A Liberal HS Teachers Views on MEChA

and look here on the link below for all the different websites at COLLEGE campuses regarding MECha!!!

http://auto.search.msn.com/results.asp?cfg=SMCINITIAL&srch=5&FORM=AS5&RS=CHECKED&v=1&q=MEChA

Here are just a few words from their "manifesto": > "We, Mechistas commit ourselves to return to our community and contribute to the development of the Chicana/Chicano Nation." (they want back all land that belongs to them, in their opinion,.. but there is more.. read on!!!)

"Finally, as Mechistas, we vow to work for the liberation of Aztlán, leading to socioeconomic and political justice for our Gente. M.E.Ch.A. then, is more than a name; it is a spirit of unity by comadrismo/carnalismo, and a resolution to undertake a struggle for liberation! Tierra y Libertad!"

(The liberation of Aztlan, is the retaking **by any force** what they percieve to be "their Land/Aztlan". They are spreading themselves all over the Nation!!! With that in mind,.. read on!!)

"General membership shall consist of any student who accepts, believes, and works for the goals and objectives of M.E.Ch.A. including the liberation of Aztlán"

"Process of Implementation: 1) Every campus outreach program must be analyzed to see if early outreach and supportive counseling is being provided at surrounding junior high school and high school; demand that Mechistas receive work-study to augment such services at the junior high and high schools;

2) Demand that your campus fund a student run, student initiated summer academic enrichment program for high school students that will be organized by the respective M.E.Ch.A. chapter and that will give Mechistas jobs;

3) Understanding that Chicana/Chicano attrition rates are high on all campuses, demand that the university/community college fund the following educational modules:

stress management, time management, study skills, writing lab, self-esteem, public speaking, critical thinking, Chicana and Chicano Identity/History, library research, a M.E.Ch.A. National Hotline, and free tutoring;

4) Since services are a demand of the university, M.E.Ch.A. must demand that its membership be committed to these services and to academic achievement;

5) Demand that M.E.Ch.A.'s key officers be funded through work-study and offer the rationale that M.E.Ch.A. coordinates youth leadership through retreats and Central activities;

6) Demand that the financial aid office at the respective campus not acknowledge outside scholarships as affecting the final financial aid award from the university and federal/state aid."

(Notice the word "demand" in their manifesto's. If you go visit any website.. you will see it often!)

"National Pride Recognizing that the majority of our Raza are members of the working class, we avow an anti-imperialist analysis that includes Chicana/Chicano self-determination. Chicano self-determination must begin with the recognition of what is implied in using the term M.E.Ch.A.

Essentially, we are a Chicana and Chicano student movement directly linked to Aztlán. As Chicanas and Chicanos of Aztlán, we are a nationalist movement of Indigenous Gente that lay claim to the land that is ours by birthright.

As a nationalist movement we seek to free our people from the exploitation of an oppressive society that occupies our land.

Thus, the principle of nationalism serves to preserve the cultural traditions of La Familia de La Raza and > promotes our identity as a Chicana/Chicano Gente."

This was only part of their papers, and all were carefully written!! But one only need to READ this last paragraph from them to understand their intent and manifesto!!!

Bill O'Rielly made the guest from MEChA address those two words. They indeed mean taking back Arizona, California, Texas and ALL lands they feel are theirs by birthright!!

I only gave a SMALL amount of information.. but you can see they are anything BUT harmless!!! They were very aggressive to the GRINGO's (that was the racist remark they made about the "white/Jewish" conservative kids who were passing out the information about them. Which from what I'm reading was right on!!!) The conservative kids were pointing out their/MEChA's views. And proved, IMHO, that MEChA is a racist bigoted organization. With ill intent on ALL Americans!!

Those who say they are harmless, have their heads DEEPLY planted in sand!! But look for yourselves at the links I provided.

Scary stuff!!! Even worst and more frightening when you see them speak as I did a month or so ago!!!

(Get yourself a cool drink, sit down in a comfy chair and relax, because this is a long one...)

After reading your e-mail about this group of people, I feel compelled to reply because I don't think you fully understand the concept of Aztlan and MEChA. Probably, anything I have to say will not sway your opinions, but I will say it anyway, and hope that you can be open-minded and will want to learn about another culture, in order to promote peace and harmony in our world.

