chairman of
the Chancellor's Advisory Committee
to the Counseling Center, and instructor
and tutorial staff of the Educational Opportunity Program of 1974-76. He received scholarships including the Ford
Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation
scholarships.
.
In his last year• at Pomona college he
met a Chicano psychologist, prompting
an interest in psychology he would carry
with him all his life. But first he de-
cided to go to law school. Because he
was accepted_ to Phi Beta Kappa ctnd
Cum Laude and had an A- average in
undergraduate work, he was accepted to
many law schools. He chose Harvard.
After one year of law school and working for a law firm, Gonzalez decided
he didn't like what he saw and realized
he wouldn't be happy as a lawyer.
He ended urt at Santa Cruz and received
a PhD in social psychology there in 1979.
He's now married to Gloria Gonzalez
and they have a son named Alejandro.
Gonzalez said of his recent appointment to laRaza Studies, "I like ·the students and the staff at Fresno State.
Fresno is a comfortabfe place to sett1e
down in. The staff has alot of talent and
as a group we can all give alot. We need
to have more Chicano psychologists and
I hope to teach some psychology courses
to get Chicanos interested in the field
and to promote positive inner ethnic content ...
Gonzalez is now teaching the. Chicano
Child, Chicano Adolescent, Chicano
education courses, and La Raza 145, a
field work program. He plans to teach
new courses in Chicano psychology and ·
research skills and methods next semes-
Hiraoka levels own charges
(continued from page 1)
"After ali, for nation to progress you
can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of
what's on top. What you're doing is
sacrificing the top and you' re taking
care of the lower people. No nation can
progress under those conditions.
"Take care of your able. The nation
can survive because you have your
leadership. You have to have leaders to
survive. You can't take care of the bottom of the barrel because they' re no
good anyway."
Chicano groups responded immediately with charges of racism but Hiraoka
said Wednesday that he did not mean to
circle out only Chicanos. He said "I
meant all the poor whites and others ~ho
can't compete. The lowe·r echelon of
people."
His suggestion is that minorities
particularly Chicanos, should seek eithe~
vocational training or join the welfare
rolls .
·
Everybody wants to be a doctor or a
lawyer," Hiraoka said. "They can't be,
not everybody is qualified. They're a
special breed. Send those who can '.t
to vocational schools. What's wrong
with being a mechanic. You have got to
put dignity into these things."
Asked what happens to those· who do
not want vocational training but can't
pass the GPA requirement, Hiraoka ·
said, "They go on welfare. There are a
lot of smart people on welfare like
that Black lady who got $120,000 in welfare checks."
But welfare is not where Hector Abeytia would like to see Chicanos and the
SCCCD board isn ' t where he wants to
see Hiraoka .
"He is unfit to serve in public office "
said the executive secretary of El Co~ci lio de Fresno, one of the Chicano
groups actively opposing Hiraoka.
,,His responsibility is to ensure that a
quality education is obtainable ,by all.
He seems to be against that. Community colleges aren't · intended for the
a
select few.
People seekin1 further
education may not have the money, resources or 1rades to attend the Stanfords
and the Berkeleys. He is abusing his
rote·...
Ed Guzman, a Chicano student
attending Fresno State, said, -"People
who belong to minority groups are not
inherently stupid. It's
tremendous
waste of resources to just write them off.
Assuming all groups have the same intellectual potential, it's in the best interest of society to develop them to
their fullest.
Bilin1ual education is
one ~ans of achievin1 this." ·
a
Hiraoka, however, is also opposed to
bilingual education describing it as
"money down.the tubes."
They (Chicanos) are the racists.
Theyrre into bilingual education. This
is America and here you learn English,
talk English. None of this hyphenated
stuff," Hiraoka said.
·
Judging from letters to the · Bee,.
quite a few people are talking (in English) about Hiraoka. A recent letter
from a · Fresno bishop called Hiraoka
a racist with "thinking . .. as dangerous
as the 'superior race' mentality that
permeated Nazi Germany.
.
Indeed, the only person not saying
much about Hiraoka is candidate Rendon. When asked to respond to the trustee ' s remarks, Rendon said, ,,What he
stated isn ' t true, it can't be true. I
have no further comment about his
statements."
ter. Areas he's interested in are cooperation and competition, assesment,
integration c!'ld desegregation, and education. He has published with Manuel
Ramirez "La Causa Chicano,' 'Chicanos and _P sychology' and 'SpanishEnglish Bilingual Education in the U.S."
His goals · include more publications
and more research .
Dr. Lea Ybarra-Soriano, coordinator
of La Raza Studies, said, "We selected
Alex _Gonzalez because he was most
hi1hly qualified · than any of the other
applicants. He had a strong research
background and good relations with his
other students from Santa Cruz. He
wtll also help strengthen the La Raza
program because of his PhD in psychology. Now the faculty contains a variety
of education to offer to the students.
Jesus Luna has a PhD as a historian,
Ernesto Martinez has two MAs in art
and dance, Theresa Perez in education,
I in sociology and now Alex Gonzalez in
psychology.
Happily, we have had
good comments about Alex from the
students on campus and we are proud to
Dr. Alex l~nzalez
have him with us.,,
· Because there are few Chicanos
interested in psychology, Alex would
like to form a new organization for all
those interested in the field. Anyone
interested, -may contact Gonzalez at
48~-1041 in San Ramon I, room 238.
They're off and running.....
(continued from page 2)
has been a La Voz staff writer for three
semesters.
Martinez has been a MEChA member
for about one year and was a past
MEChA · representative to El Comite
Consejero.
She is seeking the treasurer's post
because ,,we need officers who are committed/ she said. · Martinez is also a
member of Chicanos in Law.
David Torres
Secretary
Maria J. Correa
David Torres, 18, of Porterville, is a
freshman who plans to major in prelaw criminology.
He is a past member of the Me~<ican
American Club in Porterville.
Torres is a U.S. Marine reservist. He
said he is seeking the sergeant-at-arms
position because j l 'ma Marine and like
to get things done."
TonyVilla .
Maria J. dorrea, 18, of Fresno is a
freshman witb plans to go into a pre-law
political science major.
·
She is running for secretary because
"I feel I owe something to my community
and my gente,.,, she said.
Sergeant-at-Arms
I
Meanwhile, Hiraoka has called Rendon "an opportunist, going on the
racist issue." He discounts any chanGe
of Rendon winning because "he.doesn't
have the time, money or knowledge of
fiscal matters. He isn't a politician."
Rendon disagrees. "I'm going to win.
My hopes are very high."
.
.
Hiraoka, who once said that minority
groups would never attack him out of
respect, appears to be headed for a
long, hard battle . .
Doralara
no photo available
Dora Lara, 19, of Fresno, is a sophmore majoring \in communicative disorders. -She is a graduate of Central
High School in Fresno and was a member of MEChA last semester.
Dora is seeking the post, she said,
~use "I hope to learn more about
what MEChA is ,all about. I 'd like to
help in the move~nt and .get all those
freshmen involved."
I
Tony Villa, 18, of Parlier is a freshman
currently enrolled in general education
courses. He plans to attend CSUF for
two years, transfer to a Los Angeles
school for his junior year, then to a New
York school for his senior year.
He said he wants the sergeant-at-arms
post to "get involved and to learn .,,
·Hiraoka levels'charges of Chicano radsm
by Scott Lafee
u Voz Contributor
Sounding bitter and defensive, Harry
Hiraoka, a State Center Community Col-
lete District trustee, denounced Chiranos Wednesday as being "'vicious and
racist• after several Chicano organizations had accused Hiraoka of racism and
abusin1 his role in the SCCCD.
Hiraoka drew the wrath of minority
fGl'5 when he said in an Aug. 19
fl'IIIID Bee Article that he thought
Oliclnos lacked the ability to succeed.
1lle article quoted him ' as sayinJ,
• • can make it (on their own), some
can't This is the brown people's enigma rflllt now-they just don't have it.
TheBlacks are making strides. They are
eaptior.s.•
Hnaka defended the statement by
out that Blacks in the south are
taking on more and newer responsi- canos. You have to understand them.
bilities. "'Why"', he asked "'doesn't a They live by the mob rule."'
Chicano ever try to be vice-c'hancellor?"'
The normally quiet race, which ends
He denied that what he said was ra- on election day, Nov. 6, is bound to becist, saying it was merely "'a personal come even more volatile with the recent
observation."'
Instead, he accused announcement that Hiraoka will not go
the Chicano groups of being racist unopposed. Alexander Rendon; a junior
since they are making his statement a high school vice-principal with no pocampaign issue.
Speaking quickly and angrily, Hiraoka
Hiraoka t'tipshooting
charged the groups with harassment and
intimidation. He said his brother has
Editorial, pag~ 2
been receiving threatening phone calls
and he was being hounded by large, unruly sroups of Chicanos that attend litical experience, declared his candidacy
SCCCD board meetings.
· only two days ~fore the deadline to do
Asked why he thought minority so.
groups would resort to threats, Hiraoka
Rendon appears to be a man caught in
said, "'You don't know them. You're the middle of a crossfire. Admitting he
still too immature. I've been around for has no experience in politics and isn't a
more than 60 years. I grew up with Chi- "'politician,"' the Fowler resident is en-
tering the race simply because he "'is
very concerned about the community
college."
However, on one side he faces Hir,
aoka, an outspoken controversial veteran
with nearly 30 years of experience in
education. On the other side is the coalition of angry Chicano groups determined to oust Hiraoka. In the middle is
Rendon, who says, "I 'm not the type of
guy who wants to say anything bad about
anybody."
Bl.it verbal warfare and mudslinging
may be the dominant characteristic in
this year's race. Hiraoka, dropping
another bombshell, has said he favors
limiting community college enrollment
to students with grade point averages
of about 3 .5 or above.
He explained in the Bee article,
(continue<! on page 4)
,
Special Publication of The Daily Collegian
LA VOZ de AZTLAN
r:5_4-Jl'J
Monday
Aug. 17, 1979
I..
El Grito de Dolores -- Sept. 16
Editor's note -- Yesterday was a day of celebration. But do we really know what we 're celebr~ting? Mexican Independence Day serves
not only as a tie to our not-sa-distant past, but also a reminder that
the struggle continues. Dr. Jesus Luna, noted historian, explains
the significance of El Crito de Po/ores.
By Dr. Jesus Luna
La Raza Studies
· September 16, also known as El Grito de Delores (Shout at Dolores),
signifies the beginning of the movemen~ for independence by the
colony of Mexico against the mother country Spain.
When the revolt came against Spain, all races and classes had a
hand in it. Of these, the lnd!ans h~d the most grievances. Shouldered
with the heaviest phsyical burdens, yet denied any voice in shaping
his own fate, he was seldom more than a slave in his ancestral homeland.
·
.
