guerrillera/os de la pluma, spring-winter 2006

Spring-Winter 2006• La Verdad • La Calles y La Torcida • Voz del Pueblo • Sin Fronteras • AMATE •

Journal of La Raza Press AssociationGUERRILLEROS DE LA PLUMARaza Press, Media, and Popular Expression www.razapressassociation.org

See “Raza” Page 6

By Ernesto Bustillos

Editor’sNote-ThefollowingisapresentationbyErnestoBustillosgivenathe36thAnnual SDSU MEChA High School Conference (SDSU). The confer-ence,heldonNovember11,2006,tookplaceattheSanDiegoStateUniversi-ty(SDSU)campusunderthetheme,“LosEstudiantesSonPorEsenciaSeresRevolucionarios”.ThepresentationwaspartofaworkshoporganizedbytheRazaPressAssociation titled “RazaJournalism:WritingandSpeakingTheTruth”.AlsopresentingattheworkshopwasCompañeroAntonioVelazquez,writerandmemberoftheRazaPressAssociation.

WE WANT TO CHALLENGE YOU TO START YOUR OWN NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES, OR ANY TYPE OF MEDIA, ABOVE GROUND OR “UNDER-GROUND”

WewouldliketowelcomeyouthisafternoontotheRazaPressAssocia-tionworkshop,“RazaJournalism:WritingandSpeakingTheTruth”.Likethekeynotespeakeroftheconference,PabloAcevessaidthis

morning,wewanttorecognizethatbyyoubeingheretoday,onaSaturday,youaredemonstratingnotonlyan interest in furtheringyoureducation,butalsoinlearningaboutthestruggleforRaza/Mexicanoself-determination.IwanttobeginthisworkshopwithanintroductiontotheRazaPressAssocia-tion,whyandwhentheassociationwasformed,ourobjectives,howweseetheimpactofthemediauponLaRaza,andwhataresomeofthethingsthatthe association does to realize its objectives. After I finished, Compa Antonio Velazquez,alsoamemberof theRazaPressAssociation,willdiscusswithyouhowthemediaworksandthe importanceofbeingconsciousofwhat itattempts to do to us and our community. After both of us have finish, we will allowsometimeforquestionsandanswers,andforanycommentsyouwouldliketomake.

UNITY AND THE RAZA PRESS ASSOCIATIONTheRazaPressAssociationwasreestablishedin1989astheChicanoPressAssociation.TheoriginalChicanoPressAssociation(CPA)wasanorganiza-tionconsistingofmostof thenewspapersandmagazines thatexisteddur-ingwhatwecallthe“ChicanoPowerMovement”ofthelate1960sandearly1970s. Thereestablishmentof theCPAcameaboutasarespondtoacallfromUnióndelBarriotoprogressiveandrevolutionarypublicationstoattendasummitwherewecoulddiscussthequestionofthemediaanditsimpactonourcommunities.Someofthenewspaperswhoparticipatedinthemeetingin-cludedLaGente,LaVerdad,NuestraCosa,ElPopo,andothernewspapers.In2004,attheassociation’sannualmeeting, itwasdecidedtochangethenamefromtheChicanoPressAssociationtotheRazaPressAssociation.This

Raza JouRnalism: WRiTinG anD sPEaKinG THE TRuTH

changeofnamewas in response to the largeCentralAmericanpopulation(Salvadoreños,Guatemaltecos,andothers)thathaddevelopedinCaliforniaandwebelievedthattheterm“Raza”wouldbemoreinclusiveofthesecom-munities;tous,allLatinAmericanandIndigenouspeopleareRaza.WhenwereestablishedtheChicanoPressAssociation,wehadseveralrea-sonsforitsformation.One,wesawanalmostabsenceofanyprogressive-independentRazamediacoveringandexplainingtheissuesthatwerecon-frontingourcommunities.Wewantedtounitedthefewpublicationsthatwereoutthere,knowingthatifweweretounitewecouldmoreeffectivelyuseourresourcestocreatethemediathatourcommunityneeded.Second,wefeltthatorganizedunderanassociationwewouldbeablehelpexistingpublica-tionsexpand,aswellascreatenewRazajournalists.Andthird,pullingourresources togetherwewould “massify”progressiveand revolutionaryRazamediasothatitcouldbeseenattheschools,workplace,parks,barrios,pris-ons,etc.-whereverrazawhereat;inthesamewaymovimientoliteraturewasseenduringtheChicanoPowerperiodofthelate1960sandearly70s.Asawayoftryingtomeettheseobjectives,sinceitsreestablishmentin1989,theRPAhasorganizedconferences,workshops,andhaspublisheddozensofnewsletters,pamphlets,andbooks.Wehaveworkedhardtoexposetherolethatthemainstreammediaplaysinouroppressionandtoinformourcom-munitiesoftheneedtohaveourownmedia;amediathatexplainswhataretherealissuesfacingourcommunityandwhatneedstobedonetosolvetheproblemswearefacing.Infact,thisworkshopwearehavingtoday,ispartoftheworkthattheRPAdoesonaregularbasis.

THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY ENEMIES OF LA RAZAAs to the question of the impact of the media upon La Raza, we want tomakeitverycleartoeveryonethatwhatweknowasthe“MainstreamMedia”,whichistheT.V.,Radio,Newspapers,Magazines,Movies,Books,mostoftheInternet,andsoforth,isownedandcontrolbytheenemiesofLaRaza.Itisamediacontrolledbyhandfulofcorporationswhonotonlywanttomakemoneyfromus,buttheywanttokeepusoppressedandunabletorebelorchallengethepowertheyhaveoverus.Itisacorporateelite[theownersandmanagersof thecorporations],arichandracistclassofpeople,whorule thiscountry[and most countries around the world] and they used the media to stay inpower.Therefore,theroleofthemainstreammediaistoconfuseus,tomakeusstupid,andtomakeusdofoolishthings,insteadoftryingtoendtheoppres-sionandpowerthatthecorporatesystemhasoverthegreatmajorityofus. Ifyoudosomeresearch,youwillseethattheverysamepeoplewhocontroltheoilandarebehindthewarinIraq,arethesameoneswhoownthemedia.Youwillseethatthesamepeoplewhoownthelargehotelsthatex-

Guerrilleros De La Pluma

2 Raza Press, Media, and Popular Expression

Objectives:1)ToEstablishARazaNews-WireService.2) Hold On-Going WorkshopsAnd ConferencesToAdvanceRazajournalism.3) EstablishAn Editorial Board To Oversee JointPublications.4)ToPoolExistingResourcesToAssistPublicationsAndToEstablishNewOnes.5)ThatA“Collection”OfPeriodicals,Past,AndCurrent,BeEstablished.

Principles Of Unity:1)MustBeRazaPublicationsIndependentOfGovern-

mentAgencies(ExcludingUniversityPublications).2)MustSupportTheStrugglesOf AllRaza,WithinAndOutsideTheU.S.3)MustAdhereToDemocraticallyReachedDecisions.

Membership Criteria:1)MembershipIsLimitedToRazaInvolvedInMediaAndPress.2)MembersMustWork/Link-UpWithExistingPublicationsInTheirAreas.3) Representation/Input To The RPA Will Be Through Official RepresentativesOfMembersPublications.4)ToBeAMemberInGoodStanding,MembersPublishOr

PostInformationonaregularbasis.5) Membership In Not ExtendedTo Multinational Or-ganizations.

Structure:1)MesaDirectiva/EditorialBoardWillConsistOfChair,Secretary,AndTreasurers.2)MesaWillServe AsCoordinatingBodyTo InsureCommunicationAndCompletionOfTasks.3)MesaWillAlsoServeAsEditorialBoardForJointRPAPublications.4) Standing Committees Will Be EstablishedAs

Guerrilleros de La Pluma

Editor In ChiefLuisMoreno

Managing EditorJoseG.Moreno

Associate EditorsErnestoBustillos

ProductionLuisMoreno

Photographs/GraphicsLuisMoreno

ContributorsJoseG.Moreno

AntonioA.VeleasquezErnestoBustillos

PabloAceves

Raza Press AssociationEditorial Board

2005-2006LuisMoreno

ErnestoBustillosJoseG.Moreno

FranciscoRomero

Journal of La Raza Press Association

DR. RENÉ NUÑEZ, PRESENTE OnJune30,2006,RenéNuñez,alongtimeactivistandChicanoStudiesprofessor,passedaway.BornOnMarch10,1936,RenéNuñezgrewupinLoganHeights,oneoftheoldestMexicanbarriosinSanDiego.Borntoaworkingclassfamily –his parents worked in the fish canneries– Nuñez attended area elementary schools,MemorialJr.High,andgraduatedfromSanDiegoHighSchool in1955.HeservedintheUSmilitaryfrom1959to1963,andgraduatedfromUCLAin1967.RenéNuñezwentontoreceiveaMastersinPoliticalScienceatUCSDandaPh.D.inEducationfromSanDiegoStateUniversity. AtUCLA,NuñezbecamepoliticallyactiveandjoinedtheChicanoMovement.HeorganizedsupportfortheUnitedFarmWorkers,wasinvolvedindemonstrationsdemandingqualityandrelevanteducationforRaza,andwasactiveintheanti-VietnamWarmovement throughout the60sandearly1970s. René Nuñezwasone the‘Biltmore10”,whenin1969,agroupofRazamilitantswereaccusedofattemptingtoburndowntheBiltmoreHotelatwhichracist-fascistGovernorRonaldReaganwasthekeynotespeaker. ReneNuñezwasprobablymostknownasbeingoneoftheorganizersofthehistoricSantaBarbaraStudentConferenceheldatUCSantaBarbarain1969.Themajoroutcomesofthisconferencewasthe“PlandeSantaBarbara”,ageneraloutlineforChicanoStudiesprogramsanddepartments,andthebirthplaceofMEChA(MovimientoEstudiantilChicanodeAztlán),asitbroughttogetherthevariousRazastudentorganizationsunderonenationalorganization. In1969,NuñezbeganteachingatSanDiegoStateUniversityandservedastheDirectorof“CentrodeEstudiosChicanos”.ItwasalsoduringthistimethatNuñezgotinvolvedinthepoliticsofthe“newcommunistleft”.Hisworkingclassbackground,experiencesintheChicanoMovement,andleftistpartypolitics,enabledNuñeztounderstandtheroleofcapitalismintheoppressionofthegreatmajorityofpeoplethroughouttheworld.Nuñezbroughtthiscriticalunderstandingofcapitalismtohisclassroomteachingandtotheendofhislife,heupheldtheneedtocreateasocialistssocietyasameanstoaddresstheinjusticeandsocialinequalitiesfoundwithin,aswellasoutside,theboundariesoftheUnitedStates. Throughoutmuchofhisteachingcareer,NuñezwasanactivememberoftheNationalAssociationofChicano/aStudiesNACCS).HemadeanumberpresentationsatNACCSconferences,alwayspushingChicanoStudiestotakeaworkingclassandanti-imperialiststance.AfterhisretirementfromtheSDSUin2002,anduptothelastdaysofhislife,ProfessorReneNuñezcontinuedhisactivismaroundthequestionofeducationandjusticefor“undocumented”workers.

