1990_12 The Daily Collegian December 1990

              Page3
December 10,1990
Who Are The Authentic Phonieis?
Due to the potentially divisive
views and grossly misleading infor¬
mation put forth in the editorial en¬
titled "Who are the phonies?" (No¬
vember La Vox issue) and a recent
letter to the Collegian written by the
self-proclaimed, all powerful] CSU'
Fresno "RADICAL LEFT," it is im¬
perative that we respond with a state¬
ment of clarity. This will assist many
who are confused by the authentic
phonies currently slinging empty
rhetoric and lodging vicious attacks
against long time student activists at
the university. Furthermore, the fail¬
ure of these individuals to assist in
our initiate the formulation of con¬
crete proposals or plans of action to
empower the people they claim to rep¬
resent will be exposed to those of us
that may fall into the category of po-
litiacal activists whom they have ironi¬
cally labeled "The Exposeres."
Movimiento Bstudiantil Chi¬
cano de Aztlan has launched a consis¬
tent, intense struggle against racism
since if sestabbBhmentin 1969. Links
of Bolidarity with other people of color
and progressive students and com¬
munity organizations have forged a
legacy of commitment, dedication, and
passion unrivaled by few other stu¬
dent or community organizations.
Many former MECHAmeuihers
are now actively involved in commu¬
nity organizations such as the Mexi¬
can American Political Association
(rMPADelValle)fullfillingoneofthe
fundamental goals of the Chicano
student movement: returning to the
rrrrrrnruiirV^to" asKst'the-' poverty-"
stricken sectors in attempts to gain
the political power necessary to ac¬
quire economic independence, cultural
pluralism and social equality.
Being active in the community
is a commitment that is often difficult
since many of us are employed full
time and have a family to support
''    ',      '       ■'■■'■■■IB iU V-   ii
YES! YES! YES! You are soooo
right! Let me be the very, very first
one to thank Rick Chacon and Sandra
Gutierrez, George Martinez and Al
Robles, for their enlightening and
encouraging article "Who Are the
Authenic Phonies."
Yon-say in yout article that any
recognition given to you is justly de¬
served Again I say. YES! YES! Y"2S!
Especially since you have given a fiery
and impassioned de-fense of MEChA
against those people who would like
to see IT lose legitimacy so that their
own personal agenda's may be ful¬
filled. '
- Since I am a board member of
MEChA and a copy was given to us by
its authors, I was able to see, in ad¬
vance, the article "Who Are the Au¬
thenic Phonies." In talking to the
other MEChistas, it was apparent that
we were all a little excited about it I
myself was extremely happy, seeing
past MEChistas respecting, support¬
ing, and even vehemently defending
MEChA's stance, recognizing them
financially. Any recognition that is
given to us is justily deserved. Visibil¬
ity in the community, however, is not
as important as the power our tasks
provide for the Me xi ca no farm work¬
ers, Chicano youth, cancer-stricken
children from McFarland and the sur¬
rounding Chicano/Mexicano commu¬
nity. For this reason, it is imperative
that those of us involved in efforts
toward community empowerment
take decisive measures to preservere
the integrity of MECHA and chal¬
lenge those individuals whose sole
purpose is to destroy the unity long
fough t for and built by activists truly
committed to the anti-racist, anti-
sexist struggle.
Unity-SRG was forged by a
coalition comprised of students of
color, progressive whites, and gay and
lesbian students. It is extremely
arrogant for one individual to take or
assume credit,for this accomplish¬
ment The predecessor to Unity-SRG,
the Student Alliance, was founded by
Arab, African-American, Asian, Chi¬
cano and progressive white students
as a result of racist attacks on people
of color at CSU, Fresno in 1981.
In 1983 the Student Alliance
campaigned for and successfully
elected Andrea Hedgley to the office
of student body president, the second
woman and the first African-Ameri¬
can to be elected to that position in the
history of CSU, Fresno. Furthermore,
an attempted recall of Ms. Hedgely by
the conservative forces was soundly
defeated by the Student Alliance and
the progresive reserves mobilized by
them.
Members ofthe self-procalimed
RADICAL LETT have not been
invloved in MECHA, or any progres¬
sive student movement with a cred¬
ible history of struggling against ra¬
cism. They were not involved in the
Coors boycott campaign, the Anti
Simpson-Maxxoli Committee, Cam¬
pus Rainbow Coalition or in STAKE
—an organization whose goal was to
keep university tuition affordable.
Their involvement in the Student
Alliance and Unity-SRG has been
marginal at best, and self-serving
generally.
For them to claim to be the
leaders of any and all progressive
movements at this university and to
attack student activists who have been
intricately involved in the anti-racist
struggle on campus and in the com¬
munity is a grandiose feat indeed,
given their history ofnon-involvement
in student and community politics.