. The restless mestizo, who was the offspring of the illicit love of the
Spanish conqu~ror for the Indian woman, emerged as an e~plosive
social force. Offspring of both white and Indian, the mestizo was
accepted by neither. His soul was torn on one hand by pride in his·
father's power and on the other by resentment of the slight against
his mother.
Economically., socially, and politically, he was an outcast. However,
the mestizo multiplied until he formed a sizable segment of the
colonial population with no loyalty to the Spanish kings :
Then there were the creoles, the Spanish born in the new world,
who for 300 years seethed in anger at the superior privileges of the
Gachupinos, Spaniards ,born in Spain. These Gachupinos or Peninsulares held most of the high positions in the r:,ew world. Thus, when
the revolt came, all Americans, creoles, mestizos an~ Indians joined
in the clamor against the abuses of colonial Spain.
In 1808, when news came of Napolean 's usurpation of power in
Madrid there was considerable excitement in Mexico City and
throughout the countryside. Local cabildos (city councils), controlled
by creoles, declared that they were the government since Ferdinand VII was imprisoned by Napolean.
However the standard bearer or leader of the Mexican movement
for indepen'dence from Spain was Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costi_lla,
a parish priest in the village of Dolores, Guanajuato, loc~ted 100 mtl~s
northwest of Mexico City. Hidalgo had won respect for his scholarship
and curiosity and was made president of the Colagio de San Nicolas
(continued on page 3)
~
LaVozdeAztlan
Paae2
(
Aua.11, 1m
CoD1D1entario )
Editorial
Chicano community
Shoots from hip,.misses
Harry Hiraoka, the embattled State Center Community College District tru~tee,
seems surprised that his remar_ks in an August 19 Fresno Bee interview have
become a campaign issue in his bid for reelection. They were merely a "personal
observation," he said in an interview with La Voz de Aztlan.
That's not very realistic. People judge candidates, in part, from what they say.
In Hiraoka 's case his words speak for themselves. "Some can make it, some
can't. This is the brown people's enigma right now--they just don't have it,"
Hiraoka told the Fresno Bee.
_
·
What is this elusive "it" we don '{have? If Hiraoka means we don't have equal
opportunity; good high school counseling, money to attend prestigious schools, •
or understanding teachers and administrators, then he would be pretty close to
the truth. Unfortunately, Hiraoka 's subsequent remarks reveal his true meaning.
•~Aher all, for a nation to progress you can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of what's on top. What you 're doing is sacrificing
the top and you 're taking care of the lower people, " he said. Apparently, Hiraoka
prefers to see Chicanos subservient, docile, uneducated and in the fields. He
seems totally unwilling to take the steps as trustee to ensure that Chicanos
assume their rightful place in society. To make sure Chicanos remain in the fields,
he now proposes that the grade point requirement for community colleges be
raised to 3.5. Harvard, watch out!
But does Hiraoka think his remarks are racist? No, the racists are Chicanos
who resent being equated with "the bottom of the barrel, " Hiraoka says. Perhaps
the definition of racism has changed. Arbitrarily delegating a lower status on the
basis of race or color has always been a good indicator of racism. And that is
precisely what Hiraoka has done.
Fortunately Hiraoka will not run unopposed. Alex Rendon of Fowler, a junior
high school vice principal, will run against Hiraoka. This will present voters with
a real choice.
:
Actually, it's surprising that, given' the furor Hiraoka 's remarks have created,
that Hiraoka is running at all. What is·even more surprising, however, is that he
was ever elected.
f:
.'[
Hiraoka -- "Now what was I saying about the bottom of the barreU"
MEChA readies for semester officer elections
.
!
...
MEChA completed the nominating
process for new officers at their Sept. 13 :
meeting. The general membership will
vote for new leadership in elections
slated for Sept. 20 from 12:30 to 2 in
Room 2 in the upstairs cafeteria. Profiles
on each of the nominees follow: ·
Chairperson
-
MEChA chairperson because, "'I have "'more student involvement in terms of
alot of experience and am tired of seeing the community."' He said he wou.ld
inexperience running MEChA. In the · become involved in opening the doors
past, because . of weak leadership, to college to Chicano high schoolers.
MEChA has turned off potential
"'We have to get more Chicanos in here,"'
Mechistas ... With my experience I can
he said.
get the community involved. MEChA
has potential."'
Silverio Haro
Sam Benabides
Vice Chairperson
Yolanda Hernandez
no photo available
►
Yolanda Hernandez, 23, of Oxnard,
is a junior majoring in child psychology.
Her qualifications for the vice-chairperson position include a three-year
membership in MEChA, participation in
United Farmworker Union marches and
rallies, and she is presently employed
at the Chicano Youth Center.
She is running for the post, she said,
because,,, always li~e to get involved· in
the movimiento, helping out our brothers and sisters. I want to help build a
stronger MEChA."'
Sam Benabides, 28, of San Fernando
Ca., is a junior majoring in criminolog;
and minoring in psychology. He has
lived in Fresno about eight years.
His list of qualifications include: a
term as a CSUF student freshman
senator, chairman of the MEChA fundraising committee, MEChA Sergeant
at arms from 1976-77, and advisor to
the MEChA president. Benabides also
served as chairman of MEChA Central
for a year and has worked for the Fresno
Housing Authority. He has also served
as security for Cesar Chavez when the
UFW held their conventions in Fresno.
Benabides said he wants to be
iSilverio Haro, 20, is a resident of
Fresno's Parkside district. He is a junior
majoring in Public Administration with
ambitions for law school. ,
;Haro' s credentials include, employm~nt ·with several Chicano organizations
including: La Brocha del Valle, the
Summer Mural Project, Teatro del
Espiritu, Teatro del Valle, the Recruiting
Students Via Parents program, the
Educational Opportunity Program, and
El 1Comite Consejero. Haro has been a
. "11:tChA member for three years.
1
Haro wants the chairmanship in order
tQ provide "'input,"' he said. He added
there doesn 't seem to be any major
issues confronting Chicanos on campus,
but one of his goals will be to induce
Sylvia Rodriguez, 28, has been a lifelong Fresno resident. She is a senior
maioring in liberal studies.
Rodriguez' credentials include: a
term as chairperson for the ·Fresno City
College _Las Adelitas; organizing work
for the United Farmworkers Union;
membership in the Mexican American
Political Association, the League of
Mexican American Women, El Concilio
de Fresno, La Brocha del Valle, Teatro
del Valle and Teatro Espiritu.
Rodriguez wishes to become vicechairperson, she said, to form a stronger
MEChA comprised of the entire Chicano
student body and "'to make Chicanos
such a force that the administration
will be accountable not only at school
but in the entire valley. We have to get
everyone involved."'
·
Treasurer
Sylvia Rodriquez
Margarita Martinez, 21, of Macfarland, Ca., is running unopposed for
MEChA treasurer. She is a pre-law
student majoring in political science. She
(continued on page 4)
.17, 1979
Poor H.S. counseling
attracts few Chicanos
This is the second in a 'series of articles
tional Opportunity Program, thinks that
many counselors are uninformed about
programs to help Chicanos, and some ·
"don't make any extended effort to find
out about the programs ."
the total. Different aspects of the prob.. Sometimes we found that the counlem will be discussed each week.
' , selors think that EOP is just for -students
who don't do very well, and that's just
By Steve Le Vine
not true," he said.
Theresa Perez of the La Raza Studies Department, right, speaks to students about
La Voz Staff Writer
"In some instances, I think they (high
minority involvement in government Tuesday in the CU. She told students that
school counselors) are not really intestrides made in the· past must be maintained. She also recommended student
Thousands of local college-able Chi- rested,~ Perez said . "Other times - I
minority involvement in <:ampus politics. Dr. Herman George of the Ethnic Stucanos are not aspiring toward higher don 't.knowwhattheir problem is."
dies
Department and Gail Wasser, left, of the Womens Studies Department also
education partly because of poor counPerez thinks that counselors have to
· spoke. (Photo by George Aguirre)
·
seling at their high schools.
make an extra effort to help some
That is the conclusion of Francis Pena, Ch1canos--for instance in filling out
director of the Recruiting Students Via entrance forms--because "parents (of
Parents Program, who last year went students) are eager and want their kids
ID many of the local high schools to to go to college, but they don't have the·
~it Chicanos for CSUF.
background to help them fill out the
She found that many counselors, who forms ... .
~said play a "major role .. in students'
"And maybe the student doesn 't go to
academic and career pursuits, are doing school if the counselors don't help,"
by Ricardo Pimentel
The course is divided into three gen- .
a :very good job.. in counseling Chi- Perez said.
La Voz Editor
eral categories. The class is a require- '
canos.
Pena and Perez agree that counselors
A La Raza Studies class is taking theoment for those seeking· bilingual, cross
'We talked to thousands of students have a huge load of students, which, ry out of the classroom and putting it to
cultural specialist credentials. The crimthis past semester,.. Pena said . "We they "'Say, adds tremendously t9 the practical use.
inal justice system and Chicanos is
MMJld ask them who their counselor problem. That, they said, is the reason
Field Work in the Community, LR
another category. Students who have a
was, and they wouldn't know ~The coun- their programs are important.
145, places students in the actual culparticular community agency_or project
selors never called them in to ask them
Pena pinpointed the counseling prob- tural conditions they will encounter in
in mind comprise the third category.
about their career goals ...
lem to eight local high schools, where jobs after graduation. "'Students have
Most of the field work involves little or
no pay. ···
'
While counselors could be directing she said, "uncooperative" counselors an -understanding of culture from a
students into the fields of law, medicine affect thousands of students. ·
text," said Teresa Perez, one of three
Since the course originates in the La
or nursing, she said, they instead
Raza Studies department, it ,isn't surPerez thinks that by establishing instructors for the course. "They need
direct them into "welding, carpentry, "better lines of communication with the a hands-on experience." The two other
prising that most of the placements are
and secretarial jobs ...
counselors," much of the problem could instructors are Alex Gonzalez, a new
in the Chicano community. But students
P~a thinks the problem can be be alleviated.
aren't restricted to Chicano \agencies.
addition to the L:a!Raza Studies staff, and
attri~ to "racism .. or .. stereotypes
"We keep harping about the same Tony Garduque, EOP counselor.
There are basic problems comrilon to all
that Chicanos can't perform ...
problem," he said ... We need to think
Twenty-five students have registergroups, Perez said . Most of the stuManuel Perez, director of the Educa- about how we can do better."
~ . ed for this semester's class, down from
dents, however, want to work with young
people in trouble, Perez and Conzalez
the 65 who completed the course last
observed .
semester, according to Perez. In the
Before the students can be placed in
past, students have been placed with
their field assignments, they must sign a
with Centro La Familia, the Chicano
contract ensuring they meet with the in-Youth Center, Chicano media projects,
(continued from page 1)
structor for at least one hour a week,
juvenile hall, with ex-offender programs
in Morelia. However, becaus~ of his curious mind and his reading of
spend six hours minimum a week in an
and
chicano
,
student
organizations.