Spring-Winter 2006

3www.razapressassociation.org

imPoRTanCE oF auGusT 29TH anD THE naTional CHiCano moRaToRium CommiTTEE

See “NCMC” Page 7

Editor’s Note -The following is an interview withPabloAceves, formerCoordinatorof theNationalChicano Moratorium Committee (NCMC) andmemberofUnióndelBarrio. The interview,withtheeditor’sofLasCallesyLaTorcida(newsletteroftheChicanoMexicanoPrisonProject)tookplaceonAugust18,2006,SanDiego,Califaztlan.

QUESTION: Why was the original NCMC formed in 1969? What were some of the organizations and individuals responsible for its formation? What took take place on August 29th, 1970?

ANSWER: TheoriginalNationalChicanoMoratoriumCommittee(NCMC)wasformedin1969duringtheheight of what is known as the “Chicano Power”phaseoftheMexicanoliberationmovementofthe1960sand1970s.ItwasamovementorganizedbyRazatoendtheU.S.WaragainsttheVietnamesepeople It was a period in history when otherprogressiveandliberationmovementsweretakingplace,suchasthePeace(Anti-war)MovementandtheBlackLiberation(orBlackPower)Movement.Raza activists decided it would be necessary tostruggle against the war on Vietnam from ourperspective, as the “Peace Movement” wasdominatedbymiddleandupperclasswhitepeople.RazafeltstronglythatweneededtotakeastanceagainsttheWarbecausewhileChicanoMexicanosmadeuponlyabout6%ofthe“U.S.”populationatthattime,weaccountedforover20%ofthedeadandwounded.IneveryU.S.war,includingtheunjustwaragainstIraqtoday,Razahasbeenthe“carnedecañon” (cannon fodder) sent out to die for the benefit ofwhitepeople,whilewearedeniedourhumananddemocraticrightshereathome. TheoriginalNCMCwasledbyMECHistas,RazaUnidaParty,theCrusadeforJustice,andtheBrown Berets and other groups active acrossAztlán/OccupiedMexico.SomeofthekeypeopleinvolvedintheoriginalNCMCincludedpeoplelikeRosalioMuñozandDavidSanchez. TheNCMCorganizedacampaigntoholdaseriesofprotestsand teach-ins against the Vietnam War, where aclear “Chicano”perspectiveon thewarwouldbepresented to our communities. It was to end onAugust29,1970,whereeveryoneassociatedwiththeNCMCwoulduniteforamassivenationalmarch

whichwastotakeplaceinEastLosAngeles.Thisprocess(moratoriumevents)ledRazainnotonlyinoppositiontothewar,butinsolidarityandunitywiththepeopleofVietnamintheirefforttokickouttheforeigninvaders(U.S.militaryandrichcapitalists)andgettheirtierra(land)back;thiswassomethingmanymexicanosunderstoodwell,sinceourlandisalsodividedandoccupiedbyaforeigninvader. TheNCMCheldaseriesofevents;thetwobiggestonesbeingtheMarchofFebruary2,1970(which tookplaceonarainyday inLosAngeles)andthemainnationalmarchwhichtookplaceonAugust29,1970.ButothermarchestookplaceinDenver,SanDiego,andotherpartsofAztlán.Themainmarch(August29th)broughtgentetogethernotonlyfromalloverAztlán/OccupiedMexicobutfromallpartsofwhatisknownastheUSandfromotherpartsofMexicoandLatinoamerica.Marchingwere Raza vets against the war,African (Black),Puerto Rican, and NativeAmerican delegations,and representatives from the “peace”movement.Inall,about30,000RazaandouralliesmarchedfromBelvedereparkinEastLAdownWhittierBlvd.,carryingsignssaying“chaleconlaguerra”and“OurWarishereinAztlán”. ThemarchgottowhatwasthenLagunaPark, on Whittier and Indiana. It was peaceful,peopleofallageswerepresent,withmusica,andspeakersfromthedozenoforganizations.Justasthe first speakers began, before Corky Gonzales of theDenverCrusadeforJusticewastospeak-themarchawasbrutallyattackedbytheLosAngelessheriffswhocameinwithriotgear,teargas,batons,guns,etc. The film, Requiem 29 shows the police beating women and children, shooting tear gas,andcreatingmayhem. It also shows thaton thatday,LARAZAFOUGHTBACKintheparkandallalongWhittierBlvd.Ourgentewenttoetotoewiththesecowards.Thatday,hundredsofpeoplewerebeaten,injuredandarrested.KilledwereLynnWardandAngel Diaz, both Brown Berets, and RubenSalazar,aleadingChicanoMexicanoJournalist. Ruben Salazar was working for the LAtimes.HewasoneofthefewMexicanojournalistsatthattime.HewasopenlycriticaloftheracisminU.S.society,speciallyofpolicebrutality.Whenthepoliceattackcamedownonthemarch,Salazarand

acamerawentintotheSilverDollarCafelocateda fewblocks fromthepark rallyonWhittierBlvd.Sheriffs, who knew he was inside the cafe, fired ateargascanisterwhichhitSalazarinthehead,killinghim.Tomost,hisdeathwasaclearpoliticalassassination. No police were ever charge withmurder,eventhoughtherewasplentyofevidenceto prosecute several officers. In Salazar’s honor, LagunaParkwasrenamedSalazarPark.

