Thursday, October 18, 2007

Aztlan North [John Derbyshire]

Incidentally, while hobnobbing with those Midwesterners at Storm Lake, Iowa — their surnames mostly taken from the Stockholm, Oslo, and Berlin phone books — I heard a couple of times the remark that in this little corner of rural Iowa, the student body in the schools is half Hispanic. The remark was passed in a polite, diffident and non-condemnatory way — of course! this is Iowa — and when I tried to probe, people just retreated into niceness (“These Mexican restaurants are really great!”)

Still, I found it hard to believe, surrounded as I was by Lundqvists and Muellers. In an idle moment, however, I looked up the stats on GreatSchools.net. Sure enough, the “Student Stats” on GreatSchools for Storm Lake show percentages Hispanic as:

• High school: 32
• Middle School: 43
• Elementary schools: 53, 66, 63, 53.

Say what you like, that is truly an invasion. Why on earth are we letting this happen?

In order to understand the concept of Aztlán, it is important to understand the historical experience of Chicanas/os, an experience that has been rendered invisible by institutional discourses in the US. Stereotype, of Mexican Americans as “dirty, lazy, drunken, cruel, violent, treacherous, fanatical, priest-ridden, ignorant, and superstitious,” which were formed in early interactions between Anglos and Mexicans helped to foster exploitative practices which continue today.

The concept of Aztlán was originated by the poet Alurista in the year 1969 at the conference organized by Corky Gonzales in Denver. In an interview, Alurista said:

“People call California, Arizona, Nueva Mexico and Colorado Aztlán, but really, Aztlán is wherever we are. We don’t recognize borders. It’s more a matter of cultural/political identity. When I say this is our land, I don’t mean that we own it. Who owns anything?”

Aztlán was a spiritual concept which was meant to unite all Xican@s. Derbyshire’s post is nothing more but a racist appeal from the far right.

Most people don’t know that back in 1912, Hellmann’s mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, México, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York. This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to México. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.

The people of México, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day. The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo.

Fooled ya!

Cinco de Mayo is not México’s Independence Day, but the celebration of the victory of the Mexican Army, led by Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, over the French expeditionary forces in the “[tag]Batalla de Puebla[/tag]” ([tag]Battle of Puebla[/tag]) on May 5, 1862. On that morning, history was written that continues to serve as a reminder that with patriotism, valor and pride, one will overcome any and all obstacles. Cinco de Mayo is a day of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. The victory was viewed as a symbol that proved to the world that national sovereignty would not be compromised. Especially those from imperialist states hell bent on world conquest.

Cinco de Mayo’s history has its roots in the French Occupation of México. The historical background leading to French intervention took shape in the aftermath of the Mexico-US War of 1846-48. As a result, México lost two-thirds of its territory to the north what is now known as the southwest region of the United States. The “Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo” settled the war with fifteen million dollars in payment for the annexed lands. It was not only bloody but it was even considered to be an “unjust war” by freshman House member, future President Abraham Lincoln. He spoke out against the war, which he accused President James Polk’s motive as a desire for “military glory – that attractive rainbow, that rises in showers of blood.” In his speech to Congress, Lincoln said:

“God of Heaven has forgotten to defend the weak and innocent, and permitted the strong band of murderers and demons from hell to kill men, women, and children, and lay waste and pillage the land of the just.”

Both Former President Adams and Lincoln, worked together in 1848 as members of the House of Representatives, to expose the fraud of the US war against Mexico. Former President John Quincy Adams described the war as a southern expedition to find “bigger pens to cram with slaves.”

With this war, México entered a period of national crisis during the 1850s. Years of not only fighting the Americans but also a Civil War, had left México devastated and bankrupt. In 1861, the newly elected democratic President [tag]Benito Juarez[/tag] issued a moratorium to defer their debts for two years, with the commitment to start making payments after that period.

On October 31, 1861, Queen Isabella II of Spain, Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Emperor Napoleón III of the Second French Empire refused the request, so they sent their troops to México to collect their debts. The English and Spanish quickly made deals with Juarez and left. The French had other ideas. A month after the Spanish and British withdrawal, France brought 4,500 troops and began marching inland on its war of occupation. Their intention was to dispose of the Mexican Constitutional Government and create an Empire in Mexico under Napoleon III, who also detested the growing power in the US because Napoleon III believed that the US would eventually become a power in and of itself if left unchallenged. At that time the US had already entered into the American Civil War (1861–1865). Not may people realize, Napoleon III came very close to officially recognizing the Confederacy and was driven by a desire to keep the Union split. All through 1862, Napoleon III entertained Confederate diplomats, raising hopes that he would unilaterally recognize the Confederacy. Napoleon III also had plans to impose a monarchical government upon the nations of Central and South America. By doing this, France would have been able to provide raw materials and trade for the European nations as well as put the US in check.