French philosophers like Rousseau and others, Hidalgo was ·charged
approved field placement, and keep a
Although placement has traditionally
with heresy and moral lapses . He escaped conviction but was bandetailed record of their activities via a
been with community agencies, students
ished to the parish of Dolores.
daily or weekly log or a final term pamay develop their own programs for
Hidalgo's convictions soon involved him in politics where he champer. The contract, according to Conzalcredit.
on~
woman
is
working
in
migrant
pioned the rights of the underdogs of Mexican society--the Indian and
es, ensures that the student just doesn't
education this semester with an eye to
mestizo. He became involved in a social and literary club of Queetaro,
find an agency, sit down and do noth ing .
developing a comprehensive study of miwhere a plot was already underway for declaring independence
grant children for next semester . .
Something concrete must come out of
against Spain. The conspirators had pla]lned to announce in October,
.each student's placement, he added .
The sky seems to be the limit. Perez
however Spanish officials got word of it and began to arrest the
said the only restraint placed on a stuAside from providing a valuable commembers of the Queretaro Literary Club . At t~is point, Dona ·Josefa
dent is his or her lack of creativity. One
munity service, the course often results
Ortiz de Dominguez, rode out to Dolores to warn Hidalgo of the situgroup of students, for instance, will devin permanent jobs for some students . A
ation. In the evening of September 15, 1810; Hidalgo rang the churchelop a male parenting group for Centro
student, once placed at an employment
bells at Dolores, called on the Indian masses and recounted the indevelopment agency, is now wor:king full
La Familia, a family advocacy group .
ju~tices Spaniards had committed over the past 300 years.
time for that agency. Another stud~nt is
Still another student is worJ<ing at Roose"Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe," "Long live our lady of Guada- •
velt High informing others of college working for Wakefield School after working there as a student intern through the
lupe ... Muera el Mal Gobierno, Mueran los Gachupines" (Death to bad
opportunities. One student is holding
La Raza course. "We don't guaran~ee a
goyernment, death to the Gachupines). This was the beginning of
down two positions, one at an Orange
job, "Perez· said, "but our students have
the Crito de Dolores, the battle cry of the Mexic~n Revolution . The
• Cove health clinic and another tutoring
the inside track."
sy111bol of the movement was the Virgin of Guadalupe . •
·
biology.
.. At the very least,.. Conzalez said,
The war would rage on for the next eleven years. Hidalgo would be •
But no one is working as a flunky, Per"students get the opportunity to try on
captured by March of 1811 and executed . However, the revolution
ez and Gonzalez said. ..No one is shut off
a job to see if it fits ...
would pass into the hands of others who would continue the struggle
in the back to do filing or clerical jobs ...
until Mexico obtained its independence on September 21, 1821.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla· had settled nothing, but his Grito· de
Dolores inspired others to battle and he is therefore remembered .
as the first hero an~ father of the Mexican Independence movement
from Spain.
· "
dealing with the disparity between the
lor.aJ Chicano population and CSUF 's
Chicano enrollment; the former stands at
:r, percent, and the latter 9 percent of
La Raza Studies course :.
~
.offers on-job experief?ce
El Grito de Dolores
La Voz de Aztlan Staff Box
Today, September 16, the day of Hidalgo's Crito de Dolores, is
cel~rated in Mexico and throughout the Southwest as Mexico's in.~pendence day. Chicanos in the Southwest and throughout most ,
'parts of the United States also celebrate it in recognition of the fact
that as long as there is oppressive government, like Hidalgo, we will
continue to struggle against it. Moreover, we sti.11 recognize the fact
that many of our ancestors and relatives came from Mexico or still
reside in Mexico today and we have a link between us.
Editor ........... ·......... Ricardo Pimentel
·Photo Editor ......... ~ .. George Aguirre
Staff ........ :.......... :.. Dora Lara
Margarita Martinez
Arturo Ocampo _
Steve Le Vine
· La Voz de Atzlan is published by
the A810Clated Students at Callfornla State University, Fresno and l1
the newspaper staff. Unslgflecd
edltorlals are the opinions of the La
Voz staff and not necessarily the
views of the Associated s·tudents,
CSUF or the State of California.
Aua.11, 1ffl
LaVudeAztlan
Pap4
Psychologist newest addition to La Raz.a Studies
by Yolanda Soto ·
La Voz Contributor
Students may notice a new face on
campus. The face belongs to Alex
Gonzalez, the newest addition to the La
Raza Studies staff.
.
Gonzalez is from East Los Angeles and
attended Garfield High School. Even
. though he did well in high school, . he
was advised not to go tc , college because
he wouldn't make it . He decided to join
the Air Force. After a four~year stint in
the Air Force, he went to East L.K College for one semester and then decided
to attend Pomona College. There he received his B.A. in history. He was also
involved in many activities and received
scholarships. He was Resident Preceptor, Academic Preceptor, Chairman of
the Chancellor's Advisory Committee
to the Counseling Center, and instructor
and tutorial staff of the Educational Opportunity Program of 1974-76. He received scholarships including the Ford
Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation
scholarships.
.
In his last year• at Pomona college he
met a Chicano psychologist, prompting
an interest in psychology he would carry
with him all his life. But first he de-
cided to go to law school. Because he
was accepted_ to Phi Beta Kappa ctnd
Cum Laude and had an A- average in
undergraduate work, he was accepted to
many law schools. He chose Harvard.
After one year of law school and working for a law firm, Gonzalez decided
he didn't like what he saw and realized
he wouldn't be happy as a lawyer.
He ended urt at Santa Cruz and received
a PhD in social psychology there in 1979.
He's now married to Gloria Gonzalez
and they have a son named Alejandro.
Gonzalez said of his recent appointment to laRaza Studies, "I like ·the students and the staff at Fresno State.
Fresno is a comfortabfe place to sett1e
down in. The staff has alot of talent and
as a group we can all give alot. We need
to have more Chicano psychologists and
I hope to teach some psychology courses
to get Chicanos interested in the field
and to promote positive inner ethnic content ...
Gonzalez is now teaching the. Chicano
Child, Chicano Adolescent, Chicano
education courses, and La Raza 145, a
field work program. He plans to teach
new courses in Chicano psychology and ·
research skills and methods next semes-
Hiraoka levels own charges
(continued from page 1)
"After ali, for nation to progress you
can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of
what's on top. What you're doing is
sacrificing the top and you' re taking
care of the lower people. No nation can
progress under those conditions.
"Take care of your able. The nation
can survive because you have your
leadership. You have to have leaders to
survive. You can't take care of the bottom of the barrel because they' re no
good anyway."
Chicano groups responded immediately with charges of racism but Hiraoka
said Wednesday that he did not mean to
circle out only Chicanos. He said "I
meant all the poor whites and others ~ho
can't compete. The lowe·r echelon of
people."
His suggestion is that minorities
particularly Chicanos, should seek eithe~
vocational training or join the welfare
rolls .
·
Everybody wants to be a doctor or a
lawyer," Hiraoka said. "They can't be,
not everybody is qualified. They're a
special breed. Send those who can '.t
to vocational schools. What's wrong
with being a mechanic. You have got to
put dignity into these things."
Asked what happens to those· who do
not want vocational training but can't
pass the GPA requirement, Hiraoka ·
said, "They go on welfare. There are a
lot of smart people on welfare like
that Black lady who got $120,000 in welfare checks."
But welfare is not where Hector Abeytia would like to see Chicanos and the
SCCCD board isn ' t where he wants to
see Hiraoka .
"He is unfit to serve in public office "
said the executive secretary of El Co~ci lio de Fresno, one of the Chicano
groups actively opposing Hiraoka.
,,His responsibility is to ensure that a
quality education is obtainable ,by all.
He seems to be against that. Community colleges aren't · intended for the
a
select few.
People seekin1 further
education may not have the money, resources or 1rades to attend the Stanfords
and the Berkeleys. He is abusing his
rote·...
Ed Guzman, a Chicano student
attending Fresno State, said, -"People
who belong to minority groups are not
inherently stupid. It's
tremendous
waste of resources to just write them off.
Assuming all groups have the same intellectual potential, it's in the best interest of society to develop them to
their fullest.
Bilin1ual education is
one ~ans of achievin1 this." ·
a
Hiraoka, however, is also opposed to
bilingual education describing it as
"money down.the tubes."
They (Chicanos) are the racists.
Theyrre into bilingual education. This
is America and here you learn English,
talk English. None of this hyphenated
stuff," Hiraoka said.
·
Judging from letters to the · Bee,.
quite a few people are talking (in English) about Hiraoka. A recent letter
from a · Fresno bishop called Hiraoka
a racist with "thinking . .. as dangerous
as the 'superior race' mentality that
permeated Nazi Germany.
.
Indeed, the only person not saying
much about Hiraoka is candidate Rendon. When asked to respond to the trustee ' s remarks, Rendon said, ,,What he
stated isn ' t true, it can't be true. I
have no further comment about his
statements."
ter. Areas he's interested in are cooperation and competition, assesment,
integration c!'ld desegregation, and education. He has published with Manuel
Ramirez "La Causa Chicano,' 'Chicanos and _P sychology' and 'SpanishEnglish Bilingual Education in the U.S."
His goals · include more publications
and more research .
Dr. Lea Ybarra-Soriano, coordinator
of La Raza Studies, said, "We selected
Alex _Gonzalez because he was most
hi1hly qualified · than any of the other
applicants. He had a strong research
background and good relations with his
other students from Santa Cruz. He
wtll also help strengthen the La Raza
program because of his PhD in psychology. Now the faculty contains a variety
of education to offer to the students.
Jesus Luna has a PhD as a historian,
Ernesto Martinez has two MAs in art
and dance, Theresa Perez in education,
I in sociology and now Alex Gonzalez in
psychology.
Happily, we have had
good comments about Alex from the
students on campus and we are proud to
Dr. Alex l~nzalez
have him with us.,,
· Because there are few Chicanos
interested in psychology, Alex would
like to form a new organization for all
those interested in the field. Anyone
interested, -may contact Gonzalez at
48~-1041 in San Ramon I, room 238.
They're off and running.....
(continued from page 2)
has been a La Voz staff writer for three
semesters.
Martinez has been a MEChA member
for about one year and was a past
MEChA · representative to El Comite
Consejero.
She is seeking the treasurer's post
because ,,we need officers who are committed/ she said. · Martinez is also a
member of Chicanos in Law.
David Torres
Secretary
Maria J. Correa
David Torres, 18, of Porterville, is a
freshman who plans to major in prelaw criminology.
He is a past member of the Me~<ican
American Club in Porterville.
Torres is a U.S. Marine reservist. He
said he is seeking the sergeant-at-arms
position because j l 'ma Marine and like
to get things done."
TonyVilla .
Maria J. dorrea, 18, of Fresno is a
freshman witb plans to go into a pre-law
political science major.
