La Voz de Aztlan, September 19 1988
Item
Title
La Voz de Aztlan, September 19 1988
Creator
Associated Students of Fresno State
Relation
La Voz de Aztlan (Daily Collegian, California State University, Fresno)
Coverage
Fresno, California
Date
9/19/1988
Format
PDF
Identifier
SCUA_lvda_00177
extracted text
LA Voz DE AZTLAN
California State University, Fresno
Monday September 19, 1988
Police Injure UFW VP
By James I. Can-asco
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Dr. Lea Ybarra
Dolores Huerta was the subject of a brutal attack by San Francisco
Police officers last Wednesday evening.
"George Bush For Genocide," read one
of the many signs held at a student
protest rally held Friday afternoon at
CSUF. The demonstration, which took
place in front of the fountain, stemmed
from the incident that occurred Wednesday
afternoon in San Francisco when United
Farm Workers vice-president, Dolores
Huerta, was "herded" and beaten by police
officers after trying to answer questions
from the press concerning Bush's
repudiation of the table grape boycott.
According to Daniel Martin, who spoke
earlier with family members, Huerta
sustained moderate injuries and remains in
stable condition at San Francisco General
Hospital. Huerta is reported to have
suffered two broken ribs and a damaged
spleen which was removed by doctors the
evening of her attack.
Howard Wallace, organizer of the UFW
boycott in San Francisco, was reportedly
clubbed before police turned on Huerta.
Huerta then fell back onto the cement as
police continually "speared" her. "What
gets me is how the police knew who
Huerta was," states Martin, "she wasn't
conspicuous or anything."
About one thousand demonstrators
along with Huerta voiced their opinions
at the San Francisco rally in which the
police used billy clubs to control the
crowd. According to Martin, who also
protested by the CSUF fountain, police
used force to detain Huerta, along with
others, in a manner unacceptable by
current police regulations.
The activist group, Movimiento
Estudiantil
Chicano
de
Aztlan,
M.E.Ch.A,
initiated the gathering
through their Campesino Committee.
The M.E.Ch.A organization which
consists of six officers and a membership
of approximately 35 individuals, learned
of the event Thursday and immediately
appointed the committee to head up the
rally.
M.E.Ch.A chairperson, Karen Cogley,
who moderated Friday's rally, stated that
she would not have been surprised had the
news media failed to show up. Speaking
to a gathering of about 50 on-lookers
Cogley said, "It would be 'wonderful' for
the media to come out and see 'our
concerns.' If the media doesn't show up
then obviously the issue isn't important
to news." Ironically, news reporter Karen
Lee and a photographer from KFSN
Channel 30 arrived at the scene just in
time to see the demonstration end.
Nevertheless, they interviewed Cogley
minutes following the event
Along with speeches by UFW
spokespersons and CSUF faculty
members, Bob Allison, professor in the
Economics Department and Bill Flores of
the Chicano/Latino Studies Program,
Rick Chacon, a former member of
M.E.Ch.A, sang a couple of songs with
his guitar in support of the UFW cause.
Larry Hobson, of the CSUF Rainbow
Coalition, recited an original poem in
support of the rally as well.
The peaceful demonstration ended with
th,e reading of a passage from the book of
Psalms by Jessica Cabrera.
Before
Cabrera read, however, Cogley asked that
everyone bow their heads in prayer for
Huerta.
Meanwhile, an investgation is being
conducted by San Francisco Mayor Art
Magnos and Police Chief Frank Jordan as
to the cause of the Union Square
violence.
La lndependencia
By Matty B. Duran
Feature Writer
La Independencia, el diecisies de
septiembre did not release us from the
bowels of the oppressive Spainards. But
worse it never made the mestizo equal in
his own world. "La Independencia" is one
of the myths that the Mexicano has
created for himself. For us, Miguel
Hidalgo y Costilla, is much more than
the aging criollo priest. He is the h~eleyed saint who led us into that mythical
land of freedom, equality, hope and
purpose. La independencia, burns
fervently in our bronze hearts as part of
the religion of the Mexicano.
To be a true Mexicano is to believe in
the myth of the Independence. A myth
that has allowed us to forge a nation of
mestizos.
Prior to the Independence, mestizos
were
invisible, barred from
the
government,
military
and
clergy.
Although mestizos eventually penetrated
the church, they were third-class citizens.
This inferior citzenship sprang from the
fact that he was the result of
miscegenation.
It was because of this Azteca heritage
that the .mestizo was condemned to an
invisible existence. The wars of
Independence had changed all that
When the gaunt priest rang the church
bells at 2 a.m. on the morning of
September 16, 1810, the mestizo was
brought out of his solitude. Suddenl~, he
was in communion with other mestizos,
and they had a purpose. The indios and
. mestizos came out of the air, they came
down from the mountains, they came out
of themselves. It was as if, at that
moment, they became a true race - La
Raza was born.
The mestizo was no longer a hybrid to
himself, but apart of something greater.
He was the inheritor of a land, a land he
had been alienated from. Although
Hidalgo did not give them actual
independence over the course of the year
up until his death, he gave them
something much greater. He had helped
them forge an idenity, with the
extravagant hope of recovering their
homeland.
It was that passionate hope that built
Hidalgo's army of impoverished mestizo's
and indios into an army of 80,000 within
the month.
Soon, the massive mestizo movement
swept across the states of Mexico ready to
collect their promised land.
However, independence could not
manifest itself without bloodshed and
destruction. Amidst it all, the forged race
carriedthelegendaryVirgendeGuadalupe.
The dark-skinned virgin was their hope
through the whole struggle. Her
immortality seemed to symbolize the
immortality of LA RAZA.
Feeling this immortality the new race
pillaged town after town, the worst
excesses being committed in Guanajuato,
where the irate race bludgeoned crillos and
gach11pines alike. The white masters thai
had raped their culture.
Brought out of their solitude, the
mestizos
committed
all
atrocities
together. The atrocities although brutal,
had not lasted as long as those that had
been committed against them.
Over the centuries, bronzed backs had
been broken and scarred. Their existence
denied and their humanity torn. Many
mestizos as w~~! ~ indios had died as a
res 1~!~ or the brutal encomiendas. The
encomienderos, like the latter haciendado
savagely worked the people of colour.
Tragically, the Spaniard_ and Criollo
(Spaniard born in the New World)
considered the mestizo and indio inferior.
He had been an animal to butcher, he had
been the vicb.m to sacrifice to
Huitzilopochtli (Aztec God of War).
It was this tragic memory that
continued to hold LA RAZA together. It
was this memory, and a thousand
memories of oppression that kept them
marching with nothing but sticks and
machetes for ammunition.
Unfortunately, the pride and the hope
of LA RAZA was not enough to defeat
the powerful Spanish army.
Following Guanajuato, where the
Spaniards and crillos had been butchered,
the criollos who had initially supported
the whole movement withdrew support.
Even Hidalgo had to agree that the young
race had burgeoned into an uncontrollable
wave.
Consequently, he stopped his army of
80,000 at the gates of Mexico City.
Hidalgo ordered their retreat, and many
discouraged mestizos deserted. The unity
that had bound them so tightly began to
crumble.
Even while the movement began to
erode, Hidalgo made proclamations at
Vallodolid, where he had declared equal
rights for all. This was the last straw that
brolr~ !he proverbial camel's back. The
mestizos were on their own. The criollos
wanted no part of LA RAZA'S world.
Rather than accept LA RAZA, the
criollos clung dearly to the crown. Even
the concept of LA RAZA could not keep
the mestizos tied to each other.
. .
Yet-every Independence J?ay, this is the
Chicano's hope, that we um~ed once and
for all in the face of adversity. The way
we had done so long ago.
By January 1811, at the Bridg~ of
Calderon on the Rio Lerma, an accident
occurred that burned an insurgent
ammunition wagon. The fire that erupted
separated and panicked the troops. The
race had broken up and many fled.
Soon after that symbolic incident
Migual Hidalgo y Costilla, the radical
priest was captured. The church defrocked
him and immediately found him guilty of
heresy. Along with his initial conspirators, militarymen Allende
and
Aldama, Hidalgo was shot to death on
July 30, 1811. Once beheaded, their
decapitated heads were fastened on poles,
in the granary, as an examples to all
others.
The warning had come to late, LA
RAZA had been born in drudgery and
baptised in blood, once and for all.
Although independence had not been
achieved September 16, 1810, had been a
greater vision, the vision of a united and
free RAZA for the mestizo. If represents
out communion, the tearing of our
breasts, the removal of the masks at our
See Raza page 4
Page 2
------------- Monday, September 19 ,1988
La Voz De Aztlan
Bienvenidos Todos
As the Editor of La Voz de Aztlan, I would like to extend
the heartiest welcome to CSUF, wishing all a productive and
enjoyable semester.
As we celebrate el Diez y Seis de Septiembre (Mexico's
national Independence Day) it is significant to note that La
Voz is going into its twentieth year of publication. On May
5, 1969, La, Pluma Morena became the first Chicano/Black
coalition paper on this campus. Its first editor was John F.
Ramirez. That Fall it began steady publication in the Daily
Collegian as Chicano Liberation, and later it became known
by its present title, La Voz de Aztlan. From its beginning to
the present time, La Voz had served the community with
insightful coverage of the various issues affecting Chicanos
and reporting these issues in a manner that has been
professional yet compassionate.
With its roots in the Chicano Movement, La Voz s~ds as
a product of the same activist forces which produced such
organizations/programs as M.E.Ch.A., La Raza Studies (now
Chicano/Latino Studies), the Educational Opportunity
Program (E.O.P.), and the many other affirmative action
programs that have benefited minority students, staff, and
faculty over the years. Although editorial styles, content and
aesthetics have varied from time to time, the overriding
purpose of La Voz is to find itself in the need to be an
· informative news source for its readership and to provide a
viable training ground fqr students interested in journalism
and/or other areas of media as they relate to minority
communities.
In all, La Voz continues to serve as an instrument of social
change. Che Guevara once said that the true revolutionary is
guided by "great feelings of love." In this same manner it is
important to remember our love of humanity as we strive to
Letters to the editor
build a more just and equitable society.
Certainly this is np simple task. This decade has seen the
two term election of the most reactionary Republican
administration in history, severe cuts in social services,
outright attacks on civil rights, and naked aggression on an
international scale. We see our current state government
making good on its promises to the powerful Agricultural
Labor Relations Board with "adminstrates" who are
notoriously anti-labor. We see farm working children in
McFarland dying of cancers resulting from pesticide exposure
while health and government officials remain indelibly mute.
And, we see continuous cutbacks in educational funding while
our youth face a 50% dropout rate throughout most of the
state.
Yet, we've also seen positive signs. Recently in the primary
campaign we saw the Rev. Jesse Jackson expose a common
ground message among those victimized by nearly eight years
of Reaganomics. Renewed energy around the UFW grape
boycott also points to a reinvigorated fightback campaign
within organized labor that hasii.'t bee1'i seen for quite some
time. I'm positive that we will see these movements take
hold and build a broad coalition of forces that will make their
mark known on the political scene, regardless of the party
banner of the next presidential administration.
I am also positive that as we begin to close out the decade,
we will see La Voz consolidate its role in the recording and
making of history. Let us take up that challenge in a spirit of
liberation.
Adelante!
Albert Robles
Editor
M.E.Ch.A Welcomes Students
Fresno ~tate M.E.Ch.A. welcomes all of the new students to campus and also welcomes back
those returning students.
Tiris is a year different in many ways from past years within M.E.Ch.A. First of all, we are
very fortunate to have so many board members experienced in organizing and politically
knowledgable about the issues M.E.Ch.A. is involved with.
We have begun this semester with a newly revised constitution. Three to four years of
research, discussion, and input from various people went into making this constitution a
document of which we are very proud. Also new to the organization was the selection of our
committee chairs last May. Tiris has already helped to alleviate the confusion that arises during
the first few weeks of Fall semester around who the chaiipersons will be and when they will
begin meeting. The early selection of chairpersons has developed a stronger sense of unity and
cohesin within the organization.
M.E.Ch.A. is an officially recognized representative to the newly formed Metro Latino Voter
Registration/Education Coalition (there are eleven community and labor groups, including
prominent individuals in the conummity who are also part of the coalition).
