La Voz de Aztlan, March 7 1988
Item
Title
La Voz de Aztlan, March 7 1988
Creator
Associated Students of Fresno State
Relation
La Voz de Aztlan (Daily Collegian, California State University, Fresno)
Coverage
Fresno, California
Date
3/7/1988
Format
PDF
Identifier
SCUA_lvda_00174
extracted text
[ . a. Voz cie. Az.tfati
California State University, Fresno
Monday, March 7, 1988
Cancer thrives in McFarland
Photograph by Angel de Jeaua
vestigation !)eing conducted by· the sLclte.
The inquiry will probe the use of four
highly utilized pesticides around the
McFarland area..
Findings by Dr. Raymond Neutra of
the State Department of Health Service
revealed that 80 percent of the fathers of
the afflicted children had at one time or
another worked in agricultural occupations. This clue increases the proability
of resolving the question of relating
pesticides and the occurence of cancer.
There is no doubt that there is a
Up to now the KCDHS has not been
able to explain this cancer cluster phenomena. After three and a half years and
$100,000 worth of investigations the Director of KCDHS, Dr. Leon Hebertson,
announced in August 1987 that there "is
no conclusive evidence" to associate rhis
tragedy to any chemical source.
In July 1985 KCDHS v.as forced to
conduct an inquiry to study the high rate
of cancer among McFarland children.
Pressure was applied by citizens of McFarland, Senator Art Torres (D-L.A.) and
" .. .I resigned rather than take part in this cover-up"
-Lazar
..~-%00
~ ~_,,,,.
Farmworkers conti.nue their struggle
for better conditions
The effects of a (;hemical time bomb
have just begun to surface in lethal fonns
of cancer among the children of McFarland. Thus far, this chemical menace has
claimed the lives of eight children. In
addition, nine other children have been
diagnosed with some form of cancer, it is
believed to be a re~ult of this pestilence.
These documented cases have reached
epedemic proportio~s--four times the
national average. Seventeen cases have
been reported within the last 10 years by
the Kern County Department of Health
Services (KCDHS).
Some parents of the afflicted children
feel optimistic about the new in-
migration of chemicals in the soil, and
these chemicals are contaminating the
ground water around McFarland. The
latest chapter of this type of pesticide tale
appeared in late October 1987, when high
levels of the cancer causing pesticide
DBCP was found in the ground water.
Since then the well has been shut tiown,
but it wasn't until last week that funds
were allocated by the State Heaitll
. Department to repair the contaminated
well. ·
Meanwhile, the parents of the cancer.striken children continue to ask the same
questions they have been asking since
they suspected these occ:-.:rences of cancer
were more than just coincidences. And
yet no answers have been provided by the
authorities.
Living ·in fear and fustration is
something the Mexican-American community in McFarland face day-in and dayout Yet it appears that these people have
refused to give · up and continue to
struggle. They know that the lives of
many children of McFarland are at stake.
the United Farm Workers. Initialy the
KCDHS balked on conducting any investigations ii. the McFarlc:nd area.
Some authorities in the health field
believe that the cancer incidents can be
blamed on the pestcide seeping into the
city water wells. One of these authorities
is Dr. Thomas F. Lazar.
According to Dr. Lazar, who resigned
from the K-CDHS on January 1987.
a "cover-up" occurred and he refused to
participate.
In Dr. Lazar's words, "It was decit, pure
and simple and I resigned rather than talce
part in this cover-up".
Dr. Lazar also stated ihat Hebertson
refused to hear or allow Dr. Lazar to
expand on the initial investigation.
Dr. Lazar added that he drafted the first
phase of the July i985 investigation and
See McFarland
page 4
Contra aid-headed for disaster
in
Two landmarlc events-one
San
Jose, Costa Rica and the. other· in
Washington, D.C.-will take place over
the n~xt few weeks which will have
major impact on the war and the
prospects for peace in Central America.
On January 15, the five Central
American presidents will meet in Costa
Rica for the first time since the historic· .
signing of the Centtal America Peace
Accord in Esquipulas, Guatemala on
August 7, 1987. There, the presidents of
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El
Salvador and Honduras will hear the
report of the Intemati.onal Verification .
Commission about compliance with the
tenns of the Accord.
The International Verifi~tion
Commission
is
made
up
of
representatives of the five Central
American governments, ,the Contadora
Group (Mexico, Panama, Colombia and
Venezuela), the Contadora Support
Group, the Organization of American
States (OAS) and the United Nations. In
The Plan a1.so recognizes that there are
intervention coalition which has
confbcts
in other countries than
organized national opposition to contra
Nicaragua, rather
than
previous
aid
ap{>roaches
which
treated
Nicaragua
as the
As the Central America Peace Plan
"pro~lem
child."
The
region-wide
calls for an end to outside government aid
to armed insurgents, the passage of any approach of the PL,n is a ~ogni~o~ of
more aid to the contra would definitely be the fact that, according to AleJandro
Bendana of the Nicaraguan Foreign
in violation of the tenns of the Accord.
Ministry, "the war against Nicaragua is
seriously destabilizing the whole region."
The proposal to establish a Cenn-al
PROCESS OF PEACE
Though the U.S. continues to American Parliament, for example, will
obstruct the peace process, the signing of help strengthen this Central American
the Central Ame::ica Peace Accord has unity.
,
produced a new motion toward peace in
CONTRA AID VOTE
Although the Plan treats the very
The other landmark event affecting the the region which· oontinues to have a life different conflicts in Guatemala, El
war and prospects for peace in Central of its own.
Salvador and Nicaragua as equivalent,
America is a major vote on future aid to
Perhaps most importantly, the Plan these situations are far from identical.
the contras to be taken by the U.S. House represen~ Central America's asserticn of Unlike indigenou~ popularly supported
its sovereignty, while acknowledging that movemen~. lik.\>: the ,F.ML~/FDR in El
of Representatives.
"Because we have a strict timetab]e, its success depends in part on the United
we have a unique opportunity for a States and other nations' recognition of
straight up or down vote on contra aid in that sovereignty. It is a Central American
Congress," said a spokesperson for the solution to the problems of the Central
Days of Decision Campaign, a non- American region.
~ly January, this Commission began its
on-the-ground monitoring of compliance
with the Accord, visiting each of the five
countries.
President Oscar Arias of Costa r \ :a,
the author of the Peace Accord, spoke
hopefully·about the January 15 meeting.
"When we meet, we must detenninc how
we can remove all r obstacles to Jie
success of the plan," he said, "We can
find a road to peace and democracy in our
dear Central America."
See Contra
aid page 4
Page 2 Monday 7,
I
March 4, 1988
''La Causa''
LA VOZ
c!e Aztlan
continues •••
Frank Aviles-Production
Jaime Fernandez-Production
Lisa Y. Flores-Production
Pablo Gutierrez- Editor
Sandra Gutierrez-Reporter
Angel de Jesus-Photographer
Bill Lerch
Pedro Ramirez-Advisor
M. Rivera-Production
Abraham Santillan
"La Vaz de Aztlan" staff would like to welcome all new and returning
students to California State University,. Fresno.
We. V.'~nt to congratulate
those of you who will continue furthering your ed~ca~1on .~nd those
~oonto-be entering the job market. We extena our sa :Jdos t9 ~he Chicano
Alumni Association, the Chicano Staff, an9 . Faculty Orgai11zat1ons, whom
without their support La Vaz would never have matenahzed.
.
.
La Vaz de Aztlan's
orimary objective is to educate. We will achieve . or
oal b
exposing the · injustices inflicted upon not on!1 the . Latino
gommunYty, but also u~on other third world peoples, and progres~1ve organizations.
. .
··
on reaching our obJect1ve,
a host af sens1·t·1ve an d conLrovers1a1 t op1cs
such as: Conlra-aid,
di~crimination 0.1-campus, bilingual e,ucation, nuclear war and human relations w1II ta addressed.
.
.
.
.
As an advocate for "La Causa" La Vaz ~ill e.hgn 1~selt with the Chicano
Facult
Staff students ar.d other progressive . org~rnzat1Qn~ to denource
any Xcts · of ' violenc~, . qppression,. r~pression, ahenat1on, sexism, or racism
perpetrated against any md1v1au~~ orgarnzat1on or rface ... ·d ·t
to all ·1nd·1v·1duals and
t.a Vaz de Aztran extenas it's hand o s911 an Y.
.
organizations to utilize this medium to exercise tne,r ~ght of free speech
ana free press.
.
• • t·
·
11 f cets of
La Vaz de Aztlan oncourages your. act1v~. part1c1p~ ion in a
a
-~~
our university education. Learn to think critically, with the underst~nd1 . ,.
rhat
"La Causa" must continue. Remember that you repres~'!t the vo!ce o1
our people. In retrospect, reflect upon the countless s~cnf1ces ma9£ by
your parents, family or friends,. who bro~e the many barriers and paid t~e
price so we could have access to a higher education.
La Voz's purpose is clear and we look forward ~o. a su~cessful. s~mes.te~.
Again, we ask the faculty, staff and students to Join us m achieving Justice for ail people.
A,
1,
GUEST EDITORIAL
•
'
.
"La Bamba'~ success at a price
Remember what uproar "Boulevard
Nights" brought in the seventies? Many
Chicanos were angry at the filmakers for
I agree that ''La Bamba" is a well
their stereotype of Chicano youth.
made Hollywood movie. Luis Valdez, ex- Parents thought that every teenager was
Teatro del Campesino director aJ1<l now going to adopt the stereotype presented by
bit time silver screen writer and director, Anglo filmakers of cholos/as. Many of
certainly deserves recognition from the our youth were so influenced by the
Mexicano/Chicano community as well as movie that they, in fact, , did emulated the
from the rest of the American public.
cholo image. Due to protests from the
With "La Bamba", Valdez has finally
Chicano community Boulevard Nights
managed to etched his n~e. ~nto the was banned from the public eye and put ·
mainstream Hollywood movie mdustry.
in university classrooms where it could
La Bamba is a story about a poor
be analyzr:-.t! and criticized . Now bere
fannworker tum wban Chicano, who . comes the flip side our community in "La
against all odds, makes it in the 'R<>mh<>"
seemingly impossible to crack 50's rockValdez reached into our past and
n-roll scene. What concerns me are the virtually selected a Chicano hero. He 1o?k
underlying messages in this success flack from Chicano artists, and one artist
story. They are, anyone can make it if even told me that he felt Valdez Wct3
they try and it's fine to be totally trying to make La Bamba acceptable to
assimila~ Valdez suggests that if he middle class America. Watering down our
and Valens can make it so can you.
art is not what we need. We need to be
It is important that we remember that sincere in our art expression, and if it is
during the 50's and 60's and partially into threatening to the dominant class then we
the 70's Chicanos were seen as the will know that there is cultural
""sleepm'g giant." In the eighties. we opp-ession.
have been seen as an "emerging people."
It' is this cultural suppression that we
·Tue first impression of what is need to struggle against. Resigninng
produced in movies. poetry. novels etc. ourselvess to pleasing other weak.tms our
are vital to how we are perceived by other culture and ultimately our people. It's the
cultures. Far more critical is how our root of developing a cultural complex.
community perceives itself. I do not
The hard work message is a hard dose
believe we have to change our rancheras. of the contemporary political tide which
corridos. polkas. and musica tropical to was designed and implemented by R :aald
rock-n-rolJ to be accepted by non-Latino Reagan and conservative ~-tanks. •
Hollywood.
It is simple-hard work bongs rewaros.
.By Andres Montoya
No hard work, no reward. We all know
that the civil rights accomplishments
made in the sixties are due to a C?llecti.ve
movement--not one person workmg hard
to reach a means, but the_ masses ?f
people working side by si~e ~ g~
justice for their people. ~he impbcatmn
is that this hard work ethic works for all
Chicanos; that is. if they only tri~ a
little harder. Tell this to toiling
fannworkersand thehundredofthousands
of service workers.._
.
.
This hard work ideolo~ implies that
the 29% of Chicanos who hve under the
poverty level are there because they are
lazy and do not work because they want
to be on welfare.
.
"La Bamba" glorified a MexicanAmerican who worked independently from
his community. Yet he represents a ·
heroic figure. Valens is not '" heroic
figure, he simply realized his dream of
playing rock-n-roll to the world. There
Revolution, the Bracerro Program?
Chicano film makers need to look at our
community collectively, not at individual
success storie~.
Falling head first into the melting pot
does not work. Why not tell a tale about
our cultural style and history? Why
should we become invisible? Which can
happen if we lose our culture and our
language. We shold not have to give up
our group identity to be successful in th~
society. Yet, Valens. one individual, is
glorified by Valdez in "La Bamba."
Chicanos, Native Americans, and
Afro-American film makers need to
educate those who see other cultures as
mere novelty by making · films that
honestly interpret their history. Change
takes place by struggling and protesting
against the ideology that says to
assimilate.
"La Bamba" needs to be viewed in
perspective. It is about one individ~
who made it in the Chicano community.
It also encourages being independent
when we as Raza have seen our history in
terms of collectivism. "La Bamba" is a
formula Hollywood success story which
are countless tales to be told about ends tragically. Just think if Trini Lopez,
individuals in our community who were Lee Trevino. and Herb Albert, oh .. .let's
able to inspire our community into not forget Vicky Carr, would have died.
fighting class oppression and racism. Yet, What a hotbed of Chicano heroes. What a
these stories go untold. Think of Joaquin wealth of scripts for Valdez. So, you see,
Murieta, Lopez Tijerina, Corley Gonzalez, "La Bamba" is 3 diversion--a fun ride for
Cesar Chavez, etc. What about the strikes one Chicano. This eloquently made
in the 30's and 40's, the massive movie is not a Chicano success story.
migrations to the north after the Mexican
-
"sleep·1ng g·1ant''
M.E.CH.A.
'UNITED FARMORKERS COMMITTEE
On August 7, 1987 approximately 200 workers walke~ ~ut at ~.P. Metzler
Ranch · in Del Rey. A breakdown
in contra~t negot1at1ons w1~h Metzler
Farms and pesticide poisonings have resulted in the 24-hour strike by the
UFWA (UNITED FARM WORKERS OF AMERICA AFL-CIO) workers. The
workers and their families are in need of our support until Metzler and
Metro olitan Life, the principal owner of Metzler, reach ~ contract
agree~eent with the UFWA. Donations of funds, food, an~ clothing for the
striking workers are being accepted at the following locations:
M.E.Ch.A. MEETINGS
EVERY WEDNESDAY
C.U. 310 AT 3:30 p.m.