QUESTION: What happened to the original NCMC? Why did it become defunct or disbanded?

ANSWER:FollowingtheAugust29thMarch,theNCMC had severe difficulties, as the organizations that formed itsuffered repression fromtheFBI’scounter intelligence war. The offices were raided, leaders were arrested or harassed. The BrownBeretsandotherorganizationswereattackedandforcedunderground.Studentsgraduatedandleftthestruggle. Themovementbecameveryweak.By1972,theNCMCnolongerexisted. Yet,movementforceswhohavestruggledfor Raza Liberation have kept the flame of the Moratoriumalive,holdingyearlycommemorations.Agoodexampleof this isSanDiego.During theseventies, there existed a Chicano MoratoriumCommittee.Later, in1981,UniondelBarriotookonthetaskofkeepingthespiritofAugust29thalivewithmarchesandteach-insconnectingtheeventsofAugust29,19970toaroundU.S.waragainstourbrothersandsistersinCentroAmerica(1980s)andArabpeople

QUESTION: Why was the NCMC reestablished in 1989 and who was responsible for its reestablishment. What were its goals?

ANSWER: The National Chicano MoratoriumCommittee was reestablished on December 2,1989outofacallputforthbyUniondelBarrioandLaRazaUnidaParty(LRUP)tocommemoratethe20thanniversaryoftheMoratoriumandtorebuildtheChicanoMexicanoLiberationMovementonanationallevel.UniondelBarrioandLRUP,aswellas the individuals and organizations that formedthenewNCMCsawaneedtoputoutastrugglethatwasaboutRazaself-determination (the right


Guerrilleros De La Pluma Journal of La Raza Press Association

under a “state of Rage Peace until War

By Antonio A. Velásquez

“Who does not learn from the Devil’s play shall bedestined to be enslaved by it”

Conflict and violence in and of themselves arenatural, but the conceptofwarfare isbarbaricandinsane.However,whenithas

beeninstigatedandonemustdefendoneself,itisindispensableandshouldbereciprocal.Inextremeactsofwarwheredeathisoneofalimitednumberofpossibleoutcomes(disablinginjury,physicalormentaltortureorresultantpsychologicalinstability,surrender or flight), one must assume that there are norulesofcivility.Insuchcases,onecannotnorshould,expectthem.Theymayoccurasincidentalacts of extraordinary individual leadership andprofessionalismbuttheycannoteverbeconsideredpartofthebasicgroundrules.Thatis,civilitymaynot enter the equation in order to justify a moraljudgmentonanactofwar.War-quitesimply-isorganizedaggressiveviolencetotakebyforceordefend by the same means the interests of onegroupvis-à-visanother’s. When violent acts are initiated, andespecially with implements of war that have thecapacityofwholesalekilling,atrocitieswilloccur.Itisinevitable.Atrocitieswill,anddo,existinallwars.Asingledeathinwarisalreadyanatrocityasitisinstigatedbyanuncivil foundation. Multipliedbytens,byhundreds,thousandsormillionsdoesnotmakeofthatatrocityanyworse. Peaceontheotherhandisonlyaconceptprecedingtheever-constantrealityofastateofwar.Onecannotbelieve that therecanbeapeacefulcoexistence with war. The present conflicted world situationwouldseemtobesteepedinthiserrorasithingesoncertaincodesofconductsupposedlybacked up by international agreements thatnonethelessare violatedby thedegreeof powerof the one violating. Case in point, the illegalUSaggressioninIraq,andsurveillanceofprivatecommunications.Whilemanyaredupedintothinkingofpeacethroughwar,andofbringingfairplayintotheactofkilling, thosethatareenmeshedinwarsimply resort to terrorism to achieve their goals,because their inherent state power is rendereduseless when they are forced to confront the

questionofethics.Thisseemstobetheunderlyingquestioninwhatishappeninginourmothercountrytoday. Mexico is in “astateof rageandsocialindignation” said Subcomandante InsurgenteMarcos of the Ejercito Zapatista de LiberaciónNacional1referringinatelevisioninterviewonMay9,2006tothebrutalpoliceattackonacommunitynearTexcoco,Mexico.ThefailureofStatepowerthat would generate such a statement could notbetterbeillustratedthanbywhatoccurredinSanSalvadorAtencoonMay4,2006. The Associated Press irresponsiblyreporteditthefollowingdayasa“deadlyriot”where“one residentwaskilled in the runningbattles, inwhichmembersofaradicalgroupoftownspeoplekidnappedandbeatsixpolicemenaftertheytriedtopreventvendorsfromsettingupstandsinanearbycity.” Oneassumes that professionalAssociatedPress reporters are individuals schooled in the fine artof reportingandpaidsalaries that communityjournalistscanonlydreamofbeingabletousetodeveloptheconceptofatrulyfreepress.So,itisdisappointingbutwhollyexpected,thatwemustgodiggingforadditionalinformationtoobtainatruerand clearer picture of what occurred in Mexicothatday.Therefore,tounderstandthepresentwemust know a little of the previous history of thatcommunity. Inbrief,undereminentdomainlawssimilartothoserecentlyupheldbytheUSSupremeCourt,thatgivelegalprecedencetolocalgovernmentstofavourcorporatebusinessventuresovertherightsofcommunalorindividualpropertyrights,residentsofSanSalvadorAtencohadbeenthreatenedin2002withphysicalrelocationtomakewayforamassiveairport and commercial project. Successfullybeating back this community destruction project,theresidentssubsequentlyorganizedthemselvesinself-defenceunder thebannerofThePeople’sFrontinDefenceoftheLand(FrentedePuebloenDefensadelaTierra,FPDT). What happened in May 2006 was arepeat of the same as the government this timeattemptedtoremoveresidentsfromareasthatarenowbeingeyedasapossiblelocationforamajorcommercialdevelopmentofwhichWal-Martwouldbe the cornerstone. It started as a local police

