Dear La Voz:
Thanks for the article on "Latino Stops at Borders!" I am a Chicana, and was harrassed at the Tijuana border because I refused to pronounce "Los Angeles" in English; whatever that means, there really is no way of pronouncing it other than in Spanish!!. Any way, they wanted to hear me pronounce it in English, but I stood my ground, and they finally had to let me go, after about an hour of harrassment! How do you like "them" chiles?!
The Japanese were harrassed during WWII, but we have continually suffered harrassment, and will probably suffer it forever! As long as Mexico is next to Gringolandia, we will have to clash with the enemy!
Lucila
east Los
Dear La Voz:Thank you for the excellent review of the current Rampart Scandal. It gives both sides of the issues relating to this horrible affair. Both Times Staff Writers, Riccardi and Olivo were fair in their summation of the current situation. As analyst, Rodriguez states, it is very easy for the elite to criticize Latinos politicians, without seeing the implications of repercussions in speaking out--it is easy to tear down what you are already a part of. Latinos who are beginning to work within the system are not out of the kitchen yet, let alone being part of a sophisticated political machine!
The analogy of the long distance runner trying to catch up to the sprinter, who has been around the track infinite times more--we as Latinos in the U.S. are the long-distance runners. It will take many decades for us to learn the sophisticated political systems in place in this country, and in the world. Though the Rampart scandal is a shameful affair, we must bear our mistakes and move on. It is unfortunate for Latino politicians that in order to stay in positions of power, they must be careful not to appear too radical. It is our duty as Latinos to make our presence known, by voting and to show our representatives, that they can speak out and be heard, and not be penalized for it.
Lucila Lopez
lucila@rcf.usc.edu
Editor,
I would like to thank you and your production crew for this excellent revista. The Heroes de La Raza series has been especially informative and is a great tool to expose positive role models to our Chicano youth. The enormity of Dr. Garcia's contributions to our community has never been conveyed like it has been presented here. Finally, I am glad to see submissions of scholarly papers. The reports on the Mexican community in Chicago were very enlightening to read. Hopefully you can get some pro/con submissions from Chicano legal scholars concerning constitutional and international precedence as it relates to Chicano Separatism. This is a subject that needs serious discussion, debate and dissemination if we are going to be able to chart our community's future destiny. Any attorneys out there willing to address this? I have added your site to my favorites. Buena Suerte.
paul garcia
Brown Beret Captain
Fresnal, Califaztlan
phg@compaq.net
Hola Hector.....thank you for taking the time and making the effort to educate our people.....your subject matter is interesting and relevant to the preservation of our culture and to the continued development of our society.....most importantly, your "Heroes" article is a one-of-a-kind, that I feel is of utmost importance for our youth......how many people realize that the children that are now entering college/society/workforce were born in 1982....No fear of nuclear war......Tianenmen square means nothing....AIDS has always been around....never been without a remote control......Michael Jackson has always been white......popcorn is cooked in a microwave.....bottlecaps screw off and are made of plastic.....they don't know what it is to "sound like a broken record" because they never owned a record player.....only blacks had to sit "over there".....grapes are safe to eat....produce "arrives" in stores.....hotel and restaurant workers get paid like everyone else....Al Gore and George Bush are bilingual.....the Alamo was an American victory......Wyatt Earp was a good guy......and the list goes on and on; especially for us as parents and educators that are "40ish" and trying to find fountains of information to teach our children the true history of who we are. I thank you again for your efforts and for the opportunity to participate with you in this mission so important. I will continue to reprint your material in my newspaper for as long as you permit us. (Hard copy in the Mail) I also look forward to a continued dialogue and hope that we get flooded with responses and requests for the "Real Story" behind where we are today and pray that more people read Webpages and Hispanic newspapers with their children.
God Bless
Frank Escobar, Jr.
Editor & Publisher
"el Cambio de Arizona"
lacrest@c2i2.com
Dear Editor:
First of all, let me start by congratulating you on your wonderful work on "la voz de aztlan" & to thank you for each day providing me with information. My name is selene valencia. I am 22 years old & live in san jose califaztlan. I am very happy to know that now we the MEXICA people will also have a holiday of a MEXICA hero. But it also hurts me to see how the white people always try to hurt the MEXICA people by making laws that sentence our people to life terms in prison. They are always working their brains, & trying to figure ways out to to bring MEXICA down. Now our MEXICA brothers & sisters are risking their lives to come to this country, having to ask the white people permission to be here. We have no need for that because after all this is " our land" that they stole from us. But no matter what they do, they will never bring us down, because we are the great, great , great, grandchildren of QUETZALCOATL & HUITZILOPOCHTLI. Of EMILIANO ZAPATA & PANCHO VILLA who fought so hard for us, & we must not let them down.