M.E.Ch.A. BOOTH
FREE SPEECH AREA
Monday, March 7, 1988 Page 3
Chicano Reseach Center
BY Sandra Gutierrez
The Center for Chicano Research,
headed by Dr. Jesus Luna ef the ChicanoLatino Studies Department, has just
begun to spread its wings. The Center's
objective is to conduct research in ar~
concerning Chicanos for example:
demcgraphics, teenage pregnancy, effects
of immigration reforms.
Although the Center for Chicano
Research has been in existence for
~pproximately four years; it continous to
grow as its' reputation gains recognition
among institutions promoting historical
reseach.. Investigations conducted under
the auspices of the Center have been
limited due to the lack of funds.
Dr. Luna acknowledged that
contributions from alumni and concerned
individuals have provided a portion of the
monies required to balance the books.
However, a substantial amount of
resources are greatly needed. The
foundation has been set for the Center to
someday become a self-supporting
facility.
Under Dr. Luna's directive, the long
term goal of the center will be achieved
tt-Iough the implementation of several
strategies.
The first strategy is to inculcate in
students the importance of gaining
leadership skills. The Center offers a
Leadership Conference every semester to
provide a mechanism to instill leadership
skills, which can
benefit the
participating students.
Secondly, the Center provides a forum
in which innovative and creative methods
of improving faculty and student
interactions are studied.
1na
miro
smuagy
1nvo1ves
me
development
of
university
and
community relations, in order to resolve
issues related to the economic,
educational and social concerns of
Chicanos.
The final strategy taken by the Center to
ensure its objective is sponsoring a series
of constitutional symposiums. This
semester the commemoration of the U.S.
Constitution's bicentenial will be
celebrated. These symposiums are free and
the public is invited to participate. The
topics include: "Blacks and the
Constitution" on March 15th; "Justice at
War. the Japanese-American War" on
Apil 15th;
"The Crisis is Over
Ratification" on April 24th; and "The
Constitution and Hispanics" on May 4th
with special guest speaker Mr. Cruz
Reynoso, former Supreme Court Justice
of California All symposiums will be
conducted in the Upstairs Cafeteria in
Room 200 from 12:00_p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The final section of this concrete plan is
to develop and maintain the present
international dialogue with distinguished
universities from Mexico. Professors
from both CSUF and prominant Meixcan
universities have addressed student
audiences in workshops on topics
confronting Chicanos.
Dr. Luna's vision of organization and
commitment to the Center for Chicano
RestMCh is well designed and is destined
to be a successful endeavor. A center of
this type will undoubtedly enhance the
quality of education provided by CSUF.
Palestine-Demand. f.or Freedom
Peace & Solidarity
January, 1988
ritories. The strikes, which were virtually
100% effective, demonstrated the Palestinian's unity and gr~wing economic
clout. Palestinians today perform the bulk
of the industrial and menial labor in
Israel. Since December, most of the
. 100,000 Palestinians who live in the
West Bank and Gaza and who must travel
to Israel for jobs have refused to go to
work.
"Kill us all," taunted several hundred
Palestinian teenagers throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers. "Come and kill us all or get
out!"
Around the comer, women broke
concrete into chunks and piled them in
grocery bags for the young activists.
Shouts of encouragement blared from a
nearby mosque's minaret: "Oh, you IRON FIST
The Israeli response to the uprising
young people, go at them! Don't back
off!" Young and old, women and men has been to clamp down with an iron fist.
chanted: "with our blood and our tears, we In Gaza alone there are now more Israeli
will liberate Palestine!"
~lWCl:) UldJ1 U1v WI.al UWUUCl Ul.:11.
This scene has been repeated over and CUpied the West Bank and the Gaza in the
over again throughout the West Bank and 1967 war. The Israeli military has shown
Gaza as Palestinians rise in a determined that it will stop at nothing in its desprotest that is shaking the foundations of perate and futile attempt to stop the
Israel's twenty year occupation of their protests. Soliders have repeatedly opened
fire on unarmed protesters and bystanders
land.
Resistance to Israel's occupation of alike, killing at 30 Palestinians and
the West Bank and Gaza-land seized in the wounding hundreds of others. Israeli
1967 war-has been building for months, troops stormed al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza,
but the current uprising reached new shooting and clubbing the wounded, their
heights in December. Since then, riots families and the medical staff. Palestinian
and demonstrations have become almost youths have been beaten unconscious and
daily events, pitting thousands of un- tied to the front of military vehicles to
protect the soldiers.
armed protesters against Israeli soldiers.
Israeli violence is not limited to the
On December 21, January 9, and
again for three days beginning January occupied territories, but has extended to
11, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians southern Lebanon, which Israel has
living within Israel joined the protests by occupied since the 1982 invasion. An
declaring a general strike in solidarity Israeli air attack on January 3 killed 21
with Palestinians in the occupied ter- people and wounded 14 others. While
V\,-
Israel claimed they were attacking a "terrorist" base, the dead included 12
members of two Lebanese families and
three Lebanese policemen.
More than 2,000 Palestinians were
rounded by and jailed in the last two
months. The Israeli Army is using
"Speedy trails" to deprive the prisoners of
the most basic legal rights. Amnesty
International charges that the Israelis are
using physical and ppsychological torture
force confessions, including from children.
"GREATER ISRAEL"
Israeli officials have sought to justify
their brutality as the measures necessa.ry
to restore order by forcibly removing the
small handful of "terrorists" who are the
"trouble makers." But the real r~on for
Israel's iron fist policy is the massive
popular uprising that defies Israeli efforts
to destory the Palestinian national identity and to incorporate the occupied
territories in a "Greater Israel."
Since the 1967 war, 60% of the land
has been exorooriated and over 150,000
Israelis have settled in the West Bank and
Gaza. The 1.7 million Palestinians who
remain in the occupied territories have
experienced nothing but growing hardships and military repression. In Gaza,
most Palestinians -are forced to live in
overcrowded refugee camps with inadequate health care, poor sanitation and
limited food supppl_i~s. ~e_ unemploy-
)Jlent rate is over ·40%. .British Minister
of State for Foreign Affairs, David Mellor
described the Jebaliya camp as "an affront
to civilized values. Misery on a scale that
rivals anything anywhere in the world."
More than 300,000 Palestinians have
been imprisoned since 1967, and some
2,000 have been expelled from their
homeland in direct violation of internaitonal law.
These harsh conditions, combined
with Israel's military occupation, are
fueling the flames of Palestinian resistance, which .shows no signs of letting
up.
The Palestinian demands have fuond a
sympathetic response from most of the
world. The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly and unanimously
denounced Israel's vicious acts. The U.N.
is calling for an international peace conference to find a comprehensive solution
to the Palestinianns' plight which would
include the direct participation of the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
as the legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people. The conference has
been stalled because Israel and the U.S.
hope to set up Jordan's King Hussein as
the representative of the Palestinians in-
See Palestine
page 4
HISPANIC BUSINESS STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
TENTH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
6:00 PM - FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH
AT
HACIENDA HOTEL - FRESNO
"Preparing for Success
The evening event recognizes Hispanic Students for their academic
achievements at the University. Scholarships are presented to students
who are attending CSUF to assist and encourage them in their academic
endeavors
For tickets or sponsorship information contact: Edward M.
Castillo at (209) 432-7263 or Randy Aoki at (209) 294-2431.
Page 4
Monday, March 7, 1988
Photograph by Angel de JNue
this economic aid is used by Israel to
settle the occupied territories.
.
While the Reagan administrauon
continues to embrace Israel, a growing
stead of the PLO, a move that the number of people in the U.S. are demanding that Israel stop killing, jailing 8J!d
Palestinians thoroughly reject.
While the U.S. has been forced to expelling Palestiniians, and end its
join the international condemnation of occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel's most violent acts of repression, · Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson has
the U.S. still remains Israel's staunchest condemned Israel's repression, stating
ally and sponsor. Even as Israeli soldiers "democracy and occupation are not comwere shooting unarmed demonstrators in patible." A rising tide of voices around
the occupied territories in December, the the country are demanding a CongresReagari administration upgraded Israel to sional investigation of Israeli human
the same status as the NATO countries in rights abuses, and an accounting of how
order to make it even easier for Israel to U.S. funds are being spent. As the San
get U.S. military equipment and con- Jose Mercury News (California) wrote,
tracts. Israel receives more U.S. foreign "U.S. military aid to Israel is not meant
aid than any other country: $1.8 bil~ion to pay Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinin military aid aannually and between $3 ian teen-agers. That aid makes the United
and 4 billion of economic assistance. Con- States an accomplice to these atrocities. It
gress gets no accounting about how U.S. is time that U.S. assistance to Israel be
aid to Israel is spent-as it does. ~ith all linked to a settlement in the occupied
other countries-but it is clear that some of territories."
McFarland
Palestine
that Hebertson deliberately altered Lazar's
findings to lessen the impact of the
scientific data. When the first repon came
out Dr. Lazar cited that improper methods
of sampling were employed. He also
stated that data on pesticide applications
were ignored. It was shortly after the
release of this report th.at Dr. Lazar
resigned from his post
~
l
•,\fp'
..
.. .
En memoria
de las nines de McFarland
Mario Bravo
1973-1987
Maira Sanchez
1981-1987
Tresa Buentello
1980-1984
Rosalinda Lorta
1975-1980
Johnny Rodriquez Sandy Perez
Verification Commission to inspect every
1982-1987
1973-1982
comer of its country for prohibited contra
bases. Reports are that the bases are being
Frankie Gonzalez Barbara Modie
bulldozed, so that Honduras will comply
1976-1984
1963-1978
with the provision of the Plan which says
Salvador and the URNG in Guatemala, that no country's territory should be used
the contras are a mercenary army, by any group for the purposes of @l
[ID
completely dependent on the U.S. for destabilizin~ any other country.
their survival.
U.S. WAR CONTINUES
The progressive forces in eacn country
Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega
"Women's Herstory Month"
have been able to make m2n1 advances stated in December, "To end the war,
~ithin the Plan's fr~e"York tor peace and Nicaragua will do everything necessary
mt~f!1al democ':8~tion. The most without sacrificing principles." The toll
striking example_1s m El Salvador, where . of the U.S. war against Nicaragua, which
"Women in Cuba"
FDR leade~ Gu1hermo Ungo ~nd Ruben_ ·.. has already claimed 40,000 lives, mounts
featuring
Zam~~ se1ze_d ~'1e OP,portumty of ~e daily. In early December, the contras, still
Plans l)reathmg room to return ~o therr flush with the $100 million in U.S. aid
Elizabeth Stone, author and activist
homel~d after many years of ex=le and passed by Congress ia 1987, launched the
Wednesday, March 9th
speak directly to f:be Salvadoran ~p~~- !afgest military at~ck of the war-an
Ungo termed their two week v1s1t a invasmn of at least 1 000 contras mto
7:00 PM in the College Union Rooms 312-14
contribution . to the ~c.e. process," northeastern Nicaragu~. Although no
tho~~ notmg :'h~t gammg mo~e Sandinistamilitacy targets were destroyed.
pob~cal pr~ence ms1de El Salvador will the contras attacked clinics, schools and
Sponsored by the Women's Allaince and CSUF Student Association
~ <lif_ficult..
.
.
..
.,. homes a11d killed and wounded many
Movmg mto the poliuc~ space, civilians. On December 23 they attacked
ADMISSION IS FREE AND ALL ARE WELCOME
Ungo and Zamora met with trade
.
. .
•
',.
d
· ·
i·u· al
d th
agam, this ttme breaking tl'h. agree upon
uruo~~ts, po 1 c gr~~ps an
e news Christmas truce.
)lie=';
Wr
➔r
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ai i■
media m El Salvador.. W~ sensed by the The Rea an Administration calculating
warmth of our recept10n m the popular
g
..
. '
sectors that our people really want to that a c?ntra military VlCtory • may not
particpate in the political process in El occ~ pnor t? the end of _the Reag~
HELP ..WANTED
Salvador," Ungo said, "But there is still presidency, 1s also stepp•~~ up its
fear. We have to take into consideration mtcmal sabotage of the Sandmistas. The
death squad activities and the behavior of "revelations" of a Ministry of Defense
La Voz is now taking applications for
the army."
defector about the build-up of Nicaragua's
cartoonists, staff writers and advertising
Honduras is also key to the success of . arm_v · t'} 000,'.W and the . alleged
the Plan. Though the government cvrruption of Sandinista _leaders are part of
representatives. If interested stop by the
officially denies it allows contras to this · sabotage campaign, a ca.-npaign ·
Keats Campus Building
and fill out an
attack Nicaragm from ~Le; soil, Honduras · modeled on the U.S.' 25-year seige of
has long been the main land base for Cuba and the overthrow of the Allende
application.
contra forces. Honduras only recently regime in Chile.
announced that it would allow the
Nr
-er
-er
-ik
-ik
➔r
➔r
Contra aid
~-
Fk
~
~
~
J
L~
Featuring music and entertainment by
Mariachi de la Tierra
l~
Mari~chi. Colonial <;fr~
C. · ~;;5:::~ ,,t;~:o,1: ')fi1
Manach1 Azteca (c :AY:;-~~:..-·. ~1
~,oanzantes de Aztlan,, -rk-li~~J~-:•\{~r
~~.Sp,,..~
~~OJ
1
~-~
_~
Fresno Sta~e University
1
Los Pa1sanos,
1''1
Selma High School
Plus other scheduled entertainment I
\~i ·: \
f} \'(~~
~
JP .}l'Hill\1 ·NJ,
For more information
call 486-5174
TICKETS GO ON SALE FEBRUARY 15, 1988, AT THESE TICKET OUTLETS:
FRESNO AND CLOVIS
Fresoo Coaveation "teater
H Street and Ventura
COALINGA
Coalinga Hardware
109 llorth 5th
RANFORD
[inas Stationers
119 Vest 7th
MERCED
'c"ott'icbalks
1400 Vest Olive
CloTis Stationery
444 Pollasky
DINUBA
Garner's Stationery
168 North L Street
MADERA
FIREBAUGH
El lane.ho Drugs
1611 N Street
MERCED
Gottsc.halks
1400 Vfst Oli•e
MODESTO
Cottschalks
Vintage Fair
Shopping Center
Centur7 Center
Sboppiag Center
La Hercaotil
1530 Tulare
B.UERSFIELD
World Records
Willia ■
149 East
Carrol
Yose■ ite
SAN JOAQUIN
Saa Joaquia Phar ■acy
8716 South Maia
VISALIA
Visalia Coo•eation Center
8oz Office - 707 Vest Acequia
Gottschalks - Visalia Fair
Shopping Center
California State University, Fresno
Monday, March 7, 1988
Cancer thrives in McFarland
Photograph by Angel de Jeaua
vestigation !)eing conducted by· the sLclte.