·
She is running for secretary because
"I feel I owe something to my community
and my gente,.,, she said.
Sergeant-at-Arms
I
Meanwhile, Hiraoka has called Rendon "an opportunist, going on the
racist issue." He discounts any chanGe
of Rendon winning because "he.doesn't
have the time, money or knowledge of
fiscal matters. He isn't a politician."
Rendon disagrees. "I'm going to win.
My hopes are very high."
.
.
Hiraoka, who once said that minority
groups would never attack him out of
respect, appears to be headed for a
long, hard battle . .
Doralara
no photo available
Dora Lara, 19, of Fresno, is a sophmore majoring \in communicative disorders. -She is a graduate of Central
High School in Fresno and was a member of MEChA last semester.
Dora is seeking the post, she said,
~use "I hope to learn more about
what MEChA is ,all about. I 'd like to
help in the move~nt and .get all those
freshmen involved."
I
Tony Villa, 18, of Parlier is a freshman
currently enrolled in general education
courses. He plans to attend CSUF for
two years, transfer to a Los Angeles
school for his junior year, then to a New
York school for his senior year.
He said he wants the sergeant-at-arms
post to "get involved and to learn .,,
Trustee race heats •Up
·Hiraoka levels'charges of Chicano radsm
by Scott Lafee
u Voz Contributor
Sounding bitter and defensive, Harry
Hiraoka, a State Center Community Col-
lete District trustee, denounced Chiranos Wednesday as being "'vicious and
racist• after several Chicano organizations had accused Hiraoka of racism and
abusin1 his role in the SCCCD.
Hiraoka drew the wrath of minority
fGl'5 when he said in an Aug. 19
fl'IIIID Bee Article that he thought
Oliclnos lacked the ability to succeed.
1lle article quoted him ' as sayinJ,
• • can make it (on their own), some
can't This is the brown people's enigma rflllt now-they just don't have it.
TheBlacks are making strides. They are
eaptior.s.•
Hnaka defended the statement by
out that Blacks in the south are
taking on more and newer responsi- canos. You have to understand them.
bilities. "'Why"', he asked "'doesn't a They live by the mob rule."'
Chicano ever try to be vice-c'hancellor?"'
The normally quiet race, which ends
He denied that what he said was ra- on election day, Nov. 6, is bound to becist, saying it was merely "'a personal come even more volatile with the recent
observation."'
Instead, he accused announcement that Hiraoka will not go
the Chicano groups of being racist unopposed. Alexander Rendon; a junior
since they are making his statement a high school vice-principal with no pocampaign issue.
Speaking quickly and angrily, Hiraoka
Hiraoka t'tipshooting
charged the groups with harassment and
intimidation. He said his brother has
Editorial, pag~ 2
been receiving threatening phone calls
and he was being hounded by large, unruly sroups of Chicanos that attend litical experience, declared his candidacy
SCCCD board meetings.
· only two days ~fore the deadline to do
Asked why he thought minority so.
groups would resort to threats, Hiraoka
Rendon appears to be a man caught in
said, "'You don't know them. You're the middle of a crossfire. Admitting he
still too immature. I've been around for has no experience in politics and isn't a
more than 60 years. I grew up with Chi- "'politician,"' the Fowler resident is en-
tering the race simply because he "'is
very concerned about the community
college."
However, on one side he faces Hir,
aoka, an outspoken controversial veteran
with nearly 30 years of experience in
education. On the other side is the coalition of angry Chicano groups determined to oust Hiraoka. In the middle is
Rendon, who says, "I 'm not the type of
guy who wants to say anything bad about
anybody."
Bl.it verbal warfare and mudslinging
may be the dominant characteristic in
this year's race. Hiraoka, dropping
another bombshell, has said he favors
limiting community college enrollment
to students with grade point averages
of about 3 .5 or above.
He explained in the Bee article,
(continue<! on page 4)
,
Special Publication of The Daily Collegian
LA VOZ de AZTLAN
r:5_4-Jl'J
Monday
Aug. 17, 1979
I..
El Grito de Dolores -- Sept. 16
Editor's note -- Yesterday was a day of celebration. But do we really know what we 're celebr~ting? Mexican Independence Day serves
not only as a tie to our not-sa-distant past, but also a reminder that
the struggle continues. Dr. Jesus Luna, noted historian, explains
the significance of El Crito de Po/ores.
By Dr. Jesus Luna
La Raza Studies
· September 16, also known as El Grito de Delores (Shout at Dolores),
signifies the beginning of the movemen~ for independence by the
colony of Mexico against the mother country Spain.
When the revolt came against Spain, all races and classes had a
hand in it. Of these, the lnd!ans h~d the most grievances. Shouldered
with the heaviest phsyical burdens, yet denied any voice in shaping
his own fate, he was seldom more than a slave in his ancestral homeland.
·
.
. The restless mestizo, who was the offspring of the illicit love of the
Spanish conqu~ror for the Indian woman, emerged as an e~plosive
social force. Offspring of both white and Indian, the mestizo was
accepted by neither. His soul was torn on one hand by pride in his·
father's power and on the other by resentment of the slight against
his mother.
Economically., socially, and politically, he was an outcast. However,
the mestizo multiplied until he formed a sizable segment of the
colonial population with no loyalty to the Spanish kings :
Then there were the creoles, the Spanish born in the new world,
who for 300 years seethed in anger at the superior privileges of the
Gachupinos, Spaniards ,born in Spain. These Gachupinos or Peninsulares held most of the high positions in the r:,ew world. Thus, when
the revolt came, all Americans, creoles, mestizos an~ Indians joined
in the clamor against the abuses of colonial Spain.
In 1808, when news came of Napolean 's usurpation of power in
Madrid there was considerable excitement in Mexico City and
throughout the countryside. Local cabildos (city councils), controlled
by creoles, declared that they were the government since Ferdinand VII was imprisoned by Napolean.
However the standard bearer or leader of the Mexican movement
for indepen'dence from Spain was Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costi_lla,
a parish priest in the village of Dolores, Guanajuato, loc~ted 100 mtl~s
northwest of Mexico City. Hidalgo had won respect for his scholarship
and curiosity and was made president of the Colagio de San Nicolas
(continued on page 3)
~
LaVozdeAztlan
Paae2
(
Aua.11, 1m
CoD1D1entario )
Editorial
Chicano community
Shoots from hip,.misses
Harry Hiraoka, the embattled State Center Community College District tru~tee,
seems surprised that his remar_ks in an August 19 Fresno Bee interview have
become a campaign issue in his bid for reelection. They were merely a "personal
observation," he said in an interview with La Voz de Aztlan.
That's not very realistic. People judge candidates, in part, from what they say.
In Hiraoka 's case his words speak for themselves. "Some can make it, some
can't. This is the brown people's enigma right now--they just don't have it,"
Hiraoka told the Fresno Bee.
_
·
What is this elusive "it" we don '{have? If Hiraoka means we don't have equal
opportunity; good high school counseling, money to attend prestigious schools, •
or understanding teachers and administrators, then he would be pretty close to
the truth. Unfortunately, Hiraoka 's subsequent remarks reveal his true meaning.
•~Aher all, for a nation to progress you can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of what's on top. What you 're doing is sacrificing
the top and you 're taking care of the lower people, " he said. Apparently, Hiraoka
prefers to see Chicanos subservient, docile, uneducated and in the fields. He
seems totally unwilling to take the steps as trustee to ensure that Chicanos
assume their rightful place in society. To make sure Chicanos remain in the fields,
he now proposes that the grade point requirement for community colleges be
raised to 3.5. Harvard, watch out!
But does Hiraoka think his remarks are racist? No, the racists are Chicanos
who resent being equated with "the bottom of the barrel, " Hiraoka says. Perhaps
the definition of racism has changed. Arbitrarily delegating a lower status on the
basis of race or color has always been a good indicator of racism. And that is
precisely what Hiraoka has done.
Fortunately Hiraoka will not run unopposed. Alex Rendon of Fowler, a junior
high school vice principal, will run against Hiraoka. This will present voters with
a real choice.
:
Actually, it's surprising that, given' the furor Hiraoka 's remarks have created,
that Hiraoka is running at all. What is·even more surprising, however, is that he
was ever elected.
f:
.'[
Hiraoka -- "Now what was I saying about the bottom of the barreU"
MEChA readies for semester officer elections
.
!
...
MEChA completed the nominating
process for new officers at their Sept. 13 :
meeting. The general membership will
vote for new leadership in elections
slated for Sept. 20 from 12:30 to 2 in
Room 2 in the upstairs cafeteria. Profiles
on each of the nominees follow: ·
Chairperson
-
MEChA chairperson because, "'I have "'more student involvement in terms of
alot of experience and am tired of seeing the community."' He said he wou.ld
inexperience running MEChA. In the · become involved in opening the doors
past, because . of weak leadership, to college to Chicano high schoolers.
MEChA has turned off potential
"'We have to get more Chicanos in here,"'
Mechistas ... With my experience I can
he said.
get the community involved. MEChA
has potential."'
Silverio Haro
Sam Benabides
Vice Chairperson
Yolanda Hernandez
no photo available
►
Yolanda Hernandez, 23, of Oxnard,
is a junior majoring in child psychology.
Her qualifications for the vice-chairperson position include a three-year
membership in MEChA, participation in
United Farmworker Union marches and
rallies, and she is presently employed
at the Chicano Youth Center.
She is running for the post, she said,
because,,, always li~e to get involved· in
the movimiento, helping out our brothers and sisters. I want to help build a
stronger MEChA."'
Sam Benabides, 28, of San Fernando
Ca., is a junior majoring in criminolog;
and minoring in psychology. He has
lived in Fresno about eight years.
His list of qualifications include: a
term as a CSUF student freshman
senator, chairman of the MEChA fundraising committee, MEChA Sergeant
at arms from 1976-77, and advisor to
the MEChA president. Benabides also
served as chairman of MEChA Central
for a year and has worked for the Fresno
Housing Authority. He has also served
as security for Cesar Chavez when the
UFW held their conventions in Fresno.
Benabides said he wants to be
iSilverio Haro, 20, is a resident of
Fresno's Parkside district. He is a junior
majoring in Public Administration with
ambitions for law school. ,
;Haro' s credentials include, employm~nt ·with several Chicano organizations
including: La Brocha del Valle, the
Summer Mural Project, Teatro del
Espiritu, Teatro del Valle, the Recruiting
Students Via Parents program, the
Educational Opportunity Program, and
El 1Comite Consejero. Haro has been a
. "11:tChA member for three years.
1
Haro wants the chairmanship in order
tQ provide "'input,"' he said. He added
there doesn 't seem to be any major
issues confronting Chicanos on campus,
but one of his goals will be to induce
Sylvia Rodriguez, 28, has been a lifelong Fresno resident. She is a senior
maioring in liberal studies.