Napoleon III had help by the plutocratic and conservative land owners of Mexico who feared loss of land and political power to the newly elected constitutional government of Benito Juárez. In 1862, Napoleon III began to advance by sending his army of the Second French Empire into Mexico. Napoleon III planed to seat Maximilian I, a Hapsburg prince, as Emperor of the new Mexican empire. The French Army had never lost a battle in 50 years, and with this belief they invaded Mexico. The French Army was equipment with modern weaponry and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. Historians believe the French established the monarchy, especially since the US was already in its own Civil War.

At this time, President Juárez (a full blooded Zapotec Indian, and a lawyer who had studied to become a priest), was already taking countermeasures. Presidente Juárez commanded General Ignacio Zaragoza to block the advance of the French Army at the fortified hills of Loreto and Guadalupe by the city of Puebla. Under the command of General Zaragoza, the Mexicans awaited with 5,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians. On May 5, 1862, General Zaragoza beat back repeated French assaults and ended up defeating the French army in Puebla, which is now known as the “Batalla de Puebla.” Before the day was over, more than a thousand French soldiers were dead.

General US Grant told President Lincoln in 1865 that the Civil War would not have been over if the French continued to stay in Mexico. The 1962 Mexican victory did contribute to the Union victory in our Civil War. If not, Napoleon III would have continued to supply weapons to the Confederate Army, and American history would have been different.

The French defeat by Mexicans on the 5th of May kept the French from supplying the rebel Confederacy with massive cannonry and munitions. Superior Union numbers and soldiery combined with a lack of cannon and munitions to defeat the Confederate Army of General Robert E. Lee at the four-day July 1863 battle of Gettysburg. This Pennsylvania battle assured the total defeat of the Southern rebels and the continued existence of the United States of America.

Once the Civil War ended, President Abraham Lincoln turned his attention and American resources to help Mexico throw out the French Army. He personally ordered General Sheridan to Texas to help the Mexicans.

Why Cino de Mayo Matters
“Cinco de Mayo” is often mistaken for México’s Independence Day. However, “El Grito de Dolores” was a proclamation calling for México’s independence from Spain on September 16 in the year 1810 by Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato. México gained its independence from Spain after 11 years of armed struggle in the year of 1821. México’s Independence Day is celebrated on September 15. However, in México, as well in the United States, the festivities extend to September 16 with a parade. The importance Cinco de Mayo” is not that it only memorializes a historical event, but it is a cultural emergence coupled with a history that has taken place that defines who we are as Latin@s y Xican@s. That’s something we must not forget.

Even though the won battle and not the war, “La batalla de Puebla,” is not just a battle that took place in Mexico or how the battle helped the Union win, it is more than that, it is about the true David and Goliath story, which comprised of mestizos and Zapotecs who were often taken for granted, ignored and without any more elements other than their patriotism and defeated their European conquistadors – a truly defining moment in Latino history. Napoleon III like most Europeans at that time also thought that mestizos and indigenous could easily be conquerable against a mighty white imperialist European Army. After the battle was won, General Ignacio Zaragoza, through the Méxican War Ministry gave the following message: “The National arms are covered with glory! I can affirm with pride that at no moment the Méxican soldiers did not turn their backs to the enemy.”

The victory at Puebla does have specific meaning to me and I can only speak for myself. It is more than just recognizing that a historic event occurred in Puebla, it is about a moment in Latino history that warrants reflection on this day. It is about putting a spotlight on our heritage as a mestizaje in which we took part in shaping the course of history for both México and the US. We cannot deny that General Ignacio Zaragoza was a Tejano and how under his command prevented a certain chain of events. What if he didn’t win and Napolean III has his way? What would our world look like if the Confederacy have won the Civil War? What would Central and South America be like now? Because these events never took place, we are lucky we don’t need to ponder these questions. However, our heritage continues to go unrecognized, it is critical para La Raza to continue to remember not only for our identity in historical terms, but to know how we helped shaped the world.