The inquiry will probe the use of four
highly utilized pesticides around the
McFarland area..
Findings by Dr. Raymond Neutra of
the State Department of Health Service
revealed that 80 percent of the fathers of
the afflicted children had at one time or
another worked in agricultural occupations. This clue increases the proability
of resolving the question of relating
pesticides and the occurence of cancer.
There is no doubt that there is a
Up to now the KCDHS has not been
able to explain this cancer cluster phenomena. After three and a half years and
$100,000 worth of investigations the Director of KCDHS, Dr. Leon Hebertson,
announced in August 1987 that there "is
no conclusive evidence" to associate rhis
tragedy to any chemical source.
In July 1985 KCDHS v.as forced to
conduct an inquiry to study the high rate
of cancer among McFarland children.
Pressure was applied by citizens of McFarland, Senator Art Torres (D-L.A.) and
" .. .I resigned rather than take part in this cover-up"
-Lazar
..~-%00
~ ~_,,,,.
Farmworkers conti.nue their struggle
for better conditions
The effects of a (;hemical time bomb
have just begun to surface in lethal fonns
of cancer among the children of McFarland. Thus far, this chemical menace has
claimed the lives of eight children. In
addition, nine other children have been
diagnosed with some form of cancer, it is
believed to be a re~ult of this pestilence.
These documented cases have reached
epedemic proportio~s--four times the
national average. Seventeen cases have
been reported within the last 10 years by
the Kern County Department of Health
Services (KCDHS).
Some parents of the afflicted children
feel optimistic about the new in-
migration of chemicals in the soil, and
these chemicals are contaminating the
ground water around McFarland. The
latest chapter of this type of pesticide tale
appeared in late October 1987, when high
levels of the cancer causing pesticide
DBCP was found in the ground water.
Since then the well has been shut tiown,
but it wasn't until last week that funds
were allocated by the State Heaitll
. Department to repair the contaminated
well. ·
Meanwhile, the parents of the cancer.striken children continue to ask the same
questions they have been asking since
they suspected these occ:-.:rences of cancer
were more than just coincidences. And
yet no answers have been provided by the
authorities.
Living ·in fear and fustration is
something the Mexican-American community in McFarland face day-in and dayout Yet it appears that these people have
refused to give · up and continue to
struggle. They know that the lives of
many children of McFarland are at stake.
the United Farm Workers. Initialy the
KCDHS balked on conducting any investigations ii. the McFarlc:nd area.
Some authorities in the health field
believe that the cancer incidents can be
blamed on the pestcide seeping into the
city water wells. One of these authorities
is Dr. Thomas F. Lazar.
According to Dr. Lazar, who resigned
from the K-CDHS on January 1987.
a "cover-up" occurred and he refused to
participate.
In Dr. Lazar's words, "It was decit, pure
and simple and I resigned rather than talce
part in this cover-up".
Dr. Lazar also stated ihat Hebertson
refused to hear or allow Dr. Lazar to
expand on the initial investigation.
Dr. Lazar added that he drafted the first
phase of the July i985 investigation and
See McFarland
page 4
Contra aid-headed for disaster
in
Two landmarlc events-one
San
Jose, Costa Rica and the. other· in
Washington, D.C.-will take place over
the n~xt few weeks which will have
major impact on the war and the
prospects for peace in Central America.
On January 15, the five Central
American presidents will meet in Costa
Rica for the first time since the historic· .
signing of the Centtal America Peace
Accord in Esquipulas, Guatemala on
August 7, 1987. There, the presidents of
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El
Salvador and Honduras will hear the
report of the Intemati.onal Verification .
Commission about compliance with the
tenns of the Accord.
The International Verifi~tion
Commission
is
made
up
of
representatives of the five Central
American governments, ,the Contadora
Group (Mexico, Panama, Colombia and
Venezuela), the Contadora Support
Group, the Organization of American
States (OAS) and the United Nations. In
The Plan a1.so recognizes that there are
intervention coalition which has
confbcts
in other countries than
organized national opposition to contra
Nicaragua, rather
than
previous
aid
ap{>roaches
which
treated
Nicaragua
as the
As the Central America Peace Plan
"pro~lem
child."
The
region-wide
calls for an end to outside government aid
to armed insurgents, the passage of any approach of the PL,n is a ~ogni~o~ of
more aid to the contra would definitely be the fact that, according to AleJandro
Bendana of the Nicaraguan Foreign
in violation of the tenns of the Accord.
Ministry, "the war against Nicaragua is
seriously destabilizing the whole region."
The proposal to establish a Cenn-al
PROCESS OF PEACE
Though the U.S. continues to American Parliament, for example, will
obstruct the peace process, the signing of help strengthen this Central American
the Central Ame::ica Peace Accord has unity.
,
produced a new motion toward peace in
CONTRA AID VOTE
Although the Plan treats the very
The other landmark event affecting the the region which· oontinues to have a life different conflicts in Guatemala, El
war and prospects for peace in Central of its own.
Salvador and Nicaragua as equivalent,
America is a major vote on future aid to
Perhaps most importantly, the Plan these situations are far from identical.
the contras to be taken by the U.S. House represen~ Central America's asserticn of Unlike indigenou~ popularly supported
its sovereignty, while acknowledging that movemen~. lik.\>: the ,F.ML~/FDR in El
of Representatives.
"Because we have a strict timetab]e, its success depends in part on the United
we have a unique opportunity for a States and other nations' recognition of
straight up or down vote on contra aid in that sovereignty. It is a Central American
Congress," said a spokesperson for the solution to the problems of the Central
Days of Decision Campaign, a non- American region.
~ly January, this Commission began its
on-the-ground monitoring of compliance
with the Accord, visiting each of the five
countries.
President Oscar Arias of Costa r \ :a,
the author of the Peace Accord, spoke
hopefully·about the January 15 meeting.
"When we meet, we must detenninc how
we can remove all r obstacles to Jie
success of the plan," he said, "We can
find a road to peace and democracy in our
dear Central America."
See Contra
aid page 4
Page 2 Monday 7,
I
March 4, 1988
''La Causa''
LA VOZ
c!e Aztlan
continues •••
Frank Aviles-Production
Jaime Fernandez-Production
Lisa Y. Flores-Production
Pablo Gutierrez- Editor
Sandra Gutierrez-Reporter
Angel de Jesus-Photographer
Bill Lerch
Pedro Ramirez-Advisor
M. Rivera-Production
Abraham Santillan
"La Vaz de Aztlan" staff would like to welcome all new and returning
students to California State University,. Fresno.
We. V.'~nt to congratulate
those of you who will continue furthering your ed~ca~1on .~nd those
~oonto-be entering the job market. We extena our sa :Jdos t9 ~he Chicano
Alumni Association, the Chicano Staff, an9 . Faculty Orgai11zat1ons, whom
without their support La Vaz would never have matenahzed.
.
.
La Vaz de Aztlan's
orimary objective is to educate. We will achieve . or
oal b
exposing the · injustices inflicted upon not on!1 the . Latino
gommunYty, but also u~on other third world peoples, and progres~1ve organizations.
. .
··
on reaching our obJect1ve,
a host af sens1·t·1ve an d conLrovers1a1 t op1cs
such as: Conlra-aid,
di~crimination 0.1-campus, bilingual e,ucation, nuclear war and human relations w1II ta addressed.
.
.
.
.
As an advocate for "La Causa" La Vaz ~ill e.hgn 1~selt with the Chicano
Facult
Staff students ar.d other progressive . org~rnzat1Qn~ to denource
any Xcts · of ' violenc~, . qppression,. r~pression, ahenat1on, sexism, or racism
perpetrated against any md1v1au~~ orgarnzat1on or rface ... ·d ·t
to all ·1nd·1v·1duals and
t.a Vaz de Aztran extenas it's hand o s911 an Y.
.
organizations to utilize this medium to exercise tne,r ~ght of free speech
ana free press.
.
• • t·
·
11 f cets of
La Vaz de Aztlan oncourages your. act1v~. part1c1p~ ion in a
a
-~~
our university education. Learn to think critically, with the underst~nd1 . ,.
rhat
"La Causa" must continue. Remember that you repres~'!t the vo!ce o1
our people. In retrospect, reflect upon the countless s~cnf1ces ma9£ by
your parents, family or friends,. who bro~e the many barriers and paid t~e
price so we could have access to a higher education.
La Voz's purpose is clear and we look forward ~o. a su~cessful. s~mes.te~.
Again, we ask the faculty, staff and students to Join us m achieving Justice for ail people.
A,
1,
GUEST EDITORIAL
•
'
.
"La Bamba'~ success at a price
Remember what uproar "Boulevard
Nights" brought in the seventies? Many
Chicanos were angry at the filmakers for
I agree that ''La Bamba" is a well
their stereotype of Chicano youth.
made Hollywood movie. Luis Valdez, ex- Parents thought that every teenager was
Teatro del Campesino director aJ1<l now going to adopt the stereotype presented by
bit time silver screen writer and director, Anglo filmakers of cholos/as. Many of
certainly deserves recognition from the our youth were so influenced by the
Mexicano/Chicano community as well as movie that they, in fact, , did emulated the
from the rest of the American public.
cholo image. Due to protests from the
With "La Bamba", Valdez has finally
Chicano community Boulevard Nights
managed to etched his n~e. ~nto the was banned from the public eye and put ·
mainstream Hollywood movie mdustry.
in university classrooms where it could
La Bamba is a story about a poor
be analyzr:-.t! and criticized . Now bere
fannworker tum wban Chicano, who . comes the flip side our community in "La
against all odds, makes it in the 'R<>mh<>"
seemingly impossible to crack 50's rockValdez reached into our past and
n-roll scene. What concerns me are the virtually selected a Chicano hero. He 1o?k
underlying messages in this success flack from Chicano artists, and one artist
story. They are, anyone can make it if even told me that he felt Valdez Wct3
they try and it's fine to be totally trying to make La Bamba acceptable to
assimila~ Valdez suggests that if he middle class America. Watering down our
and Valens can make it so can you.
art is not what we need. We need to be
It is important that we remember that sincere in our art expression, and if it is
during the 50's and 60's and partially into threatening to the dominant class then we
the 70's Chicanos were seen as the will know that there is cultural
""sleepm'g giant." In the eighties. we opp-ession.
have been seen as an "emerging people."
It' is this cultural suppression that we
·Tue first impression of what is need to struggle against. Resigninng
produced in movies. poetry. novels etc. ourselvess to pleasing other weak.tms our
are vital to how we are perceived by other culture and ultimately our people. It's the
cultures. Far more critical is how our root of developing a cultural complex.
community perceives itself. I do not
The hard work message is a hard dose
believe we have to change our rancheras. of the contemporary political tide which
corridos. polkas. and musica tropical to was designed and implemented by R :aald
rock-n-rolJ to be accepted by non-Latino Reagan and conservative ~-tanks. •
Hollywood.
It is simple-hard work bongs rewaros.
.By Andres Montoya
No hard work, no reward. We all know
that the civil rights accomplishments
made in the sixties are due to a C?llecti.ve
movement--not one person workmg hard
to reach a means, but the_ masses ?f
people working side by si~e ~ g~
justice for their people. ~he impbcatmn
is that this hard work ethic works for all
Chicanos; that is. if they only tri~ a
little harder. Tell this to toiling
fannworkersand thehundredofthousands
of service workers.._
.
.
This hard work ideolo~ implies that
the 29% of Chicanos who hve under the
poverty level are there because they are
lazy and do not work because they want
to be on welfare.
.
"La Bamba" glorified a MexicanAmerican who worked independently from
his community. Yet he represents a ·
heroic figure. Valens is not '" heroic
figure, he simply realized his dream of
playing rock-n-roll to the world. There
Revolution, the Bracerro Program?
Chicano film makers need to look at our
community collectively, not at individual
success storie~.
Falling head first into the melting pot
does not work. Why not tell a tale about
our cultural style and history? Why
should we become invisible? Which can
happen if we lose our culture and our
language. We shold not have to give up
our group identity to be successful in th~
society. Yet, Valens. one individual, is
glorified by Valdez in "La Bamba."
Chicanos, Native Americans, and
Afro-American film makers need to
educate those who see other cultures as
mere novelty by making · films that
honestly interpret their history. Change
takes place by struggling and protesting
against the ideology that says to
assimilate.
"La Bamba" needs to be viewed in
perspective. It is about one individ~
who made it in the Chicano community.
It also encourages being independent
when we as Raza have seen our history in
terms of collectivism. "La Bamba" is a
formula Hollywood success story which
are countless tales to be told about ends tragically. Just think if Trini Lopez,
individuals in our community who were Lee Trevino. and Herb Albert, oh .. .let's
able to inspire our community into not forget Vicky Carr, would have died.
fighting class oppression and racism. Yet, What a hotbed of Chicano heroes. What a
these stories go untold. Think of Joaquin wealth of scripts for Valdez. So, you see,
Murieta, Lopez Tijerina, Corley Gonzalez, "La Bamba" is 3 diversion--a fun ride for
Cesar Chavez, etc. What about the strikes one Chicano. This eloquently made
in the 30's and 40's, the massive movie is not a Chicano success story.
migrations to the north after the Mexican
-
"sleep·1ng g·1ant''
M.E.CH.A.
'UNITED FARMORKERS COMMITTEE
On August 7, 1987 approximately 200 workers walke~ ~ut at ~.P. Metzler
Ranch · in Del Rey. A breakdown
in contra~t negot1at1ons w1~h Metzler
Farms and pesticide poisonings have resulted in the 24-hour strike by the
UFWA (UNITED FARM WORKERS OF AMERICA AFL-CIO) workers. The
workers and their families are in need of our support until Metzler and
Metro olitan Life, the principal owner of Metzler, reach ~ contract
agree~eent with the UFWA. Donations of funds, food, an~ clothing for the
striking workers are being accepted at the following locations:
M.E.Ch.A. MEETINGS
EVERY WEDNESDAY
C.U. 310 AT 3:30 p.m.