It is my hope that after you read my e-mail, you will want to perhaps retract some of your statements, and will be just as enthusiastic about forwarding this information to all your friends and family, just as you did with your anti-MEChA e-mail.

As you know, I am a Spanish teacher and am fluent in the language. I am also very in touch with the Hispanic culture in the United States, having lived with Hispanics for over a year in New York, working with Mexicans in Hillsboro and Albany, OR and Vancouver, WA and having studied extensively the language and culture of Hispanics in America and in their native lands. I have many friends and acquaintances who are Mexican-Americans (Chicanos). I have a Master's degree in teaching Spanish, which includes not only the language but the culture and the history as well. I know what I'm talking about with regard to this subject.

Aztlan is the name for the land that the Aztecs came from before they migrated to the southern part of Mexico, and settled in Tenochtitlan (modern day Mexico City). Nobody really knows "exactly" where Aztlan was, but there are theories, and some think it was the area that is now the southwestern part of the modern-day United States.

The idea of Aztlan is a cultural one, that many Chicanos cling to, giving them ties to their heritage, a "place" where their ancestors came from, and a "land" they can consider their own. It is a conceptual homeland, rather than a true "geographical location." When they talk of the "retaking of Aztlan," as you are fearing, they are referring to recapturing their own culture and heritage, and hanging onto it, rather than being assimilated into the W.A.S.P. culture of America. They are referring to promoting their own heritage, and delighting in their diversity, and promoting cultural strength and growth within their community, so as not to lose their culture and language. That is exactly what "self-determination" means!

We must remember that this southwestern part of "our" country - California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, and part of Colorado - used to be another country - Mexico. We went to war with Mexico, and as a result of the signing of the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, we moved the border of Mexico to the Rio Grande, thus taking about 1/2 of their country for our own. We "won" it. But that doesn't mean that all the Mexicans that were living here, just moved "back" to Mexico. They were in Mexico, but now it wasn't Mexico, it was another country. Still, this was their home, and they belonged here and had a right to be here just as much, if not moreso, than the white settlers who were moving into the area. The Mexicans had been living here for many years before the "Americans" arrived. (I don't like using the term "American" to refer to only those from the United States, as all who live in North, Central and South America are Americans. It's unfortunate that our language doesn't have a word for people from the United States other than American - in Spanish we are called "estadounidenses" or United Statesmen)

Sometimes, it's hard for us to understand what it might feel like to have someone come and take over your home, and demand that you follow their rules, and speak their language, since we have never been conquered. But for the Mexican-American people, this happened twice. They were conquered once by the Spaniards, thus completely changing their Aztec culture into a mixed culture of Spanish and Indian influences, where they had to change their religious beliefs, learn another language, and change their way of living in drastic ways.

Then, a few hundred years later, along come the Americans telling them "you're in our country, speak our language, learn our rules, live our way, or you'll be ostracized, oppressed, swindled out of your land, and more!" This loss of property that I speak of happened extensively, because the people were sent documents informing them that they would lose their land if they didn't follow certain legal steps to keep it. Since these documents were written in English, and the people spoke Spanish, they didn't understand, and didn't know how to fight the American court system, and were thus, removed from their homes, so that "Americans" could have that land.

Perhaps these MEChA people that you went and saw speaking are truly wanting this land back - but can you blame them? I really can't. In the same way, I wouldn't blame the Native Americans if they decided that they wanted their land back either. It's natural to feel that you have a right to take back something that was stolen from you. I am not Chicana, but I, like you, have some Native American blood in my veins, and when I think about the way they were cheated out of their native lands, and killed mercilessly all for the sake of "Manifest Destiny," it angers me, and gives me very little pride in how our great country expanded to what it is today.

I don't know about you, but I can understand how these early inhabitants who were displaced from their homes might be a little bitter about it, and want to "recapture" their homeland, even if it is just figuratively speaking - from a cultural standpoint. I'm sure that the feeling of these Chicanos is that they have been robbed of what belonged to their people - their home. And when I think of what that might feel like, it helps me to understand their anger.