Mexican philosopher and educator José Vasconcelos said that an epic drama is beginning to unfold in the Americas for the recognition that the indigenous people of the Americas and the Spanish were becoming “la raza cósmica”

Las circunstancias actuales favorecen, en consecuencia, el desarrollo de las relaciones sexuales internacionales, lo que presta apoyo inesperado a la tesis que, a falta de nombre mejor, titulé: de la Raza Cósmica futura.

This also included other Europeans, Arabs, and Africans, todos somos primos, hence the expression “la raza de bronce,” the bronze race.

Given the recent events that occurred at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, the massive round-ups that are occurring here in the US, the deaths that are occurring en la frontera, and the thousands on immigrants (documented and the undocumented) who are imprisoned in our concentration camps, now is the time when WE as La Raza and reclaim this day as ours and not see it as an opportunity to go out and get drunk on Mexican beer. In our time of darkness, we can look to this event to serve as a beacon of hope to unite our community. Each and every person expects hope – is waiting for hope, is hoping for hope. With the uncertainty of the future, too much is at stake now. And now more than ever, we should stand together in solidarity and proudly say “Nosotros estamos aqui—don’t count us out!”

The symptoms of this nationwide problem are best exemplified among people who are widely disinterested with anything having to do with education, politics, spirituality, health, the social structure, and the issues affecting their community and the country as a whole. We are a society of sleepwalkers, not wanting to care or get involved.

The most dangerous people that exist right now are not the ones who are running White House, but the ones on the streets of our municipal communities, where solidarity was once shown between the communities of color are now being replaced with disputes of quen es el mas chingon. This type of thinking is dangerous because it enslaves to apathy, which leads us towards our slaughter by coveting to be entertained than being engaged. The opiates of the masses these days has to do with materialistic goods, such as – pop-culture, music, sports, fashion, movies, television, computers, video games, cell phones, alcohol, sex, drugs, and whatever suits our fancy. With all these distractions and idol worship, how could anyone possibly trust this generation to lead the world in fifteen to twenty years?

The question can be asked. Is there really anybody we can blame for the chaos we are in? Or do we actually fear that being idealistic will eventually become compromised, so why bother since the natural order of things is to start off young and energetic and idealistic and well, you know, drop everything because we got ours? Remember, it was the Woodstock kids that emigrated to Wall Street suits. Have they passed down their pessimistic view? However, can we absolutely put the blame on them for throwing in the towel, grabbing the money and running? Or maybe they too fell victim to corporate elites’ societal pressures because eventually everyone has to “sell out” when the rent is two months past due or forced to lick clean the last jar of peanut butter.

The truth is, this social phenomenon has been created make sure that the status quo continues. And those wishing to challenge the apathy or extend a hand of help in creating a movement toward exchange is coped with approximately and eventually are vilified and worse turned into the authorities in certain instances. I believe this mass warping of people’s minds is today’s offshoot of COINTELPRO. Their collective minds are willing to do whatever it takes to squash individuality and all forms of free speech that do not go along with the government’s utopian world view. A police state continues to form slowly, the hardest hit right now are the communities of color. If we do not act now to become aware, educate our family and community, and establish a real movement to ward off the threat of the fourth Nazi Reich, we might as well, live the rest of our lives on our knees.

Global change requires a strong willed, moralistic leader with underlying caliber and ethical pursuit. However, political power cannot be won by a single minority group. But through alliances with other oppressed peoples and the working class, a revolutionary movement can be built as occurred in revolutionary upheavals (1848, 1917) and the mass struggles of the 1930s.

The future lies in building strong broad-based multi-tendency extremist organization that must comprise liberal and revolutionary nationalists, socialists, union militants, church activists and idealist and visionaries. It is time to call for the unity against all orders of oppression, comprising class exploitation, racism, patriarchy, homophobia, anti-immigration prejudice and imperialism. The war against structural is a relevant arena for our struggle, and must be fought head-on. I cannot do this alone, the question is – who is willing to step up and lend a hand.

A discussion needs to take place, opinions need to be expressed and shared. So who is in favor of this strategy? Let me hear your thoughts.