NIMEXICA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Selene Valencia
svalenci@parc.xerox.com
Estimados Miembros de La Voz:I'm in complete accord with your general aims in this struggle to make our presence known in this country in a dignified, realis- tic, and just manner. This is a really World-Wide Task that needs the co-opperation of all of us.
Let's approach this "renaissance" with vision, candor and love. As a matter of fact we already have potentialy done it, with our growing numbers, without "making waves"; just by dedicated work, smiling faces and positive attitudes we are winning "them" over; not to ment- ion the other additives that come along with the "deal": food, music, good-living and religious and moral attitudes of understanding and forgivness.
We got it made already. Just let it simmer a while and in no time we'll see the loving results of appreciation, admiration and in some cases total adoration for our culture: The First Global Culture at grass-roots level.
My advice: Let's play it cool through the system (the best in the world) of laws . Pressed for time right now. Later.
Afectuosos Saludos
Que viva la Raza Cosmica !!! (the other groups will come into the fold in time; mark my words; an early hint; in the last few years salsa outsold Catsup) Easy does it!
Peace
Ernesto
ERNESTOFIGUEROA@webtv.net
Dear Editor:I read with some bemusement about the "Hispanic Homeland" prediction. My first reaction was "Why?" If living in a country with a pure Latin American community was an issue, people would simply move back down to Latin America.
Having just returned from a week in my beloved El Salvador, I will be the first to say that I am glad I live in the United States.
The U.S. provides a framework like no other -- in which political activism and participation hold forth the promise of influence in the halls of government, and the economic system is open enough that anyone can "make it". That framework exists in no other Latin American country today.
But now, thanks to this "out there" professor of Chicano studies, the xenophobic, anti-immigrant, racist groups out there (like project USA) are going to hold his statements up as further proof that the country needs tighter immigration and language controls. In short, that professor will offer a perfect recruiting pitch for those organizations attempting to spread hate and fear of all Latinos and other immigrant groups. Too bad at least one reporter took him seriously...
Markos Moulitsas Zúniga
Hispanic/Latino News Service
markos@picosito.com
Dear La Voz de Aztlan:It was wonderful hearing about the passage of this great holiday for such a great American! I'm overjoyed at knowing that although our leader, Cesar Chavez is no longer with us, he will always be in spirit and in our hearts for he taught us the true meaning of "Si Se Puede!" Felicidades to your great Web Site. Graphics are fantastic! Your tribute to Ruben Salazar was griping and reminds us how much bloodshed these fallen heroes have had to endure for the benefit of future generations and our own. My best wishes for your continued success!
P.S. Forgot to comment about the Republicans abstaining from voting on the Cesar Chavez Holiday Bill (SB 984). I'm elated that you included this information, so that all who read this message will be aware of where Republicans' interests lie!! Next time a Latino dares to try and convince us to vote republican, we can let him know the truth is in the pudding! Hasta pronto, sin mas...
Saludos desde Aztlan...
Lucila Lopez
lucila@rcf.usc.edu
Dear Editor:Great job on the site. The content is great. I like the whole theme of the site. Keep it up. By the way, I am a huge fan of "Rage Against the Machine." I regretted not being able to attend their Mexico City concert. Their energy and message is great.
James Garcia
Editor and Publisher - Politico
www.politiconews.com
Dear Editor,
I have always wanted a quick summary of what Caesar Chavez was all about. I appreciate your report. My interest in Mexican American and Latin American issues was piqued in graduate school and I wish to continue my study. I thank you again for your interesting article.
Michael Plum
Personnel Analyst I
City of El Paso
PlumMW@ci.el-paso.tx.us
Dear Editor:
Re: Tribute to Cesar Chavez
I just want to tell you all that I have been a Chavista all my life. I remember growing up and working in the fields picking the green unions, turnips and being in the boycotts here in Arizona. My grandparents where migrant farmworkers and this was like a family thing to go out and work in the fields. I am very proud of my family, never ashamed.My grandparents are buried in Porterville,California and were to there last day supporters of the Causa! Although we dont have to work like that anymore, but I will always cherish the memories. Walking the picket lines and marching with the Raza is like a big rush! I like to hear and read the things of the United Farm Workers Union, because that is part of me also! I remember years ago my father took us to La Paz to visit and Cesar and Helen greeted us at the door, this was one of several trips. Of course we had to wait until the guards check it all out and Cesar gave the okay to let us thru. But these memories I will cherish forever. When Cesar passed away it was really sad for us as it was to all who knew, loved and respected him. My father wept so much, and to see the turn out of Raza and supporters who came out to the services was tremendous! Well I just wanted to say keep sending out the messages and "VIVA LA CAUSA", and "SI SE PUEDE!!!"