The reason that you sent out this e-mail to warn people seems to be because you too, fear losing your home in the event that this group would try to "take back their land," so it seems logical that you would understand that losing one's home is not a pleasant prospect. You seem to perceive this group as a threat to your way of life. Can you understand that they perceive our society's oppression of their people as a threat to their way of life?

Now, you may be thinking that I'm sounding awfully "anti-American" in my explanation of all of this. I am not. I am proud to be an American as I know you are too. I am proud of our country's strength in banding together after the attacks of 9/11. I am proud when I walk around school and see Anglo kids, African-American kids, Hispanic kids and Asian kids all hanging out together. Of course, this isn't always the case, and there is still separation of ethnic groups, often by their own choice, but when I see that mixing of groups happen, I feel that we are moving closer to Dr. Martin Luther King's dream of a country where we can all live together peacefully, equal in each other's eyes regardless of race, color or creed. I am proud of America's diversity and I am proud of our MANY cultures that exist here and give our country it's "flavor." For what would a great meal be, if it had no flavor? America has been considered a melting pot, but I challenge that idea, and say we are like a fine seven course meal, each course individual and different, but when put together, they compliment each other in ways unimaginable, for an incomparable dining experience. If we were to throw all those courses into a blender - the appetizer, the salad, the soup, the bread, the meat, the vegetables, the dessert - and hit "puree" and then try to eat it, it wouldn't be nearly as appetizing. We mustn't try to be all the same. It would spoil what we have.

A few months ago, when I received this e-mail from you, I did access the web-sites that you included in your e-mail, and I read the MEChA manifesto. I read a letter that was written to a Jewish man who had e-mailed the Aztlan site, and at first reading the response of the "Voz de Aztlan" writer, I was angered at their anti-Jewish comments, but as I read on, I realized that they paled in comparison to the original hate-e-mail to which they responded. The original e-mailer (a Jewish man from New York) called the Mexican race "genetic garbage" and said many other generalistic atrocities that I will not repeat, but that can be read at the site.

I am not justifying the anti-semetic comments by the Voz de Aztlan writer, in any way. What I am trying to say is that both parties were wrong in making generalized statements about one group of people. That is what perpetuates prejudices. One group received a letter attacking their people, and unfortunately responded in kind. Perhaps if we weren't feeling the need to attack each other in the first place because of our differences, we could learn to appreciate our differences and enjoy the fact that they exist.

After reading the MEChA manifesto,it's clear to me, that you took excerpts, removed them from their context, and injected your own ideas, thus presenting them to everyone you sent them to, as factual information. This is pure propaganda, and it is not the way to "educate" people. In doing so, I feel that you have perpetuated the same type of hate mail that you were attempting to fight by sending out your anti-MEChA message. And with reference to your taking issue with the use of the word "demand" throughout the manifesto, I think it's necessary to remember that this group of people is trying to fight oppression, and it's not really possible to do so by asking politely "please stop oppressing our people." They are demanding education - primarily help within the university system to promote their people's job skills and education levels so that they can rise up and stand on their own feet and not depend on the welfare system, etc. I personally find this to be a noble goal, since many anglos complain about all the Mexicans coming to "our country" and living on welfare and government assistance. They are making demands of an oppressive society in order to pull themselves up from the grips of poverty. Isn't that the American dream?

I truly hope that you will reconsider your opinions about these people, or if not that, at least stop sending out such e-mails that are filled with propaganda and sentiments against a group of people, in order to cause others to feel threatened and scare them into harboring ill-will against a group of people.

Until we've walked a mile in the other man's shoes, we have no right to criticize him... and after all, we are all children of God and should feel love for each other, should we not?

The Southwest USA when part of Mexico was very poorly administered. Actually, California was practically a nation of its own. As for Mexico, it was subject to the dictatorial whims of the likes of Santa Anna. Even many/most Mexicans living in the Southwest couldn't stand the Mexican government.

The deal is that the MeCha folks want to negotiate "limited sovereignty" for Aztlan (Southwest USA) and make it sound oh so reasonable. It won't surprise me if they even try to get UN backing for this. And if the USA is ever so STUPID as to grant something called "limited sovereignty" to AZTLAN (SW USA), they will go for FULL sovereignty while making it again sound like the reasonable course with the usual propaganda about self-determination. This is no big secret. You can read it in their material.

I'm glad to see someone else was as offended as we were by her remarks.