I am tired of the relentless lies and meanness of special pleading right-wingers whose cloying candy coating can hardly conceal the poison pill inside and unfortunately, there are many people who uncritically accept any sort of mental dandruff people shake off their heads. Yesterday, a request came my way by GayPatriot to “confirm” if Daniel Maldonado, Editor and Publisher of Aztlan Electronic News was the same Daniel Maldonado (aka Daniel Aljughaifi) who was recently arrested for training with Al-Qaeda to become a terrorist bomber.

Well, la de friken da, give this man a prize. Do you actually think that every Tomas, Pablo, and Enrique you see and hear on the news are all the same? Just because you can do a simple Google search, it gives you the right to say “Gotcha!” All it shows is that you and your ilk, the Lou Dobbs, the Pat Buchanans, the Bill O’Reillys, the Michele Malkins have only one intent and that is to harm anybody who is Brown. I think George Carlin had it right when he said “If You’re Brown, You’re Goin Down! … You got some brown people in your country? Tell ‘em to watch the fuck out, or we’ll goddamn bomb them!” And in this case, we’ll deport your ass.

In order for the right wing to sustain their collective delusion, it seems, they must make shit up. For people who disliked the former Soviet Union, they really do enjoy using old Stalinistic tactics to get rid of their perceived enemies by tarring every opponent with broad accusation all for the “public good.” What do Latino immigrants have to do with Al-Qaeda? The answer is nothing at all! However, this is the same mental crap that is being peddled by the right-wing talking heads.

However, this is not new. These are the same tactics that have used by [tag]John Tanton[/tag], of [tag]US English[/tag] and Federation for American Immigration Reform ([tag]FAIR[/tag]), who planted the seed for English only movement that began in the 1980s; and [tag]Glenn Spencer[/tag], of the [tag]American Patrol[/tag], who planted the seed for La [tag]Reconquista[/tag] fable – the alleged plot to turn several American states into a Mexican state or some kind of puppet government controlled by Mexico – that started in the 1990s.

The gist of the [tag]anti-immigrant[/tag] sentiment is that the newcomers are up to no good, they just want a handout, they have too many babies and they are hell-bent on contaminating our precious bodily fluids and, besides, you wouldn’t want your daughter to date one. In fact, the whole anti-immigrant sentiment is starting to turn out to be anti-Brown, where some state are creatively coming up with “anybody but Brown folk” laws.

So this time, their sole argument is based on a Nationalistic pride, which they strike their chest on the mountain top proclaiming, “This is Amerikkka! Secure the borders from the Brown menace!!” That is why it is imperative to construct the new right-wing boogeyman through a shell game that allows them to find anything “INTERESTING,” no matter how obscure, that could connect “the [tag]Latino Boogieman[/tag]” and the [tag]Aztlán[/tag] movement to Al-Qaeda. Like Michele Malkin who has repeatedly TRIED to link migrant farmers or starving family members to those people who flew the planes on 9/11. There isn’t any sinister conspiracy, the true villains are “ethnic bosses” who keep their people in bondage.

Despite all the discussion about civility, the right wing relies on forms of violence, whether verbal, implied or actual. For many people this appears to be the appeal: a way for the otherwise inadequate to act like solid guys, their violence safely done at a distance and by proxy. One of the right-wings favorite tactics is manufacturing plots, which serves them well as a weapon to attack its “enemies.” This is done so they can avoid having to debate the issues and incite fear in their audiences.

One can find a laundry list of right wing militarists who have adopted this type of tough talk attitude, however, they are the least willing to accept the consequences for it, much less place themselves at risk. The leading targets of such rhetoric have been [tag]undocumented immigrants[/tag] from leading pundits as Michele Malkin, Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh to name a few.

Even the most marginal member of the right-wing echo chamber does their part not only selling the lies, but also making a hash of American politics, the rule of law and the expression of simple decency. Therefore, it is not a surprise to find on the net the use of eliminationist rhetoric among right-wing bloggers, such as GayPatriot.

Back in 2005, GayPatriot embarrassed himself by beginning to believe his own fantasy of right-wing shit-talking strength. Within the confines of his own site, he can do and say whatever he pleases. Apparently, GayPatriot tried to engage in some form of thuggish behavior by labeling two activists and bloggers, Mike Rogers (BlogActive) and John Aravosis (Americablog), as “Gay Terrorists.” On a post entitled “WANTED: GAY TERRORISTS,” with photos of Rogers and Aravosis, GayPatriot wrote:

Wanted for crimes against the gay community. Wanted for repeatedly conducting outing witch hunts against gays who do not believe in radical liberal anti-American ideals. For repeated violations of privacy of gay Americans. For conducting systematic civil liberties attacks on gay Americans.