action to remove a small group of street flower vendorsfromacertainpartoftown.Actingtodefendthemselvesfromyetanotherarmedincursionintotheirneighbourhoods,thesituationquicklyescalatedintoviolence.Bothsidessufferedinjuriesandsomepoliceweredetainedandheldcaptive.Intheearlymorninghoursofthenextdayaforceofover3,500armedFederalandStatePolicewereassembledtorespondandoccupythearea;andsubsequentlyexecutedinsuchabarbaricmannerthatifhasnowbecomeanationaland international scandalandshameforMexico. Reminiscent of the way that occupyingforces are operating in Iraq, as reported by LaJornada,policehadorders “tohiteverything thatmovedso longas themediawouldnotsee”andenter homes to “take out as many people aspossible.”AscouldbeclearlyseenontheMexicanTVnewsreportsthatnight,theordersmusthavebeen very specific or very liberally interpreted. What resultedwasanevidentactofStatebarbarismandsavagery. What is known is that a police bulletkilledafourteenyearoldboyatalmostpointblankrange,bothFederalandStatepoliceeitherrapedorsexuallyabusedover30ofthedetainedwomen,andover200peoplewerebeaten,kicked,punched,andincarcerated,someinseriouscondition.It issuspectedthatsomemaystillbeunaccountedforand feared disappeared. The Ejercito Zapatistade Liberación Nacional has suspended La OtraCampaña, and Subcomandante Marcos vows toremaininMexicoCityuntilthelastoftheremainingjailedresidentsarereleased. Rape,plunderandkillarewhatisoftentheresultofanoutrightmilitaryincursionbyonecountryagainstanother.Theclearintentionininvasionsofthistypeistohumiliate,demoralize,dehumanize,de-culture,de-historyandeliminateanenemyinadeclaredwar.However,whatwehaveoccurringinMexicotodayisthatthosehiredtodefenditspeopleexecutedwhathappenedinSanSalvadorAtencouponanunarmedresidentialneighbourhood. However,whenseeninlightofUSglobaleconomic imperialism and the intent behind theNAFTA agreement; coupled with the infusion ofhiddenNewYorkmoneytoelecttheUScorporate-controlledCoca-Colacandidateforpresident,and

See “Rage” Page 7


Spring-Winter 2006

Poesía del PuebloLa Violencia

Por Arturo Burciaga

Jesústecondena.Marxterecomienda.

Malcolmteencomienda.

EstásamialcanceAfectasatodos,EstasenmicasaVivesenlaGaza.

Ereselmismodiablo,ElmismoObispo

QueteutilizeParamiderramamieto

Sangriento.

EreselmismoinstrumentoQueenelmomento

Correcto,Teutilizeparaacabarconel

Gobierno,Parainiciarelcambio

Quetantoanhelo.

Jesústecondena.Marxterecomienda.

Malcolmteencomienda.Instintoantiguoalcualnoresigno,

EresagresiónpresenteencadanaciónEnestemundomaligno

Eresmiúnicoamigo,

EresunatendenciaQuemeincita.

Ereslaviolencia.

I am threeBy Ramon Hernandez

ByallappearancesIamoneperson,butinrealityIamthree.

Itistheoneofmewholovesmyfather,mother,sisterandbrothers.

And the other who will fight for the rights,andthebetteringofoneanother.

Itistheoneofme,whowillalwaysbethereforthem,

and the other who will fight until theveryend

Itistheoneofme,whowillcarryourname,andtheotherwhodoesnotwantthefame.

Itistheoneofme,whowillneverdisownnorupsetthem,

andtheotherwhowillstartamovement.

Itistheoneofme,wholovestoseebothofthemhappy,

andtheotherwhohasamindsetofarevolutionary.

Itistheoneofmewhowillnotfail,butwhowillprevailandIwillmakeaname

foraswell.

Andtheotherwhowillrallynotaroundthe,butmyfamilywithapocketfullofshells.

Itistheoneofmewhoworkshard,andwillsucceed.

Andtheotherwhoismorethanwillingtofight, bleed and die to set all people free.

Iamason,astudent,anactivist,Andsoonarevolutionary.

6 Raza Press, Media, And Popular Expression


“Raza” From Page 1

RPa Reading listInventing Reality: The Politics

Of News Media ByMichaelParenti

Chicano Journalism Its History and Its Use As a Weapon

for Liberation ByErnestoBustillos

Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy Of The Mass

MediaByNoamChomskyandEdwardS.