We have already planned several events to take place in September, such as our annual
Bienvenida reception (everyone is welcome), to take place on Thursday, September 22, from
4:00 to 6:00 pm in the Vintage Room. Our annual dance is scheduled for Friday, September
30th, from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am, in the Satellite College Union: We have had the first of a twopart leadership workshop. The second workshop is planned for Sunday, September 18, from 7:00
to 9:30. We are participating in this year's Passport Fresno. This is a three day event where
various ethnic groups in Fresno and California come together to celebrate, have fun, and enjoy
ethnic foods in order to develop a better understanding and appreciation for one another. This
event
is
taking
place at the Fulton Mall from September 30, to October 2, 1988, come and join us! Members of
M.E.Ch.A. are also planning to attend the Founding Convention for the California Rainbow
Coalition in Los Angeles, the weekend of September 25, 1988. We are tentatively planning to
attend a meeting in Los Angeles, also at the end of the month, to plan the fall semester statewide M.E.Ch.A. conference. Along with everything else going on M.E.Ch.A. and
Chicano/Latino Studies, formerly La Raza Studies, are prparing to celebrate their twentieth
annivesary in 1989.
Additionally, M.E.Ch.A. is planning a year of events which will encompass the many ideas
and sugestions of our new members and the experience from our veteran members. We are
continuing to support and build coalitions with the other Chicano organizations and minority
groups on campus and in the community. We have begun work on the Coors Boycott with
MAPA del Valle, met with the Women's Alliance and women's studies to coordinate events of
mutual interest, and we are giving out volunteer support to the CASA fundraiser on Friday,
September 10, 1988.
We meet on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesday of every month in the College Onion from 3:30 to
4:30 pm. Everyone is invited to attend the meetings.
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
Albert Robles - Editor
Lisa Y. Flores - Assistant Editor
He.ctor Amezcua - Photo Editor
Anna Daza - Co-Copy Editor
Marty Rivera - Co-Copy Editor
Staff Writers - He.ctor Amezcua, Matty B.
Duran, James I Carrasco, Johanna Munoz,
Gene R. Urrutia
La Voz De Aztlan is an insert of the Daily Collegian, under a seperate editorial staff. Opinions expressed in La Voz.do not necessarily
reflect those of the Daily Collegian.
la Voz De Aztlan
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Page 3
SVRP
campaigns
■
By Johanna Munoz
Staff reporter
The statistics confirm the objective.
Between 1974 and 1988, the number of
Latino elected officials has more than
doubled from 1,566 to 3,038 due to the
efforts of groups such as the Southwest Voter Registration Program.
The Southwest Voter Registration
Program (SVRP) has begun its local
six-week campaign that pays coordinators to register voters, help with
absentee ballots and to educate citizens
as to why they need to vote.
As a non-partisan group they have
three goals. The first is to have 2,000
people registered in Fresno County by
October 11; secondly, to register
2,000 people on absentee ballots; and,
thirdly, to educate 6,000 to go out and
vote.
Ben Benavidez, co-chair of the
Fresno project said, "we must start
locally, if we want to impower the
Latino population and assure that we
have a sound future."
The main goal of the committee is
to change the current project to a yearround project that would operate as the
Fre~no Me1!? Latino Voter RegistratJ.on Coahtmn. The change, which
started three wt,>,eks ago, will help the
committee's continuity.
Established in 1972 by Willie
Velasquez: in San Antonio, Texas, the
SVRP was formed to help bring out
role models for Chicanos in the
Southwest. By 1974, the Program was
operating in California, Arizona New
Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. 'Since
then, it has had 1,000
voter
registration campaigns in 200 cities
and Indian reservations across the
Southwest
The idea, as Ben Benavidez stated is
"to impower Chicanos by having mor~
people get into local boards, so that
they (by being there) can help our
c?n:imunity more. We will keep
h1tung our heads on the walls, if we
don't start voting."
Campaigns are also underway in
Selma, Sanger, Bakersfield, East Los
Angeles, and other areas of the state.
Civil Rights Network
By Hector Amezcua
Chihuahua Foods Inc. received first prize in the float contest
during Saturday's festive parade.
Fresno celebrates
MEXICAN
INDEPENDENCE
By Hector Amezcua
Staff reporter
Fresnans gathered this past Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of
Mexican Independence Day. The celebration began with a parade
downtown, which was enjoyed by all.
"I feel very happy , and in some moments I feel like I was in
Mexico." Said Martha Hernandez, when asked how she felt about
September the 16th. Martha also mentioned that the floats
representing Mexico were very nice.
Hoover High School Marching Band lead the parade with Mexican
melodies.
Other High Schools participating were Roosevelt,
Firebaugh , Central, Fresno, Bullard and Tehipite Jr. High.
Chihuahua Foods Incorporated received first prize, as best float among
30 others participants.
Alfredo Arreguin said speaking of Mexico, " Being among so many
Latin people you feel like at home. But somehow I miss my country,
and would like to be their soon." About six thousand people attended
the event which lasted the entire day.
The festivities ended at the Fulton Mall where music bands and
entertainers made people laugh, dance and play until 8 PM.
Staff reporter
The Chicano Civil Rights Nertwork
(CCRN) and the Fresno City Human
Relations Commission (FCHRC) met
September 7, to discuss the upcoming
mediator position of ombudsman/person.
The ombudsman position may be the
final solution to the conflicts between
residents of the south West Fresno area
and city police. This is a direct
consequence from the shooting deaths of
four Chicanos and one Hmong, which
first began in 1985 with the shooting
death of Raul Rangel, Jr.
On January 1, 1985 Raul Rangel Jr.
threatened his family by saying he would
commit suicide. The Rangels were afraid
since Raul was diagnosed as having
suicidal tendencies at the age of 14 .
It was not easy to deal with Ram so
the Rangels decided to call for
professional help, in this case they called
the police department for assistance.
The family's assumption was that the
police officers would talk Raul out of
danger.
The police arrived and tried to talk with
Raul. Instead, Raul hegrm waikin_g
towards a nearby alley. Several officers
worked their way a couple of yards ahead
of him.
One of the officers fired a shot gun in
Raul's direction, which was followed by a
total of 33 shots from the other officers.
In a matter of seconds Raul was dead. ·
At the end of the meeting last
Wednesday Joel Murillo, Chairperson and
Founder of the CCRN said that,
"subconsciously, the officers are making
a distinction between the Chicano
..:ommunity and the Anglo community."
"The basis for (the statement) is a
comparsion of cases-involving Chicanos
where police have used force (as) opposed
to those cases involving Anglos and the
police using force."
There is a difference in ideas bewteeu
the CCRN and the FCHRC. Definitions,
tasks and qualifications are more
extensive and precisely explained by the
CCRN. For example, the definition of an
ombusman by the CCRN: "under general
directions, the incumbent develops,
implements and monitors a workable and
effective grievance response system and
identifies causes and patterns of problems
of citizens' grievances of police services."
There has also been a r~quest by che
CCRN to the FCHRC, to give an
assistant city manager place to the
ombudsman.
Also, as one of the ombudsman's
qualifications, he or she should be
bilingual (in English/Spanish).
Murillo has requested that the
ombudsman be able to review the cases of
Raul Rangel, Jr.; Anthony Garcia;
Ronald S. Lopez, Jr., and Arturo
Escanilla; as well as other logged cases.
J:","....,d~ng for the ombudsman hd
already been issued by the city of Fresno.
The ombudsman will be able to
inmvestigate ci vii rights violations as a
third neutral party.
The selection of the ombudsman will
be made by the city manager, the CCRN
and the FCHRCC during their meeting
this week.
MEX-TECH MEETING
Mex-Tech will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 1~88 from 12 to 1 p.m. in I.T. Tower Conference Room 220.
All interested students are welcome to attend.
Page 4
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Chicanos
In Law
Chicanos in Law will also be holding
its 10th annunal Law Day in November.
During this on campus event they will
have representatives from different
schools throughout California. They will
be giving out admissions, financial aid
and other pertinent infonn2 ~on that
might concern you. A sample law class
will also be conducted by a law professor.
The day long event is co-sponsored by the
Associated Students and promises to be as
rewarding as in past years.
Currently, we have several members
who are not of Latino descent. CIL can be
used as a stepping stone to a successful
career in law.
The organization holds bi-weekly
meeting that are announced in the Daily
Collegian's Calendar of Events.
For more information, contact · Mr.
Tony Garduque at 294-4240 ext. 3021
The study group was instructed by a
local Fresno attorney who is well versed
with the LSAT. Also, CIL has a student
representative of the Fairfax Lactrurn
Preparation Program. The course offers
preparation for the LSAT, GMAT and
GRE examinations. The LSAT must be
taken prior to you acceptance at all law
schools approved by the American Bar
Asniation. Your - G.P.A. and LSAT
scores are taken into primary
consideration by law schools when
determining whether you are eligible for
admission.
Among the other sactivic;,, the
La Voz De Aztlan
. za
Ra
-
orgainzation visits at least two to four
law schools a semester. And, beini that
there are not many prestigious law
schools in the Fresno area, CIL
coordinates tours to various schools
throughout California. Last semester they
visited the Martin Luther King Jr. School
of Law at UC Davis and the McGearge
School of Law in Sacramento. The group
was allowed to sit in several different
classes and meet with instructors and
students. This semester the organization
has plans to visit U.C.L.A.'s School of
Law.
It is a more than likely occurence that
as an undergraduate or graduate student,
you will need the services of a career
oriented organization. If your interest is
related to a career in law, then you could
use the services of CSUFs only preprofessional law organii.ation, Chicanos
In Law (CIL).
The organization was founded in 1978
by several Chicano/Hispanic students.
The primary purpose of the organization,
although not the sole purpose, is ·to
increase the number of Hispanics in the
law profession.
·
Currently, Hispancis lawyers are being
reporesented at less than three percent
nationwide. The CIL organization offers a
unique experience to any student who is
interested in pursuing law as a career.
During last semester the organization
coordinated an LSAT (Law School
Admission Test) study group among its
members.
celebrations, the end of our solitude.
The struggle for out communion did
not end with Miguel Hidalgo y Castilla.
The legacy was continued by a five foot
mestizo priest named Jose Maria .
Morelos, who had continued the struggle i
for four additional years. Those four years
were marked with much of the same
success as Hidalgo. Eventually, Morelos'
~~~er:"<l L~~ ~.e fate ~ his criollo
teacher.
Following Morelo's death on December
22, 1815, the wars would drag on for six
years, losing much of the religious
fanaticism that it had enjoyed during its
earlier years. The comminication was
suppressed except for guerrillos Vicente
Guerrerro and Guadalupe Victoria (Felix
Fernandez).
Yet, through those two guerrillas the
vision of a united Raza continued. The
hope of true independence and equlaity
lingered. It was Hidalgo and Morelos'
courage that kept 'El Grito' alive. It is
that same hope, thr.t myth, that continues
to force us to observe September 16, as a
religious holiday. in Mexico, 'El Grito'
is a festival more important that
Christmas or Easter, it is the myth of an
equal Mexico. It is the hope that the
impoverished will not suffer. But more
significantly, it pulls them out of their
nothingness, and allows the unveiling of
their true selves. The masks are removed
his solitude temporarily escaped.
'
Independence ended his shame of being
born the bastard child of "La Chingada".
It ended his orphanhood, he had both a
father and a mother: Spain and AztecaMexico. Now, the mestizo could truly
acknowledge his heritage. Mestozos were
the unique offspring of two old worlds
about to come to an end with its eventual
independence. That was the promise and
that was the hope. Mexico's religion was
Catholicism, but it was also his terrible
and traumatic long struggle for his
idenity.
Although Independence eventually
came to the race of worn-out mestizos, it
came dishonorably. Deception tainted the
bope, and the mestizo was cruelly ignored
once again. The mestizos who had been
in communion with his own kind,
seemed to become isolated following El
Plan de Iguala draf!~d en Fenruary 27,
1821, a ridiculous and reactionary plan
that promised the nation independence
under a European monarch and which
allowed the continuation of Roman
Catholicism as the national religion. The
biggest contradiction was the plan's
empty promise of equality. The mere fact
that no economic or political power had
ever reached the hands of the mestizo left
LA RAZA crippled by his chronic'
poverty.
Although
Mexico
gained· its
Independence on September 27, 1821, the
hope had been squashed by the criollos
who had_ usurped the go_vernement. Yet,
the mesuzo would continue to celebrate
September 16, 1810 as his true
independence. It ended his solitude, and
created and continues to build "LA
RAZA", the hybird children from
Mexico, who to this day continue to fan
the mythical hopes and promises of LA
INDEPENDECIA.
1HE
AMIGO RUN
Amigo
to Benefit the
NATIONAL HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND
SATURDAY
September 24, 1988
2 Mile and 10K Races
Pre Registration: $8.00
Race Day Registration: $10.00
Location: Donaghy Sales, Inc.