M.E.Ch.A. BOOTH
FREE SPEECH AREA
Monday, March 7, 1988 Page 3
Chicano Reseach Center
BY Sandra Gutierrez
The Center for Chicano Research,
headed by Dr. Jesus Luna ef the ChicanoLatino Studies Department, has just
begun to spread its wings. The Center's
objective is to conduct research in ar~
concerning Chicanos for example:
demcgraphics, teenage pregnancy, effects
of immigration reforms.
Although the Center for Chicano
Research has been in existence for
~pproximately four years; it continous to
grow as its' reputation gains recognition
among institutions promoting historical
reseach.. Investigations conducted under
the auspices of the Center have been
limited due to the lack of funds.
Dr. Luna acknowledged that
contributions from alumni and concerned
individuals have provided a portion of the
monies required to balance the books.
However, a substantial amount of
resources are greatly needed. The
foundation has been set for the Center to
someday become a self-supporting
facility.
Under Dr. Luna's directive, the long
term goal of the center will be achieved
tt-Iough the implementation of several
strategies.
The first strategy is to inculcate in
students the importance of gaining
leadership skills. The Center offers a
Leadership Conference every semester to
provide a mechanism to instill leadership
skills, which can
benefit the
participating students.
Secondly, the Center provides a forum
in which innovative and creative methods
of improving faculty and student
interactions are studied.
1na
miro
smuagy
1nvo1ves
me
development
of
university
and
community relations, in order to resolve
issues related to the economic,
educational and social concerns of
Chicanos.
The final strategy taken by the Center to
ensure its objective is sponsoring a series
of constitutional symposiums. This
semester the commemoration of the U.S.
Constitution's bicentenial will be
celebrated. These symposiums are free and
the public is invited to participate. The
topics include: "Blacks and the
Constitution" on March 15th; "Justice at
War. the Japanese-American War" on
Apil 15th;
"The Crisis is Over
Ratification" on April 24th; and "The
Constitution and Hispanics" on May 4th
with special guest speaker Mr. Cruz
Reynoso, former Supreme Court Justice
of California All symposiums will be
conducted in the Upstairs Cafeteria in
Room 200 from 12:00_p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The final section of this concrete plan is
to develop and maintain the present
international dialogue with distinguished
universities from Mexico. Professors
from both CSUF and prominant Meixcan
universities have addressed student
audiences in workshops on topics
confronting Chicanos.
Dr. Luna's vision of organization and
commitment to the Center for Chicano
RestMCh is well designed and is destined
to be a successful endeavor. A center of
this type will undoubtedly enhance the
quality of education provided by CSUF.
Palestine-Demand. f.or Freedom
Peace & Solidarity
January, 1988
ritories. The strikes, which were virtually
100% effective, demonstrated the Palestinian's unity and gr~wing economic
clout. Palestinians today perform the bulk
of the industrial and menial labor in
Israel. Since December, most of the
. 100,000 Palestinians who live in the
West Bank and Gaza and who must travel
to Israel for jobs have refused to go to
work.
"Kill us all," taunted several hundred
Palestinian teenagers throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers. "Come and kill us all or get
out!"
Around the comer, women broke
concrete into chunks and piled them in
grocery bags for the young activists.
Shouts of encouragement blared from a
nearby mosque's minaret: "Oh, you IRON FIST
The Israeli response to the uprising
young people, go at them! Don't back
off!" Young and old, women and men has been to clamp down with an iron fist.
chanted: "with our blood and our tears, we In Gaza alone there are now more Israeli
will liberate Palestine!"
~lWCl:) UldJ1 U1v WI.al UWUUCl Ul.:11.
This scene has been repeated over and CUpied the West Bank and the Gaza in the
over again throughout the West Bank and 1967 war. The Israeli military has shown
Gaza as Palestinians rise in a determined that it will stop at nothing in its desprotest that is shaking the foundations of perate and futile attempt to stop the
Israel's twenty year occupation of their protests. Soliders have repeatedly opened
fire on unarmed protesters and bystanders
land.
Resistance to Israel's occupation of alike, killing at 30 Palestinians and
the West Bank and Gaza-land seized in the wounding hundreds of others. Israeli
1967 war-has been building for months, troops stormed al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza,
but the current uprising reached new shooting and clubbing the wounded, their
heights in December. Since then, riots families and the medical staff. Palestinian
and demonstrations have become almost youths have been beaten unconscious and
daily events, pitting thousands of un- tied to the front of military vehicles to
protect the soldiers.
armed protesters against Israeli soldiers.
Israeli violence is not limited to the
On December 21, January 9, and
again for three days beginning January occupied territories, but has extended to
11, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians southern Lebanon, which Israel has
living within Israel joined the protests by occupied since the 1982 invasion. An
declaring a general strike in solidarity Israeli air attack on January 3 killed 21
with Palestinians in the occupied ter- people and wounded 14 others. While
V\,-
Israel claimed they were attacking a "terrorist" base, the dead included 12
members of two Lebanese families and
three Lebanese policemen.
More than 2,000 Palestinians were
rounded by and jailed in the last two
months. The Israeli Army is using
"Speedy trails" to deprive the prisoners of
the most basic legal rights. Amnesty
International charges that the Israelis are
using physical and ppsychological torture
force confessions, including from children.
"GREATER ISRAEL"
Israeli officials have sought to justify
their brutality as the measures necessa.ry
to restore order by forcibly removing the
small handful of "terrorists" who are the
"trouble makers." But the real r~on for
Israel's iron fist policy is the massive
popular uprising that defies Israeli efforts
to destory the Palestinian national identity and to incorporate the occupied
territories in a "Greater Israel."
Since the 1967 war, 60% of the land
has been exorooriated and over 150,000
Israelis have settled in the West Bank and
Gaza. The 1.7 million Palestinians who
remain in the occupied territories have
experienced nothing but growing hardships and military repression. In Gaza,
most Palestinians -are forced to live in
overcrowded refugee camps with inadequate health care, poor sanitation and
limited food supppl_i~s. ~e_ unemploy-
)Jlent rate is over ·40%. .British Minister
of State for Foreign Affairs, David Mellor
described the Jebaliya camp as "an affront
to civilized values. Misery on a scale that
rivals anything anywhere in the world."
More than 300,000 Palestinians have
been imprisoned since 1967, and some
2,000 have been expelled from their
homeland in direct violation of internaitonal law.
These harsh conditions, combined
with Israel's military occupation, are
fueling the flames of Palestinian resistance, which .shows no signs of letting
up.
The Palestinian demands have fuond a
sympathetic response from most of the
world. The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly and unanimously
denounced Israel's vicious acts. The U.N.
is calling for an international peace conference to find a comprehensive solution
to the Palestinianns' plight which would
include the direct participation of the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
as the legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people. The conference has
been stalled because Israel and the U.S.
hope to set up Jordan's King Hussein as
the representative of the Palestinians in-
See Palestine
page 4
HISPANIC BUSINESS STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
TENTH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
6:00 PM - FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH
AT
HACIENDA HOTEL - FRESNO
"Preparing for Success
The evening event recognizes Hispanic Students for their academic
achievements at the University. Scholarships are presented to students
who are attending CSUF to assist and encourage them in their academic
endeavors
For tickets or sponsorship information contact: Edward M.
Castillo at (209) 432-7263 or Randy Aoki at (209) 294-2431.
Page 4
Monday, March 7, 1988
Photograph by Angel de JNue
this economic aid is used by Israel to
settle the occupied territories.
.
While the Reagan administrauon
continues to embrace Israel, a growing
stead of the PLO, a move that the number of people in the U.S. are demanding that Israel stop killing, jailing 8J!d
Palestinians thoroughly reject.
While the U.S. has been forced to expelling Palestiniians, and end its
join the international condemnation of occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel's most violent acts of repression, · Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson has
the U.S. still remains Israel's staunchest condemned Israel's repression, stating
ally and sponsor. Even as Israeli soldiers "democracy and occupation are not comwere shooting unarmed demonstrators in patible." A rising tide of voices around
the occupied territories in December, the the country are demanding a CongresReagari administration upgraded Israel to sional investigation of Israeli human
the same status as the NATO countries in rights abuses, and an accounting of how
order to make it even easier for Israel to U.S. funds are being spent. As the San
get U.S. military equipment and con- Jose Mercury News (California) wrote,
tracts. Israel receives more U.S. foreign "U.S. military aid to Israel is not meant
aid than any other country: $1.8 bil~ion to pay Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinin military aid aannually and between $3 ian teen-agers. That aid makes the United
and 4 billion of economic assistance. Con- States an accomplice to these atrocities. It
gress gets no accounting about how U.S. is time that U.S. assistance to Israel be
aid to Israel is spent-as it does. ~ith all linked to a settlement in the occupied
other countries-but it is clear that some of territories."
McFarland
Palestine
that Hebertson deliberately altered Lazar's
findings to lessen the impact of the
scientific data. When the first repon came
out Dr. Lazar cited that improper methods
of sampling were employed. He also
stated that data on pesticide applications
were ignored. It was shortly after the
release of this report th.at Dr. Lazar
resigned from his post
~
l
•,\fp'
..
.. .
En memoria
de las nines de McFarland
Mario Bravo
1973-1987
Maira Sanchez
1981-1987
Tresa Buentello
1980-1984
Rosalinda Lorta
1975-1980
Johnny Rodriquez Sandy Perez
Verification Commission to inspect every
1982-1987
1973-1982
comer of its country for prohibited contra
bases. Reports are that the bases are being
Frankie Gonzalez Barbara Modie
bulldozed, so that Honduras will comply
1976-1984
1963-1978
with the provision of the Plan which says
Salvador and the URNG in Guatemala, that no country's territory should be used
the contras are a mercenary army, by any group for the purposes of @l
[ID
completely dependent on the U.S. for destabilizin~ any other country.
their survival.
U.S. WAR CONTINUES
The progressive forces in eacn country
Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega
"Women's Herstory Month"
have been able to make m2n1 advances stated in December, "To end the war,
~ithin the Plan's fr~e"York tor peace and Nicaragua will do everything necessary
mt~f!1al democ':8~tion. The most without sacrificing principles." The toll
striking example_1s m El Salvador, where . of the U.S. war against Nicaragua, which
"Women in Cuba"
FDR leade~ Gu1hermo Ungo ~nd Ruben_ ·.. has already claimed 40,000 lives, mounts
featuring
Zam~~ se1ze_d ~'1e OP,portumty of ~e daily. In early December, the contras, still
Plans l)reathmg room to return ~o therr flush with the $100 million in U.S. aid
Elizabeth Stone, author and activist
homel~d after many years of ex=le and passed by Congress ia 1987, launched the
Wednesday, March 9th
speak directly to f:be Salvadoran ~p~~- !afgest military at~ck of the war-an
Ungo termed their two week v1s1t a invasmn of at least 1 000 contras mto
7:00 PM in the College Union Rooms 312-14
contribution . to the ~c.e. process," northeastern Nicaragu~. Although no
tho~~ notmg :'h~t gammg mo~e Sandinistamilitacy targets were destroyed.
pob~cal pr~ence ms1de El Salvador will the contras attacked clinics, schools and
Sponsored by the Women's Allaince and CSUF Student Association
~ <lif_ficult..
.
.
..
.,. homes a11d killed and wounded many
Movmg mto the poliuc~ space, civilians. On December 23 they attacked
ADMISSION IS FREE AND ALL ARE WELCOME
Ungo and Zamora met with trade
.
. .
•
',.
d
· ·
i·u· al
d th
agam, this ttme breaking tl'h. agree upon
uruo~~ts, po 1 c gr~~ps an
e news Christmas truce.
)lie=';
Wr
➔r
-ik
-ik
-ik
-ik
ai i■
media m El Salvador.. W~ sensed by the The Rea an Administration calculating
warmth of our recept10n m the popular
g
..
. '
sectors that our people really want to that a c?ntra military VlCtory • may not
particpate in the political process in El occ~ pnor t? the end of _the Reag~
HELP ..WANTED
Salvador," Ungo said, "But there is still presidency, 1s also stepp•~~ up its
fear. We have to take into consideration mtcmal sabotage of the Sandmistas. The
death squad activities and the behavior of "revelations" of a Ministry of Defense
La Voz is now taking applications for
the army."
defector about the build-up of Nicaragua's
cartoonists, staff writers and advertising
Honduras is also key to the success of . arm_v · t'} 000,'.W and the . alleged
the Plan. Though the government cvrruption of Sandinista _leaders are part of
representatives. If interested stop by the
officially denies it allows contras to this · sabotage campaign, a ca.-npaign ·
Keats Campus Building
and fill out an
attack Nicaragm from ~Le; soil, Honduras · modeled on the U.S.' 25-year seige of
has long been the main land base for Cuba and the overthrow of the Allende
application.
contra forces. Honduras only recently regime in Chile.
announced that it would allow the
Nr
-er
-er
-ik
-ik
➔r
➔r
Contra aid
~-
Fk
~
~
~
J
L~
Featuring music and entertainment by
Mariachi de la Tierra
l~
Mari~chi. Colonial <;fr~
C. · ~;;5:::~ ,,t;~:o,1: ')fi1
Manach1 Azteca (c :AY:;-~~:..-·. ~1
~,oanzantes de Aztlan,, -rk-li~~J~-:•\{~r
~~.Sp,,..~
~~OJ
1
~-~
_~
Fresno Sta~e University
1
Los Pa1sanos,
1''1
Selma High School
Plus other scheduled entertainment I
\~i ·: \
f} \'(~~
~
JP .}l'Hill\1 ·NJ,
For more information
call 486-5174
TICKETS GO ON SALE FEBRUARY 15, 1988, AT THESE TICKET OUTLETS:
FRESNO AND CLOVIS
Fresoo Coaveation "teater
H Street and Ventura
COALINGA
Coalinga Hardware
109 llorth 5th
RANFORD
[inas Stationers
119 Vest 7th
MERCED
'c"ott'icbalks
1400 Vest Olive
CloTis Stationery
444 Pollasky
DINUBA
Garner's Stationery
168 North L Street
MADERA
FIREBAUGH
El lane.ho Drugs
1611 N Street
MERCED
Gottsc.halks
1400 Vfst Oli•e
MODESTO
Cottschalks
Vintage Fair
Shopping Center
Centur7 Center
Sboppiag Center
La Hercaotil
1530 Tulare
B.UERSFIELD
World Records
Willia ■
149 East
Carrol
Yose■ ite
SAN JOAQUIN
Saa Joaquia Phar ■acy
8716 South Maia
VISALIA
Visalia Coo•eation Center
8oz Office - 707 Vest Acequia
Gottschalks - Visalia Fair
Shopping Center
[ . a. Voz cie. Az.tfati
California State University, Fresno
Monday, March 7, 1988
Cancer thrives in McFarland
Photograph by Angel de Jeaua
vestigation !)eing conducted by· the sLclte.