Herman

The New Media MonopolyByBenH.Bagdikian

Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda

ByNoamChomsky

ploitRazahotelworkers,alsoownthemedia.Youwillsee that thepeoplewhoown thedepartmentstores, who sell you the close you are wearingtoday,alsoownandcontrol themedia. Theverysamepeoplewhoowntheminesandcutdowntheforests,andwhoareresponsibleforglobalwarm-inganddestructionoftheearth,aretheoneswhoownthemedia. Themedialiestouseveryminuteoftheday.Theylietousabouttheproductstheysellandtheylieintheso-callednewstheyspoon-feedus.With their commercials they convince us to buythingswedon’treallyneedandwiththenewstheyfeedus,theyconfuseusaboutwhatisreallyhap-peningaroundus;whether itshere inSanDiegoorotherpartsoftheworld.Theyliedtousaboutwho won the recent presidential elections [2004]andtheyarelyingtousaboutwhatisreallytakingplaceinIraq.Theyhavetolie,becauseifthetruthwas told, peoplewouldbeangryashell and thesystemwouldhavearevolutionontheirhands.

DO WE HAVE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS?Somepeopleargue thatwehave freedomof thepress. Weanswer thatyes,wehave freedomofpress,butthisfreedomexistonlyuntilwestartcriti-cizingandexposingthelying-thievingcorporationswhich are polluting the earth and exploiting theworkers.Wehavefreedomofspeechonlyuntilwecriticizetherichracistrulingclassforinvadingcoun-trieslikeIraqandmurderingthousandsofinnocentpeople.Onceyoustartcriticizingtheactionsoftherich, you will find yourself without a job or a univer-sity scholarship; you will find yourself isolated, dis-credited,andsilenced.Andletmetellyou,therichracistswhocontroloursocietyhavemanywaysofsilencingpeopletheyseeasathreat.Thisiswhythe RPA is so important. It is one way of fighting back and defending ourselves against the racist-corporationsthatrulemuchoftheworld.Thereisasaying,“inunitythereisstrength’,throughtheRPAwerearecreatingunity,. Weoftenhearpeoplesay,“Whyshouldwecareaboutthemedia?”Weanswerbyexplain-ingthatifyoucareaboutallthewrongsinthissoci-ety–speciallytheviciousracismbeingunleashedagainst our families and communities– then youhavetocareaboutthemedia.Becauseitisinthemedia where we find the roots of the wrongs we aretalkingabout.

HATE, IGNORANCE, AND THE MEDIA: SOME PEOPLE EVEN WANT TO KILL US For example,what themediadoesex-plainswhysomanyofourRazaare ignorant. Itisignorancethatkeepsusfromknowingwhothereal enemy is or how to fight back. We don’t know these things because the media has confusedus.Thisiswhy,whileweseeeveryoneblamingMexicansforalltheproblemscomingdownintheUnitedStates,mostofourpeopledonothing:themediahasputmostofustosleep. It is the ignorance imposed upon ourRazabythemediaandother institutionsthatex-plainswhythereissomuchbarrioviolence.Ev-erydayweseeRazahurtingandkillingRaza.Themediahasinstilledinsideusahatredofourselves.Allweseeinthenews,television,orthemoviesisdumbMexicans.Sincemanyofusdon’tknowthesource of our despair and self-hatred, we attackeachother.Itisthisself-hatredthatleadstobarrioviolence. Itisthemediathatisresponsibleforsomanyofourpeoplebeingashamedofourculture.Themediaisconstantlydegradingourhistoryandculture. This is why we see so many Mexicansacting like something they are not. Many of usloveanythingbutbeingMexican.Historyteachesus thatwewillnever liberateourselves ifweareashamedofwhoweare.Sowecan’tgoaroundtalkingaboutRazaliberationifwedon’tdealwiththeself-hateimposeduponusbythemedia. We also find that many people hate us. Mostwhitepeople–andsomeAfricanAmericans–hateus.Theycan’tstandus.Theywanttogetridofus,deportus,orevenkillus.Why?Whathavewedonetothem?Whydootherpeoplehateussomuch?Theanswerisinthemedia. Thenewsprograms,theradio,thetelevi-sion,themovies,etc.areconstantlyputtingnega-tive things intowhitepeople’smindsaboutMexi-cans.Theysaywearestealingtheirjobs;thatwearecriminals;orthatwearedestroyingtheir“wayoflife”;andmostwhitepeoplebelievethis. If you don’t believe that white peoplehate us, next time you walk into a departmentstore takea lookathowwhitepeoplecheckyouout,you’llseehateintheireyes.TheexistenceoftheKlan,Nazis,andtheMinuteman,hastodo,toa largepart,with the racistpropaganda from themainstreammedia. Whatthemediadoesalsoexplainstousiswhy thegreatmajorityofpeople refuse to joinorganizations who fight for the liberation of Raza.

In fact, many of our own people actually opposeRazaorganizations.Theythinkwearetoomilitant.This is the reality. We’re talking about a realitywheremostMexicanshavebeensobrainwashedandconfusedthattheydon’tactintheirowninter-estsortheirowndefense.