2363 S. Cedar
(Corner of Cedar and Church)
RUN
Registration: 5:30 am to 6:45 am
to Benefit
2 Mile: 7:00 am
10K:
7:30 am
For more information call: (209) 225-2337
Sponsored by:
N-ISF
llilATIONAL
HISPA NIC
SCHOLARSHIP
H 1NI)
. DONAGHY SALES, INC.
ett ltt tH\tt llA' INe.
California State University, Fresno
Monday September 19, 1988
Police Injure UFW VP
By James I. Can-asco
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Dr. Lea Ybarra
Dolores Huerta was the subject of a brutal attack by San Francisco
Police officers last Wednesday evening.
"George Bush For Genocide," read one
of the many signs held at a student
protest rally held Friday afternoon at
CSUF. The demonstration, which took
place in front of the fountain, stemmed
from the incident that occurred Wednesday
afternoon in San Francisco when United
Farm Workers vice-president, Dolores
Huerta, was "herded" and beaten by police
officers after trying to answer questions
from the press concerning Bush's
repudiation of the table grape boycott.
According to Daniel Martin, who spoke
earlier with family members, Huerta
sustained moderate injuries and remains in
stable condition at San Francisco General
Hospital. Huerta is reported to have
suffered two broken ribs and a damaged
spleen which was removed by doctors the
evening of her attack.
Howard Wallace, organizer of the UFW
boycott in San Francisco, was reportedly
clubbed before police turned on Huerta.
Huerta then fell back onto the cement as
police continually "speared" her. "What
gets me is how the police knew who
Huerta was," states Martin, "she wasn't
conspicuous or anything."
About one thousand demonstrators
along with Huerta voiced their opinions
at the San Francisco rally in which the
police used billy clubs to control the
crowd. According to Martin, who also
protested by the CSUF fountain, police
used force to detain Huerta, along with
others, in a manner unacceptable by
current police regulations.
The activist group, Movimiento
Estudiantil
Chicano
de
Aztlan,
M.E.Ch.A,
initiated the gathering
through their Campesino Committee.
The M.E.Ch.A organization which
consists of six officers and a membership
of approximately 35 individuals, learned
of the event Thursday and immediately
appointed the committee to head up the
rally.
M.E.Ch.A chairperson, Karen Cogley,
who moderated Friday's rally, stated that
she would not have been surprised had the
news media failed to show up. Speaking
to a gathering of about 50 on-lookers
Cogley said, "It would be 'wonderful' for
the media to come out and see 'our
concerns.' If the media doesn't show up
then obviously the issue isn't important
to news." Ironically, news reporter Karen
Lee and a photographer from KFSN
Channel 30 arrived at the scene just in
time to see the demonstration end.
Nevertheless, they interviewed Cogley
minutes following the event
Along with speeches by UFW
spokespersons and CSUF faculty
members, Bob Allison, professor in the
Economics Department and Bill Flores of
the Chicano/Latino Studies Program,
Rick Chacon, a former member of
M.E.Ch.A, sang a couple of songs with
his guitar in support of the UFW cause.
Larry Hobson, of the CSUF Rainbow
Coalition, recited an original poem in
support of the rally as well.
The peaceful demonstration ended with
th,e reading of a passage from the book of
Psalms by Jessica Cabrera.
Before
Cabrera read, however, Cogley asked that
everyone bow their heads in prayer for
Huerta.
Meanwhile, an investgation is being
conducted by San Francisco Mayor Art
Magnos and Police Chief Frank Jordan as
to the cause of the Union Square
violence.
La lndependencia
By Matty B. Duran
Feature Writer
La Independencia, el diecisies de
septiembre did not release us from the
bowels of the oppressive Spainards. But
worse it never made the mestizo equal in
his own world. "La Independencia" is one
of the myths that the Mexicano has
created for himself. For us, Miguel
Hidalgo y Costilla, is much more than
the aging criollo priest. He is the h~eleyed saint who led us into that mythical
land of freedom, equality, hope and
purpose. La independencia, burns
fervently in our bronze hearts as part of
the religion of the Mexicano.
To be a true Mexicano is to believe in
the myth of the Independence. A myth
that has allowed us to forge a nation of
mestizos.
Prior to the Independence, mestizos
were
invisible, barred from
the
government,
military
and
clergy.
Although mestizos eventually penetrated
the church, they were third-class citizens.
This inferior citzenship sprang from the
fact that he was the result of
miscegenation.
It was because of this Azteca heritage
that the .mestizo was condemned to an
invisible existence. The wars of
Independence had changed all that
When the gaunt priest rang the church
bells at 2 a.m. on the morning of
September 16, 1810, the mestizo was
brought out of his solitude. Suddenl~, he
was in communion with other mestizos,
and they had a purpose. The indios and
. mestizos came out of the air, they came
down from the mountains, they came out
of themselves. It was as if, at that
moment, they became a true race - La
Raza was born.
The mestizo was no longer a hybrid to
himself, but apart of something greater.
He was the inheritor of a land, a land he
had been alienated from. Although
Hidalgo did not give them actual
independence over the course of the year
up until his death, he gave them
something much greater. He had helped
them forge an idenity, with the
extravagant hope of recovering their
homeland.
It was that passionate hope that built
Hidalgo's army of impoverished mestizo's
and indios into an army of 80,000 within
the month.
Soon, the massive mestizo movement
swept across the states of Mexico ready to
collect their promised land.
However, independence could not
manifest itself without bloodshed and
destruction. Amidst it all, the forged race
carriedthelegendaryVirgendeGuadalupe.
The dark-skinned virgin was their hope
through the whole struggle. Her
immortality seemed to symbolize the
immortality of LA RAZA.
Feeling this immortality the new race
pillaged town after town, the worst
excesses being committed in Guanajuato,
where the irate race bludgeoned crillos and
gach11pines alike. The white masters thai
had raped their culture.
Brought out of their solitude, the
mestizos
committed
all
atrocities
together. The atrocities although brutal,
had not lasted as long as those that had
been committed against them.
Over the centuries, bronzed backs had
been broken and scarred. Their existence
denied and their humanity torn. Many
mestizos as w~~! ~ indios had died as a
res 1~!~ or the brutal encomiendas. The
encomienderos, like the latter haciendado
savagely worked the people of colour.
Tragically, the Spaniard_ and Criollo
(Spaniard born in the New World)
considered the mestizo and indio inferior.
He had been an animal to butcher, he had
been the vicb.m to sacrifice to
Huitzilopochtli (Aztec God of War).
It was this tragic memory that
continued to hold LA RAZA together. It
was this memory, and a thousand
memories of oppression that kept them
marching with nothing but sticks and
machetes for ammunition.
Unfortunately, the pride and the hope
of LA RAZA was not enough to defeat
the powerful Spanish army.
Following Guanajuato, where the
Spaniards and crillos had been butchered,
the criollos who had initially supported
the whole movement withdrew support.
Even Hidalgo had to agree that the young
race had burgeoned into an uncontrollable
wave.
Consequently, he stopped his army of
80,000 at the gates of Mexico City.
Hidalgo ordered their retreat, and many
discouraged mestizos deserted. The unity
that had bound them so tightly began to
crumble.
Even while the movement began to
erode, Hidalgo made proclamations at
Vallodolid, where he had declared equal
rights for all. This was the last straw that
brolr~ !he proverbial camel's back. The
mestizos were on their own. The criollos
wanted no part of LA RAZA'S world.
Rather than accept LA RAZA, the
criollos clung dearly to the crown. Even
the concept of LA RAZA could not keep
the mestizos tied to each other.
. .
Yet-every Independence J?ay, this is the
Chicano's hope, that we um~ed once and
for all in the face of adversity. The way
we had done so long ago.
By January 1811, at the Bridg~ of
Calderon on the Rio Lerma, an accident
occurred that burned an insurgent
ammunition wagon. The fire that erupted
separated and panicked the troops. The
race had broken up and many fled.
Soon after that symbolic incident
Migual Hidalgo y Costilla, the radical
priest was captured. The church defrocked
him and immediately found him guilty of
heresy. Along with his initial conspirators, militarymen Allende
and
Aldama, Hidalgo was shot to death on
July 30, 1811. Once beheaded, their
decapitated heads were fastened on poles,
in the granary, as an examples to all
others.
The warning had come to late, LA
RAZA had been born in drudgery and
baptised in blood, once and for all.
Although independence had not been
achieved September 16, 1810, had been a
greater vision, the vision of a united and
free RAZA for the mestizo. If represents
out communion, the tearing of our
breasts, the removal of the masks at our
See Raza page 4
Page 2
------------- Monday, September 19 ,1988
La Voz De Aztlan
Bienvenidos Todos
As the Editor of La Voz de Aztlan, I would like to extend
the heartiest welcome to CSUF, wishing all a productive and
enjoyable semester.
As we celebrate el Diez y Seis de Septiembre (Mexico's
national Independence Day) it is significant to note that La
Voz is going into its twentieth year of publication. On May
5, 1969, La, Pluma Morena became the first Chicano/Black
coalition paper on this campus. Its first editor was John F.
Ramirez. That Fall it began steady publication in the Daily
Collegian as Chicano Liberation, and later it became known
by its present title, La Voz de Aztlan. From its beginning to
the present time, La Voz had served the community with
insightful coverage of the various issues affecting Chicanos
and reporting these issues in a manner that has been
professional yet compassionate.
With its roots in the Chicano Movement, La Voz s~ds as
a product of the same activist forces which produced such
organizations/programs as M.E.Ch.A., La Raza Studies (now
Chicano/Latino Studies), the Educational Opportunity
Program (E.O.P.), and the many other affirmative action
programs that have benefited minority students, staff, and
faculty over the years. Although editorial styles, content and
aesthetics have varied from time to time, the overriding
purpose of La Voz is to find itself in the need to be an
· informative news source for its readership and to provide a
viable training ground fqr students interested in journalism
and/or other areas of media as they relate to minority
communities.
In all, La Voz continues to serve as an instrument of social
change. Che Guevara once said that the true revolutionary is
guided by "great feelings of love." In this same manner it is
important to remember our love of humanity as we strive to
Letters to the editor
build a more just and equitable society.
Certainly this is np simple task. This decade has seen the
two term election of the most reactionary Republican
administration in history, severe cuts in social services,
outright attacks on civil rights, and naked aggression on an
international scale. We see our current state government
making good on its promises to the powerful Agricultural
Labor Relations Board with "adminstrates" who are
notoriously anti-labor. We see farm working children in
McFarland dying of cancers resulting from pesticide exposure
while health and government officials remain indelibly mute.
And, we see continuous cutbacks in educational funding while
our youth face a 50% dropout rate throughout most of the
state.
Yet, we've also seen positive signs. Recently in the primary
campaign we saw the Rev. Jesse Jackson expose a common
ground message among those victimized by nearly eight years
of Reaganomics. Renewed energy around the UFW grape
boycott also points to a reinvigorated fightback campaign
within organized labor that hasii.'t bee1'i seen for quite some
time. I'm positive that we will see these movements take
hold and build a broad coalition of forces that will make their
mark known on the political scene, regardless of the party
banner of the next presidential administration.
I am also positive that as we begin to close out the decade,
we will see La Voz consolidate its role in the recording and
making of history. Let us take up that challenge in a spirit of
liberation.
Adelante!
Albert Robles
Editor
M.E.Ch.A Welcomes Students
Fresno ~tate M.E.Ch.A. welcomes all of the new students to campus and also welcomes back
those returning students.
Tiris is a year different in many ways from past years within M.E.Ch.A. First of all, we are
very fortunate to have so many board members experienced in organizing and politically
knowledgable about the issues M.E.Ch.A. is involved with.
We have begun this semester with a newly revised constitution. Three to four years of
research, discussion, and input from various people went into making this constitution a
document of which we are very proud. Also new to the organization was the selection of our
committee chairs last May. Tiris has already helped to alleviate the confusion that arises during
the first few weeks of Fall semester around who the chaiipersons will be and when they will
begin meeting. The early selection of chairpersons has developed a stronger sense of unity and
cohesin within the organization.
M.E.Ch.A. is an officially recognized representative to the newly formed Metro Latino Voter
Registration/Education Coalition (there are eleven community and labor groups, including
prominent individuals in the conummity who are also part of the coalition).
