1980_01 The Daily Collegian January 1980

              January 30,1980
UvozDeAzrJan
»•>•■'
UFW charged with misuse of federal funds
By EDWARD APARICIO
Once again, the UFW is faced with
another lawsuit by the Farm Bureau,
a nationwide organization representing
the interests of farmers, in an.attempt to
degrade the UFW and its intentions,
according to the UFW . This news was
brought to the attention of viewers
by the ever present media (Fresno Bee,
1-26-80) and "Prime Time Saturday,'
NBC.
The UFW is presently under in¬
vestigation for the alleged misuse of
nearly 2 million dollars in federal
grants. The Farm Bureau contends the
UFW benefitted from the federal monies
allocated for the benefit of UFW MEM -
bers. The grants in question were
issued to two non-profit organizations
established by the UFW, although
separate from the UFW. . The
organizations are the National Farm¬
worker Service Center and the Martin
Luther King, Jr., Farmworker Fund.
In defense of the allegations, UFW
leader Cesar Chavez, feels the charges
part of a "serious, concerted conspiracy'
by the Farm Bureau. Chavez also feels
all the data and research gathered was
done in a biased manner and proper
defense of the charges was not sub¬
mitted or investigated. He has invited
that 4 thorough investigation about any
possible illegalities proceed.
The controversial television program,
aired last Saturday, employed implica¬
tions of foul play against the UFW in
the handling of the federal money.   In
an interview with La Voz De Aztlan,
UFW spokesperson Marc Crossman
refuted all charges in the program claim¬
ing, 'Everything that didn't fit the
program format was cut out. We sup¬
plied NBC with written documentations
totheirch_ges. TOMASURIBES
Farm  Bureau manager for Fresno
..County,  Bill Allison, told  La Voz  De
Aztlan, Monday afternoon that he
felt the program was 'fair' and stated
the program was not • conspiracy to
defame Chavez or the UFW , but added
There are things many of us sinpecto-f'
and were reasonably „re of." When,
ashed about how he felt about the
content of the program, Allison stated,
"I.was pleased. Perkins (the Inter¬
viewer) did a realty good Job. AM of
guys In the city media have Tiber*,
tendencies, but Perkins did an excellent
r*.'.  .
The grants, administered by the De-
i pertinent of Health,  Education and
iWelfare and the U.  S. Community
Services Administration, were to update
the Credit Union and to establish a'
microwave   communication    system
to link farmworker medical clinks and
service centers.  , The Farm Bureau
suit bases their clai m of mi smanegement
of federal funds by stating the UFW
has failed to properly administer all
funds and thus committments have not
been met.
However, Grossman feels such
allegations have been blown out of
proportion and much progress has been
made from the use of the funds. Cross-
man continues by reassuring that the
Credit Union has shown a 'marked
improvement in operations.' Crossman
further adds that the microwave network
Is in tlw completion stages and the farm¬
worker service centers known as Cam-
pesino Centers are in operation.
When questioned by La Voz De Aztlan
concerning the Illegality charges versus
the UFW, Allison commented, 'It
was plainly pointed out in the program
It's not the American way."
Chicano gains undermined by fed court ruling
by TOMAS URIBES
Nearly 150 years have passed since
Chicanos and other minorities have
suffered the indignant wrath of the
"American." Now a California court
is telling us to be more patient in our
quest for social change and justice.
The latest insult came in a 3rd District
Court of Appeals' 2-1 decision last week
that, if upheld by higher courts, would
wipe out for California minorities the
partial "victories" resulting from the
United States Supreme Court's 1978
Bakke ruling. (The lone appeals court
dissenter was Chicano judge- Cruz
Reynoso, who was in Fresno last May
to speak at Fresno City College's
commencement exercises).
The Bakke decision said racial quotas
may not be used,in professional school
admissions but race may be considered
as one factor among others in admissions
decisions.
The appeals court ruled that the Uni¬
versity of California may not give pre¬
ference to minorities, in law school
admissions, even though quotas are
not used. It said that any considera¬
tion of race violates the California
Constitution's "guarantee" that -no
group of citizens can be granted "pri¬
vileges or immunities not granted on
the same terms to all citizens."