The inquiry will probe the use of four
highly utilized pesticides around the
McFarland area..
Findings by Dr. Raymond Neutra of
the State Department of Health Service
revealed that 80 percent of the fathers of
the afflicted children had at one time or
another worked in agricultural occupations. This clue increases the proability
of resolving the question of relating
pesticides and the occurence of cancer.
There is no doubt that there is a
Up to now the KCDHS has not been
able to explain this cancer cluster phenomena. After three and a half years and
$100,000 worth of investigations the Director of KCDHS, Dr. Leon Hebertson,
announced in August 1987 that there "is
no conclusive evidence" to associate rhis
tragedy to any chemical source.
In July 1985 KCDHS v.as forced to
conduct an inquiry to study the high rate
of cancer among McFarland children.
Pressure was applied by citizens of McFarland, Senator Art Torres (D-L.A.) and
" .. .I resigned rather than take part in this cover-up"
-Lazar
..~-%00
~ ~_,,,,.
Farmworkers conti.nue their struggle
for better conditions
The effects of a (;hemical time bomb
have just begun to surface in lethal fonns
of cancer among the children of McFarland. Thus far, this chemical menace has
claimed the lives of eight children. In
addition, nine other children have been
diagnosed with some form of cancer, it is
believed to be a re~ult of this pestilence.
These documented cases have reached
epedemic proportio~s--four times the
national average. Seventeen cases have
been reported within the last 10 years by
the Kern County Department of Health
Services (KCDHS).
Some parents of the afflicted children
feel optimistic about the new in-
migration of chemicals in the soil, and
these chemicals are contaminating the
ground water around McFarland. The
latest chapter of this type of pesticide tale
appeared in late October 1987, when high
levels of the cancer causing pesticide
DBCP was found in the ground water.
Since then the well has been shut tiown,
but it wasn't until last week that funds
were allocated by the State Heaitll
. Department to repair the contaminated
well. ·
Meanwhile, the parents of the cancer.striken children continue to ask the same
questions they have been asking since
they suspected these occ:-.:rences of cancer
were more than just coincidences. And
yet no answers have been provided by the
authorities.
Living ·in fear and fustration is
something the Mexican-American community in McFarland face day-in and dayout Yet it appears that these people have
refused to give · up and continue to
struggle. They know that the lives of
many children of McFarland are at stake.
the United Farm Workers. Initialy the
KCDHS balked on conducting any investigations ii. the McFarlc:nd area.
Some authorities in the health field
believe that the cancer incidents can be
blamed on the pestcide seeping into the
city water wells. One of these authorities
is Dr. Thomas F. Lazar.
According to Dr. Lazar, who resigned
from the K-CDHS on January 1987.
a "cover-up" occurred and he refused to
participate.
In Dr. Lazar's words, "It was decit, pure
and simple and I resigned rather than talce
part in this cover-up".
Dr. Lazar also stated ihat Hebertson
refused to hear or allow Dr. Lazar to
expand on the initial investigation.
Dr. Lazar added that he drafted the first
phase of the July i985 investigation and
See McFarland
page 4
Contra aid-headed for disaster
in
Two landmarlc events-one
San
Jose, Costa Rica and the. other· in
Washington, D.C.-will take place over
the n~xt few weeks which will have
major impact on the war and the
prospects for peace in Central America.
On January 15, the five Central
American presidents will meet in Costa
Rica for the first time since the historic· .
signing of the Centtal America Peace
Accord in Esquipulas, Guatemala on
August 7, 1987. There, the presidents of
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El
Salvador and Honduras will hear the
report of the Intemati.onal Verification .
Commission about compliance with the
tenns of the Accord.
The International Verifi~tion
Commission
is
made
up
of
representatives of the five Central
American governments, ,the Contadora
Group (Mexico, Panama, Colombia and
Venezuela), the Contadora Support
Group, the Organization of American
States (OAS) and the United Nations. In
The Plan a1.so recognizes that there are
intervention coalition which has
confbcts
in other countries than
organized national opposition to contra
Nicaragua, rather
than
previous
aid
ap{>roaches
which
treated
Nicaragua
as the
As the Central America Peace Plan
"pro~lem
child."
The
region-wide
calls for an end to outside government aid
to armed insurgents, the passage of any approach of the PL,n is a ~ogni~o~ of
more aid to the contra would definitely be the fact that, according to AleJandro
Bendana of the Nicaraguan Foreign
in violation of the tenns of the Accord.
Ministry, "the war against Nicaragua is
seriously destabilizing the whole region."
The proposal to establish a Cenn-al
PROCESS OF PEACE
Though the U.S. continues to American Parliament, for example, will
obstruct the peace process, the signing of help strengthen this Central American
the Central Ame::ica Peace Accord has unity.
,
produced a new motion toward peace in
CONTRA AID VOTE
Although the Plan treats the very
The other landmark event affecting the the region which· oontinues to have a life different conflicts in Guatemala, El
war and prospects for peace in Central of its own.
Salvador and Nicaragua as equivalent,
America is a major vote on future aid to
Perhaps most importantly, the Plan these situations are far from identical.
the contras to be taken by the U.S. House represen~ Central America's asserticn of Unlike indigenou~ popularly supported
its sovereignty, while acknowledging that movemen~. lik.\>: the ,F.ML~/FDR in El
of Representatives.
"Because we have a strict timetab]e, its success depends in part on the United
we have a unique opportunity for a States and other nations' recognition of
straight up or down vote on contra aid in that sovereignty. It is a Central American
Congress," said a spokesperson for the solution to the problems of the Central
Days of Decision Campaign, a non- American region.
~ly January, this Commission began its
on-the-ground monitoring of compliance
with the Accord, visiting each of the five
countries.
President Oscar Arias of Costa r \ :a,
the author of the Peace Accord, spoke
hopefully·about the January 15 meeting.
"When we meet, we must detenninc how
we can remove all r obstacles to Jie
success of the plan," he said, "We can
find a road to peace and democracy in our
dear Central America."
See Contra
aid page 4
Page 2 Monday 7,
I
March 4, 1988
''La Causa''
LA VOZ
c!e Aztlan
continues •••
Frank Aviles-Production
Jaime Fernandez-Production
Lisa Y. Flores-Production
Pablo Gutierrez- Editor
Sandra Gutierrez-Reporter
Angel de Jesus-Photographer
Bill Lerch
Pedro Ramirez-Advisor
M. Rivera-Production
Abraham Santillan
"La Vaz de Aztlan" staff would like to welcome all new and returning
students to California State University,. Fresno.
We. V.'~nt to congratulate
those of you who will continue furthering your ed~ca~1on .~nd those
~oonto-be entering the job market. We extena our sa :Jdos t9 ~he Chicano
Alumni Association, the Chicano Staff, an9 . Faculty Orgai11zat1ons, whom
without their support La Vaz would never have matenahzed.
.
.
La Vaz de Aztlan's
orimary objective is to educate. We will achieve . or
oal b
exposing the · injustices inflicted upon not on!1 the . Latino
gommunYty, but also u~on other third world peoples, and progres~1ve organizations.
. .
··
on reaching our obJect1ve,
a host af sens1·t·1ve an d conLrovers1a1 t op1cs
such as: Conlra-aid,
di~crimination 0.1-campus, bilingual e,ucation, nuclear war and human relations w1II ta addressed.
.
.
.
.
As an advocate for "La Causa" La Vaz ~ill e.hgn 1~selt with the Chicano
Facult
Staff students ar.d other progressive . org~rnzat1Qn~ to denource
any Xcts · of ' violenc~, . qppression,. r~pression, ahenat1on, sexism, or racism
perpetrated against any md1v1au~~ orgarnzat1on or rface ... ·d ·t
to all ·1nd·1v·1duals and
t.a Vaz de Aztran extenas it's hand o s911 an Y.
.
organizations to utilize this medium to exercise tne,r ~ght of free speech
ana free press.
.
• • t·
·
11 f cets of
La Vaz de Aztlan oncourages your. act1v~. part1c1p~ ion in a
a
-~~
our university education. Learn to think critically, with the underst~nd1 . ,.
rhat
"La Causa" must continue. Remember that you repres~'!t the vo!ce o1
our people. In retrospect, reflect upon the countless s~cnf1ces ma9£ by
your parents, family or friends,. who bro~e the many barriers and paid t~e
price so we could have access to a higher education.
La Voz's purpose is clear and we look forward ~o. a su~cessful. s~mes.te~.
Again, we ask the faculty, staff and students to Join us m achieving Justice for ail people.
A,
1,
GUEST EDITORIAL
•
'
.
"La Bamba'~ success at a price
Remember what uproar "Boulevard
Nights" brought in the seventies? Many
Chicanos were angry at the filmakers for
I agree that ''La Bamba" is a well
their stereotype of Chicano youth.
made Hollywood movie. Luis Valdez, ex- Parents thought that every teenager was
Teatro del Campesino director aJ1<l now going to adopt the stereotype presented by
bit time silver screen writer and director, Anglo filmakers of cholos/as. Many of
certainly deserves recognition from the our youth were so influenced by the
Mexicano/Chicano community as well as movie that they, in fact, , did emulated the
from the rest of the American public.
cholo image. Due to protests from the
With "La Bamba", Valdez has finally
Chicano community Boulevard Nights
managed to etched his n~e. ~nto the was banned from the public eye and put ·
mainstream Hollywood movie mdustry.
in university classrooms where it could
La Bamba is a story about a poor
be analyzr:-.t! and criticized . Now bere
fannworker tum wban Chicano, who . comes the flip side our community in "La
against all odds, makes it in the 'R<>mh<>"
seemingly impossible to crack 50's rockValdez reached into our past and
n-roll scene. What concerns me are the virtually selected a Chicano hero. He 1o?k
underlying messages in this success flack from Chicano artists, and one artist
story. They are, anyone can make it if even told me that he felt Valdez Wct3
they try and it's fine to be totally trying to make La Bamba acceptable to
assimila~ Valdez suggests that if he middle class America. Watering down our
and Valens can make it so can you.
art is not what we need. We need to be
It is important that we remember that sincere in our art expression, and if it is
during the 50's and 60's and partially into threatening to the dominant class then we
the 70's Chicanos were seen as the will know that there is cultural
""sleepm'g giant." In the eighties. we opp-ession.
have been seen as an "emerging people."
It' is this cultural suppression that we
·Tue first impression of what is need to struggle against. Resigninng
produced in movies. poetry. novels etc. ourselvess to pleasing other weak.tms our
are vital to how we are perceived by other culture and ultimately our people. It's the
cultures. Far more critical is how our root of developing a cultural complex.
community perceives itself. I do not
The hard work message is a hard dose
believe we have to change our rancheras. of the contemporary political tide which
corridos. polkas. and musica tropical to was designed and implemented by R :aald
rock-n-rolJ to be accepted by non-Latino Reagan and conservative ~-tanks. •
Hollywood.
It is simple-hard work bongs rewaros.
.By Andres Montoya
No hard work, no reward. We all know
that the civil rights accomplishments
made in the sixties are due to a C?llecti.ve
movement--not one person workmg hard
to reach a means, but the_ masses ?f
people working side by si~e ~ g~
justice for their people. ~he impbcatmn
is that this hard work ethic works for all
Chicanos; that is. if they only tri~ a
little harder. Tell this to toiling
fannworkersand thehundredofthousands
of service workers.._
.
.
This hard work ideolo~ implies that
the 29% of Chicanos who hve under the
poverty level are there because they are
lazy and do not work because they want
to be on welfare.
.
"La Bamba" glorified a MexicanAmerican who worked independently from
his community. Yet he represents a ·
heroic figure. Valens is not '" heroic
figure, he simply realized his dream of
playing rock-n-roll to the world. There
Revolution, the Bracerro Program?
Chicano film makers need to look at our
community collectively, not at individual
success storie~.
Falling head first into the melting pot
does not work. Why not tell a tale about
our cultural style and history? Why
should we become invisible? Which can
happen if we lose our culture and our
language. We shold not have to give up
our group identity to be successful in th~
society. Yet, Valens. one individual, is
glorified by Valdez in "La Bamba."
Chicanos, Native Americans, and
Afro-American film makers need to
educate those who see other cultures as
mere novelty by making · films that
honestly interpret their history. Change
takes place by struggling and protesting
against the ideology that says to
assimilate.
"La Bamba" needs to be viewed in
perspective. It is about one individ~
who made it in the Chicano community.
It also encourages being independent
when we as Raza have seen our history in
terms of collectivism. "La Bamba" is a
formula Hollywood success story which
are countless tales to be told about ends tragically. Just think if Trini Lopez,
individuals in our community who were Lee Trevino. and Herb Albert, oh .. .let's
able to inspire our community into not forget Vicky Carr, would have died.
fighting class oppression and racism. Yet, What a hotbed of Chicano heroes. What a
these stories go untold. Think of Joaquin wealth of scripts for Valdez. So, you see,
Murieta, Lopez Tijerina, Corley Gonzalez, "La Bamba" is 3 diversion--a fun ride for
Cesar Chavez, etc. What about the strikes one Chicano. This eloquently made
in the 30's and 40's, the massive movie is not a Chicano success story.
migrations to the north after the Mexican
-
"sleep·1ng g·1ant''
M.E.CH.A.
'UNITED FARMORKERS COMMITTEE
On August 7, 1987 approximately 200 workers walke~ ~ut at ~.P. Metzler
Ranch · in Del Rey. A breakdown
in contra~t negot1at1ons w1~h Metzler
Farms and pesticide poisonings have resulted in the 24-hour strike by the
UFWA (UNITED FARM WORKERS OF AMERICA AFL-CIO) workers. The
workers and their families are in need of our support until Metzler and
Metro olitan Life, the principal owner of Metzler, reach ~ contract
agree~eent with the UFWA. Donations of funds, food, an~ clothing for the
striking workers are being accepted at the following locations:
M.E.Ch.A. MEETINGS
EVERY WEDNESDAY
C.U. 310 AT 3:30 p.m.