We have already planned several events to take place in September, such as our annual
Bienvenida reception (everyone is welcome), to take place on Thursday, September 22, from
4:00 to 6:00 pm in the Vintage Room. Our annual dance is scheduled for Friday, September
30th, from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am, in the Satellite College Union: We have had the first of a twopart leadership workshop. The second workshop is planned for Sunday, September 18, from 7:00
to 9:30. We are participating in this year's Passport Fresno. This is a three day event where
various ethnic groups in Fresno and California come together to celebrate, have fun, and enjoy
ethnic foods in order to develop a better understanding and appreciation for one another. This
event
is
taking
place at the Fulton Mall from September 30, to October 2, 1988, come and join us! Members of
M.E.Ch.A. are also planning to attend the Founding Convention for the California Rainbow
Coalition in Los Angeles, the weekend of September 25, 1988. We are tentatively planning to
attend a meeting in Los Angeles, also at the end of the month, to plan the fall semester statewide M.E.Ch.A. conference. Along with everything else going on M.E.Ch.A. and
Chicano/Latino Studies, formerly La Raza Studies, are prparing to celebrate their twentieth
annivesary in 1989.
Additionally, M.E.Ch.A. is planning a year of events which will encompass the many ideas
and sugestions of our new members and the experience from our veteran members. We are
continuing to support and build coalitions with the other Chicano organizations and minority
groups on campus and in the community. We have begun work on the Coors Boycott with
MAPA del Valle, met with the Women's Alliance and women's studies to coordinate events of
mutual interest, and we are giving out volunteer support to the CASA fundraiser on Friday,
September 10, 1988.
We meet on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesday of every month in the College Onion from 3:30 to
4:30 pm. Everyone is invited to attend the meetings.
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
Albert Robles - Editor
Lisa Y. Flores - Assistant Editor
He.ctor Amezcua - Photo Editor
Anna Daza - Co-Copy Editor
Marty Rivera - Co-Copy Editor
Staff Writers - He.ctor Amezcua, Matty B.
Duran, James I Carrasco, Johanna Munoz,
Gene R. Urrutia
La Voz De Aztlan is an insert of the Daily Collegian, under a seperate editorial staff. Opinions expressed in La Voz.do not necessarily
reflect those of the Daily Collegian.
la Voz De Aztlan
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Page 3
SVRP
campaigns
■
By Johanna Munoz
Staff reporter
The statistics confirm the objective.
Between 1974 and 1988, the number of
Latino elected officials has more than
doubled from 1,566 to 3,038 due to the
efforts of groups such as the Southwest Voter Registration Program.
The Southwest Voter Registration
Program (SVRP) has begun its local
six-week campaign that pays coordinators to register voters, help with
absentee ballots and to educate citizens
as to why they need to vote.
As a non-partisan group they have
three goals. The first is to have 2,000
people registered in Fresno County by
October 11; secondly, to register
2,000 people on absentee ballots; and,
thirdly, to educate 6,000 to go out and
vote.
Ben Benavidez, co-chair of the
Fresno project said, "we must start
locally, if we want to impower the
Latino population and assure that we
have a sound future."
The main goal of the committee is
to change the current project to a yearround project that would operate as the
Fre~no Me1!? Latino Voter RegistratJ.on Coahtmn. The change, which
started three wt,>,eks ago, will help the
committee's continuity.
Established in 1972 by Willie
Velasquez: in San Antonio, Texas, the
SVRP was formed to help bring out
role models for Chicanos in the
Southwest. By 1974, the Program was
operating in California, Arizona New
Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. 'Since
then, it has had 1,000
voter
registration campaigns in 200 cities
and Indian reservations across the
Southwest
The idea, as Ben Benavidez stated is
"to impower Chicanos by having mor~
people get into local boards, so that
they (by being there) can help our
c?n:imunity more. We will keep
h1tung our heads on the walls, if we
don't start voting."
Campaigns are also underway in
Selma, Sanger, Bakersfield, East Los
Angeles, and other areas of the state.
Civil Rights Network
By Hector Amezcua
Chihuahua Foods Inc. received first prize in the float contest
during Saturday's festive parade.
Fresno celebrates
MEXICAN
INDEPENDENCE
By Hector Amezcua
Staff reporter
Fresnans gathered this past Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of
Mexican Independence Day. The celebration began with a parade
downtown, which was enjoyed by all.
"I feel very happy , and in some moments I feel like I was in
Mexico." Said Martha Hernandez, when asked how she felt about
September the 16th. Martha also mentioned that the floats
representing Mexico were very nice.
Hoover High School Marching Band lead the parade with Mexican
melodies.
Other High Schools participating were Roosevelt,
Firebaugh , Central, Fresno, Bullard and Tehipite Jr. High.
Chihuahua Foods Incorporated received first prize, as best float among
30 others participants.
Alfredo Arreguin said speaking of Mexico, " Being among so many
Latin people you feel like at home. But somehow I miss my country,
and would like to be their soon." About six thousand people attended
the event which lasted the entire day.
The festivities ended at the Fulton Mall where music bands and
entertainers made people laugh, dance and play until 8 PM.
Staff reporter
The Chicano Civil Rights Nertwork
(CCRN) and the Fresno City Human
Relations Commission (FCHRC) met
September 7, to discuss the upcoming
mediator position of ombudsman/person.
The ombudsman position may be the
final solution to the conflicts between
residents of the south West Fresno area
and city police. This is a direct
consequence from the shooting deaths of
four Chicanos and one Hmong, which
first began in 1985 with the shooting
death of Raul Rangel, Jr.
On January 1, 1985 Raul Rangel Jr.
threatened his family by saying he would
commit suicide. The Rangels were afraid
since Raul was diagnosed as having
suicidal tendencies at the age of 14 .
It was not easy to deal with Ram so
the Rangels decided to call for
professional help, in this case they called
the police department for assistance.
The family's assumption was that the
police officers would talk Raul out of
danger.
The police arrived and tried to talk with
Raul. Instead, Raul hegrm waikin_g
towards a nearby alley. Several officers
worked their way a couple of yards ahead
of him.
One of the officers fired a shot gun in
Raul's direction, which was followed by a
total of 33 shots from the other officers.
In a matter of seconds Raul was dead. ·
At the end of the meeting last
Wednesday Joel Murillo, Chairperson and
Founder of the CCRN said that,
"subconsciously, the officers are making
a distinction between the Chicano
..:ommunity and the Anglo community."
"The basis for (the statement) is a
comparsion of cases-involving Chicanos
where police have used force (as) opposed
to those cases involving Anglos and the
police using force."
There is a difference in ideas bewteeu
the CCRN and the FCHRC. Definitions,
tasks and qualifications are more
extensive and precisely explained by the
CCRN. For example, the definition of an
ombusman by the CCRN: "under general
directions, the incumbent develops,
implements and monitors a workable and
effective grievance response system and
identifies causes and patterns of problems
of citizens' grievances of police services."
There has also been a r~quest by che
CCRN to the FCHRC, to give an
assistant city manager place to the
ombudsman.
Also, as one of the ombudsman's
qualifications, he or she should be
bilingual (in English/Spanish).
Murillo has requested that the
ombudsman be able to review the cases of
Raul Rangel, Jr.; Anthony Garcia;
Ronald S. Lopez, Jr., and Arturo
Escanilla; as well as other logged cases.
J:","....,d~ng for the ombudsman hd
already been issued by the city of Fresno.
The ombudsman will be able to
inmvestigate ci vii rights violations as a
third neutral party.
The selection of the ombudsman will
be made by the city manager, the CCRN
and the FCHRCC during their meeting
this week.
MEX-TECH MEETING
Mex-Tech will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 1~88 from 12 to 1 p.m. in I.T. Tower Conference Room 220.
All interested students are welcome to attend.
Page 4
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Chicanos
In Law
Chicanos in Law will also be holding
its 10th annunal Law Day in November.
During this on campus event they will
have representatives from different
schools throughout California. They will
be giving out admissions, financial aid
and other pertinent infonn2 ~on that
might concern you. A sample law class
will also be conducted by a law professor.
The day long event is co-sponsored by the
Associated Students and promises to be as
rewarding as in past years.
Currently, we have several members
who are not of Latino descent. CIL can be
used as a stepping stone to a successful
career in law.
The organization holds bi-weekly
meeting that are announced in the Daily
Collegian's Calendar of Events.
For more information, contact · Mr.
Tony Garduque at 294-4240 ext. 3021
The study group was instructed by a
local Fresno attorney who is well versed
with the LSAT. Also, CIL has a student
representative of the Fairfax Lactrurn
Preparation Program. The course offers
preparation for the LSAT, GMAT and
GRE examinations. The LSAT must be
taken prior to you acceptance at all law
schools approved by the American Bar
Asniation. Your - G.P.A. and LSAT
scores are taken into primary
consideration by law schools when
determining whether you are eligible for
admission.
Among the other sactivic;,, the
La Voz De Aztlan
. za
Ra
-
orgainzation visits at least two to four
law schools a semester. And, beini that
there are not many prestigious law
schools in the Fresno area, CIL
coordinates tours to various schools
throughout California. Last semester they
visited the Martin Luther King Jr. School
of Law at UC Davis and the McGearge
School of Law in Sacramento. The group
was allowed to sit in several different
classes and meet with instructors and
students. This semester the organization
has plans to visit U.C.L.A.'s School of
Law.
It is a more than likely occurence that
as an undergraduate or graduate student,
you will need the services of a career
oriented organization. If your interest is
related to a career in law, then you could
use the services of CSUFs only preprofessional law organii.ation, Chicanos
In Law (CIL).
The organization was founded in 1978
by several Chicano/Hispanic students.
The primary purpose of the organization,
although not the sole purpose, is ·to
increase the number of Hispanics in the
law profession.
·
Currently, Hispancis lawyers are being
reporesented at less than three percent
nationwide. The CIL organization offers a
unique experience to any student who is
interested in pursuing law as a career.
During last semester the organization
coordinated an LSAT (Law School
Admission Test) study group among its
members.
celebrations, the end of our solitude.
The struggle for out communion did
not end with Miguel Hidalgo y Castilla.
The legacy was continued by a five foot
mestizo priest named Jose Maria .
Morelos, who had continued the struggle i
for four additional years. Those four years
were marked with much of the same
success as Hidalgo. Eventually, Morelos'
~~~er:"<l L~~ ~.e fate ~ his criollo
teacher.
Following Morelo's death on December
22, 1815, the wars would drag on for six
years, losing much of the religious
fanaticism that it had enjoyed during its
earlier years. The comminication was
suppressed except for guerrillos Vicente
Guerrerro and Guadalupe Victoria (Felix
Fernandez).
Yet, through those two guerrillas the
vision of a united Raza continued. The
hope of true independence and equlaity
lingered. It was Hidalgo and Morelos'
courage that kept 'El Grito' alive. It is
that same hope, thr.t myth, that continues
to force us to observe September 16, as a
religious holiday. in Mexico, 'El Grito'
is a festival more important that
Christmas or Easter, it is the myth of an
equal Mexico. It is the hope that the
impoverished will not suffer. But more
significantly, it pulls them out of their
nothingness, and allows the unveiling of
their true selves. The masks are removed
his solitude temporarily escaped.
'
Independence ended his shame of being
born the bastard child of "La Chingada".
It ended his orphanhood, he had both a
father and a mother: Spain and AztecaMexico. Now, the mestizo could truly
acknowledge his heritage. Mestozos were
the unique offspring of two old worlds
about to come to an end with its eventual
independence. That was the promise and
that was the hope. Mexico's religion was
Catholicism, but it was also his terrible
and traumatic long struggle for his
idenity.
Although Independence eventually
came to the race of worn-out mestizos, it
came dishonorably. Deception tainted the
bope, and the mestizo was cruelly ignored
once again. The mestizos who had been
in communion with his own kind,
seemed to become isolated following El
Plan de Iguala draf!~d en Fenruary 27,
1821, a ridiculous and reactionary plan
that promised the nation independence
under a European monarch and which
allowed the continuation of Roman
Catholicism as the national religion. The
biggest contradiction was the plan's
empty promise of equality. The mere fact
that no economic or political power had
ever reached the hands of the mestizo left
LA RAZA crippled by his chronic'
poverty.
Although
Mexico
gained· its
Independence on September 27, 1821, the
hope had been squashed by the criollos
who had_ usurped the go_vernement. Yet,
the mesuzo would continue to celebrate
September 16, 1810 as his true
independence. It ended his solitude, and
created and continues to build "LA
RAZA", the hybird children from
Mexico, who to this day continue to fan
the mythical hopes and promises of LA
INDEPENDECIA.
1HE
AMIGO RUN
Amigo
to Benefit the
NATIONAL HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND
SATURDAY
September 24, 1988
2 Mile and 10K Races
Pre Registration: $8.00
Race Day Registration: $10.00
Location: Donaghy Sales, Inc.
2363 S. Cedar
(Corner of Cedar and Church)
RUN
Registration: 5:30 am to 6:45 am
to Benefit
2 Mile: 7:00 am
10K:
7:30 am
For more information call: (209) 225-2337
Sponsored by:
N-ISF
llilATIONAL
HISPA NIC
SCHOLARSHIP
H 1NI)
. DONAGHY SALES, INC.
ett ltt tH\tt llA' INe.