THE DECOLONIZATION OF LA RAZA Butwewant tochangeall this. This isthemaingoalof theRPA: towakepeopleup, tode-brainwashpeople,toraisetheirconsciousness,andtogetthemorganized.Soallofuscanplayapartinthisprocessofliberation,youandus,alloftheRaza,youngandold. Sowewanttochallengeyoutoday.Wewanttochallengeyoutobecomepartofthesolu-tionandinsteadofbeingpartoftheproblem.Wearechallengingyou todoseveral things.Wewantyou tobecomeaRazaJournalist:someonewhowrites,reports,andspeaksthetruth.Whetheryouareintowritingforanewspaper,poetry,draw-ingorpainting,intosinging,ormakingmovies-youcanbepartofaprogressivemediathatwillwakeupourpeopleandorganizethemintostruggle.We want to decolonize people. Do you knowwhatcolonization is? It isasituation thatoccurswhen“foreigners”conquerandoppressedanotherpeople, stealing their resourcesand forcing them

See “Raza” Page 7


Spring-Winter 2006

todetermineourownfutureinourownland)andtouniteasmanyforcesaspossiblearoundthis.The first coordinator of the newly formed NCMC wasErnestoBustillos,ofUniondelBarrio. The NCMC held a successful 20thcommemoration march onAugust 25th, 1900.Over3,000Razafromallover,northandsouthofthemilitaryimposedbordermarchedthroughthesamestreetsofEastLAanddemandingunionjobswithdecentwages,anendtopolicemigrabrutality,housingandhealthcareforall,andanendtotheUSwarinCentralAmericaandtheMiddleEast.Itwasalsoabletoformnineregionalcommittees,fromSanDiego,CalifastoDenver,Colorado.

QUESTION: What were some of the accomplishments of the NCMC (since its reestablishment), what has been some of its weaknesses, and what is its future?

ANSWER: Since its reestablishment in 1989,National Chicano Moratorium Committee’s hasheld 5 national mobilizations for Raza Power.(1) It organizedmarchaagainst theRepublicanconventioninSanDiego;(2)in1996,itorganizedmassive marcha in Tucson to protest 150thanniversary the US war against Mexico andoccupation of half our nation; (3) in 1992, webroughtover4,000 toSanYsidro,CA tomarchagainst the Celebration of Cristobal Colon (4);and organized two large commemorations onthe25thand30thanniversariesofAugust29thwhichbroughtoutthousandsandshowedthattheMoratoriumisnotsomethingforthehistorybooks,but a day to remember in our gente’s beautifulhistoryofresistance. During the 1990s, the NCMC alsoorganizeddozensofconferences,meetingsandforumsinallpartsofOccupiedMexicotodiscussthe question of unity with other independent

forces(thosewhodidnotdependongovernment,corporation, or church funding). It allowed usto exchange our views and positively strugglearoundquestionsimportanttoourpeople.Mostof all, it allowed us to learn from each other, find a definition of unity and look for that unity wherever possible-aunitybasedonrespetoandcommongoals.Itwasoutofthis“proceso”thatUniondelBarriocameintocontactwithhundredsofhonestforceswhoweretrulyaboutRazaLiberation,andagainthepoliticsofMexicanPowercametotheforefront. On the other hand, the NCMC hadits weaknesses. One of them was that for anorganizationtobecometrulyeffectiveoveralongperiod,itmusthavealeadershipwithdisciplineandthe long-termgoalof liberation. Itmustbeable to give and take orders, there must beaccountability(whensomeonesaystheywilldosomething,theyhavetodoit),andtheleadershipmust have some kind of power. This did notexist. TheNCMCchaptershaddifferentlevelsof commitment, some more than others, andtheoverallprojectsufferedbecauseofit.Thisexperiencetaughtusthat,becausewithaloosebody,andnorealaccountability,theworkwasnotaseffectiveasitcouldhavebeen.Oftentimeswewouldgoonestepforwardandtwobackwards.It also taught us that for a national liberationmovement to be successful, it must be led bya disciplined, revolutionary organization, whichUniondelBarrioisdedicatedtobuilding. Today (2006), themajordriving forcebehindtheNCMCisitscoordinatorJaimeCruz,and theparticipationofgroups (amongothers)suchastheMovimientodeLiberaciónNacional(MLN)andLRUP.

“NCMC” From Page 3seeing who is the ultimate beneficiary of all the resultanthumanmisery,whatmaybehappeninginMexicoCity,CiudadJuarez,GuerrerroandChiapasmaybewarandnotsimplyapoliceaction.FOOTNOTES

1Twelveyearsago,IndigenouscommunitiestookuparmsonJanuary1,1994preciselythedaythat the NorthAmerican FreeTradeAgreement(NAFTA) was implemented; a trade agreementthat opened the floodgates for US trade to further ravage and exploit the economy and people ofMexico.TheagreementwasinitiallynegotiatedbyGeorgeBushSr.andimplementedbyBillClinton,andisthemajorreasonthattheUSisevencurrentlydiscussingaSensenbrennerImmigrationBill.Theagreementwasthemajorreasonfortheeliminationof the Mexican small farms and businesses thathave caused massive populations shifts due toeconomicnecessity.TheEZLNCommuniquofJune12,1994,“thedemandsoftheEZLNaresummedupinthe11pointsmadeintheDeclarationfromtheSelvaLacondona:Work,land,shelter,food,health,education, independence, freedom, democracy,