The attacks against students
who have been involved in the struggle
against racism demonstrate a lack of
unity, sence of principle, and isola¬
tion from the anti-racist st ruggl e.. We
must hold each other accountable to
the anti-racism movement and pro¬
tect our community from people des¬
perately clutching a personal agenda.
It may be hard to work together,
to be sure, but common ground can be
found within our community and with
other communities through our de¬
sire to resist the attacks waged against
us. Since it's formation MECHA has
successfully realized unity with other
people of color, an important factor
crucial for student and community
empowerment MECHA's power is
vividly reflected by a historical strings
for our people.
Collectively, it is possible to
jdeyelopaneffective strategy to com¬
bat racism. ' We must combine the
knowledge and sacrifice of the past
with the energy and events of the
present to have a successful move¬
ment toward justice, peace and equal¬
ity. This involves the mutual under¬
standing among African-Americans,
Chaicanos, and other oppressed
groups that unity presents the sole
path toward empowerment; the alter¬
native is to suffer the stagnation
brought by arrogance, mistrust, and
stupidity. We cannot afford to be¬
come casualties of our own lack of
vision.
Those who are attempting to
usurp the power of MECHA must be
warned that MECHA is the only
Chicano student organization that has
remained loyal to the goal of empow¬
ering the Chicano/ Mexicano commu¬
nity . There are no substitutes and no
organizations or group of individuals
seeking to undermine the authority
and credibility ofMECHAshould even
think ofthe possibility of escaping the
wrath of a firm, correct and humane
line of just argumentation.
We must mai n tain the stre right
and integrity ofthe movimiento and
protect it from the designs of oppor- .
tunists attempting to usurp leader¬
ship when they have failed to demon¬
strate the merest ounce of political
activism before the community. We
must continue resisting the coloniza¬
tion of our. gente with fuerza and
defend our banner of liberty which
has been relinquished in our hands. '
This can only be achieved by working
with great passion for the people we
represent Acuredense, {(La Union
Hace La Fuerza!!
En Solidaridad,
Sandra Gutierrez,
MECHA Chairperson, 1989-90
George Martinez,
MECHA Chairperson, 1986-87
Rick Chacon,
MECHA Chairperson, 1983-84
Albert Robles,
MECHA Chairperson, 1985-86
MEChA's Response
as people who are able to analyze the
current political trends and. then
adequately act on those analysis'.
After a while and after reading the
article a .couple of more times, how¬
ever, it became apparent that they
never named from whom they'are
protecting MEChA. After discussing
this undersight with some other
MEChistas, we all assumed, and quite
logically, that their have only been,
aside from the normal attackersCwhite
conservative racists), a couple of
people attacking MEChA We all
assumed that they must be talking
about Karen Cogely and Jose Lopez,
both of Whom have attacked MEChis¬
tas and MEChA in open, -public" fo¬
rums, attacking the leadership ofthe
Chicano Student Movement while
at the same time, claiming to be the
authenic act i vi s t s and the vanguard
ofthe student movement    *
Since the letter was already turned
in, and bringing the error to the atttn,
tion to the authors would'have little,
if any effect, it was suggested to me by
. my fellow MEChistas that I write an
article to clarify what was left out of
"Who Are the Authenic Phonies,* and
in this way rule out any misconcep¬
tions that might be used to cause
derisiveness amongst the people. At
the' rame time this allows me to thank
Rick, Sandra, George, and Al for their
Sstute letter. Its sood good to see
at. not all community radicals have
to fall into the line of marching with
status quo liberal activists who fail to
recognize the changing dynamics and
atmosphere ofthe Chicano Student
Movement, an atmosphere where
bourgeois elitist and often stalinistic
leaders are being supplanted by the
people. LaRaia is finally and truely
taking the reins of leadership from
those who would keep us in bondage.
I would also like to tell of my relief and
jojt seeing that these older MEChis¬
tas do not come from an arrogant
position, but instead come from a
position that recognizes and respects
MEChA's intelligence and sovereignty
in terms of deciding the directions of
the Chicano Student Movement
understanding thatwerMEChAJ com¬
prehend the struggle as it now stands
here at CSU, Fresno. Acurendense,
I J La Union Hace La Fuerza.'.'
En Solidaridad con La Rata,
Andres Montoya,
MEChA SgL of Arms, 1990-91
Irma Serrano,
MBChAChair,.1990-91
Manuel Ramirez,
MEChA Vice Chair, 1990-91
Lai o Garcia, *
MEChA Sgt. of Arms, 1990-91
Salvador Cuevas, MEChA Histo¬
rian, 1990-91 ^
Beatriz Salcedo,
Chair High School Outreach, MEChA,
1990:91
Matt Polanco,
Vice Cliair Semana de la Rata,
MEChA. 1990-91
P.S. Fight "the power*'