LA Voz DE AZTLAN
California State University, Fresno
Monday September 19, 1988
Police Injure UFW VP
By James I. Can-asco
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Dr. Lea Ybarra
Dolores Huerta was the subject of a brutal attack by San Francisco
Police officers last Wednesday evening.
"George Bush For Genocide," read one
of the many signs held at a student
protest rally held Friday afternoon at
CSUF. The demonstration, which took
place in front of the fountain, stemmed
from the incident that occurred Wednesday
afternoon in San Francisco when United
Farm Workers vice-president, Dolores
Huerta, was "herded" and beaten by police
officers after trying to answer questions
from the press concerning Bush's
repudiation of the table grape boycott.
According to Daniel Martin, who spoke
earlier with family members, Huerta
sustained moderate injuries and remains in
stable condition at San Francisco General
Hospital. Huerta is reported to have
suffered two broken ribs and a damaged
spleen which was removed by doctors the
evening of her attack.
Howard Wallace, organizer of the UFW
boycott in San Francisco, was reportedly
clubbed before police turned on Huerta.
Huerta then fell back onto the cement as
police continually "speared" her. "What
gets me is how the police knew who
Huerta was," states Martin, "she wasn't
conspicuous or anything."
About one thousand demonstrators
along with Huerta voiced their opinions
at the San Francisco rally in which the
police used billy clubs to control the
crowd. According to Martin, who also
protested by the CSUF fountain, police
used force to detain Huerta, along with
others, in a manner unacceptable by
current police regulations.
The activist group, Movimiento
Estudiantil
Chicano
de
Aztlan,
M.E.Ch.A,
initiated the gathering
through their Campesino Committee.
The M.E.Ch.A organization which
consists of six officers and a membership
of approximately 35 individuals, learned
of the event Thursday and immediately
appointed the committee to head up the
rally.
M.E.Ch.A chairperson, Karen Cogley,
who moderated Friday's rally, stated that
she would not have been surprised had the
news media failed to show up. Speaking
to a gathering of about 50 on-lookers
Cogley said, "It would be 'wonderful' for
the media to come out and see 'our
concerns.' If the media doesn't show up
then obviously the issue isn't important
to news." Ironically, news reporter Karen
Lee and a photographer from KFSN
Channel 30 arrived at the scene just in
time to see the demonstration end.
Nevertheless, they interviewed Cogley
minutes following the event
Along with speeches by UFW
spokespersons and CSUF faculty
members, Bob Allison, professor in the
Economics Department and Bill Flores of
the Chicano/Latino Studies Program,
Rick Chacon, a former member of
M.E.Ch.A, sang a couple of songs with
his guitar in support of the UFW cause.
Larry Hobson, of the CSUF Rainbow
Coalition, recited an original poem in
support of the rally as well.
The peaceful demonstration ended with
th,e reading of a passage from the book of
Psalms by Jessica Cabrera.
Before
Cabrera read, however, Cogley asked that
everyone bow their heads in prayer for
Huerta.
Meanwhile, an investgation is being
conducted by San Francisco Mayor Art
Magnos and Police Chief Frank Jordan as
to the cause of the Union Square
violence.
La lndependencia
By Matty B. Duran
Feature Writer
La Independencia, el diecisies de
septiembre did not release us from the
bowels of the oppressive Spainards. But
worse it never made the mestizo equal in
his own world. "La Independencia" is one
of the myths that the Mexicano has
created for himself. For us, Miguel
Hidalgo y Costilla, is much more than
the aging criollo priest. He is the h~eleyed saint who led us into that mythical
land of freedom, equality, hope and
purpose. La independencia, burns
fervently in our bronze hearts as part of
the religion of the Mexicano.
To be a true Mexicano is to believe in
the myth of the Independence. A myth
that has allowed us to forge a nation of
mestizos.
Prior to the Independence, mestizos
were
invisible, barred from
the
government,
military
and
clergy.
Although mestizos eventually penetrated
the church, they were third-class citizens.
This inferior citzenship sprang from the
fact that he was the result of
miscegenation.
It was because of this Azteca heritage
that the .mestizo was condemned to an
invisible existence. The wars of
Independence had changed all that
When the gaunt priest rang the church
bells at 2 a.m. on the morning of
September 16, 1810, the mestizo was
brought out of his solitude. Suddenl~, he
was in communion with other mestizos,
and they had a purpose. The indios and
. mestizos came out of the air, they came
down from the mountains, they came out
of themselves. It was as if, at that
moment, they became a true race - La
Raza was born.
The mestizo was no longer a hybrid to
himself, but apart of something greater.
He was the inheritor of a land, a land he
had been alienated from. Although
Hidalgo did not give them actual
independence over the course of the year
up until his death, he gave them
something much greater. He had helped
them forge an idenity, with the
extravagant hope of recovering their
homeland.
It was that passionate hope that built
Hidalgo's army of impoverished mestizo's
and indios into an army of 80,000 within
the month.
Soon, the massive mestizo movement
swept across the states of Mexico ready to
collect their promised land.
However, independence could not
manifest itself without bloodshed and
destruction. Amidst it all, the forged race
carriedthelegendaryVirgendeGuadalupe.
The dark-skinned virgin was their hope
through the whole struggle. Her
immortality seemed to symbolize the
immortality of LA RAZA.
Feeling this immortality the new race
pillaged town after town, the worst
excesses being committed in Guanajuato,
where the irate race bludgeoned crillos and
gach11pines alike. The white masters thai
had raped their culture.
Brought out of their solitude, the
mestizos
committed
all
atrocities
together. The atrocities although brutal,
had not lasted as long as those that had
been committed against them.
Over the centuries, bronzed backs had
been broken and scarred. Their existence
denied and their humanity torn. Many
mestizos as w~~! ~ indios had died as a
res 1~!~ or the brutal encomiendas. The
encomienderos, like the latter haciendado
savagely worked the people of colour.
Tragically, the Spaniard_ and Criollo
(Spaniard born in the New World)
considered the mestizo and indio inferior.
He had been an animal to butcher, he had
been the vicb.m to sacrifice to
Huitzilopochtli (Aztec God of War).
It was this tragic memory that
continued to hold LA RAZA together. It
was this memory, and a thousand
memories of oppression that kept them
marching with nothing but sticks and
machetes for ammunition.
Unfortunately, the pride and the hope
of LA RAZA was not enough to defeat
the powerful Spanish army.
Following Guanajuato, where the
Spaniards and crillos had been butchered,
the criollos who had initially supported
the whole movement withdrew support.
Even Hidalgo had to agree that the young
race had burgeoned into an uncontrollable
wave.
Consequently, he stopped his army of
80,000 at the gates of Mexico City.
Hidalgo ordered their retreat, and many
discouraged mestizos deserted. The unity
that had bound them so tightly began to
crumble.
Even while the movement began to
erode, Hidalgo made proclamations at
Vallodolid, where he had declared equal
rights for all. This was the last straw that
brolr~ !he proverbial camel's back. The
mestizos were on their own. The criollos
wanted no part of LA RAZA'S world.
Rather than accept LA RAZA, the
criollos clung dearly to the crown. Even
the concept of LA RAZA could not keep
the mestizos tied to each other.
. .
Yet-every Independence J?ay, this is the
Chicano's hope, that we um~ed once and
for all in the face of adversity. The way
we had done so long ago.
By January 1811, at the Bridg~ of
Calderon on the Rio Lerma, an accident
occurred that burned an insurgent
ammunition wagon. The fire that erupted
separated and panicked the troops. The
race had broken up and many fled.
Soon after that symbolic incident
Migual Hidalgo y Costilla, the radical
priest was captured. The church defrocked
him and immediately found him guilty of
heresy. Along with his initial conspirators, militarymen Allende
and
Aldama, Hidalgo was shot to death on
July 30, 1811. Once beheaded, their
decapitated heads were fastened on poles,
in the granary, as an examples to all
others.
The warning had come to late, LA
RAZA had been born in drudgery and
baptised in blood, once and for all.
Although independence had not been
achieved September 16, 1810, had been a
greater vision, the vision of a united and
free RAZA for the mestizo. If represents
out communion, the tearing of our
breasts, the removal of the masks at our
See Raza page 4
Page 2
------------- Monday, September 19 ,1988
La Voz De Aztlan
Bienvenidos Todos
As the Editor of La Voz de Aztlan, I would like to extend
the heartiest welcome to CSUF, wishing all a productive and
enjoyable semester.
As we celebrate el Diez y Seis de Septiembre (Mexico's
national Independence Day) it is significant to note that La
Voz is going into its twentieth year of publication. On May
5, 1969, La, Pluma Morena became the first Chicano/Black
coalition paper on this campus. Its first editor was John F.
Ramirez. That Fall it began steady publication in the Daily
Collegian as Chicano Liberation, and later it became known
by its present title, La Voz de Aztlan. From its beginning to
the present time, La Voz had served the community with
insightful coverage of the various issues affecting Chicanos
and reporting these issues in a manner that has been
professional yet compassionate.
With its roots in the Chicano Movement, La Voz s~ds as
a product of the same activist forces which produced such
organizations/programs as M.E.Ch.A., La Raza Studies (now
Chicano/Latino Studies), the Educational Opportunity
Program (E.O.P.), and the many other affirmative action
programs that have benefited minority students, staff, and
faculty over the years. Although editorial styles, content and
aesthetics have varied from time to time, the overriding
purpose of La Voz is to find itself in the need to be an
· informative news source for its readership and to provide a
viable training ground fqr students interested in journalism
and/or other areas of media as they relate to minority
communities.
In all, La Voz continues to serve as an instrument of social
change. Che Guevara once said that the true revolutionary is
guided by "great feelings of love." In this same manner it is
important to remember our love of humanity as we strive to
Letters to the editor
build a more just and equitable society.
Certainly this is np simple task. This decade has seen the
two term election of the most reactionary Republican
administration in history, severe cuts in social services,
outright attacks on civil rights, and naked aggression on an
international scale. We see our current state government
making good on its promises to the powerful Agricultural
Labor Relations Board with "adminstrates" who are
notoriously anti-labor. We see farm working children in
McFarland dying of cancers resulting from pesticide exposure
while health and government officials remain indelibly mute.
And, we see continuous cutbacks in educational funding while
our youth face a 50% dropout rate throughout most of the
state.
Yet, we've also seen positive signs. Recently in the primary
campaign we saw the Rev. Jesse Jackson expose a common
ground message among those victimized by nearly eight years
of Reaganomics. Renewed energy around the UFW grape
boycott also points to a reinvigorated fightback campaign
within organized labor that hasii.'t bee1'i seen for quite some
time. I'm positive that we will see these movements take
hold and build a broad coalition of forces that will make their
mark known on the political scene, regardless of the party
banner of the next presidential administration.
I am also positive that as we begin to close out the decade,
we will see La Voz consolidate its role in the recording and
making of history. Let us take up that challenge in a spirit of
liberation.
Adelante!
Albert Robles
Editor
M.E.Ch.A Welcomes Students
Fresno ~tate M.E.Ch.A. welcomes all of the new students to campus and also welcomes back
those returning students.
Tiris is a year different in many ways from past years within M.E.Ch.A. First of all, we are
very fortunate to have so many board members experienced in organizing and politically
knowledgable about the issues M.E.Ch.A. is involved with.
We have begun this semester with a newly revised constitution. Three to four years of
research, discussion, and input from various people went into making this constitution a
document of which we are very proud. Also new to the organization was the selection of our
committee chairs last May. Tiris has already helped to alleviate the confusion that arises during
the first few weeks of Fall semester around who the chaiipersons will be and when they will
begin meeting. The early selection of chairpersons has developed a stronger sense of unity and
cohesin within the organization.
M.E.Ch.A. is an officially recognized representative to the newly formed Metro Latino Voter
Registration/Education Coalition (there are eleven community and labor groups, including
prominent individuals in the conummity who are also part of the coalition).
We have already planned several events to take place in September, such as our annual
Bienvenida reception (everyone is welcome), to take place on Thursday, September 22, from
4:00 to 6:00 pm in the Vintage Room. Our annual dance is scheduled for Friday, September
30th, from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am, in the Satellite College Union: We have had the first of a twopart leadership workshop. The second workshop is planned for Sunday, September 18, from 7:00
to 9:30. We are participating in this year's Passport Fresno. This is a three day event where
various ethnic groups in Fresno and California come together to celebrate, have fun, and enjoy
ethnic foods in order to develop a better understanding and appreciation for one another. This
event
is
taking
place at the Fulton Mall from September 30, to October 2, 1988, come and join us! Members of
M.E.Ch.A. are also planning to attend the Founding Convention for the California Rainbow
Coalition in Los Angeles, the weekend of September 25, 1988. We are tentatively planning to
attend a meeting in Los Angeles, also at the end of the month, to plan the fall semester statewide M.E.Ch.A. conference. Along with everything else going on M.E.Ch.A. and
Chicano/Latino Studies, formerly La Raza Studies, are prparing to celebrate their twentieth
annivesary in 1989.