WANTED! Let’s do something about these gay terrorists who have infected our community with their hatred and self-loathing bigotry of gay Americans who wish to live their lives in peace.

It was all fun and games until Michael Rogers called GayPatriot’s place of employment immediately following the post and spoke to GayPatriot’s secretary and boss. Rogers said he asked GayPatriot to remove the post and replace it with a post about non-violence or he would launch a national boycott of GayPatriot’s corporate employer and pursue all avenues necessary to protect himself. Rogers call to GayPatriot’s employer put an end to that nonsense, the post was removed and GayPatriot temporarily stepped away from the blogosphere.

However, that does not mean he stopped engaging in thuggish intimidation. It really is not a surprise to find more eliminationism rhetoric on GayPatriot’s site, this time targeting Maldanado.

They should put this guy in front of a firing squad at Ground Zero in NYC.

Its people like these who expect us to say “Si, Señor” while licking their boots, and not speak unless spoken to! But the minute we do stand up for ourselves, we are demonized, slandered, libeled, the same way the Iraqis were right before going to war, all to make themselves look like the “good guys,” the true American Patriot, in fact, they are nothing but a wolf under the a fine suit, with a bag of tricks. They want us to believe how GRATEFUL we should be to live here in Amerikkka, and how we should feel GOOD about licking the boots of our masters. That is why xenophobic jackbooted racist repeat the same Republican meme on how America has given us everything and all we are to take and give nothing back.

Well, I am fed up with the sheer venom and rage that is displaced on the Latino community. Call it “shrill” or “unhinged,” the truth is, it is the same rage that permits their followers to practice [tag]eliminationism[/tag], where they have no qualms about shooting them all up while letting God sort out their mess. The right isn’t afraid of the occasional incredibly dumb and horrible act by some otherwise political opponent. What they fear is justice.

Sabes que GayPatriot, I refuse to be anybody’s “Si, Señor Spic” for some racist prick to kick around. I have contributed as much blood, sweat, and tears, and money, as any person, only to see clever and greedy bastards from your Party squander it away in your murderous wars.

It is time to demand justice NOW and say NO to poverty, to substandard schools and housing, to inferior wages and shit jobs, to old and new-fashioned discrimination, to Driving while Black, Mexican, or Puerto Rican. NO to apocalyptic fantasies of political demagogues and the depraved appeals of right-wing pundits, [tag]white supremacists[/tag] and bigots, even if it’s found wearing a “progressive” disguise, who seek to inflame racial passions.

The gloves are off, cabron!

Most people don’t know that back in 1912, Hellmann’s mayonnaise was manufactured in England. In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico, which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York. This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico. But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.

The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day. The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as Sinko de Mayo.

Fooled ya!

What is Cinco de Mayo?
The quick and easy answer: Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day, but the celebration of the victory of the Mexican Army, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, over the French expeditionary forces in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

History of Cinco de Mayo and the US Connection
Cinco de Mayo is a date of great importance for the Mexican and Chicano communities. The victory was viewed as a symbol that demonstrated to the world that Mexico was willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest.

Cinco de Mayo’s history has its roots in the French Occupation of Mexico. The French occupation took shape in the aftermath of the Mexico-US War of 1846-48. With this war, Mexico entered a period of national crisis during the 1850’s. Years of not only fighting the Americans but also a Civil War, had left Mexico devastated and bankrupt. In 1861, the newly elected democratic President Benito Juarez issued a moratorium to suspend their debts for two years, with the promise to start making payments after that period.

The French, Spanish and English would have none of that, so they sent their troops to Mexico to collect their debts. The English and Spanish quickly made deals with Juarez and left. The French had other ideas. Their intention was to create an Empire in Mexico under Napoleon III, who also detested the growing power in the US because Napoleon III believed that the US would eventually become a power in and of itself if left unchallenged. At that time the US had already entered into the American Civil War (1861–1865). Not may people realize, Napoleon III came very close to officially recognizing the Confederacy and was driven by a desire to keep the Union split. All through 1862, Napoleon III entertained Confederate diplomats, raising hopes that he would unilaterally recognize the Confederacy.