Rodriguez' credentials include: a
term as chairperson for the ·Fresno City
College _Las Adelitas; organizing work
for the United Farmworkers Union;
membership in the Mexican American
Political Association, the League of
Mexican American Women, El Concilio
de Fresno, La Brocha del Valle, Teatro
del Valle and Teatro Espiritu.
Rodriguez wishes to become vicechairperson, she said, to form a stronger
MEChA comprised of the entire Chicano
student body and "'to make Chicanos
such a force that the administration
will be accountable not only at school
but in the entire valley. We have to get
everyone involved."'
·
Treasurer
Sylvia Rodriquez
Margarita Martinez, 21, of Macfarland, Ca., is running unopposed for
MEChA treasurer. She is a pre-law
student majoring in political science. She
(continued on page 4)
.17, 1979
Poor H.S. counseling
attracts few Chicanos
This is the second in a 'series of articles
tional Opportunity Program, thinks that
many counselors are uninformed about
programs to help Chicanos, and some ·
"don't make any extended effort to find
out about the programs ."
the total. Different aspects of the prob.. Sometimes we found that the counlem will be discussed each week.
' , selors think that EOP is just for -students
who don't do very well, and that's just
By Steve Le Vine
not true," he said.
Theresa Perez of the La Raza Studies Department, right, speaks to students about
La Voz Staff Writer
"In some instances, I think they (high
minority involvement in government Tuesday in the CU. She told students that
school counselors) are not really intestrides made in the· past must be maintained. She also recommended student
Thousands of local college-able Chi- rested,~ Perez said . "Other times - I
minority involvement in <:ampus politics. Dr. Herman George of the Ethnic Stucanos are not aspiring toward higher don 't.knowwhattheir problem is."
dies
Department and Gail Wasser, left, of the Womens Studies Department also
education partly because of poor counPerez thinks that counselors have to
· spoke. (Photo by George Aguirre)
·
seling at their high schools.
make an extra effort to help some
That is the conclusion of Francis Pena, Ch1canos--for instance in filling out
director of the Recruiting Students Via entrance forms--because "parents (of
Parents Program, who last year went students) are eager and want their kids
ID many of the local high schools to to go to college, but they don't have the·
~it Chicanos for CSUF.
background to help them fill out the
She found that many counselors, who forms ... .
~said play a "major role .. in students'
"And maybe the student doesn 't go to
academic and career pursuits, are doing school if the counselors don't help,"
by Ricardo Pimentel
The course is divided into three gen- .
a :very good job.. in counseling Chi- Perez said.
La Voz Editor
eral categories. The class is a require- '
canos.
Pena and Perez agree that counselors
A La Raza Studies class is taking theoment for those seeking· bilingual, cross
'We talked to thousands of students have a huge load of students, which, ry out of the classroom and putting it to
cultural specialist credentials. The crimthis past semester,.. Pena said . "We they "'Say, adds tremendously t9 the practical use.
inal justice system and Chicanos is
MMJld ask them who their counselor problem. That, they said, is the reason
Field Work in the Community, LR
another category. Students who have a
was, and they wouldn't know ~The coun- their programs are important.
145, places students in the actual culparticular community agency_or project
selors never called them in to ask them
Pena pinpointed the counseling prob- tural conditions they will encounter in
in mind comprise the third category.
about their career goals ...
lem to eight local high schools, where jobs after graduation. "'Students have
Most of the field work involves little or
no pay. ···
'
While counselors could be directing she said, "uncooperative" counselors an -understanding of culture from a
students into the fields of law, medicine affect thousands of students. ·
text," said Teresa Perez, one of three
Since the course originates in the La
or nursing, she said, they instead
Raza Studies department, it ,isn't surPerez thinks that by establishing instructors for the course. "They need
direct them into "welding, carpentry, "better lines of communication with the a hands-on experience." The two other
prising that most of the placements are
and secretarial jobs ...
counselors," much of the problem could instructors are Alex Gonzalez, a new
in the Chicano community. But students
P~a thinks the problem can be be alleviated.
aren't restricted to Chicano \agencies.
addition to the L:a!Raza Studies staff, and
attri~ to "racism .. or .. stereotypes
"We keep harping about the same Tony Garduque, EOP counselor.
There are basic problems comrilon to all
that Chicanos can't perform ...
problem," he said ... We need to think
Twenty-five students have registergroups, Perez said . Most of the stuManuel Perez, director of the Educa- about how we can do better."
~ . ed for this semester's class, down from
dents, however, want to work with young
people in trouble, Perez and Conzalez
the 65 who completed the course last
observed .
semester, according to Perez. In the
Before the students can be placed in
past, students have been placed with
their field assignments, they must sign a
with Centro La Familia, the Chicano
contract ensuring they meet with the in-Youth Center, Chicano media projects,
(continued from page 1)
structor for at least one hour a week,
juvenile hall, with ex-offender programs
in Morelia. However, becaus~ of his curious mind and his reading of
spend six hours minimum a week in an
and
chicano
,
student
organizations.
French philosophers like Rousseau and others, Hidalgo was ·charged
approved field placement, and keep a
Although placement has traditionally
with heresy and moral lapses . He escaped conviction but was bandetailed record of their activities via a
been with community agencies, students
ished to the parish of Dolores.
daily or weekly log or a final term pamay develop their own programs for
Hidalgo's convictions soon involved him in politics where he champer. The contract, according to Conzalcredit.
on~
woman
is
working
in
migrant
pioned the rights of the underdogs of Mexican society--the Indian and
es, ensures that the student just doesn't
education this semester with an eye to
mestizo. He became involved in a social and literary club of Queetaro,
find an agency, sit down and do noth ing .
developing a comprehensive study of miwhere a plot was already underway for declaring independence
grant children for next semester . .
Something concrete must come out of
against Spain. The conspirators had pla]lned to announce in October,
.each student's placement, he added .
The sky seems to be the limit. Perez
however Spanish officials got word of it and began to arrest the
said the only restraint placed on a stuAside from providing a valuable commembers of the Queretaro Literary Club . At t~is point, Dona ·Josefa
dent is his or her lack of creativity. One
munity service, the course often results
Ortiz de Dominguez, rode out to Dolores to warn Hidalgo of the situgroup of students, for instance, will devin permanent jobs for some students . A
ation. In the evening of September 15, 1810; Hidalgo rang the churchelop a male parenting group for Centro
student, once placed at an employment
bells at Dolores, called on the Indian masses and recounted the indevelopment agency, is now wor:king full
La Familia, a family advocacy group .
ju~tices Spaniards had committed over the past 300 years.
time for that agency. Another stud~nt is
Still another student is worJ<ing at Roose"Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe," "Long live our lady of Guada- •
velt High informing others of college working for Wakefield School after working there as a student intern through the
lupe ... Muera el Mal Gobierno, Mueran los Gachupines" (Death to bad
opportunities. One student is holding
La Raza course. "We don't guaran~ee a
goyernment, death to the Gachupines). This was the beginning of
down two positions, one at an Orange
job, "Perez· said, "but our students have
the Crito de Dolores, the battle cry of the Mexic~n Revolution . The
• Cove health clinic and another tutoring
the inside track."
sy111bol of the movement was the Virgin of Guadalupe . •
·
biology.
.. At the very least,.. Conzalez said,
The war would rage on for the next eleven years. Hidalgo would be •
But no one is working as a flunky, Per"students get the opportunity to try on
captured by March of 1811 and executed . However, the revolution
ez and Gonzalez said. ..No one is shut off
a job to see if it fits ...
would pass into the hands of others who would continue the struggle
in the back to do filing or clerical jobs ...
until Mexico obtained its independence on September 21, 1821.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla· had settled nothing, but his Grito· de
Dolores inspired others to battle and he is therefore remembered .
as the first hero an~ father of the Mexican Independence movement
from Spain.
· "
dealing with the disparity between the
lor.aJ Chicano population and CSUF 's
Chicano enrollment; the former stands at
:r, percent, and the latter 9 percent of
La Raza Studies course :.
~
.offers on-job experief?ce
El Grito de Dolores
La Voz de Aztlan Staff Box
Today, September 16, the day of Hidalgo's Crito de Dolores, is
cel~rated in Mexico and throughout the Southwest as Mexico's in.~pendence day. Chicanos in the Southwest and throughout most ,
'parts of the United States also celebrate it in recognition of the fact
that as long as there is oppressive government, like Hidalgo, we will
continue to struggle against it. Moreover, we sti.11 recognize the fact
that many of our ancestors and relatives came from Mexico or still
reside in Mexico today and we have a link between us.
Editor ........... ·......... Ricardo Pimentel
·Photo Editor ......... ~ .. George Aguirre
Staff ........ :.......... :.. Dora Lara
Margarita Martinez
Arturo Ocampo _
Steve Le Vine
· La Voz de Atzlan is published by
the A810Clated Students at Callfornla State University, Fresno and l1
the newspaper staff. Unslgflecd
edltorlals are the opinions of the La
Voz staff and not necessarily the
views of the Associated s·tudents,
CSUF or the State of California.
Aua.11, 1ffl
LaVudeAztlan
Pap4
Psychologist newest addition to La Raz.a Studies
by Yolanda Soto ·
La Voz Contributor
Students may notice a new face on
campus. The face belongs to Alex
Gonzalez, the newest addition to the La
Raza Studies staff.
.
Gonzalez is from East Los Angeles and
attended Garfield High School. Even
. though he did well in high school, . he
was advised not to go tc , college because
he wouldn't make it . He decided to join
the Air Force. After a four~year stint in
the Air Force, he went to East L.K College for one semester and then decided
to attend Pomona College. There he received his B.A. in history. He was also
involved in many activities and received
scholarships. He was Resident Preceptor, Academic Preceptor, Chairman of
the Chancellor's Advisory Committee
to the Counseling Center, and instructor
and tutorial staff of the Educational Opportunity Program of 1974-76. He received scholarships including the Ford
Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation
scholarships.
.
In his last year• at Pomona college he
met a Chicano psychologist, prompting
an interest in psychology he would carry
with him all his life. But first he de-
cided to go to law school. Because he
was accepted_ to Phi Beta Kappa ctnd
Cum Laude and had an A- average in
undergraduate work, he was accepted to
many law schools. He chose Harvard.
After one year of law school and working for a law firm, Gonzalez decided
he didn't like what he saw and realized
he wouldn't be happy as a lawyer.
He ended urt at Santa Cruz and received
a PhD in social psychology there in 1979.
He's now married to Gloria Gonzalez
and they have a son named Alejandro.
Gonzalez said of his recent appointment to laRaza Studies, "I like ·the students and the staff at Fresno State.
Fresno is a comfortabfe place to sett1e
down in. The staff has alot of talent and
as a group we can all give alot. We need
to have more Chicano psychologists and
I hope to teach some psychology courses
to get Chicanos interested in the field
and to promote positive inner ethnic content ...