Additionally, M.E.Ch.A. is planning a year of events which will encompass the many ideas
and sugestions of our new members and the experience from our veteran members. We are
continuing to support and build coalitions with the other Chicano organizations and minority
groups on campus and in the community. We have begun work on the Coors Boycott with
MAPA del Valle, met with the Women's Alliance and women's studies to coordinate events of
mutual interest, and we are giving out volunteer support to the CASA fundraiser on Friday,
September 10, 1988.
We meet on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesday of every month in the College Onion from 3:30 to
4:30 pm. Everyone is invited to attend the meetings.
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
Albert Robles - Editor
Lisa Y. Flores - Assistant Editor
He.ctor Amezcua - Photo Editor
Anna Daza - Co-Copy Editor
Marty Rivera - Co-Copy Editor
Staff Writers - He.ctor Amezcua, Matty B.
Duran, James I Carrasco, Johanna Munoz,
Gene R. Urrutia
La Voz De Aztlan is an insert of the Daily Collegian, under a seperate editorial staff. Opinions expressed in La Voz.do not necessarily
reflect those of the Daily Collegian.
la Voz De Aztlan
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Page 3
SVRP
campaigns
■
By Johanna Munoz
Staff reporter
The statistics confirm the objective.
Between 1974 and 1988, the number of
Latino elected officials has more than
doubled from 1,566 to 3,038 due to the
efforts of groups such as the Southwest Voter Registration Program.
The Southwest Voter Registration
Program (SVRP) has begun its local
six-week campaign that pays coordinators to register voters, help with
absentee ballots and to educate citizens
as to why they need to vote.
As a non-partisan group they have
three goals. The first is to have 2,000
people registered in Fresno County by
October 11; secondly, to register
2,000 people on absentee ballots; and,
thirdly, to educate 6,000 to go out and
vote.
Ben Benavidez, co-chair of the
Fresno project said, "we must start
locally, if we want to impower the
Latino population and assure that we
have a sound future."
The main goal of the committee is
to change the current project to a yearround project that would operate as the
Fre~no Me1!? Latino Voter RegistratJ.on Coahtmn. The change, which
started three wt,>,eks ago, will help the
committee's continuity.
Established in 1972 by Willie
Velasquez: in San Antonio, Texas, the
SVRP was formed to help bring out
role models for Chicanos in the
Southwest. By 1974, the Program was
operating in California, Arizona New
Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. 'Since
then, it has had 1,000
voter
registration campaigns in 200 cities
and Indian reservations across the
Southwest
The idea, as Ben Benavidez stated is
"to impower Chicanos by having mor~
people get into local boards, so that
they (by being there) can help our
c?n:imunity more. We will keep
h1tung our heads on the walls, if we
don't start voting."
Campaigns are also underway in
Selma, Sanger, Bakersfield, East Los
Angeles, and other areas of the state.
Civil Rights Network
By Hector Amezcua
Chihuahua Foods Inc. received first prize in the float contest
during Saturday's festive parade.
Fresno celebrates
MEXICAN
INDEPENDENCE
By Hector Amezcua
Staff reporter
Fresnans gathered this past Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of
Mexican Independence Day. The celebration began with a parade
downtown, which was enjoyed by all.
"I feel very happy , and in some moments I feel like I was in
Mexico." Said Martha Hernandez, when asked how she felt about
September the 16th. Martha also mentioned that the floats
representing Mexico were very nice.
Hoover High School Marching Band lead the parade with Mexican
melodies.
Other High Schools participating were Roosevelt,
Firebaugh , Central, Fresno, Bullard and Tehipite Jr. High.
Chihuahua Foods Incorporated received first prize, as best float among
30 others participants.
Alfredo Arreguin said speaking of Mexico, " Being among so many
Latin people you feel like at home. But somehow I miss my country,
and would like to be their soon." About six thousand people attended
the event which lasted the entire day.
The festivities ended at the Fulton Mall where music bands and
entertainers made people laugh, dance and play until 8 PM.
Staff reporter
The Chicano Civil Rights Nertwork
(CCRN) and the Fresno City Human
Relations Commission (FCHRC) met
September 7, to discuss the upcoming
mediator position of ombudsman/person.
The ombudsman position may be the
final solution to the conflicts between
residents of the south West Fresno area
and city police. This is a direct
consequence from the shooting deaths of
four Chicanos and one Hmong, which
first began in 1985 with the shooting
death of Raul Rangel, Jr.
On January 1, 1985 Raul Rangel Jr.
threatened his family by saying he would
commit suicide. The Rangels were afraid
since Raul was diagnosed as having
suicidal tendencies at the age of 14 .
It was not easy to deal with Ram so
the Rangels decided to call for
professional help, in this case they called
the police department for assistance.
The family's assumption was that the
police officers would talk Raul out of
danger.
The police arrived and tried to talk with
Raul. Instead, Raul hegrm waikin_g
towards a nearby alley. Several officers
worked their way a couple of yards ahead
of him.
One of the officers fired a shot gun in
Raul's direction, which was followed by a
total of 33 shots from the other officers.
In a matter of seconds Raul was dead. ·
At the end of the meeting last
Wednesday Joel Murillo, Chairperson and
Founder of the CCRN said that,
"subconsciously, the officers are making
a distinction between the Chicano
..:ommunity and the Anglo community."
"The basis for (the statement) is a
comparsion of cases-involving Chicanos
where police have used force (as) opposed
to those cases involving Anglos and the
police using force."
There is a difference in ideas bewteeu
the CCRN and the FCHRC. Definitions,
tasks and qualifications are more
extensive and precisely explained by the
CCRN. For example, the definition of an
ombusman by the CCRN: "under general
directions, the incumbent develops,
implements and monitors a workable and
effective grievance response system and
identifies causes and patterns of problems
of citizens' grievances of police services."
There has also been a r~quest by che
CCRN to the FCHRC, to give an
assistant city manager place to the
ombudsman.
Also, as one of the ombudsman's
qualifications, he or she should be
bilingual (in English/Spanish).
Murillo has requested that the
ombudsman be able to review the cases of
Raul Rangel, Jr.; Anthony Garcia;
Ronald S. Lopez, Jr., and Arturo
Escanilla; as well as other logged cases.
J:","....,d~ng for the ombudsman hd
already been issued by the city of Fresno.
The ombudsman will be able to
inmvestigate ci vii rights violations as a
third neutral party.
The selection of the ombudsman will
be made by the city manager, the CCRN
and the FCHRCC during their meeting
this week.
MEX-TECH MEETING
Mex-Tech will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 1~88 from 12 to 1 p.m. in I.T. Tower Conference Room 220.
All interested students are welcome to attend.
Page 4
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Chicanos
In Law
Chicanos in Law will also be holding
its 10th annunal Law Day in November.
During this on campus event they will
have representatives from different
schools throughout California. They will
be giving out admissions, financial aid
and other pertinent infonn2 ~on that
might concern you. A sample law class
will also be conducted by a law professor.
The day long event is co-sponsored by the
Associated Students and promises to be as
rewarding as in past years.
Currently, we have several members
who are not of Latino descent. CIL can be
used as a stepping stone to a successful
career in law.
The organization holds bi-weekly
meeting that are announced in the Daily
Collegian's Calendar of Events.
For more information, contact · Mr.
Tony Garduque at 294-4240 ext. 3021
The study group was instructed by a
local Fresno attorney who is well versed
with the LSAT. Also, CIL has a student
representative of the Fairfax Lactrurn
Preparation Program. The course offers
preparation for the LSAT, GMAT and
GRE examinations. The LSAT must be
taken prior to you acceptance at all law
schools approved by the American Bar
Asniation. Your - G.P.A. and LSAT
scores are taken into primary
consideration by law schools when
determining whether you are eligible for
admission.
Among the other sactivic;,, the
La Voz De Aztlan
. za
Ra
-
orgainzation visits at least two to four
law schools a semester. And, beini that
there are not many prestigious law
schools in the Fresno area, CIL
coordinates tours to various schools
throughout California. Last semester they
visited the Martin Luther King Jr. School
of Law at UC Davis and the McGearge
School of Law in Sacramento. The group
was allowed to sit in several different
classes and meet with instructors and
students. This semester the organization
has plans to visit U.C.L.A.'s School of
Law.
It is a more than likely occurence that
as an undergraduate or graduate student,
you will need the services of a career
oriented organization. If your interest is
related to a career in law, then you could
use the services of CSUFs only preprofessional law organii.ation, Chicanos
In Law (CIL).
The organization was founded in 1978
by several Chicano/Hispanic students.
The primary purpose of the organization,
although not the sole purpose, is ·to
increase the number of Hispanics in the
law profession.
·
Currently, Hispancis lawyers are being
reporesented at less than three percent
nationwide. The CIL organization offers a
unique experience to any student who is
interested in pursuing law as a career.
During last semester the organization
coordinated an LSAT (Law School
Admission Test) study group among its
members.
celebrations, the end of our solitude.
The struggle for out communion did
not end with Miguel Hidalgo y Castilla.
The legacy was continued by a five foot
mestizo priest named Jose Maria .
Morelos, who had continued the struggle i
for four additional years. Those four years
were marked with much of the same
success as Hidalgo. Eventually, Morelos'
~~~er:"<l L~~ ~.e fate ~ his criollo
teacher.
Following Morelo's death on December
22, 1815, the wars would drag on for six
years, losing much of the religious
fanaticism that it had enjoyed during its
earlier years. The comminication was
suppressed except for guerrillos Vicente
Guerrerro and Guadalupe Victoria (Felix
Fernandez).
Yet, through those two guerrillas the
vision of a united Raza continued. The
hope of true independence and equlaity
lingered. It was Hidalgo and Morelos'
courage that kept 'El Grito' alive. It is
that same hope, thr.t myth, that continues
to force us to observe September 16, as a
religious holiday. in Mexico, 'El Grito'
is a festival more important that
Christmas or Easter, it is the myth of an
equal Mexico. It is the hope that the
impoverished will not suffer. But more
significantly, it pulls them out of their
nothingness, and allows the unveiling of
their true selves. The masks are removed
his solitude temporarily escaped.
'
Independence ended his shame of being
born the bastard child of "La Chingada".
It ended his orphanhood, he had both a
father and a mother: Spain and AztecaMexico. Now, the mestizo could truly
acknowledge his heritage. Mestozos were
the unique offspring of two old worlds
about to come to an end with its eventual
independence. That was the promise and
that was the hope. Mexico's religion was
Catholicism, but it was also his terrible
and traumatic long struggle for his
idenity.
Although Independence eventually
came to the race of worn-out mestizos, it
came dishonorably. Deception tainted the
bope, and the mestizo was cruelly ignored
once again. The mestizos who had been
in communion with his own kind,
seemed to become isolated following El
Plan de Iguala draf!~d en Fenruary 27,
1821, a ridiculous and reactionary plan
that promised the nation independence
under a European monarch and which
allowed the continuation of Roman
Catholicism as the national religion. The
biggest contradiction was the plan's
empty promise of equality. The mere fact
that no economic or political power had
ever reached the hands of the mestizo left
LA RAZA crippled by his chronic'
poverty.
Although
Mexico
gained· its
Independence on September 27, 1821, the
hope had been squashed by the criollos
who had_ usurped the go_vernement. Yet,
the mesuzo would continue to celebrate
September 16, 1810 as his true
independence. It ended his solitude, and
created and continues to build "LA
RAZA", the hybird children from
Mexico, who to this day continue to fan
the mythical hopes and promises of LA
INDEPENDECIA.
1HE
AMIGO RUN
Amigo
to Benefit the
NATIONAL HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND
SATURDAY
September 24, 1988
2 Mile and 10K Races
Pre Registration: $8.00
Race Day Registration: $10.00
Location: Donaghy Sales, Inc.
2363 S. Cedar
(Corner of Cedar and Church)
RUN
Registration: 5:30 am to 6:45 am
to Benefit
2 Mile: 7:00 am
10K:
7:30 am
For more information call: (209) 225-2337
Sponsored by:
N-ISF
llilATIONAL
HISPA NIC
SCHOLARSHIP
H 1NI)
. DONAGHY SALES, INC.