Also in 1862, Napoleon III began to advance by sending his army of the Second French Empire into Mexico. Napoleon III planed to seat Maximilian I, a Hapsburg prince, as Emperor of the new Mexican empire. The French Army had never lost a battle in 50 years, and with this belief they invaded Mexico. The French Army was equipment with modern weaponry and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. Historians believe the French established the monarchy, especially since the US was already in its own Civil War.

Under the command of Texas-born General Ignacio Zaragoza, the Mexicans awaited with 5,000 ill-equipped Mestizo and Zapotec Indians. On May 5, 1862, General Zaragoza beat back repeated French assaults and ended up defeating the French army in Puebla, which is now known as the “Batalla de Puebla.”

General U.S. Grant told President Lincoln in 1865 that the Civil War would not have been over if the French continued to stay in Mexico. The 1962 Mexican victory did contribute to the Union victory in our Civil War. If not, Napoleon III would have continued to supply weapons to the Confederate Army, and American history would have been different.

The French defeat by Mexicans on the 5th of May kept the French from supplying the rebel Confederacy with massive cannonry and munitions. Superior Union numbers and soldiery combined with a lack of cannon and munitions to defeat the Confederate Army of General Robert E. Lee at the four-day July 1863 battle of Gettysburg. This Pennsylvania battle assured the total defeat of the Southern rebels and the continued existence of the United States of America.

Once the Civil War ended, President Abraham Lincoln turned his attention and American resources to help Mexico throw out the French Army. He personally ordered General Sheridan to Texas to help the Mexicans.

Why Cino de Mayo Matters

“La batalla de Puebla” is not just a battle that took place in Mexico or how the battle helped the Union win. It was more than that, it is a victory of mestizos and Zapotecs against European conquistadors. Napoleon III like most Europeans at that time thought that mestizos and Indians were easy people to conquer against white imperialist Europeans.

Mexican philosopher and educator José Vasconcelos said that an epic drama is beginning to unfold in the Americas for the recognition that the indigenous people of the Americas and the Spanish were becoming “la raza cósmica“

Las circunstancias actuales favorecen, en consecuencia, el desarrollo de las relaciones sexuales internacionales, lo que presta apoyo inesperado a la tesis que, a falta de nombre mejor, titulé: de la Raza Cósmica futura.

This also included other Europeans, Arabs, and Africans, todos somos primos, hence the expression “la raza de bronce”, the bronze race.

The victory at Puebla does have specific meaning to me at least (I can only speak for myself). It is about the emerging mestizaje, the mixed peoples of the Americas, and the recognition that something historic and important happened in Puebla.

So this Mexican holiday not only memorializes a historical event, but a cultural emergence coupled with a history that has taken place in this hemisphere that makes us who we are. That’s something we must not forget.

Given the recent immigration debates here in the US, now is the time when WE as Chicanos should value our traditions. With the uncertainty of the future, too much is at stake now. And now more than ever, we should stand together in solidarity and proudly say “Nosotros estamos aqui—don’t count us out!”

With a heritage that continues to go unrecognized, it is critical para La Raza to continue to remember the identity of “I” in historical terms.

One of methods used by those in wingnuttia is race-baiting when ever they start fearing there is a power struggle between minorities and non-minorities. This is not new. In the early 90s, those in wingnuttia where whining how all the engineering jobs where going to foreigners.

“AEA Action On Immigration Reform” covered AEA’s activity to seek the revision of the Immigration Reform Act of 1990 and reduce the number of visas available to foreign engineers and to reduce the number of foreign engineering students allowed to remain in the United States after they completed their education…. What about the U.S. taxpayer who funds our college empire only to see their sons and daughters going without jobs. We know the college engineering degree production exceeds the demand for our young graduates. Parents of our college graduates say their tax dollars subsidized foreign students’ education while they and their children go unemployed.

But then in the mid-90s, once it started working, that gave them an opening to start spreading fear, or as it was called, the white male backlash. One part of this attack was to plant the seed called [tag]La Reconquista[/tag] – the idea that Mexicans are invading America to reclaim it for Mexico.

Although it started out as conspiracy theory among the [tag]white supremacists[/tag], their fears can be traced back to 1917 when [tag]Zimmermann Telegram[/tag] was decoded by the British.