Gonzalez is now teaching the. Chicano
Child, Chicano Adolescent, Chicano
education courses, and La Raza 145, a
field work program. He plans to teach
new courses in Chicano psychology and ·
research skills and methods next semes-
Hiraoka levels own charges
(continued from page 1)
"After ali, for nation to progress you
can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of
what's on top. What you're doing is
sacrificing the top and you' re taking
care of the lower people. No nation can
progress under those conditions.
"Take care of your able. The nation
can survive because you have your
leadership. You have to have leaders to
survive. You can't take care of the bottom of the barrel because they' re no
good anyway."
Chicano groups responded immediately with charges of racism but Hiraoka
said Wednesday that he did not mean to
circle out only Chicanos. He said "I
meant all the poor whites and others ~ho
can't compete. The lowe·r echelon of
people."
His suggestion is that minorities
particularly Chicanos, should seek eithe~
vocational training or join the welfare
rolls .
·
Everybody wants to be a doctor or a
lawyer," Hiraoka said. "They can't be,
not everybody is qualified. They're a
special breed. Send those who can '.t
to vocational schools. What's wrong
with being a mechanic. You have got to
put dignity into these things."
Asked what happens to those· who do
not want vocational training but can't
pass the GPA requirement, Hiraoka ·
said, "They go on welfare. There are a
lot of smart people on welfare like
that Black lady who got $120,000 in welfare checks."
But welfare is not where Hector Abeytia would like to see Chicanos and the
SCCCD board isn ' t where he wants to
see Hiraoka .
"He is unfit to serve in public office "
said the executive secretary of El Co~ci lio de Fresno, one of the Chicano
groups actively opposing Hiraoka.
,,His responsibility is to ensure that a
quality education is obtainable ,by all.
He seems to be against that. Community colleges aren't · intended for the
a
select few.
People seekin1 further
education may not have the money, resources or 1rades to attend the Stanfords
and the Berkeleys. He is abusing his
rote·...
Ed Guzman, a Chicano student
attending Fresno State, said, -"People
who belong to minority groups are not
inherently stupid. It's
tremendous
waste of resources to just write them off.
Assuming all groups have the same intellectual potential, it's in the best interest of society to develop them to
their fullest.
Bilin1ual education is
one ~ans of achievin1 this." ·
a
Hiraoka, however, is also opposed to
bilingual education describing it as
"money down.the tubes."
They (Chicanos) are the racists.
Theyrre into bilingual education. This
is America and here you learn English,
talk English. None of this hyphenated
stuff," Hiraoka said.
·
Judging from letters to the · Bee,.
quite a few people are talking (in English) about Hiraoka. A recent letter
from a · Fresno bishop called Hiraoka
a racist with "thinking . .. as dangerous
as the 'superior race' mentality that
permeated Nazi Germany.
.
Indeed, the only person not saying
much about Hiraoka is candidate Rendon. When asked to respond to the trustee ' s remarks, Rendon said, ,,What he
stated isn ' t true, it can't be true. I
have no further comment about his
statements."
ter. Areas he's interested in are cooperation and competition, assesment,
integration c!'ld desegregation, and education. He has published with Manuel
Ramirez "La Causa Chicano,' 'Chicanos and _P sychology' and 'SpanishEnglish Bilingual Education in the U.S."
His goals · include more publications
and more research .
Dr. Lea Ybarra-Soriano, coordinator
of La Raza Studies, said, "We selected
Alex _Gonzalez because he was most
hi1hly qualified · than any of the other
applicants. He had a strong research
background and good relations with his
other students from Santa Cruz. He
wtll also help strengthen the La Raza
program because of his PhD in psychology. Now the faculty contains a variety
of education to offer to the students.
Jesus Luna has a PhD as a historian,
Ernesto Martinez has two MAs in art
and dance, Theresa Perez in education,
I in sociology and now Alex Gonzalez in
psychology.
Happily, we have had
good comments about Alex from the
students on campus and we are proud to
Dr. Alex l~nzalez
have him with us.,,
· Because there are few Chicanos
interested in psychology, Alex would
like to form a new organization for all
those interested in the field. Anyone
interested, -may contact Gonzalez at
48~-1041 in San Ramon I, room 238.
They're off and running.....
(continued from page 2)
has been a La Voz staff writer for three
semesters.
Martinez has been a MEChA member
for about one year and was a past
MEChA · representative to El Comite
Consejero.
She is seeking the treasurer's post
because ,,we need officers who are committed/ she said. · Martinez is also a
member of Chicanos in Law.
David Torres
Secretary
Maria J. Correa
David Torres, 18, of Porterville, is a
freshman who plans to major in prelaw criminology.
He is a past member of the Me~<ican
American Club in Porterville.
Torres is a U.S. Marine reservist. He
said he is seeking the sergeant-at-arms
position because j l 'ma Marine and like
to get things done."
TonyVilla .
Maria J. dorrea, 18, of Fresno is a
freshman witb plans to go into a pre-law
political science major.
·
She is running for secretary because
"I feel I owe something to my community
and my gente,.,, she said.
Sergeant-at-Arms
I
Meanwhile, Hiraoka has called Rendon "an opportunist, going on the
racist issue." He discounts any chanGe
of Rendon winning because "he.doesn't
have the time, money or knowledge of
fiscal matters. He isn't a politician."
Rendon disagrees. "I'm going to win.
My hopes are very high."
.
.
Hiraoka, who once said that minority
groups would never attack him out of
respect, appears to be headed for a
long, hard battle . .
Doralara
no photo available
Dora Lara, 19, of Fresno, is a sophmore majoring \in communicative disorders. -She is a graduate of Central
High School in Fresno and was a member of MEChA last semester.
Dora is seeking the post, she said,
~use "I hope to learn more about
what MEChA is ,all about. I 'd like to
help in the move~nt and .get all those
freshmen involved."
I
Tony Villa, 18, of Parlier is a freshman
currently enrolled in general education
courses. He plans to attend CSUF for
two years, transfer to a Los Angeles
school for his junior year, then to a New
York school for his senior year.
He said he wants the sergeant-at-arms
post to "get involved and to learn .,,
·Hiraoka levels'charges of Chicano radsm
by Scott Lafee
u Voz Contributor
Sounding bitter and defensive, Harry
Hiraoka, a State Center Community Col-
lete District trustee, denounced Chiranos Wednesday as being "'vicious and
racist• after several Chicano organizations had accused Hiraoka of racism and
abusin1 his role in the SCCCD.
Hiraoka drew the wrath of minority
fGl'5 when he said in an Aug. 19
fl'IIIID Bee Article that he thought
Oliclnos lacked the ability to succeed.
1lle article quoted him ' as sayinJ,
• • can make it (on their own), some
can't This is the brown people's enigma rflllt now-they just don't have it.
TheBlacks are making strides. They are
eaptior.s.•
Hnaka defended the statement by
out that Blacks in the south are
taking on more and newer responsi- canos. You have to understand them.
bilities. "'Why"', he asked "'doesn't a They live by the mob rule."'
Chicano ever try to be vice-c'hancellor?"'
The normally quiet race, which ends
He denied that what he said was ra- on election day, Nov. 6, is bound to becist, saying it was merely "'a personal come even more volatile with the recent
observation."'
Instead, he accused announcement that Hiraoka will not go
the Chicano groups of being racist unopposed. Alexander Rendon; a junior
since they are making his statement a high school vice-principal with no pocampaign issue.
Speaking quickly and angrily, Hiraoka
Hiraoka t'tipshooting
charged the groups with harassment and
intimidation. He said his brother has
Editorial, pag~ 2
been receiving threatening phone calls
and he was being hounded by large, unruly sroups of Chicanos that attend litical experience, declared his candidacy
SCCCD board meetings.
· only two days ~fore the deadline to do
Asked why he thought minority so.
groups would resort to threats, Hiraoka
Rendon appears to be a man caught in
said, "'You don't know them. You're the middle of a crossfire. Admitting he
still too immature. I've been around for has no experience in politics and isn't a
more than 60 years. I grew up with Chi- "'politician,"' the Fowler resident is en-
tering the race simply because he "'is
very concerned about the community
college."
However, on one side he faces Hir,
aoka, an outspoken controversial veteran
with nearly 30 years of experience in
education. On the other side is the coalition of angry Chicano groups determined to oust Hiraoka. In the middle is
Rendon, who says, "I 'm not the type of
guy who wants to say anything bad about
anybody."
Bl.it verbal warfare and mudslinging
may be the dominant characteristic in
this year's race. Hiraoka, dropping
another bombshell, has said he favors
limiting community college enrollment
to students with grade point averages
of about 3 .5 or above.
He explained in the Bee article,
(continue<! on page 4)
,
Special Publication of The Daily Collegian
LA VOZ de AZTLAN
r:5_4-Jl'J
Monday
Aug. 17, 1979
I..
El Grito de Dolores -- Sept. 16
Editor's note -- Yesterday was a day of celebration. But do we really know what we 're celebr~ting? Mexican Independence Day serves
not only as a tie to our not-sa-distant past, but also a reminder that
the struggle continues. Dr. Jesus Luna, noted historian, explains
the significance of El Crito de Po/ores.
By Dr. Jesus Luna
La Raza Studies
· September 16, also known as El Grito de Delores (Shout at Dolores),
signifies the beginning of the movemen~ for independence by the
colony of Mexico against the mother country Spain.
When the revolt came against Spain, all races and classes had a
hand in it. Of these, the lnd!ans h~d the most grievances. Shouldered
with the heaviest phsyical burdens, yet denied any voice in shaping
his own fate, he was seldom more than a slave in his ancestral homeland.
·
.
. The restless mestizo, who was the offspring of the illicit love of the
Spanish conqu~ror for the Indian woman, emerged as an e~plosive
social force. Offspring of both white and Indian, the mestizo was
accepted by neither. His soul was torn on one hand by pride in his·
father's power and on the other by resentment of the slight against
his mother.
Economically., socially, and politically, he was an outcast. However,
the mestizo multiplied until he formed a sizable segment of the
colonial population with no loyalty to the Spanish kings :
Then there were the creoles, the Spanish born in the new world,
who for 300 years seethed in anger at the superior privileges of the
Gachupinos, Spaniards ,born in Spain. These Gachupinos or Peninsulares held most of the high positions in the r:,ew world. Thus, when
the revolt came, all Americans, creoles, mestizos an~ Indians joined
in the clamor against the abuses of colonial Spain.
In 1808, when news came of Napolean 's usurpation of power in
Madrid there was considerable excitement in Mexico City and
throughout the countryside. Local cabildos (city councils), controlled
by creoles, declared that they were the government since Ferdinand VII was imprisoned by Napolean.