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California State University, Fresno
Monday September 19, 1988
Police Injure UFW VP
By James I. Can-asco
Staff Writer
Photo courtesy of Dr. Lea Ybarra
Dolores Huerta was the subject of a brutal attack by San Francisco
Police officers last Wednesday evening.
"George Bush For Genocide," read one
of the many signs held at a student
protest rally held Friday afternoon at
CSUF. The demonstration, which took
place in front of the fountain, stemmed
from the incident that occurred Wednesday
afternoon in San Francisco when United
Farm Workers vice-president, Dolores
Huerta, was "herded" and beaten by police
officers after trying to answer questions
from the press concerning Bush's
repudiation of the table grape boycott.
According to Daniel Martin, who spoke
earlier with family members, Huerta
sustained moderate injuries and remains in
stable condition at San Francisco General
Hospital. Huerta is reported to have
suffered two broken ribs and a damaged
spleen which was removed by doctors the
evening of her attack.
Howard Wallace, organizer of the UFW
boycott in San Francisco, was reportedly
clubbed before police turned on Huerta.
Huerta then fell back onto the cement as
police continually "speared" her. "What
gets me is how the police knew who
Huerta was," states Martin, "she wasn't
conspicuous or anything."
About one thousand demonstrators
along with Huerta voiced their opinions
at the San Francisco rally in which the
police used billy clubs to control the
crowd. According to Martin, who also
protested by the CSUF fountain, police
used force to detain Huerta, along with
others, in a manner unacceptable by
current police regulations.
The activist group, Movimiento
Estudiantil
Chicano
de
Aztlan,
M.E.Ch.A,
initiated the gathering
through their Campesino Committee.
The M.E.Ch.A organization which
consists of six officers and a membership
of approximately 35 individuals, learned
of the event Thursday and immediately
appointed the committee to head up the
rally.
M.E.Ch.A chairperson, Karen Cogley,
who moderated Friday's rally, stated that
she would not have been surprised had the
news media failed to show up. Speaking
to a gathering of about 50 on-lookers
Cogley said, "It would be 'wonderful' for
the media to come out and see 'our
concerns.' If the media doesn't show up
then obviously the issue isn't important
to news." Ironically, news reporter Karen
Lee and a photographer from KFSN
Channel 30 arrived at the scene just in
time to see the demonstration end.
Nevertheless, they interviewed Cogley
minutes following the event
Along with speeches by UFW
spokespersons and CSUF faculty
members, Bob Allison, professor in the
Economics Department and Bill Flores of
the Chicano/Latino Studies Program,
Rick Chacon, a former member of
M.E.Ch.A, sang a couple of songs with
his guitar in support of the UFW cause.
Larry Hobson, of the CSUF Rainbow
Coalition, recited an original poem in
support of the rally as well.
The peaceful demonstration ended with
th,e reading of a passage from the book of
Psalms by Jessica Cabrera.
Before
Cabrera read, however, Cogley asked that
everyone bow their heads in prayer for
Huerta.
Meanwhile, an investgation is being
conducted by San Francisco Mayor Art
Magnos and Police Chief Frank Jordan as
to the cause of the Union Square
violence.
La lndependencia
By Matty B. Duran
Feature Writer
La Independencia, el diecisies de
septiembre did not release us from the
bowels of the oppressive Spainards. But
worse it never made the mestizo equal in
his own world. "La Independencia" is one
of the myths that the Mexicano has
created for himself. For us, Miguel
Hidalgo y Costilla, is much more than
the aging criollo priest. He is the h~eleyed saint who led us into that mythical
land of freedom, equality, hope and
purpose. La independencia, burns
fervently in our bronze hearts as part of
the religion of the Mexicano.
To be a true Mexicano is to believe in
the myth of the Independence. A myth
that has allowed us to forge a nation of
mestizos.
Prior to the Independence, mestizos
were
invisible, barred from
the
government,
military
and
clergy.
Although mestizos eventually penetrated
the church, they were third-class citizens.
This inferior citzenship sprang from the
fact that he was the result of
miscegenation.
It was because of this Azteca heritage
that the .mestizo was condemned to an
invisible existence. The wars of
Independence had changed all that
When the gaunt priest rang the church
bells at 2 a.m. on the morning of
September 16, 1810, the mestizo was
brought out of his solitude. Suddenl~, he
was in communion with other mestizos,
and they had a purpose. The indios and
. mestizos came out of the air, they came
down from the mountains, they came out
of themselves. It was as if, at that
moment, they became a true race - La
Raza was born.
The mestizo was no longer a hybrid to
himself, but apart of something greater.
He was the inheritor of a land, a land he
had been alienated from. Although
Hidalgo did not give them actual
independence over the course of the year
up until his death, he gave them
something much greater. He had helped
them forge an idenity, with the
extravagant hope of recovering their
homeland.
It was that passionate hope that built
Hidalgo's army of impoverished mestizo's
and indios into an army of 80,000 within
the month.
Soon, the massive mestizo movement
swept across the states of Mexico ready to
collect their promised land.
However, independence could not
manifest itself without bloodshed and
destruction. Amidst it all, the forged race
carriedthelegendaryVirgendeGuadalupe.
The dark-skinned virgin was their hope
through the whole struggle. Her
immortality seemed to symbolize the
immortality of LA RAZA.
Feeling this immortality the new race
pillaged town after town, the worst
excesses being committed in Guanajuato,
where the irate race bludgeoned crillos and
gach11pines alike. The white masters thai
had raped their culture.
Brought out of their solitude, the
mestizos
committed
all
atrocities
together. The atrocities although brutal,
had not lasted as long as those that had
been committed against them.
Over the centuries, bronzed backs had
been broken and scarred. Their existence
denied and their humanity torn. Many
mestizos as w~~! ~ indios had died as a
res 1~!~ or the brutal encomiendas. The
encomienderos, like the latter haciendado
savagely worked the people of colour.
Tragically, the Spaniard_ and Criollo
(Spaniard born in the New World)
considered the mestizo and indio inferior.
He had been an animal to butcher, he had
been the vicb.m to sacrifice to
Huitzilopochtli (Aztec God of War).
It was this tragic memory that
continued to hold LA RAZA together. It
was this memory, and a thousand
memories of oppression that kept them
marching with nothing but sticks and
machetes for ammunition.
Unfortunately, the pride and the hope
of LA RAZA was not enough to defeat
the powerful Spanish army.
Following Guanajuato, where the
Spaniards and crillos had been butchered,
the criollos who had initially supported
the whole movement withdrew support.
Even Hidalgo had to agree that the young
race had burgeoned into an uncontrollable
wave.
Consequently, he stopped his army of
80,000 at the gates of Mexico City.
Hidalgo ordered their retreat, and many
discouraged mestizos deserted. The unity
that had bound them so tightly began to
crumble.
Even while the movement began to
erode, Hidalgo made proclamations at
Vallodolid, where he had declared equal
rights for all. This was the last straw that
brolr~ !he proverbial camel's back. The
mestizos were on their own. The criollos
wanted no part of LA RAZA'S world.
Rather than accept LA RAZA, the
criollos clung dearly to the crown. Even
the concept of LA RAZA could not keep
the mestizos tied to each other.
. .
Yet-every Independence J?ay, this is the
Chicano's hope, that we um~ed once and
for all in the face of adversity. The way
we had done so long ago.
By January 1811, at the Bridg~ of
Calderon on the Rio Lerma, an accident
occurred that burned an insurgent
ammunition wagon. The fire that erupted
separated and panicked the troops. The
race had broken up and many fled.
Soon after that symbolic incident
Migual Hidalgo y Costilla, the radical
priest was captured. The church defrocked
him and immediately found him guilty of
heresy. Along with his initial conspirators, militarymen Allende
and
Aldama, Hidalgo was shot to death on
July 30, 1811. Once beheaded, their
decapitated heads were fastened on poles,
in the granary, as an examples to all
others.
The warning had come to late, LA
RAZA had been born in drudgery and
baptised in blood, once and for all.
Although independence had not been
achieved September 16, 1810, had been a
greater vision, the vision of a united and
free RAZA for the mestizo. If represents
out communion, the tearing of our
breasts, the removal of the masks at our
See Raza page 4
Page 2
------------- Monday, September 19 ,1988
La Voz De Aztlan
Bienvenidos Todos
As the Editor of La Voz de Aztlan, I would like to extend
the heartiest welcome to CSUF, wishing all a productive and
enjoyable semester.
As we celebrate el Diez y Seis de Septiembre (Mexico's
national Independence Day) it is significant to note that La
Voz is going into its twentieth year of publication. On May
5, 1969, La, Pluma Morena became the first Chicano/Black
coalition paper on this campus. Its first editor was John F.
Ramirez. That Fall it began steady publication in the Daily
Collegian as Chicano Liberation, and later it became known
by its present title, La Voz de Aztlan. From its beginning to
the present time, La Voz had served the community with
insightful coverage of the various issues affecting Chicanos
and reporting these issues in a manner that has been
professional yet compassionate.
With its roots in the Chicano Movement, La Voz s~ds as
a product of the same activist forces which produced such
organizations/programs as M.E.Ch.A., La Raza Studies (now
Chicano/Latino Studies), the Educational Opportunity
Program (E.O.P.), and the many other affirmative action
programs that have benefited minority students, staff, and
faculty over the years. Although editorial styles, content and
aesthetics have varied from time to time, the overriding
purpose of La Voz is to find itself in the need to be an
· informative news source for its readership and to provide a
viable training ground fqr students interested in journalism
and/or other areas of media as they relate to minority
communities.
In all, La Voz continues to serve as an instrument of social
change. Che Guevara once said that the true revolutionary is
guided by "great feelings of love." In this same manner it is
important to remember our love of humanity as we strive to
Letters to the editor
build a more just and equitable society.
Certainly this is np simple task. This decade has seen the
two term election of the most reactionary Republican
administration in history, severe cuts in social services,
outright attacks on civil rights, and naked aggression on an
international scale. We see our current state government
making good on its promises to the powerful Agricultural
Labor Relations Board with "adminstrates" who are
notoriously anti-labor. We see farm working children in
McFarland dying of cancers resulting from pesticide exposure
while health and government officials remain indelibly mute.
And, we see continuous cutbacks in educational funding while
our youth face a 50% dropout rate throughout most of the
state.
Yet, we've also seen positive signs. Recently in the primary
campaign we saw the Rev. Jesse Jackson expose a common
ground message among those victimized by nearly eight years
of Reaganomics. Renewed energy around the UFW grape
boycott also points to a reinvigorated fightback campaign
within organized labor that hasii.'t bee1'i seen for quite some
time. I'm positive that we will see these movements take
hold and build a broad coalition of forces that will make their
mark known on the political scene, regardless of the party
banner of the next presidential administration.
I am also positive that as we begin to close out the decade,
we will see La Voz consolidate its role in the recording and
making of history. Let us take up that challenge in a spirit of
liberation.
Adelante!
Albert Robles
Editor
M.E.Ch.A Welcomes Students
Fresno ~tate M.E.Ch.A. welcomes all of the new students to campus and also welcomes back
those returning students.
Tiris is a year different in many ways from past years within M.E.Ch.A. First of all, we are
very fortunate to have so many board members experienced in organizing and politically
knowledgable about the issues M.E.Ch.A. is involved with.
We have begun this semester with a newly revised constitution. Three to four years of
research, discussion, and input from various people went into making this constitution a
document of which we are very proud. Also new to the organization was the selection of our
committee chairs last May. Tiris has already helped to alleviate the confusion that arises during
the first few weeks of Fall semester around who the chaiipersons will be and when they will
begin meeting. The early selection of chairpersons has developed a stronger sense of unity and
cohesin within the organization.
M.E.Ch.A. is an officially recognized representative to the newly formed Metro Latino Voter
Registration/Education Coalition (there are eleven community and labor groups, including
prominent individuals in the conummity who are also part of the coalition).
We have already planned several events to take place in September, such as our annual
Bienvenida reception (everyone is welcome), to take place on Thursday, September 22, from
4:00 to 6:00 pm in the Vintage Room. Our annual dance is scheduled for Friday, September
30th, from 9:00 pm to 1:00 am, in the Satellite College Union: We have had the first of a twopart leadership workshop. The second workshop is planned for Sunday, September 18, from 7:00
to 9:30. We are participating in this year's Passport Fresno. This is a three day event where
various ethnic groups in Fresno and California come together to celebrate, have fun, and enjoy
ethnic foods in order to develop a better understanding and appreciation for one another. This
event
is
taking
place at the Fulton Mall from September 30, to October 2, 1988, come and join us! Members of
M.E.Ch.A. are also planning to attend the Founding Convention for the California Rainbow
Coalition in Los Angeles, the weekend of September 25, 1988. We are tentatively planning to
attend a meeting in Los Angeles, also at the end of the month, to plan the fall semester statewide M.E.Ch.A. conference. Along with everything else going on M.E.Ch.A. and
Chicano/Latino Studies, formerly La Raza Studies, are prparing to celebrate their twentieth
annivesary in 1989.