Zimmermann’s message included proposals for a German alliance with Mexico, while Germany would still try to maintain a state of neutrality with the United States. If this policy were to fail, the note suggested, the Mexican government should make common cause with Germany, try to persuade the Japanese government to join the new alliance, and attack the U.S.. Germany, for its part, would provide financial assistance and the restoration of former territories of Texas (which had achieved independence in 1836), New Mexico and Arizona (which had been ceded in the US-Mexico war of 1846–1848), to Mexico.

Some say it was this telegram that brought the U.S. into World War I. But it was in that telegram, the word reconquer was used.

In the event of this not succeeding, we make Mexico a proposal or alliance on the following basis: make war together, make peace together, generous financial support and an understanding on our part that Mexico is to reconquer the lost territory in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

After the discovery of the telegram, race relations between Latinos and Whites have been soured, especially in the Southwest, thus, creating a situation that has lasted for decades.

The argument being used now, is now combined with the founding documents of the [tag]Chicano[/tag] movement, “[tag]El Plan Espiritual de Aztlán[/tag].”

In the spirit of a new people that is conscious not only of its proud historical heritage but also of the brutal “gringo” invasion of our territories, we, the Chicano inhabitants and civilizers of the northern land of Aztlan from whence came our forefathers, reclaiming the land of their birth and consecrating the determination of our people of the sun, declare that the call of our blood is our power, our responsibility, and our inevitable destiny….With our heart in our hands and our hands in the soil, we declare the independence of our mestizo nation.

El Plan is a manifesto that appeals to nationalism as a way to achieve a self-awareness and self-esteem. El Plan never asked for the return of lost territories back to Mexico. So what is “[tag]Aztlán[/tag]?”

The concept of Aztlán was originated by the poet Alurista in the year 1969 at the conference organized by Corky Gonzales in Denver. In an interview, Alurista said:

“People call California, Arizona, Nueva Mexico and Colorado Aztlán, but really, Aztlán is wherever we are. We don’t recognize borders. It’s more a matter of cultural/political identity. When I say this is our land, I don’t mean that we own it. Who owns anything?”

Aztlán was a spiritual concept which was meant to unite all Chican@s. Latinos through out the US are really divided because within the Southwest, Latinos in each State has own history of discrimination and oppression. Tejanos, in Texas see themselves very differently from those in New Mexico, Arizona and California because Mexico lost Texas first and this occurred way before the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. Nuevo Mexicanos, in New Mexico also see themselves different from those in Arizona and Californianos and vise versa even though those states were established from the Treaty. Before the Chicano Movement there was no concept that united them. In other words, “Aztlán,” is spiritual concept that we are a people that have a homeland.

It was not until recently that [tag]Glenn Spencer[/tag], of the [tag]American Patrol[/tag], started spewing this conspiracy theory that the mainstream media started picking it up:

The so-called reconquista, the alleged plot to turn several American states into a Mexican state or some kind of puppet government controlled by Mexico, has been a top concern for Spencer for years. Back in 1999, he put it like this: “The consul general says Mexico is reconquering California. A Mexican intellectual suggests that anyone who doesn’t like Mexicans should leave California. What else do you need to hear? RECONQUISTA IS REAL… . EVERY ILLEGAL ALIEN IN OUR NATION MUST BE DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY. … IF WE CAN BOMB THE TV STATION IN BELGRADE [in the former Yugoslavia] WE CAN SHUT DOWN [U.S. Spanish-language stations] TELEMUNDO AND UNIVISION.”

Spencer got involved in the anti-immigration movement in 1992, when he formed Voice of Citizens Together, also known as American Patrol, in California. In 2002, saying the battle was lost in that state, he moved to the “front lines” of the Arizona border, where he formed American Border Patrol. He was one of the first to call for border citizens’ patrols and pioneered the use of surveillance technology.

Now you have people like [tag]Michelle Malkin[/tag] and [tag]Lou Dobbs[/tag] feeding their audience nothing but fear. Why? Because people become very irrational when they are fearful. When that happens they defer to authority because they’re eager to be safe.

This is nothing more but a racist appeal from the far right. The sad thing, they are winning because they have been able to convince mainstream Americans that the Mexican flags they see on TV from the marches are signs of the invasion. Even Alex Jones has been spew the same bullshit without any real research. And some how people see this as being legitimate. It is time to end this propaganda now!