M.E.Ch.A. BOOTH
FREE SPEECH AREA
Monday, March 7, 1988 Page 3
Chicano Reseach Center
BY Sandra Gutierrez
The Center for Chicano Research,
headed by Dr. Jesus Luna ef the ChicanoLatino Studies Department, has just
begun to spread its wings. The Center's
objective is to conduct research in ar~
concerning Chicanos for example:
demcgraphics, teenage pregnancy, effects
of immigration reforms.
Although the Center for Chicano
Research has been in existence for
~pproximately four years; it continous to
grow as its' reputation gains recognition
among institutions promoting historical
reseach.. Investigations conducted under
the auspices of the Center have been
limited due to the lack of funds.
Dr. Luna acknowledged that
contributions from alumni and concerned
individuals have provided a portion of the
monies required to balance the books.
However, a substantial amount of
resources are greatly needed. The
foundation has been set for the Center to
someday become a self-supporting
facility.
Under Dr. Luna's directive, the long
term goal of the center will be achieved
tt-Iough the implementation of several
strategies.
The first strategy is to inculcate in
students the importance of gaining
leadership skills. The Center offers a
Leadership Conference every semester to
provide a mechanism to instill leadership
skills, which can
benefit the
participating students.
Secondly, the Center provides a forum
in which innovative and creative methods
of improving faculty and student
interactions are studied.
1na
miro
smuagy
1nvo1ves
me
development
of
university
and
community relations, in order to resolve
issues related to the economic,
educational and social concerns of
Chicanos.
The final strategy taken by the Center to
ensure its objective is sponsoring a series
of constitutional symposiums. This
semester the commemoration of the U.S.
Constitution's bicentenial will be
celebrated. These symposiums are free and
the public is invited to participate. The
topics include: "Blacks and the
Constitution" on March 15th; "Justice at
War. the Japanese-American War" on
Apil 15th;
"The Crisis is Over
Ratification" on April 24th; and "The
Constitution and Hispanics" on May 4th
with special guest speaker Mr. Cruz
Reynoso, former Supreme Court Justice
of California All symposiums will be
conducted in the Upstairs Cafeteria in
Room 200 from 12:00_p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The final section of this concrete plan is
to develop and maintain the present
international dialogue with distinguished
universities from Mexico. Professors
from both CSUF and prominant Meixcan
universities have addressed student
audiences in workshops on topics
confronting Chicanos.
Dr. Luna's vision of organization and
commitment to the Center for Chicano
RestMCh is well designed and is destined
to be a successful endeavor. A center of
this type will undoubtedly enhance the
quality of education provided by CSUF.
Palestine-Demand. f.or Freedom
Peace & Solidarity
January, 1988
ritories. The strikes, which were virtually
100% effective, demonstrated the Palestinian's unity and gr~wing economic
clout. Palestinians today perform the bulk
of the industrial and menial labor in
Israel. Since December, most of the
. 100,000 Palestinians who live in the
West Bank and Gaza and who must travel
to Israel for jobs have refused to go to
work.
"Kill us all," taunted several hundred
Palestinian teenagers throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers. "Come and kill us all or get
out!"
Around the comer, women broke
concrete into chunks and piled them in
grocery bags for the young activists.
Shouts of encouragement blared from a
nearby mosque's minaret: "Oh, you IRON FIST
The Israeli response to the uprising
young people, go at them! Don't back
off!" Young and old, women and men has been to clamp down with an iron fist.
chanted: "with our blood and our tears, we In Gaza alone there are now more Israeli
will liberate Palestine!"
~lWCl:) UldJ1 U1v WI.al UWUUCl Ul.:11.
This scene has been repeated over and CUpied the West Bank and the Gaza in the
over again throughout the West Bank and 1967 war. The Israeli military has shown
Gaza as Palestinians rise in a determined that it will stop at nothing in its desprotest that is shaking the foundations of perate and futile attempt to stop the
Israel's twenty year occupation of their protests. Soliders have repeatedly opened
fire on unarmed protesters and bystanders
land.
Resistance to Israel's occupation of alike, killing at 30 Palestinians and
the West Bank and Gaza-land seized in the wounding hundreds of others. Israeli
1967 war-has been building for months, troops stormed al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza,
but the current uprising reached new shooting and clubbing the wounded, their
heights in December. Since then, riots families and the medical staff. Palestinian
and demonstrations have become almost youths have been beaten unconscious and
daily events, pitting thousands of un- tied to the front of military vehicles to
protect the soldiers.
armed protesters against Israeli soldiers.
Israeli violence is not limited to the
On December 21, January 9, and
again for three days beginning January occupied territories, but has extended to
11, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians southern Lebanon, which Israel has
living within Israel joined the protests by occupied since the 1982 invasion. An
declaring a general strike in solidarity Israeli air attack on January 3 killed 21
with Palestinians in the occupied ter- people and wounded 14 others. While
V\,-
Israel claimed they were attacking a "terrorist" base, the dead included 12
members of two Lebanese families and
three Lebanese policemen.
More than 2,000 Palestinians were
rounded by and jailed in the last two
months. The Israeli Army is using
"Speedy trails" to deprive the prisoners of
the most basic legal rights. Amnesty
International charges that the Israelis are
using physical and ppsychological torture
force confessions, including from children.
"GREATER ISRAEL"
Israeli officials have sought to justify
their brutality as the measures necessa.ry
to restore order by forcibly removing the
small handful of "terrorists" who are the
"trouble makers." But the real r~on for
Israel's iron fist policy is the massive
popular uprising that defies Israeli efforts
to destory the Palestinian national identity and to incorporate the occupied
territories in a "Greater Israel."
Since the 1967 war, 60% of the land
has been exorooriated and over 150,000
Israelis have settled in the West Bank and
Gaza. The 1.7 million Palestinians who
remain in the occupied territories have
experienced nothing but growing hardships and military repression. In Gaza,
most Palestinians -are forced to live in
overcrowded refugee camps with inadequate health care, poor sanitation and
limited food supppl_i~s. ~e_ unemploy-
)Jlent rate is over ·40%. .British Minister
of State for Foreign Affairs, David Mellor
described the Jebaliya camp as "an affront
to civilized values. Misery on a scale that
rivals anything anywhere in the world."
More than 300,000 Palestinians have
been imprisoned since 1967, and some
2,000 have been expelled from their
homeland in direct violation of internaitonal law.
These harsh conditions, combined
with Israel's military occupation, are
fueling the flames of Palestinian resistance, which .shows no signs of letting
up.
The Palestinian demands have fuond a
sympathetic response from most of the
world. The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly and unanimously
denounced Israel's vicious acts. The U.N.
is calling for an international peace conference to find a comprehensive solution
to the Palestinianns' plight which would
include the direct participation of the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
as the legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people. The conference has
been stalled because Israel and the U.S.
hope to set up Jordan's King Hussein as
the representative of the Palestinians in-
See Palestine
page 4
HISPANIC BUSINESS STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
TENTH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
6:00 PM - FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH
AT
HACIENDA HOTEL - FRESNO
"Preparing for Success
The evening event recognizes Hispanic Students for their academic
achievements at the University. Scholarships are presented to students
who are attending CSUF to assist and encourage them in their academic
endeavors
For tickets or sponsorship information contact: Edward M.
Castillo at (209) 432-7263 or Randy Aoki at (209) 294-2431.
Page 4
Monday, March 7, 1988
Photograph by Angel de JNue
this economic aid is used by Israel to
settle the occupied territories.
.
While the Reagan administrauon
continues to embrace Israel, a growing
stead of the PLO, a move that the number of people in the U.S. are demanding that Israel stop killing, jailing 8J!d
Palestinians thoroughly reject.
While the U.S. has been forced to expelling Palestiniians, and end its
join the international condemnation of occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel's most violent acts of repression, · Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson has
the U.S. still remains Israel's staunchest condemned Israel's repression, stating
ally and sponsor. Even as Israeli soldiers "democracy and occupation are not comwere shooting unarmed demonstrators in patible." A rising tide of voices around
the occupied territories in December, the the country are demanding a CongresReagari administration upgraded Israel to sional investigation of Israeli human
the same status as the NATO countries in rights abuses, and an accounting of how
order to make it even easier for Israel to U.S. funds are being spent. As the San
get U.S. military equipment and con- Jose Mercury News (California) wrote,
tracts. Israel receives more U.S. foreign "U.S. military aid to Israel is not meant
aid than any other country: $1.8 bil~ion to pay Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinin military aid aannually and between $3 ian teen-agers. That aid makes the United
and 4 billion of economic assistance. Con- States an accomplice to these atrocities. It
gress gets no accounting about how U.S. is time that U.S. assistance to Israel be
aid to Israel is spent-as it does. ~ith all linked to a settlement in the occupied
other countries-but it is clear that some of territories."
McFarland
Palestine
that Hebertson deliberately altered Lazar's
findings to lessen the impact of the
scientific data. When the first repon came
out Dr. Lazar cited that improper methods
of sampling were employed. He also
stated that data on pesticide applications
were ignored. It was shortly after the
release of this report th.at Dr. Lazar
resigned from his post
~
l
•,\fp'
..
.. .
En memoria
de las nines de McFarland
Mario Bravo
1973-1987
Maira Sanchez
1981-1987
Tresa Buentello
1980-1984
Rosalinda Lorta
1975-1980
Johnny Rodriquez Sandy Perez
Verification Commission to inspect every
1982-1987
1973-1982
comer of its country for prohibited contra
bases. Reports are that the bases are being
Frankie Gonzalez Barbara Modie
bulldozed, so that Honduras will comply
1976-1984
1963-1978
with the provision of the Plan which says
Salvador and the URNG in Guatemala, that no country's territory should be used
the contras are a mercenary army, by any group for the purposes of @l
[ID
completely dependent on the U.S. for destabilizin~ any other country.
their survival.
U.S. WAR CONTINUES
The progressive forces in eacn country
Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega
"Women's Herstory Month"
have been able to make m2n1 advances stated in December, "To end the war,
~ithin the Plan's fr~e"York tor peace and Nicaragua will do everything necessary
mt~f!1al democ':8~tion. The most without sacrificing principles." The toll
striking example_1s m El Salvador, where . of the U.S. war against Nicaragua, which
"Women in Cuba"
FDR leade~ Gu1hermo Ungo ~nd Ruben_ ·.. has already claimed 40,000 lives, mounts
featuring
Zam~~ se1ze_d ~'1e OP,portumty of ~e daily. In early December, the contras, still
Plans l)reathmg room to return ~o therr flush with the $100 million in U.S. aid
Elizabeth Stone, author and activist
homel~d after many years of ex=le and passed by Congress ia 1987, launched the
Wednesday, March 9th
speak directly to f:be Salvadoran ~p~~- !afgest military at~ck of the war-an
Ungo termed their two week v1s1t a invasmn of at least 1 000 contras mto
7:00 PM in the College Union Rooms 312-14
contribution . to the ~c.e. process," northeastern Nicaragu~. Although no
tho~~ notmg :'h~t gammg mo~e Sandinistamilitacy targets were destroyed.
pob~cal pr~ence ms1de El Salvador will the contras attacked clinics, schools and
Sponsored by the Women's Allaince and CSUF Student Association
~ <lif_ficult..
.
.
..
.,. homes a11d killed and wounded many
Movmg mto the poliuc~ space, civilians. On December 23 they attacked
ADMISSION IS FREE AND ALL ARE WELCOME
Ungo and Zamora met with trade
.
. .
•
',.
d
· ·
i·u· al
d th
agam, this ttme breaking tl'h. agree upon
uruo~~ts, po 1 c gr~~ps an
e news Christmas truce.
)lie=';
Wr
➔r
-ik
-ik
-ik
-ik
ai i■
media m El Salvador.. W~ sensed by the The Rea an Administration calculating
warmth of our recept10n m the popular
g
..
. '
sectors that our people really want to that a c?ntra military VlCtory • may not
particpate in the political process in El occ~ pnor t? the end of _the Reag~
HELP ..WANTED
Salvador," Ungo said, "But there is still presidency, 1s also stepp•~~ up its
fear. We have to take into consideration mtcmal sabotage of the Sandmistas. The
death squad activities and the behavior of "revelations" of a Ministry of Defense
La Voz is now taking applications for
the army."
defector about the build-up of Nicaragua's
cartoonists, staff writers and advertising
Honduras is also key to the success of . arm_v · t'} 000,'.W and the . alleged
the Plan. Though the government cvrruption of Sandinista _leaders are part of
representatives. If interested stop by the
officially denies it allows contras to this · sabotage campaign, a ca.-npaign ·
Keats Campus Building
and fill out an
attack Nicaragm from ~Le; soil, Honduras · modeled on the U.S.' 25-year seige of
has long been the main land base for Cuba and the overthrow of the Allende
application.
contra forces. Honduras only recently regime in Chile.
announced that it would allow the
Nr
-er
-er
-ik
-ik
➔r
➔r
Contra aid
~-
Fk
~
~
~
J
L~
Featuring music and entertainment by
Mariachi de la Tierra
l~
Mari~chi. Colonial <;fr~
C. · ~;;5:::~ ,,t;~:o,1: ')fi1
Manach1 Azteca (c :AY:;-~~:..-·. ~1
~,oanzantes de Aztlan,, -rk-li~~J~-:•\{~r
~~.Sp,,..~
~~OJ
1
~-~
_~
Fresno Sta~e University
1
Los Pa1sanos,
1''1
Selma High School
Plus other scheduled entertainment I
\~i ·: \
f} \'(~~
~
JP .}l'Hill\1 ·NJ,
For more information
call 486-5174
TICKETS GO ON SALE FEBRUARY 15, 1988, AT THESE TICKET OUTLETS:
FRESNO AND CLOVIS
Fresoo Coaveation "teater
H Street and Ventura
COALINGA
Coalinga Hardware
109 llorth 5th
RANFORD
[inas Stationers
119 Vest 7th
MERCED
'c"ott'icbalks
1400 Vest Olive
CloTis Stationery
444 Pollasky
DINUBA
Garner's Stationery
168 North L Street
MADERA
FIREBAUGH
El lane.ho Drugs
1611 N Street
MERCED
Gottsc.halks
1400 Vfst Oli•e
MODESTO
Cottschalks
Vintage Fair
Shopping Center
Centur7 Center
Sboppiag Center
La Hercaotil
1530 Tulare
B.UERSFIELD
World Records
Willia ■
149 East
Carrol
Yose■ ite
SAN JOAQUIN
Saa Joaquia Phar ■acy
8716 South Maia
VISALIA
Visalia Coo•eation Center
8oz Office - 707 Vest Acequia
Gottschalks - Visalia Fair
Shopping Center
California State University, Fresno
Monday, March 7, 1988
Cancer thrives in McFarland
Photograph by Angel de Jeaua
vestigation !)eing conducted by· the sLclte.