toworklikeslaves.Thisiswhathashappenedtous.Rightnow,thegreatmajorityofMexicansareacolonizedpeople.SowewantyoutojoinusinthedecolonizationofLaRaza. Wewant to challenge you to start yourownnewspapers,magazines,orany typemedia;we want you to do this above ground or “under-ground”.Undergroundmeanswithoutthepermis-sion of the authorities and above ground meansthatisapprovedorlegal. Underground means doing things se-cretly. Sometimes we have to go undergroundbecausetheplacewherewestudyorworkdoesn’tallowustodisseminateinformation.Butyouhavetobetruchaanddon’tgetcaught.Webelievethataslongaswhatyouaresayingistrueandyouarenotviolatingtherightsofothers,theundergroundmediaisnecessary. So as soon as you get back home,school, or your neighborhood, start working asomekindofRazamediathatisgoingtoraisetheconsciousnessof thepeople; that isgoing tode-colonizepeople. Iwanttoendthispresentationbysayingthat we have no excuse for not producing some

kindofmedia.Thetechnologythatwehavetodaymakes iteasy toproducevideos,CDs,newslet-ters,andsoforth.Evenifyoudon’thaveacom-puterathome,youcanuseoneatschoolorthelibrary.Youcanalsocontactusandwecanhelpout.Remember,therearenoexcuses. WealsowantyoutojointheRazaPressAssociation. Unitewithusorothergroupswhoare forRazaself-determination. Onlyorganizedwillwebeabletoliberateourselves.

Join The Raza Press Association

www.razapressAssociation.com

“Rage” From Page 4

“Raza” From Page 6



May Day: May 1, 2006Oxnard, Califas





For More Photos By Luis MorenoSee Sin Fronteras & All Power to the People at Flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sinfronteras/http://www.flickr.com/photos/razapress/

Spring-Winter 2006


PhotograPhs of struggle throughout

occuPied MexicoBy luis Moreno

raza Press association

Walk for Justice Marcha: March 31, 2006Oxnard, Califas

Gran Marcha Estudiantil: April 15, 2006Los Angeles, Califas

Students Walkout: March 27, 2006Oxnard, Califas

All Power to the People Marcha: Nov. 5, 2006Oxnard, Califas

Raza Press AssociationP.O. Box 20411Oxnard, Califas 93034-0411

E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://razapressassociation.org

Statement Of Purpose: TheRazaPressAssociationistheonlynationalgroupofprogressivejournalistsworkingtowardswinningjustice,peace,andfreedomforallMexicano-Latinos (Raza). We meet on a regularbasis,haveanorganizationalstructure,principlesofunity,objectives,andweconsistentlypublishedjournal,GuerrillerosdeLaPluma. Inresponsetothecontinuingandgrowingassaults on the right to information and freedomofexpression,especiallyasitrelatestoRazaandother oppressed nationalities and peoples withinthecurrentbordersoftheUnitedStates,theRazaPressAssociation(formerlyknownastheChicanoPressAssociation)ismakinganothercallonRaza(students, journalists, community activists, andacademicians) active in the field of media (journal-ism,radio,TV,popularart,spokenword,computerinformation,etc.) tosubmitarticles related to thequestionofTheRoleofRazaPress,Media,AndPopularExpressionInOurStruggleForDemocracy,Justice,AndSelf-determination. The articles must address the histori-

A Call For Articles On Raza Press, Media, And Popular ExpressionFor The Upcoming Spring 2007 Issue

cal/currentonslaughtonprogressiveandalternativethought. We see this fascist-racist attack comingdownboth“withinthebellyofthebeast”fromFBI,Police,MainstreamMedia,ChristianRight,Vendidos,etc.,andexternally fromtheCIA,MilitaryIndustrialComplex,GlobalCapitalism,andsoforth. A major objective of these attacks onprogressive thought is a conscious racist-capital-ist effort to eliminate all programs which wereinitiallydevelopedforthepurposeofadvancingtheeducationalandculturaldevelopmentof the Razacommunity; for example: Chicano Studies, EthnicStudies,ProgressivePublicationsandProgramsatCollegesandUniversities,RazaCulturalCelebrationsatelementaryandhighschools,CentroCulturales,andBilingual/MulticulturalEducation. Selectedarticleswill bepublished in theGuerrillerosdelaPluma,Spring2007Issue-whichwillbeavailableinApril2007.IssuesofGuerrillerosdeLaPlumaaredistributedwidely.Copiesarecirculatedatpoliticalactions,colleges,libraries,andconferences;theyaremailedRazaprisonersandasubscriberslist;thejournalisalsopostedonline(Internet).Literally

thousandsofpeoplereadthejournal.Criteria For Articles:(1) articles must be between 3 and 5 pages (nolongerplease),typedanddoubledspace(Fonts10or12points).Ifyousubmitaresearchtypework-ingpaper,whenquoting,orreferringtodata,usefootnotesorendnotesandabibliographyfordocu-mentationpurposes.Writingstylesthatcouldbeusearethefollowing;Chicago,APA,andMLA.(2)articlesmustbesubmittednolaterthanMarch15,2007,(noexceptions).(3) sendyourarticles viae-mail ([email protected]) or on a floppy disk/CD (i.e. MS Words,etc.)tothefollowingaddress:RazaPressAssociationAttn:GuerrillerosdelaPlumaP.O.Box20411Oxnard,Califas93034-0411\

Hasta La VictoriaRaza Press Association

guerrillera/os de la pluma, spring-winter 2006

Documents

la plumaraza press

raza page

type of media

torcida voz

calles y

popular expression

compa antonio velazquez