Additionally, M.E.Ch.A. is planning a year of events which will encompass the many ideas
and sugestions of our new members and the experience from our veteran members. We are
continuing to support and build coalitions with the other Chicano organizations and minority
groups on campus and in the community. We have begun work on the Coors Boycott with
MAPA del Valle, met with the Women's Alliance and women's studies to coordinate events of
mutual interest, and we are giving out volunteer support to the CASA fundraiser on Friday,
September 10, 1988.
We meet on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Wednesday of every month in the College Onion from 3:30 to
4:30 pm. Everyone is invited to attend the meetings.
LA VOZ DE AZTLAN
Albert Robles - Editor
Lisa Y. Flores - Assistant Editor
He.ctor Amezcua - Photo Editor
Anna Daza - Co-Copy Editor
Marty Rivera - Co-Copy Editor
Staff Writers - He.ctor Amezcua, Matty B.
Duran, James I Carrasco, Johanna Munoz,
Gene R. Urrutia
La Voz De Aztlan is an insert of the Daily Collegian, under a seperate editorial staff. Opinions expressed in La Voz.do not necessarily
reflect those of the Daily Collegian.
la Voz De Aztlan
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Page 3
SVRP
campaigns
■
By Johanna Munoz
Staff reporter
The statistics confirm the objective.
Between 1974 and 1988, the number of
Latino elected officials has more than
doubled from 1,566 to 3,038 due to the
efforts of groups such as the Southwest Voter Registration Program.
The Southwest Voter Registration
Program (SVRP) has begun its local
six-week campaign that pays coordinators to register voters, help with
absentee ballots and to educate citizens
as to why they need to vote.
As a non-partisan group they have
three goals. The first is to have 2,000
people registered in Fresno County by
October 11; secondly, to register
2,000 people on absentee ballots; and,
thirdly, to educate 6,000 to go out and
vote.
Ben Benavidez, co-chair of the
Fresno project said, "we must start
locally, if we want to impower the
Latino population and assure that we
have a sound future."
The main goal of the committee is
to change the current project to a yearround project that would operate as the
Fre~no Me1!? Latino Voter RegistratJ.on Coahtmn. The change, which
started three wt,>,eks ago, will help the
committee's continuity.
Established in 1972 by Willie
Velasquez: in San Antonio, Texas, the
SVRP was formed to help bring out
role models for Chicanos in the
Southwest. By 1974, the Program was
operating in California, Arizona New
Mexico, Colorado, and Texas. 'Since
then, it has had 1,000
voter
registration campaigns in 200 cities
and Indian reservations across the
Southwest
The idea, as Ben Benavidez stated is
"to impower Chicanos by having mor~
people get into local boards, so that
they (by being there) can help our
c?n:imunity more. We will keep
h1tung our heads on the walls, if we
don't start voting."
Campaigns are also underway in
Selma, Sanger, Bakersfield, East Los
Angeles, and other areas of the state.
Civil Rights Network
By Hector Amezcua
Chihuahua Foods Inc. received first prize in the float contest
during Saturday's festive parade.
Fresno celebrates
MEXICAN
INDEPENDENCE
By Hector Amezcua
Staff reporter
Fresnans gathered this past Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of
Mexican Independence Day. The celebration began with a parade
downtown, which was enjoyed by all.
"I feel very happy , and in some moments I feel like I was in
Mexico." Said Martha Hernandez, when asked how she felt about
September the 16th. Martha also mentioned that the floats
representing Mexico were very nice.
Hoover High School Marching Band lead the parade with Mexican
melodies.
Other High Schools participating were Roosevelt,
Firebaugh , Central, Fresno, Bullard and Tehipite Jr. High.
Chihuahua Foods Incorporated received first prize, as best float among
30 others participants.
Alfredo Arreguin said speaking of Mexico, " Being among so many
Latin people you feel like at home. But somehow I miss my country,
and would like to be their soon." About six thousand people attended
the event which lasted the entire day.
The festivities ended at the Fulton Mall where music bands and
entertainers made people laugh, dance and play until 8 PM.
Staff reporter
The Chicano Civil Rights Nertwork
(CCRN) and the Fresno City Human
Relations Commission (FCHRC) met
September 7, to discuss the upcoming
mediator position of ombudsman/person.
The ombudsman position may be the
final solution to the conflicts between
residents of the south West Fresno area
and city police. This is a direct
consequence from the shooting deaths of
four Chicanos and one Hmong, which
first began in 1985 with the shooting
death of Raul Rangel, Jr.
On January 1, 1985 Raul Rangel Jr.
threatened his family by saying he would
commit suicide. The Rangels were afraid
since Raul was diagnosed as having
suicidal tendencies at the age of 14 .
It was not easy to deal with Ram so
the Rangels decided to call for
professional help, in this case they called
the police department for assistance.
The family's assumption was that the
police officers would talk Raul out of
danger.
The police arrived and tried to talk with
Raul. Instead, Raul hegrm waikin_g
towards a nearby alley. Several officers
worked their way a couple of yards ahead
of him.
One of the officers fired a shot gun in
Raul's direction, which was followed by a
total of 33 shots from the other officers.
In a matter of seconds Raul was dead. ·
At the end of the meeting last
Wednesday Joel Murillo, Chairperson and
Founder of the CCRN said that,
"subconsciously, the officers are making
a distinction between the Chicano
..:ommunity and the Anglo community."
"The basis for (the statement) is a
comparsion of cases-involving Chicanos
where police have used force (as) opposed
to those cases involving Anglos and the
police using force."
There is a difference in ideas bewteeu
the CCRN and the FCHRC. Definitions,
tasks and qualifications are more
extensive and precisely explained by the
CCRN. For example, the definition of an
ombusman by the CCRN: "under general
directions, the incumbent develops,
implements and monitors a workable and
effective grievance response system and
identifies causes and patterns of problems
of citizens' grievances of police services."
There has also been a r~quest by che
CCRN to the FCHRC, to give an
assistant city manager place to the
ombudsman.
Also, as one of the ombudsman's
qualifications, he or she should be
bilingual (in English/Spanish).
Murillo has requested that the
ombudsman be able to review the cases of
Raul Rangel, Jr.; Anthony Garcia;
Ronald S. Lopez, Jr., and Arturo
Escanilla; as well as other logged cases.
J:","....,d~ng for the ombudsman hd
already been issued by the city of Fresno.
The ombudsman will be able to
inmvestigate ci vii rights violations as a
third neutral party.
The selection of the ombudsman will
be made by the city manager, the CCRN
and the FCHRCC during their meeting
this week.
MEX-TECH MEETING
Mex-Tech will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 1~88 from 12 to 1 p.m. in I.T. Tower Conference Room 220.
All interested students are welcome to attend.
Page 4
Monday, September 19 ,1988
Chicanos
In Law
Chicanos in Law will also be holding
its 10th annunal Law Day in November.
During this on campus event they will
have representatives from different
schools throughout California. They will
be giving out admissions, financial aid
and other pertinent infonn2 ~on that
might concern you. A sample law class
will also be conducted by a law professor.
The day long event is co-sponsored by the
Associated Students and promises to be as
rewarding as in past years.
Currently, we have several members
who are not of Latino descent. CIL can be
used as a stepping stone to a successful
career in law.
The organization holds bi-weekly
meeting that are announced in the Daily
Collegian's Calendar of Events.
For more information, contact · Mr.
Tony Garduque at 294-4240 ext. 3021
The study group was instructed by a
local Fresno attorney who is well versed
with the LSAT. Also, CIL has a student
representative of the Fairfax Lactrurn
Preparation Program. The course offers
preparation for the LSAT, GMAT and
GRE examinations. The LSAT must be
taken prior to you acceptance at all law
schools approved by the American Bar
Asniation. Your - G.P.A. and LSAT
scores are taken into primary
consideration by law schools when
determining whether you are eligible for
admission.
Among the other sactivic;,, the
La Voz De Aztlan
. za
Ra
-
orgainzation visits at least two to four
law schools a semester. And, beini that
there are not many prestigious law
schools in the Fresno area, CIL
coordinates tours to various schools
throughout California. Last semester they
visited the Martin Luther King Jr. School
of Law at UC Davis and the McGearge
School of Law in Sacramento. The group
was allowed to sit in several different
classes and meet with instructors and
students. This semester the organization
has plans to visit U.C.L.A.'s School of
Law.
It is a more than likely occurence that
as an undergraduate or graduate student,
you will need the services of a career
oriented organization. If your interest is
related to a career in law, then you could
use the services of CSUFs only preprofessional law organii.ation, Chicanos
In Law (CIL).
The organization was founded in 1978
by several Chicano/Hispanic students.
The primary purpose of the organization,
although not the sole purpose, is ·to
increase the number of Hispanics in the
law profession.
·
Currently, Hispancis lawyers are being
reporesented at less than three percent
nationwide. The CIL organization offers a
unique experience to any student who is
interested in pursuing law as a career.
During last semester the organization
coordinated an LSAT (Law School
Admission Test) study group among its
members.
celebrations, the end of our solitude.
The struggle for out communion did
not end with Miguel Hidalgo y Castilla.
The legacy was continued by a five foot
mestizo priest named Jose Maria .
Morelos, who had continued the struggle i
for four additional years. Those four years
were marked with much of the same
success as Hidalgo. Eventually, Morelos'
~~~er:"<l L~~ ~.e fate ~ his criollo
teacher.
Following Morelo's death on December
22, 1815, the wars would drag on for six
years, losing much of the religious
fanaticism that it had enjoyed during its
earlier years. The comminication was
suppressed except for guerrillos Vicente
Guerrerro and Guadalupe Victoria (Felix
Fernandez).
Yet, through those two guerrillas the
vision of a united Raza continued. The
hope of true independence and equlaity
lingered. It was Hidalgo and Morelos'
courage that kept 'El Grito' alive. It is
that same hope, thr.t myth, that continues
to force us to observe September 16, as a
religious holiday. in Mexico, 'El Grito'
is a festival more important that
Christmas or Easter, it is the myth of an
equal Mexico. It is the hope that the
impoverished will not suffer. But more
significantly, it pulls them out of their
nothingness, and allows the unveiling of
their true selves. The masks are removed
his solitude temporarily escaped.
'
Independence ended his shame of being
born the bastard child of "La Chingada".
It ended his orphanhood, he had both a
father and a mother: Spain and AztecaMexico. Now, the mestizo could truly
acknowledge his heritage. Mestozos were
the unique offspring of two old worlds
about to come to an end with its eventual
independence. That was the promise and
that was the hope. Mexico's religion was
Catholicism, but it was also his terrible
and traumatic long struggle for his
idenity.
Although Independence eventually
came to the race of worn-out mestizos, it
came dishonorably. Deception tainted the
bope, and the mestizo was cruelly ignored
once again. The mestizos who had been
in communion with his own kind,
seemed to become isolated following El
Plan de Iguala draf!~d en Fenruary 27,
1821, a ridiculous and reactionary plan
that promised the nation independence
under a European monarch and which
allowed the continuation of Roman
Catholicism as the national religion. The
biggest contradiction was the plan's
empty promise of equality. The mere fact
that no economic or political power had
ever reached the hands of the mestizo left
LA RAZA crippled by his chronic'
poverty.
Although
Mexico
gained· its
Independence on September 27, 1821, the
hope had been squashed by the criollos
who had_ usurped the go_vernement. Yet,
the mesuzo would continue to celebrate
September 16, 1810 as his true
independence. It ended his solitude, and
created and continues to build "LA
RAZA", the hybird children from
Mexico, who to this day continue to fan
the mythical hopes and promises of LA
INDEPENDECIA.
1HE
AMIGO RUN
Amigo
to Benefit the
NATIONAL HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND
SATURDAY
September 24, 1988
2 Mile and 10K Races
Pre Registration: $8.00
Race Day Registration: $10.00
Location: Donaghy Sales, Inc.
2363 S. Cedar
(Corner of Cedar and Church)
RUN
Registration: 5:30 am to 6:45 am
to Benefit
2 Mile: 7:00 am
10K:
7:30 am
For more information call: (209) 225-2337
Sponsored by:
N-ISF
llilATIONAL
HISPA NIC
SCHOLARSHIP
H 1NI)
. DONAGHY SALES, INC.
ett ltt tH\tt llA' INe.