The inquiry will probe the use of four
highly utilized pesticides around the
McFarland area..
Findings by Dr. Raymond Neutra of
the State Department of Health Service
revealed that 80 percent of the fathers of
the afflicted children had at one time or
another worked in agricultural occupations. This clue increases the proability
of resolving the question of relating
pesticides and the occurence of cancer.
There is no doubt that there is a
Up to now the KCDHS has not been
able to explain this cancer cluster phenomena. After three and a half years and
$100,000 worth of investigations the Director of KCDHS, Dr. Leon Hebertson,
announced in August 1987 that there "is
no conclusive evidence" to associate rhis
tragedy to any chemical source.
In July 1985 KCDHS v.as forced to
conduct an inquiry to study the high rate
of cancer among McFarland children.
Pressure was applied by citizens of McFarland, Senator Art Torres (D-L.A.) and
" .. .I resigned rather than take part in this cover-up"
-Lazar
..~-%00
~ ~_,,,,.
Farmworkers conti.nue their struggle
for better conditions
The effects of a (;hemical time bomb
have just begun to surface in lethal fonns
of cancer among the children of McFarland. Thus far, this chemical menace has
claimed the lives of eight children. In
addition, nine other children have been
diagnosed with some form of cancer, it is
believed to be a re~ult of this pestilence.
These documented cases have reached
epedemic proportio~s--four times the
national average. Seventeen cases have
been reported within the last 10 years by
the Kern County Department of Health
Services (KCDHS).
Some parents of the afflicted children
feel optimistic about the new in-
migration of chemicals in the soil, and
these chemicals are contaminating the
ground water around McFarland. The
latest chapter of this type of pesticide tale
appeared in late October 1987, when high
levels of the cancer causing pesticide
DBCP was found in the ground water.
Since then the well has been shut tiown,
but it wasn't until last week that funds
were allocated by the State Heaitll
. Department to repair the contaminated
well. ·
Meanwhile, the parents of the cancer.striken children continue to ask the same
questions they have been asking since
they suspected these occ:-.:rences of cancer
were more than just coincidences. And
yet no answers have been provided by the
authorities.
Living ·in fear and fustration is
something the Mexican-American community in McFarland face day-in and dayout Yet it appears that these people have
refused to give · up and continue to
struggle. They know that the lives of
many children of McFarland are at stake.
the United Farm Workers. Initialy the
KCDHS balked on conducting any investigations ii. the McFarlc:nd area.
Some authorities in the health field
believe that the cancer incidents can be
blamed on the pestcide seeping into the
city water wells. One of these authorities
is Dr. Thomas F. Lazar.
According to Dr. Lazar, who resigned
from the K-CDHS on January 1987.
a "cover-up" occurred and he refused to
participate.
In Dr. Lazar's words, "It was decit, pure
and simple and I resigned rather than talce
part in this cover-up".
Dr. Lazar also stated ihat Hebertson
refused to hear or allow Dr. Lazar to
expand on the initial investigation.
Dr. Lazar added that he drafted the first
phase of the July i985 investigation and
See McFarland
page 4
Contra aid-headed for disaster
in
Two landmarlc events-one
San
Jose, Costa Rica and the. other· in
Washington, D.C.-will take place over
the n~xt few weeks which will have
major impact on the war and the
prospects for peace in Central America.
On January 15, the five Central
American presidents will meet in Costa
Rica for the first time since the historic· .
signing of the Centtal America Peace
Accord in Esquipulas, Guatemala on
August 7, 1987. There, the presidents of
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El
Salvador and Honduras will hear the
report of the Intemati.onal Verification .
Commission about compliance with the
tenns of the Accord.
The International Verifi~tion
Commission
is
made
up
of
representatives of the five Central
American governments, ,the Contadora
Group (Mexico, Panama, Colombia and
Venezuela), the Contadora Support
Group, the Organization of American
States (OAS) and the United Nations. In
The Plan a1.so recognizes that there are
intervention coalition which has
confbcts
in other countries than
organized national opposition to contra
Nicaragua, rather
than
previous
aid
ap{>roaches
which
treated
Nicaragua
as the
As the Central America Peace Plan
"pro~lem
child."
The
region-wide
calls for an end to outside government aid
to armed insurgents, the passage of any approach of the PL,n is a ~ogni~o~ of
more aid to the contra would definitely be the fact that, according to AleJandro
Bendana of the Nicaraguan Foreign
in violation of the tenns of the Accord.
Ministry, "the war against Nicaragua is
seriously destabilizing the whole region."
The proposal to establish a Cenn-al
PROCESS OF PEACE
Though the U.S. continues to American Parliament, for example, will
obstruct the peace process, the signing of help strengthen this Central American
the Central Ame::ica Peace Accord has unity.
,
produced a new motion toward peace in
CONTRA AID VOTE
Although the Plan treats the very
The other landmark event affecting the the region which· oontinues to have a life different conflicts in Guatemala, El
war and prospects for peace in Central of its own.
Salvador and Nicaragua as equivalent,
America is a major vote on future aid to
Perhaps most importantly, the Plan these situations are far from identical.
the contras to be taken by the U.S. House represen~ Central America's asserticn of Unlike indigenou~ popularly supported
its sovereignty, while acknowledging that movemen~. lik.\>: the ,F.ML~/FDR in El
of Representatives.
"Because we have a strict timetab]e, its success depends in part on the United
we have a unique opportunity for a States and other nations' recognition of
straight up or down vote on contra aid in that sovereignty. It is a Central American
Congress," said a spokesperson for the solution to the problems of the Central
Days of Decision Campaign, a non- American region.
~ly January, this Commission began its
on-the-ground monitoring of compliance
with the Accord, visiting each of the five
countries.
President Oscar Arias of Costa r \ :a,
the author of the Peace Accord, spoke
hopefully·about the January 15 meeting.
"When we meet, we must detenninc how
we can remove all r obstacles to Jie
success of the plan," he said, "We can
find a road to peace and democracy in our
dear Central America."
See Contra
aid page 4
Page 2 Monday 7,
I
March 4, 1988
''La Causa''
LA VOZ
c!e Aztlan
continues •••
Frank Aviles-Production
Jaime Fernandez-Production
Lisa Y. Flores-Production
Pablo Gutierrez- Editor
Sandra Gutierrez-Reporter
Angel de Jesus-Photographer
Bill Lerch
Pedro Ramirez-Advisor
M. Rivera-Production
Abraham Santillan
"La Vaz de Aztlan" staff would like to welcome all new and returning
students to California State University,. Fresno.
We. V.'~nt to congratulate
those of you who will continue furthering your ed~ca~1on .~nd those
~oonto-be entering the job market. We extena our sa :Jdos t9 ~he Chicano
Alumni Association, the Chicano Staff, an9 . Faculty Orgai11zat1ons, whom
without their support La Vaz would never have matenahzed.
.
.
La Vaz de Aztlan's
orimary objective is to educate. We will achieve . or
oal b
exposing the · injustices inflicted upon not on!1 the . Latino
gommunYty, but also u~on other third world peoples, and progres~1ve organizations.
. .
··
on reaching our obJect1ve,
a host af sens1·t·1ve an d conLrovers1a1 t op1cs
such as: Conlra-aid,
di~crimination 0.1-campus, bilingual e,ucation, nuclear war and human relations w1II ta addressed.
.
.
.
.
As an advocate for "La Causa" La Vaz ~ill e.hgn 1~selt with the Chicano
Facult
Staff students ar.d other progressive . org~rnzat1Qn~ to denource
any Xcts · of ' violenc~, . qppression,. r~pression, ahenat1on, sexism, or racism
perpetrated against any md1v1au~~ orgarnzat1on or rface ... ·d ·t
to all ·1nd·1v·1duals and
t.a Vaz de Aztran extenas it's hand o s911 an Y.
.
organizations to utilize this medium to exercise tne,r ~ght of free speech
ana free press.
.
• • t·
·
11 f cets of
La Vaz de Aztlan oncourages your. act1v~. part1c1p~ ion in a
a
-~~
our university education. Learn to think critically, with the underst~nd1 . ,.
rhat
"La Causa" must continue. Remember that you repres~'!t the vo!ce o1
our people. In retrospect, reflect upon the countless s~cnf1ces ma9£ by
your parents, family or friends,. who bro~e the many barriers and paid t~e
price so we could have access to a higher education.
La Voz's purpose is clear and we look forward ~o. a su~cessful. s~mes.te~.
Again, we ask the faculty, staff and students to Join us m achieving Justice for ail people.
A,
1,
GUEST EDITORIAL
•
'
.
"La Bamba'~ success at a price
Remember what uproar "Boulevard
Nights" brought in the seventies? Many
Chicanos were angry at the filmakers for
I agree that ''La Bamba" is a well
their stereotype of Chicano youth.
made Hollywood movie. Luis Valdez, ex- Parents thought that every teenager was
Teatro del Campesino director aJ1<l now going to adopt the stereotype presented by
bit time silver screen writer and director, Anglo filmakers of cholos/as. Many of
certainly deserves recognition from the our youth were so influenced by the
Mexicano/Chicano community as well as movie that they, in fact, , did emulated the
from the rest of the American public.
cholo image. Due to protests from the
With "La Bamba", Valdez has finally
Chicano community Boulevard Nights
managed to etched his n~e. ~nto the was banned from the public eye and put ·
mainstream Hollywood movie mdustry.
in university classrooms where it could
La Bamba is a story about a poor
be analyzr:-.t! and criticized . Now bere
fannworker tum wban Chicano, who . comes the flip side our community in "La
against all odds, makes it in the 'R<>mh<>"
seemingly impossible to crack 50's rockValdez reached into our past and
n-roll scene. What concerns me are the virtually selected a Chicano hero. He 1o?k
underlying messages in this success flack from Chicano artists, and one artist
story. They are, anyone can make it if even told me that he felt Valdez Wct3
they try and it's fine to be totally trying to make La Bamba acceptable to
assimila~ Valdez suggests that if he middle class America. Watering down our
and Valens can make it so can you.
art is not what we need. We need to be
It is important that we remember that sincere in our art expression, and if it is
during the 50's and 60's and partially into threatening to the dominant class then we
the 70's Chicanos were seen as the will know that there is cultural
""sleepm'g giant." In the eighties. we opp-ession.
have been seen as an "emerging people."
It' is this cultural suppression that we
·Tue first impression of what is need to struggle against. Resigninng
produced in movies. poetry. novels etc. ourselvess to pleasing other weak.tms our
are vital to how we are perceived by other culture and ultimately our people. It's the
cultures. Far more critical is how our root of developing a cultural complex.
community perceives itself. I do not
The hard work message is a hard dose
believe we have to change our rancheras. of the contemporary political tide which
corridos. polkas. and musica tropical to was designed and implemented by R :aald
rock-n-rolJ to be accepted by non-Latino Reagan and conservative ~-tanks. •
Hollywood.
It is simple-hard work bongs rewaros.
.By Andres Montoya
No hard work, no reward. We all know
that the civil rights accomplishments
made in the sixties are due to a C?llecti.ve
movement--not one person workmg hard
to reach a means, but the_ masses ?f
people working side by si~e ~ g~
justice for their people. ~he impbcatmn
is that this hard work ethic works for all
Chicanos; that is. if they only tri~ a
little harder. Tell this to toiling
fannworkersand thehundredofthousands
of service workers.._
.
.
This hard work ideolo~ implies that
the 29% of Chicanos who hve under the
poverty level are there because they are
lazy and do not work because they want
to be on welfare.
.
"La Bamba" glorified a MexicanAmerican who worked independently from
his community. Yet he represents a ·
heroic figure. Valens is not '" heroic
figure, he simply realized his dream of
playing rock-n-roll to the world. There
Revolution, the Bracerro Program?
Chicano film makers need to look at our
community collectively, not at individual
success storie~.
Falling head first into the melting pot
does not work. Why not tell a tale about
our cultural style and history? Why
should we become invisible? Which can
happen if we lose our culture and our
language. We shold not have to give up
our group identity to be successful in th~
society. Yet, Valens. one individual, is
glorified by Valdez in "La Bamba."
Chicanos, Native Americans, and
Afro-American film makers need to
educate those who see other cultures as
mere novelty by making · films that
honestly interpret their history. Change
takes place by struggling and protesting
against the ideology that says to
assimilate.
"La Bamba" needs to be viewed in
perspective. It is about one individ~
who made it in the Chicano community.
It also encourages being independent
when we as Raza have seen our history in
terms of collectivism. "La Bamba" is a
formula Hollywood success story which
are countless tales to be told about ends tragically. Just think if Trini Lopez,
individuals in our community who were Lee Trevino. and Herb Albert, oh .. .let's
able to inspire our community into not forget Vicky Carr, would have died.
fighting class oppression and racism. Yet, What a hotbed of Chicano heroes. What a
these stories go untold. Think of Joaquin wealth of scripts for Valdez. So, you see,
Murieta, Lopez Tijerina, Corley Gonzalez, "La Bamba" is 3 diversion--a fun ride for
Cesar Chavez, etc. What about the strikes one Chicano. This eloquently made
in the 30's and 40's, the massive movie is not a Chicano success story.
migrations to the north after the Mexican
-
"sleep·1ng g·1ant''
M.E.CH.A.
'UNITED FARMORKERS COMMITTEE
On August 7, 1987 approximately 200 workers walke~ ~ut at ~.P. Metzler
Ranch · in Del Rey. A breakdown
in contra~t negot1at1ons w1~h Metzler
Farms and pesticide poisonings have resulted in the 24-hour strike by the
UFWA (UNITED FARM WORKERS OF AMERICA AFL-CIO) workers. The
workers and their families are in need of our support until Metzler and
Metro olitan Life, the principal owner of Metzler, reach ~ contract
agree~eent with the UFWA. Donations of funds, food, an~ clothing for the
striking workers are being accepted at the following locations:
M.E.Ch.A. MEETINGS
EVERY WEDNESDAY
C.U. 310 AT 3:30 p.m.
M.E.Ch.A. BOOTH
FREE SPEECH AREA
Monday, March 7, 1988 Page 3
Chicano Reseach Center
BY Sandra Gutierrez
The Center for Chicano Research,
headed by Dr. Jesus Luna ef the ChicanoLatino Studies Department, has just
begun to spread its wings. The Center's
objective is to conduct research in ar~
concerning Chicanos for example:
demcgraphics, teenage pregnancy, effects
of immigration reforms.