Sincerely,
Angelita G. Ojeda
Angelita_Ojeda@medprodoctors.com
Sr. Hector Carreon
La Voz de Aztlan
Los Angeles. CaliforniaEstimado Sr. Carreon:
Hemos recibido informacion sobre la edicion de "La Voz de Aztlan", lo cual mucho apreciamos. Agradeceriamos que nos mantuvieran informado de sus ideas, proyectos y realizaciones.
Fraternalmente,
Roberto Simeon
Secretario del Comite de Direccion
Partido Social Revolucionario Democratico de Cuba.
Dear EditorRe: 01/06/00 NBC/NAACP pact news story.
This new pact proves that our Advocacy Organizations are failing us.
National Council of La Raza has failed to live up to it's promise in regards to the boycott, and subsequent programming talks. Doing so, has further degraded our ability to legitimize our grievances when dealing with the Networks in the Future.
Chicano.org was a stout supporter of the National two-week boycott, and compiled several hundred signatures from an online petition that we started, shortly before and during the boycott. People from all parts of the U.S., as well as Internationally signed this petition. Proof that people want change.
Unfortunately, Organizations like NCLR aren't getting the message, or simply aren't listening at all.
While attempting to contact them during the boycott, NCLR's web master telephoned us... Though not an official spokesman for NCLR, he made it quite clear that NCLR would not associate themselves with any organization or website that threatened to boycott ADVERTISERS as well as Television Networks, since that would put Corporate donations at risk.
This issue prompted us to take a Poll about the subject. Chicano.org asked it's readers whether Advocacy Organizations like NCLR were selling us out for Major Corporate Sponsorship. The results confirmed a resounding YES.
Concerning Edward James Olmos: Attacking him for choosing such an (apparently) hypocritical role, is useless. He is exactly the kind of Performer/Artist the Boycott was supposed to protect. If anything, the boycott failed him. Olmos has a history of Advocating for Youth and Educational issues, and traveling long distances along the way to support them.
We should focus our attention at the issues at hand.
We support all movements against the Networks, if they fail to include Chicanos.
We strongly protest any actions against Mr. Olmos.
Che B., Publisher, Chicano.org
www.Chicano.org
P.O. Box 2183
Sacramento, CA.
95812-2183
Dear Editor:I liked your initial saludo to the people of Aztlan. If I write something, I'll send it over for you to consider publication. Have a great year....un saludo,
Jose Angel Gutierrez
JGutie1008@aol.com
Dear Mr. Carreon,
I am a member of REFORMA and recently received your link to "La Voz de Aztlan." I will continue to visit your site.
I read your column and was intrigued by the fact that you were a member of the 2nd Armored Division. I too, am a veteran of the US Army, although, not a Vietnam-era vet, and served honorably with the 3rd Ranger Battalion and the First Ranger Company at Eglin AFB, Florida. I also attended and graduated from Ranger School class 12-86.
It is good to see fellow veteranos doing good thing for la gente. Could you tell me about the MALDEF Leadership Program?
I look forward to more visits in the future and will keep an eye out as to when your site will cover the Democratic National Convention.
Anyway, I wish you all the best in this new venture.
Best regards,
Eduardo Tinoco
Eduardo_Tinoco@mpaa.orgEditor's Note: Mr. Tinoco and other readers, please contact Ms. Lucy Acosta, National Director, for information on the MALDEF's Advanced Leadership Program. She can be contacted at: LAcosta@MALDEF.Org
Dear EditorHola, my name is Marisa Gutiérrez. I am the Executive Director to Sacramento's only Latino Galeria. I think a good way to streamline new viewers is to ask them what would they like to see in the new millennium? My wish.. is to see us Unite. Here, with Mexico, Cuba, Espana, Puerto Rico all of the Latin American countries. I would love to see latinos Unidos.
VIVA EL ARTE!
Marisa Gutiérrez
Marisa4arte@yahoo.com
Dear EditorI like the name of your publication...
I clicked on the Mexico digest and I am so sorry to see that the ONLY things you had to report about Mexico were the Chiapas revolts, the Salinas scandals and so on... You said "unbiased",,,, and it was just disappointing...Martha Galindo
http://www.translationsandmore.comEditor's Note: We will be adding more coverage of Mexico in the next issue. Please send us any scoops you may know about!