However the standard bearer or leader of the Mexican movement
for indepen'dence from Spain was Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costi_lla,
a parish priest in the village of Dolores, Guanajuato, loc~ted 100 mtl~s
northwest of Mexico City. Hidalgo had won respect for his scholarship
and curiosity and was made president of the Colagio de San Nicolas
(continued on page 3)
~
LaVozdeAztlan
Paae2
(
Aua.11, 1m
CoD1D1entario )
Editorial
Chicano community
Shoots from hip,.misses
Harry Hiraoka, the embattled State Center Community College District tru~tee,
seems surprised that his remar_ks in an August 19 Fresno Bee interview have
become a campaign issue in his bid for reelection. They were merely a "personal
observation," he said in an interview with La Voz de Aztlan.
That's not very realistic. People judge candidates, in part, from what they say.
In Hiraoka 's case his words speak for themselves. "Some can make it, some
can't. This is the brown people's enigma right now--they just don't have it,"
Hiraoka told the Fresno Bee.
_
·
What is this elusive "it" we don '{have? If Hiraoka means we don't have equal
opportunity; good high school counseling, money to attend prestigious schools, •
or understanding teachers and administrators, then he would be pretty close to
the truth. Unfortunately, Hiraoka 's subsequent remarks reveal his true meaning.
•~Aher all, for a nation to progress you can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of what's on top. What you 're doing is sacrificing
the top and you 're taking care of the lower people, " he said. Apparently, Hiraoka
prefers to see Chicanos subservient, docile, uneducated and in the fields. He
seems totally unwilling to take the steps as trustee to ensure that Chicanos
assume their rightful place in society. To make sure Chicanos remain in the fields,
he now proposes that the grade point requirement for community colleges be
raised to 3.5. Harvard, watch out!
But does Hiraoka think his remarks are racist? No, the racists are Chicanos
who resent being equated with "the bottom of the barrel, " Hiraoka says. Perhaps
the definition of racism has changed. Arbitrarily delegating a lower status on the
basis of race or color has always been a good indicator of racism. And that is
precisely what Hiraoka has done.
Fortunately Hiraoka will not run unopposed. Alex Rendon of Fowler, a junior
high school vice principal, will run against Hiraoka. This will present voters with
a real choice.
:
Actually, it's surprising that, given' the furor Hiraoka 's remarks have created,
that Hiraoka is running at all. What is·even more surprising, however, is that he
was ever elected.
f:
.'[
Hiraoka -- "Now what was I saying about the bottom of the barreU"
MEChA readies for semester officer elections
.
!
...
MEChA completed the nominating
process for new officers at their Sept. 13 :
meeting. The general membership will
vote for new leadership in elections
slated for Sept. 20 from 12:30 to 2 in
Room 2 in the upstairs cafeteria. Profiles
on each of the nominees follow: ·
Chairperson
-
MEChA chairperson because, "'I have "'more student involvement in terms of
alot of experience and am tired of seeing the community."' He said he wou.ld
inexperience running MEChA. In the · become involved in opening the doors
past, because . of weak leadership, to college to Chicano high schoolers.
MEChA has turned off potential
"'We have to get more Chicanos in here,"'
Mechistas ... With my experience I can
he said.
get the community involved. MEChA
has potential."'
Silverio Haro
Sam Benabides
Vice Chairperson
Yolanda Hernandez
no photo available
►
Yolanda Hernandez, 23, of Oxnard,
is a junior majoring in child psychology.
Her qualifications for the vice-chairperson position include a three-year
membership in MEChA, participation in
United Farmworker Union marches and
rallies, and she is presently employed
at the Chicano Youth Center.
She is running for the post, she said,
because,,, always li~e to get involved· in
the movimiento, helping out our brothers and sisters. I want to help build a
stronger MEChA."'
Sam Benabides, 28, of San Fernando
Ca., is a junior majoring in criminolog;
and minoring in psychology. He has
lived in Fresno about eight years.
His list of qualifications include: a
term as a CSUF student freshman
senator, chairman of the MEChA fundraising committee, MEChA Sergeant
at arms from 1976-77, and advisor to
the MEChA president. Benabides also
served as chairman of MEChA Central
for a year and has worked for the Fresno
Housing Authority. He has also served
as security for Cesar Chavez when the
UFW held their conventions in Fresno.
Benabides said he wants to be
iSilverio Haro, 20, is a resident of
Fresno's Parkside district. He is a junior
majoring in Public Administration with
ambitions for law school. ,
;Haro' s credentials include, employm~nt ·with several Chicano organizations
including: La Brocha del Valle, the
Summer Mural Project, Teatro del
Espiritu, Teatro del Valle, the Recruiting
Students Via Parents program, the
Educational Opportunity Program, and
El 1Comite Consejero. Haro has been a
. "11:tChA member for three years.
1
Haro wants the chairmanship in order
tQ provide "'input,"' he said. He added
there doesn 't seem to be any major
issues confronting Chicanos on campus,
but one of his goals will be to induce
Sylvia Rodriguez, 28, has been a lifelong Fresno resident. She is a senior
maioring in liberal studies.
Rodriguez' credentials include: a
term as chairperson for the ·Fresno City
College _Las Adelitas; organizing work
for the United Farmworkers Union;
membership in the Mexican American
Political Association, the League of
Mexican American Women, El Concilio
de Fresno, La Brocha del Valle, Teatro
del Valle and Teatro Espiritu.
Rodriguez wishes to become vicechairperson, she said, to form a stronger
MEChA comprised of the entire Chicano
student body and "'to make Chicanos
such a force that the administration
will be accountable not only at school
but in the entire valley. We have to get
everyone involved."'
·
Treasurer
Sylvia Rodriquez
Margarita Martinez, 21, of Macfarland, Ca., is running unopposed for
MEChA treasurer. She is a pre-law
student majoring in political science. She
(continued on page 4)
.17, 1979
Poor H.S. counseling
attracts few Chicanos
This is the second in a 'series of articles
tional Opportunity Program, thinks that
many counselors are uninformed about
programs to help Chicanos, and some ·
"don't make any extended effort to find
out about the programs ."
the total. Different aspects of the prob.. Sometimes we found that the counlem will be discussed each week.
' , selors think that EOP is just for -students
who don't do very well, and that's just
By Steve Le Vine
not true," he said.
Theresa Perez of the La Raza Studies Department, right, speaks to students about
La Voz Staff Writer
"In some instances, I think they (high
minority involvement in government Tuesday in the CU. She told students that
school counselors) are not really intestrides made in the· past must be maintained. She also recommended student
Thousands of local college-able Chi- rested,~ Perez said . "Other times - I
minority involvement in <:ampus politics. Dr. Herman George of the Ethnic Stucanos are not aspiring toward higher don 't.knowwhattheir problem is."
dies
Department and Gail Wasser, left, of the Womens Studies Department also
education partly because of poor counPerez thinks that counselors have to
· spoke. (Photo by George Aguirre)
·
seling at their high schools.
make an extra effort to help some
That is the conclusion of Francis Pena, Ch1canos--for instance in filling out
director of the Recruiting Students Via entrance forms--because "parents (of
Parents Program, who last year went students) are eager and want their kids
ID many of the local high schools to to go to college, but they don't have the·
~it Chicanos for CSUF.
background to help them fill out the
She found that many counselors, who forms ... .
~said play a "major role .. in students'
"And maybe the student doesn 't go to
academic and career pursuits, are doing school if the counselors don't help,"
by Ricardo Pimentel
The course is divided into three gen- .
a :very good job.. in counseling Chi- Perez said.
La Voz Editor
eral categories. The class is a require- '
canos.
Pena and Perez agree that counselors
A La Raza Studies class is taking theoment for those seeking· bilingual, cross
'We talked to thousands of students have a huge load of students, which, ry out of the classroom and putting it to
cultural specialist credentials. The crimthis past semester,.. Pena said . "We they "'Say, adds tremendously t9 the practical use.
inal justice system and Chicanos is
MMJld ask them who their counselor problem. That, they said, is the reason
Field Work in the Community, LR
another category. Students who have a
was, and they wouldn't know ~The coun- their programs are important.
145, places students in the actual culparticular community agency_or project
selors never called them in to ask them
Pena pinpointed the counseling prob- tural conditions they will encounter in
in mind comprise the third category.
about their career goals ...
lem to eight local high schools, where jobs after graduation. "'Students have
Most of the field work involves little or
no pay. ···
'
While counselors could be directing she said, "uncooperative" counselors an -understanding of culture from a
students into the fields of law, medicine affect thousands of students. ·
text," said Teresa Perez, one of three
Since the course originates in the La
or nursing, she said, they instead
Raza Studies department, it ,isn't surPerez thinks that by establishing instructors for the course. "They need
direct them into "welding, carpentry, "better lines of communication with the a hands-on experience." The two other
prising that most of the placements are
and secretarial jobs ...
counselors," much of the problem could instructors are Alex Gonzalez, a new
in the Chicano community. But students
P~a thinks the problem can be be alleviated.
aren't restricted to Chicano \agencies.
addition to the L:a!Raza Studies staff, and
attri~ to "racism .. or .. stereotypes
"We keep harping about the same Tony Garduque, EOP counselor.
There are basic problems comrilon to all
that Chicanos can't perform ...
problem," he said ... We need to think
Twenty-five students have registergroups, Perez said . Most of the stuManuel Perez, director of the Educa- about how we can do better."
~ . ed for this semester's class, down from
dents, however, want to work with young
people in trouble, Perez and Conzalez
the 65 who completed the course last
observed .
semester, according to Perez. In the
Before the students can be placed in
past, students have been placed with
their field assignments, they must sign a
with Centro La Familia, the Chicano
contract ensuring they meet with the in-Youth Center, Chicano media projects,
(continued from page 1)
structor for at least one hour a week,
juvenile hall, with ex-offender programs
in Morelia. However, becaus~ of his curious mind and his reading of
spend six hours minimum a week in an
and
chicano
,
student
organizations.
French philosophers like Rousseau and others, Hidalgo was ·charged
approved field placement, and keep a
Although placement has traditionally
with heresy and moral lapses . He escaped conviction but was bandetailed record of their activities via a
been with community agencies, students
ished to the parish of Dolores.
daily or weekly log or a final term pamay develop their own programs for
Hidalgo's convictions soon involved him in politics where he champer. The contract, according to Conzalcredit.
on~
woman
is
working
in
migrant
pioned the rights of the underdogs of Mexican society--the Indian and
es, ensures that the student just doesn't
education this semester with an eye to
mestizo. He became involved in a social and literary club of Queetaro,
find an agency, sit down and do noth ing .
developing a comprehensive study of miwhere a plot was already underway for declaring independence
grant children for next semester . .
Something concrete must come out of
against Spain. The conspirators had pla]lned to announce in October,
.each student's placement, he added .