Although the Center for Chicano
Research has been in existence for
~pproximately four years; it continous to
grow as its' reputation gains recognition
among institutions promoting historical
reseach.. Investigations conducted under
the auspices of the Center have been
limited due to the lack of funds.
Dr. Luna acknowledged that
contributions from alumni and concerned
individuals have provided a portion of the
monies required to balance the books.
However, a substantial amount of
resources are greatly needed. The
foundation has been set for the Center to
someday become a self-supporting
facility.
Under Dr. Luna's directive, the long
term goal of the center will be achieved
tt-Iough the implementation of several
strategies.
The first strategy is to inculcate in
students the importance of gaining
leadership skills. The Center offers a
Leadership Conference every semester to
provide a mechanism to instill leadership
skills, which can
benefit the
participating students.
Secondly, the Center provides a forum
in which innovative and creative methods
of improving faculty and student
interactions are studied.
1na
miro
smuagy
1nvo1ves
me
development
of
university
and
community relations, in order to resolve
issues related to the economic,
educational and social concerns of
Chicanos.
The final strategy taken by the Center to
ensure its objective is sponsoring a series
of constitutional symposiums. This
semester the commemoration of the U.S.
Constitution's bicentenial will be
celebrated. These symposiums are free and
the public is invited to participate. The
topics include: "Blacks and the
Constitution" on March 15th; "Justice at
War. the Japanese-American War" on
Apil 15th;
"The Crisis is Over
Ratification" on April 24th; and "The
Constitution and Hispanics" on May 4th
with special guest speaker Mr. Cruz
Reynoso, former Supreme Court Justice
of California All symposiums will be
conducted in the Upstairs Cafeteria in
Room 200 from 12:00_p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The final section of this concrete plan is
to develop and maintain the present
international dialogue with distinguished
universities from Mexico. Professors
from both CSUF and prominant Meixcan
universities have addressed student
audiences in workshops on topics
confronting Chicanos.
Dr. Luna's vision of organization and
commitment to the Center for Chicano
RestMCh is well designed and is destined
to be a successful endeavor. A center of
this type will undoubtedly enhance the
quality of education provided by CSUF.
Palestine-Demand. f.or Freedom
Peace & Solidarity
January, 1988
ritories. The strikes, which were virtually
100% effective, demonstrated the Palestinian's unity and gr~wing economic
clout. Palestinians today perform the bulk
of the industrial and menial labor in
Israel. Since December, most of the
. 100,000 Palestinians who live in the
West Bank and Gaza and who must travel
to Israel for jobs have refused to go to
work.
"Kill us all," taunted several hundred
Palestinian teenagers throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers. "Come and kill us all or get
out!"
Around the comer, women broke
concrete into chunks and piled them in
grocery bags for the young activists.
Shouts of encouragement blared from a
nearby mosque's minaret: "Oh, you IRON FIST
The Israeli response to the uprising
young people, go at them! Don't back
off!" Young and old, women and men has been to clamp down with an iron fist.
chanted: "with our blood and our tears, we In Gaza alone there are now more Israeli
will liberate Palestine!"
~lWCl:) UldJ1 U1v WI.al UWUUCl Ul.:11.
This scene has been repeated over and CUpied the West Bank and the Gaza in the
over again throughout the West Bank and 1967 war. The Israeli military has shown
Gaza as Palestinians rise in a determined that it will stop at nothing in its desprotest that is shaking the foundations of perate and futile attempt to stop the
Israel's twenty year occupation of their protests. Soliders have repeatedly opened
fire on unarmed protesters and bystanders
land.
Resistance to Israel's occupation of alike, killing at 30 Palestinians and
the West Bank and Gaza-land seized in the wounding hundreds of others. Israeli
1967 war-has been building for months, troops stormed al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza,
but the current uprising reached new shooting and clubbing the wounded, their
heights in December. Since then, riots families and the medical staff. Palestinian
and demonstrations have become almost youths have been beaten unconscious and
daily events, pitting thousands of un- tied to the front of military vehicles to
protect the soldiers.
armed protesters against Israeli soldiers.
Israeli violence is not limited to the
On December 21, January 9, and
again for three days beginning January occupied territories, but has extended to
11, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians southern Lebanon, which Israel has
living within Israel joined the protests by occupied since the 1982 invasion. An
declaring a general strike in solidarity Israeli air attack on January 3 killed 21
with Palestinians in the occupied ter- people and wounded 14 others. While
V\,-
Israel claimed they were attacking a "terrorist" base, the dead included 12
members of two Lebanese families and
three Lebanese policemen.
More than 2,000 Palestinians were
rounded by and jailed in the last two
months. The Israeli Army is using
"Speedy trails" to deprive the prisoners of
the most basic legal rights. Amnesty
International charges that the Israelis are
using physical and ppsychological torture
force confessions, including from children.
"GREATER ISRAEL"
Israeli officials have sought to justify
their brutality as the measures necessa.ry
to restore order by forcibly removing the
small handful of "terrorists" who are the
"trouble makers." But the real r~on for
Israel's iron fist policy is the massive
popular uprising that defies Israeli efforts
to destory the Palestinian national identity and to incorporate the occupied
territories in a "Greater Israel."
Since the 1967 war, 60% of the land
has been exorooriated and over 150,000
Israelis have settled in the West Bank and
Gaza. The 1.7 million Palestinians who
remain in the occupied territories have
experienced nothing but growing hardships and military repression. In Gaza,
most Palestinians -are forced to live in
overcrowded refugee camps with inadequate health care, poor sanitation and
limited food supppl_i~s. ~e_ unemploy-
)Jlent rate is over ·40%. .British Minister
of State for Foreign Affairs, David Mellor
described the Jebaliya camp as "an affront
to civilized values. Misery on a scale that
rivals anything anywhere in the world."
More than 300,000 Palestinians have
been imprisoned since 1967, and some
2,000 have been expelled from their
homeland in direct violation of internaitonal law.
These harsh conditions, combined
with Israel's military occupation, are
fueling the flames of Palestinian resistance, which .shows no signs of letting
up.
The Palestinian demands have fuond a
sympathetic response from most of the
world. The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly and unanimously
denounced Israel's vicious acts. The U.N.
is calling for an international peace conference to find a comprehensive solution
to the Palestinianns' plight which would
include the direct participation of the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)
as the legitimate representative of the
Palestinian people. The conference has
been stalled because Israel and the U.S.
hope to set up Jordan's King Hussein as
the representative of the Palestinians in-
See Palestine
page 4
HISPANIC BUSINESS STUDENTS ASSOCIATION
TENTH ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET
6:00 PM - FRIDAY, APRIL 15TH
AT
HACIENDA HOTEL - FRESNO
"Preparing for Success
The evening event recognizes Hispanic Students for their academic
achievements at the University. Scholarships are presented to students
who are attending CSUF to assist and encourage them in their academic
endeavors
For tickets or sponsorship information contact: Edward M.
Castillo at (209) 432-7263 or Randy Aoki at (209) 294-2431.
Page 4
Monday, March 7, 1988
Photograph by Angel de JNue
this economic aid is used by Israel to
settle the occupied territories.
.
While the Reagan administrauon
continues to embrace Israel, a growing
stead of the PLO, a move that the number of people in the U.S. are demanding that Israel stop killing, jailing 8J!d
Palestinians thoroughly reject.
While the U.S. has been forced to expelling Palestiniians, and end its
join the international condemnation of occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Israel's most violent acts of repression, · Presidential candidate Jesse Jackson has
the U.S. still remains Israel's staunchest condemned Israel's repression, stating
ally and sponsor. Even as Israeli soldiers "democracy and occupation are not comwere shooting unarmed demonstrators in patible." A rising tide of voices around
the occupied territories in December, the the country are demanding a CongresReagari administration upgraded Israel to sional investigation of Israeli human
the same status as the NATO countries in rights abuses, and an accounting of how
order to make it even easier for Israel to U.S. funds are being spent. As the San
get U.S. military equipment and con- Jose Mercury News (California) wrote,
tracts. Israel receives more U.S. foreign "U.S. military aid to Israel is not meant
aid than any other country: $1.8 bil~ion to pay Israeli soldiers shooting Palestinin military aid aannually and between $3 ian teen-agers. That aid makes the United
and 4 billion of economic assistance. Con- States an accomplice to these atrocities. It
gress gets no accounting about how U.S. is time that U.S. assistance to Israel be
aid to Israel is spent-as it does. ~ith all linked to a settlement in the occupied
other countries-but it is clear that some of territories."
McFarland
Palestine
that Hebertson deliberately altered Lazar's
findings to lessen the impact of the
scientific data. When the first repon came
out Dr. Lazar cited that improper methods
of sampling were employed. He also
stated that data on pesticide applications
were ignored. It was shortly after the
release of this report th.at Dr. Lazar
resigned from his post
~
l
•,\fp'
..
.. .
En memoria
de las nines de McFarland
Mario Bravo
1973-1987
Maira Sanchez
1981-1987
Tresa Buentello
1980-1984
Rosalinda Lorta
1975-1980
Johnny Rodriquez Sandy Perez
Verification Commission to inspect every
1982-1987
1973-1982
comer of its country for prohibited contra
bases. Reports are that the bases are being
Frankie Gonzalez Barbara Modie
bulldozed, so that Honduras will comply
1976-1984
1963-1978
with the provision of the Plan which says
Salvador and the URNG in Guatemala, that no country's territory should be used
the contras are a mercenary army, by any group for the purposes of @l
[ID
completely dependent on the U.S. for destabilizin~ any other country.
their survival.
U.S. WAR CONTINUES
The progressive forces in eacn country
Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega
"Women's Herstory Month"
have been able to make m2n1 advances stated in December, "To end the war,
~ithin the Plan's fr~e"York tor peace and Nicaragua will do everything necessary
mt~f!1al democ':8~tion. The most without sacrificing principles." The toll
striking example_1s m El Salvador, where . of the U.S. war against Nicaragua, which
"Women in Cuba"
FDR leade~ Gu1hermo Ungo ~nd Ruben_ ·.. has already claimed 40,000 lives, mounts
featuring
Zam~~ se1ze_d ~'1e OP,portumty of ~e daily. In early December, the contras, still
Plans l)reathmg room to return ~o therr flush with the $100 million in U.S. aid
Elizabeth Stone, author and activist
homel~d after many years of ex=le and passed by Congress ia 1987, launched the
Wednesday, March 9th
speak directly to f:be Salvadoran ~p~~- !afgest military at~ck of the war-an
Ungo termed their two week v1s1t a invasmn of at least 1 000 contras mto
7:00 PM in the College Union Rooms 312-14
contribution . to the ~c.e. process," northeastern Nicaragu~. Although no
tho~~ notmg :'h~t gammg mo~e Sandinistamilitacy targets were destroyed.
pob~cal pr~ence ms1de El Salvador will the contras attacked clinics, schools and
Sponsored by the Women's Allaince and CSUF Student Association
~ <lif_ficult..
.
.
..
.,. homes a11d killed and wounded many
Movmg mto the poliuc~ space, civilians. On December 23 they attacked
ADMISSION IS FREE AND ALL ARE WELCOME
Ungo and Zamora met with trade
.
. .
•
',.
d
· ·
i·u· al
d th
agam, this ttme breaking tl'h. agree upon
uruo~~ts, po 1 c gr~~ps an
e news Christmas truce.
)lie=';
Wr
➔r
-ik
-ik
-ik
-ik
ai i■
media m El Salvador.. W~ sensed by the The Rea an Administration calculating
warmth of our recept10n m the popular
g
..
. '
sectors that our people really want to that a c?ntra military VlCtory • may not
particpate in the political process in El occ~ pnor t? the end of _the Reag~
HELP ..WANTED
Salvador," Ungo said, "But there is still presidency, 1s also stepp•~~ up its
fear. We have to take into consideration mtcmal sabotage of the Sandmistas. The
death squad activities and the behavior of "revelations" of a Ministry of Defense
La Voz is now taking applications for
the army."
defector about the build-up of Nicaragua's
cartoonists, staff writers and advertising
Honduras is also key to the success of . arm_v · t'} 000,'.W and the . alleged
the Plan. Though the government cvrruption of Sandinista _leaders are part of
representatives. If interested stop by the
officially denies it allows contras to this · sabotage campaign, a ca.-npaign ·
Keats Campus Building
and fill out an
attack Nicaragm from ~Le; soil, Honduras · modeled on the U.S.' 25-year seige of
has long been the main land base for Cuba and the overthrow of the Allende
application.
contra forces. Honduras only recently regime in Chile.
announced that it would allow the
Nr
-er
-er
-ik
-ik
➔r
➔r
Contra aid
~-
Fk
~
~
~
J
L~
Featuring music and entertainment by
Mariachi de la Tierra
l~
Mari~chi. Colonial <;fr~
C. · ~;;5:::~ ,,t;~:o,1: ')fi1
Manach1 Azteca (c :AY:;-~~:..-·. ~1
~,oanzantes de Aztlan,, -rk-li~~J~-:•\{~r
~~.Sp,,..~
~~OJ
1
~-~
_~
Fresno Sta~e University
1
Los Pa1sanos,
1''1
Selma High School
Plus other scheduled entertainment I
\~i ·: \
f} \'(~~
~
JP .}l'Hill\1 ·NJ,
For more information
call 486-5174
TICKETS GO ON SALE FEBRUARY 15, 1988, AT THESE TICKET OUTLETS:
FRESNO AND CLOVIS
Fresoo Coaveation "teater
H Street and Ventura
COALINGA
Coalinga Hardware
109 llorth 5th
RANFORD
[inas Stationers
119 Vest 7th
MERCED
'c"ott'icbalks
1400 Vest Olive
CloTis Stationery
444 Pollasky
DINUBA
Garner's Stationery
168 North L Street
MADERA
FIREBAUGH
El lane.ho Drugs
1611 N Street
MERCED
Gottsc.halks
1400 Vfst Oli•e
MODESTO
Cottschalks
Vintage Fair
Shopping Center
Centur7 Center
Sboppiag Center
La Hercaotil
1530 Tulare
B.UERSFIELD
World Records
Willia ■
149 East
Carrol
Yose■ ite
SAN JOAQUIN
Saa Joaquia Phar ■acy
8716 South Maia
VISALIA
Visalia Coo•eation Center
8oz Office - 707 Vest Acequia
Gottschalks - Visalia Fair
Shopping Center