The conservative nativist, racist and imperialist right of Arizona is pushing a law against any activity “deemed contradictory to the values of American democracy or Western civilization,” and that encourage “dissent.” Words like dissent, Eurocentrism, empire (when describing the US), colonization, racism, etc. would be considered subversive and anti-American (did I heard Amerikkkan?) This proposal is part of a homeland security bill, Amendment SB 1108, which would prohibit students from organizing groups based on race, the criticism (deconstruction, historization) of US and Western values (ways like racism and imperialism), and even the confiscation of books. It also means de-funding students organization such as MECHA, the Black Business Students Association, Native Americans United, and who knows what else.
We should have seen this coming, and rather than being surprised, we should have been working at creating our own institutions independent of the government. Having said that, this is an attack on democracy, on the freedom of expression, and on the inalienable right to dissent and to choose one’s own beliefs and associations. We should fight back.
What the right wing is saying, is that we are terrorist for criticizing US imperialism (all over the world), history of genocide against indigenous peoples, its racism and sexism, and all injustices carried out in the name of US ‘democracy.’ Well, we have a very different view of democracy, one that does not include censure and oppression.
If you read some of the comments circulating in opinion pages and news stories, you’ll see the blatant anti-Mexican rhetoric. While celebrating the greatness of US values, they attack the most vulnerable population, undocumented immigrants who do not have the economic or political power to fight back (although they do have strength in numbers, and in allies). These right-wingers (can i just say racist, or white supremacists?) accuse us of being racist because we want community empowerment and self-determination, because we truly believe that all human beings, regardless of where they were born (something that no-one ever has a choice about) are equal in their difference. The funny thing is that some of these fools claim themselves Christians! I don’t know which Jesus they look up to, but the one I learned about was killed by the empire/government for preaching about love and peace, and as far as I know, we are suppossed to be children of the creator(s). And although I am not Christian, the Jesus I know about seems like a pretty radical comrade.
I have so much to say, (such as what is considered Western and American civilization and citizenship, why not invite Noam Chomsky or Howard Zinn to talk about this) but I think it will have to come down to a fight at the ground-level, with students (who knows about faculty) engaging in some good-old direct action. I hope that when that day comes, I can finally visit Arizona.
The bill is now in the House, after it passed in the Appropriations Committee 9-6.
Dear Colegas:
I hate to appear negative but the attacks in Arizona are partially the fault of the Chicano/Latino community. Instead of standing together we have run away from the attacks like the poor flee hunger. The Appropriations Committee in the Arizona legislature passed an amendment to the homeland security bill, SB 1108 that would prohibit students at the state’s public universities and community colleges from organizing groups based on race and ban books such as Occupied America. I do not worry about the banning of the books. Constitutional protections and the self-interest of publishers provide a shield. But I am very concerned about the continued attacks on el Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanos de Aztlan (MECHA) and the Big lie told about it. These attacks have been continuous for over a dozen years and have not been limited to the likes of nativist/racist such as Arizona legislator Russell Pearce who can be excused partially because of his lack of education and partially because of his stupidity. In 2003 an editorial in the Stanford Review accused MEChA of supporting racism. This led to a witch hunt during which the history of the organization was distorted and finally student funds were denied to MECHA. Meanwhile, Latino political candidates have been red baited, as racist have accused them of having been active in MECHA. These elected officials vehemently denied involvement and when they admitted being members said that it was a youthful indiscretion (They smoked pot but didn’t inhale it). If we all would have coalesced and stood up to the neo-fascist we could have nipped this in the bud. Instead, the numbers in MECHA have dwindled to the most committed. What I am proposing is that NACCS or some other Chicano/Latino community put together a letter that all sign recounting the positive experiences we had in MECHA without which many of you would not have achieved your careers. I am too old to have benefited from its advocacy but MECHA is responsible for the few achievements in my academic career.
Rudy Acuña
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