In a blunt 23-page opinion written by
J ustice George Paras, the court assailed
virtually every argument supporting
affirmative action minority preference
programs. Justice Robert K Puglia
concurred. Justice Reynoso, the highest
ranking Chicano. judge in the nation,
authored a 20-page dissenting opinion
and sharply criticized his colleagues.
(The news services that reported last
week's action did not print any of Rey-
noso's arguments, nor that of any Chi-~
cano leaders).
In its so-called "reverse discrimina¬
tion" ruling, the two justices "recom¬
mended that minorities show more pa¬
tience for social change."
"The patience we urge upon the pro¬
ponents of minority preference pro¬
grams is in no way unreasonable or un¬
attainable," Paras said, "It was prac¬
ticed many times over in the past by
ethnic groups who with time and per-
serverance achieved acceptable (to
them) proportionality.'
The court's comments came in a
ruling upholding a 1976 Yolo County
Superior Court ruling in the DeRonde
vs. the University of California case.
Clen DeRonde, who was denied ad¬
mission to the University of California,
Davis, law school in 1975, sued the uni¬
versity charging reverse discrimination.
He is white.
Both DeRonde and the university
appealed the Yolo court's ruling that
ordered the'university to end its special
minority admissions program but did
not require it to admit DeRonde.
The appellate court's ruling turns
down DeRonde's amended appeal
that sought financial damages from the
university but upholds the lower court's
ruling against special minority admis¬
sions programs.
DeRonde, who later graduated from
another law school, argued his own case
before the court.
UC lawyer Donald Reidhaar, after
predicting that the state Supreme
Court would reverse the appeals court
ruling, said recently that if it sustains
the decision, the federal high court
might still overturn it on the grounds
that the state was impeding efforts
to bring minorities into the mainstream
of society.
The U.S. Supreme Court generally'
has refused to overrule decisions based
on state constitutions,' unless those
constitutions violate U.S. constitution¬
al rights.
. The law school did not, and does'
not, reserve any places in its class for
minorities. Thus, the appeals court
said, it does not violate the U.S. Con¬
stitution, as interpreted by the Bald-
To add Insult to injury, the i
court said special admissions programs
. produce professionals who are inferior.
Valley Chicanos attend
Conference attracts
1,400
In recent years, CSUF has attracted
many Chicanos on campus at the annual
MEChA sponsored Chicano Youth Con¬
ference and Saturday, January 19,1980,
was no exception.    More than 1400
young Chicano "potentials* crowded into
' the residence cafeteria for the 7th an-
nualCYC-
The conference, largest in the state of
its kind, is held to provide the students
with information regarding college. Its
primary intent is to recruit Chicano stu¬
dents into higher education and to let
them know of community services
available to them. Other universities
throughout the state were also present
to recruit students
The  keynote  speaker  was   Parlier
Mayor Raul Martinez. He encouraged
students to be aware of what an ed¬
ucation can lead to . 'Have a sense of
what education will be for La Raza in the
BO'S', he said, noting this was the first
CYC of the 80-s.On the other hand be let
students know that" education is more
than formal training and a diploma. "A
piece of paper is not education. Educa¬
tion is going back to your backyard to
those who can make a difference. Ed¬
ucation Is about making changes,' he
added.
General interest workshops were held
with some topics being La Chicana,
Problems of Chicano Cangs in the Ba¬
rrio, Chicano Culture, and various other
relevent topics. Also on the agenda
were career workshops dealing with law,
mass media, health, and social services
among others,
El Teatro Del Valle, Balle Foikiorico
and La Marimba Band fram ajoosevelt
High School provided the audience with
excellent entertainment throughout
!the afternoon. A dance capped off the
evening with most of the students ex¬
erting their energy to the beat of a local
FresnoDJ.
All in all, the CYC provided Chicano
youths throughout the valley with an
insight «t higher education which to
the 'Raza and finally, the opportunity
is here.