The sky seems to be the limit. Perez
however Spanish officials got word of it and began to arrest the
said the only restraint placed on a stuAside from providing a valuable commembers of the Queretaro Literary Club . At t~is point, Dona ·Josefa
dent is his or her lack of creativity. One
munity service, the course often results
Ortiz de Dominguez, rode out to Dolores to warn Hidalgo of the situgroup of students, for instance, will devin permanent jobs for some students . A
ation. In the evening of September 15, 1810; Hidalgo rang the churchelop a male parenting group for Centro
student, once placed at an employment
bells at Dolores, called on the Indian masses and recounted the indevelopment agency, is now wor:king full
La Familia, a family advocacy group .
ju~tices Spaniards had committed over the past 300 years.
time for that agency. Another stud~nt is
Still another student is worJ<ing at Roose"Viva Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe," "Long live our lady of Guada- •
velt High informing others of college working for Wakefield School after working there as a student intern through the
lupe ... Muera el Mal Gobierno, Mueran los Gachupines" (Death to bad
opportunities. One student is holding
La Raza course. "We don't guaran~ee a
goyernment, death to the Gachupines). This was the beginning of
down two positions, one at an Orange
job, "Perez· said, "but our students have
the Crito de Dolores, the battle cry of the Mexic~n Revolution . The
• Cove health clinic and another tutoring
the inside track."
sy111bol of the movement was the Virgin of Guadalupe . •
·
biology.
.. At the very least,.. Conzalez said,
The war would rage on for the next eleven years. Hidalgo would be •
But no one is working as a flunky, Per"students get the opportunity to try on
captured by March of 1811 and executed . However, the revolution
ez and Gonzalez said. ..No one is shut off
a job to see if it fits ...
would pass into the hands of others who would continue the struggle
in the back to do filing or clerical jobs ...
until Mexico obtained its independence on September 21, 1821.
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla· had settled nothing, but his Grito· de
Dolores inspired others to battle and he is therefore remembered .
as the first hero an~ father of the Mexican Independence movement
from Spain.
· "
dealing with the disparity between the
lor.aJ Chicano population and CSUF 's
Chicano enrollment; the former stands at
:r, percent, and the latter 9 percent of
La Raza Studies course :.
~
.offers on-job experief?ce
El Grito de Dolores
La Voz de Aztlan Staff Box
Today, September 16, the day of Hidalgo's Crito de Dolores, is
cel~rated in Mexico and throughout the Southwest as Mexico's in.~pendence day. Chicanos in the Southwest and throughout most ,
'parts of the United States also celebrate it in recognition of the fact
that as long as there is oppressive government, like Hidalgo, we will
continue to struggle against it. Moreover, we sti.11 recognize the fact
that many of our ancestors and relatives came from Mexico or still
reside in Mexico today and we have a link between us.
Editor ........... ·......... Ricardo Pimentel
·Photo Editor ......... ~ .. George Aguirre
Staff ........ :.......... :.. Dora Lara
Margarita Martinez
Arturo Ocampo _
Steve Le Vine
· La Voz de Atzlan is published by
the A810Clated Students at Callfornla State University, Fresno and l1
the newspaper staff. Unslgflecd
edltorlals are the opinions of the La
Voz staff and not necessarily the
views of the Associated s·tudents,
CSUF or the State of California.
Aua.11, 1ffl
LaVudeAztlan
Pap4
Psychologist newest addition to La Raz.a Studies
by Yolanda Soto ·
La Voz Contributor
Students may notice a new face on
campus. The face belongs to Alex
Gonzalez, the newest addition to the La
Raza Studies staff.
.
Gonzalez is from East Los Angeles and
attended Garfield High School. Even
. though he did well in high school, . he
was advised not to go tc , college because
he wouldn't make it . He decided to join
the Air Force. After a four~year stint in
the Air Force, he went to East L.K College for one semester and then decided
to attend Pomona College. There he received his B.A. in history. He was also
involved in many activities and received
scholarships. He was Resident Preceptor, Academic Preceptor, Chairman of
the Chancellor's Advisory Committee
to the Counseling Center, and instructor
and tutorial staff of the Educational Opportunity Program of 1974-76. He received scholarships including the Ford
Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation
scholarships.
.
In his last year• at Pomona college he
met a Chicano psychologist, prompting
an interest in psychology he would carry
with him all his life. But first he de-
cided to go to law school. Because he
was accepted_ to Phi Beta Kappa ctnd
Cum Laude and had an A- average in
undergraduate work, he was accepted to
many law schools. He chose Harvard.
After one year of law school and working for a law firm, Gonzalez decided
he didn't like what he saw and realized
he wouldn't be happy as a lawyer.
He ended urt at Santa Cruz and received
a PhD in social psychology there in 1979.
He's now married to Gloria Gonzalez
and they have a son named Alejandro.
Gonzalez said of his recent appointment to laRaza Studies, "I like ·the students and the staff at Fresno State.
Fresno is a comfortabfe place to sett1e
down in. The staff has alot of talent and
as a group we can all give alot. We need
to have more Chicano psychologists and
I hope to teach some psychology courses
to get Chicanos interested in the field
and to promote positive inner ethnic content ...
Gonzalez is now teaching the. Chicano
Child, Chicano Adolescent, Chicano
education courses, and La Raza 145, a
field work program. He plans to teach
new courses in Chicano psychology and ·
research skills and methods next semes-
Hiraoka levels own charges
(continued from page 1)
"After ali, for nation to progress you
can't take care of the bottom of the
barrel. You've got to take care of
what's on top. What you're doing is
sacrificing the top and you' re taking
care of the lower people. No nation can
progress under those conditions.
"Take care of your able. The nation
can survive because you have your
leadership. You have to have leaders to
survive. You can't take care of the bottom of the barrel because they' re no
good anyway."
Chicano groups responded immediately with charges of racism but Hiraoka
said Wednesday that he did not mean to
circle out only Chicanos. He said "I
meant all the poor whites and others ~ho
can't compete. The lowe·r echelon of
people."
His suggestion is that minorities
particularly Chicanos, should seek eithe~
vocational training or join the welfare
rolls .
·
Everybody wants to be a doctor or a
lawyer," Hiraoka said. "They can't be,
not everybody is qualified. They're a
special breed. Send those who can '.t
to vocational schools. What's wrong
with being a mechanic. You have got to
put dignity into these things."
Asked what happens to those· who do
not want vocational training but can't
pass the GPA requirement, Hiraoka ·
said, "They go on welfare. There are a
lot of smart people on welfare like
that Black lady who got $120,000 in welfare checks."
But welfare is not where Hector Abeytia would like to see Chicanos and the
SCCCD board isn ' t where he wants to
see Hiraoka .
"He is unfit to serve in public office "
said the executive secretary of El Co~ci lio de Fresno, one of the Chicano
groups actively opposing Hiraoka.
,,His responsibility is to ensure that a
quality education is obtainable ,by all.
He seems to be against that. Community colleges aren't · intended for the
a
select few.
People seekin1 further
education may not have the money, resources or 1rades to attend the Stanfords
and the Berkeleys. He is abusing his
rote·...
Ed Guzman, a Chicano student
attending Fresno State, said, -"People
who belong to minority groups are not
inherently stupid. It's
tremendous
waste of resources to just write them off.
Assuming all groups have the same intellectual potential, it's in the best interest of society to develop them to
their fullest.
Bilin1ual education is
one ~ans of achievin1 this." ·
a
Hiraoka, however, is also opposed to
bilingual education describing it as
"money down.the tubes."
They (Chicanos) are the racists.
Theyrre into bilingual education. This
is America and here you learn English,
talk English. None of this hyphenated
stuff," Hiraoka said.
·
Judging from letters to the · Bee,.
quite a few people are talking (in English) about Hiraoka. A recent letter
from a · Fresno bishop called Hiraoka
a racist with "thinking . .. as dangerous
as the 'superior race' mentality that
permeated Nazi Germany.
.
Indeed, the only person not saying
much about Hiraoka is candidate Rendon. When asked to respond to the trustee ' s remarks, Rendon said, ,,What he
stated isn ' t true, it can't be true. I
have no further comment about his
statements."
ter. Areas he's interested in are cooperation and competition, assesment,
integration c!'ld desegregation, and education. He has published with Manuel
Ramirez "La Causa Chicano,' 'Chicanos and _P sychology' and 'SpanishEnglish Bilingual Education in the U.S."
His goals · include more publications
and more research .
Dr. Lea Ybarra-Soriano, coordinator
of La Raza Studies, said, "We selected
Alex _Gonzalez because he was most
hi1hly qualified · than any of the other
applicants. He had a strong research
background and good relations with his
other students from Santa Cruz. He
wtll also help strengthen the La Raza
program because of his PhD in psychology. Now the faculty contains a variety
of education to offer to the students.
Jesus Luna has a PhD as a historian,
Ernesto Martinez has two MAs in art
and dance, Theresa Perez in education,
I in sociology and now Alex Gonzalez in
psychology.
Happily, we have had
good comments about Alex from the
students on campus and we are proud to
Dr. Alex l~nzalez
have him with us.,,
· Because there are few Chicanos
interested in psychology, Alex would
like to form a new organization for all
those interested in the field. Anyone
interested, -may contact Gonzalez at
48~-1041 in San Ramon I, room 238.
They're off and running.....
(continued from page 2)
has been a La Voz staff writer for three
semesters.
Martinez has been a MEChA member
for about one year and was a past
MEChA · representative to El Comite
Consejero.
She is seeking the treasurer's post
because ,,we need officers who are committed/ she said. · Martinez is also a
member of Chicanos in Law.
David Torres
Secretary
Maria J. Correa
David Torres, 18, of Porterville, is a
freshman who plans to major in prelaw criminology.
He is a past member of the Me~<ican
American Club in Porterville.
Torres is a U.S. Marine reservist. He
said he is seeking the sergeant-at-arms
position because j l 'ma Marine and like
to get things done."
TonyVilla .
Maria J. dorrea, 18, of Fresno is a
freshman witb plans to go into a pre-law
political science major.
·
She is running for secretary because
"I feel I owe something to my community
and my gente,.,, she said.
Sergeant-at-Arms
I
Meanwhile, Hiraoka has called Rendon "an opportunist, going on the
racist issue." He discounts any chanGe
of Rendon winning because "he.doesn't
have the time, money or knowledge of
fiscal matters. He isn't a politician."
Rendon disagrees. "I'm going to win.
My hopes are very high."
.
.
Hiraoka, who once said that minority
groups would never attack him out of
respect, appears to be headed for a
long, hard battle . .
Doralara
no photo available
Dora Lara, 19, of Fresno, is a sophmore majoring \in communicative disorders. -She is a graduate of Central
High School in Fresno and was a member of MEChA last semester.
Dora is seeking the post, she said,
~use "I hope to learn more about
what MEChA is ,all about. I 'd like to
help in the move~nt and .get all those
freshmen involved."
I
Tony Villa, 18, of Parlier is a freshman
currently enrolled in general education
courses. He plans to attend CSUF for
two years, transfer to a Los Angeles
school for his junior year, then to a New
York school for his senior year.
He said he wants the sergeant-at-arms
post to "get involved and to learn .,,