My husband and I both are just sickened by her arrogance, and ignorance.

I see you caught another part of it that we found very offensive. I mean How dare we call it America?!!! There are so many America's.. sheesh.. this young woman has a masters, and that makes her smarter than us?

While we all recognize the many continents of the america's.. our Pledge mentions America!! Next she will be advocating we get rid of the Pledge because it mentions "The United States of AMERICA". Or she will want us to re-write it to say "The United States which is one of the America's". I don't know.. I just know this whole e-mail was disgusting.

Is there any way to find out if your Niece is actually teaching this CRAP to her students? If so then she is guilty of misinformation. Oh, and do the PARENTS of her students know if she is teaching this Leftist garbage?

BTW, when I was in High School, one of my Spanish Teachers kept propagandizing us about how great Castro was. We kept asking her over and over, if it was so great there, why doesn't she move there. (She was that RARE Cuban in Florida who thought Castro was great). Well, she did move there. And guess what happened? She was tossed in prison for being a spy the last I heard. Apparently the communists could never believe that a Cuban living in the USA would voluntarily return to live in Communist Cuba....unless they were a spy.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

Does your niece teach her students that it is WRONG to call ourselves Americans? What's her problem? Is referring to ourselves as AMERICANS some sort of horrible jingoistic attitude that must be eliminated?

Where does she teach school? Perhaps I will do her a favor and send her maps of the US(not)A which has a shaded area in the Southwest labeled "Occupied Aztlan." I bet that would make her feel good.

Hey Registered! How about providing us a map of the US(not)A that shows "Occupied Aztlan" shaded out and clearly marked for this school teacher?

In a way you are right. She/my niece is aiding "rebels" imho,.. but the difference is she is doing it right here in AMERICA!! Under our own noses!!

This is a violent group, who was very cold and calculating when I saw them on the Bill O'Reilly show. I had never heard of them before. But once I read up on them.. I came here to FR and found even more info. Someone here at FR, is who directed me to the website for them, and then I found the list of all the High Schools and Colleges they are on. It was sickening.

Now this from my niece. Who professes to be educated and intelligent. She was arrogant and self righteous. I'm hoping to give her enough information to educate her with help from people here. So far there have been some excellent posts. I fully intend to use the information I see in posts here when responding to her. I don't know what else to do.. but I know Aryn. She is very dynamic and persuasive. If she is talking about this to her students, then she is helping this group. Alls anyone needs to do is read her e-mail to know she is extremely sympathetic to them.

I'm sick!!

Amazing story about the Castro lover returning to Cuba only to be jailed as a spy.

Cubans are usually pretty smart but this teacher was really clueless. I think the deal was that she never actually lived in Cuba while Castro was in power but had romanticized notions about the "Cuban Experiment" that she fell for. One day no teacher in our class and we were told she "defected" to Cuba (probably the only Cuban ever to do so). Later we heard she was tossed in jail after working as an interpreter for a period. What a dope!

I think I was the one that tossed her over the edge. We were doing something about two syllable words that should be divided so I yelled out "Castro." Then she tried to be good-natured about it and asked how to divide the word and I replied, "With a knife." That sort of sent her over the edge and she never returned to class.

p.s. Maybe she really was a spy. I mean I never before (or since) heard a Cuban in the USA say ANYTHING favorable about Castro.

I would have to think that she exposes her views/opinions to the students. She is a spanish teacher for a high school. I may have to try and find her schools superintendent, and perhaps we do need to do an e-mailing campaign. Let me think on it. But until then, I hope to put together a compilation of responses and send them to her. I also plan on posting any response I get back from her. I sent my e-mail regarding MEChA to her two months ago!! I JUST got the response back the day before yesterday. But I realllllllly want to respond to this e-mail.. and soon!!!

Thanks friend. I'm going to go lay down for a bit. Be back later. I appreciate you trying to help me get the word out on this. I hated how she turned Martin Luther Kings words around too. He was a "forward" person,.. not a person to want to live in the past with hate. How she interprets him is not "true" to MLK's memory imho. Be back later. Dang I hate this illness!!!

Here is something that will make your niece proud. It is from the AZTLAN Underground website. AZTLAN Underground is a leftwing music group from L.A.. Perhaps we should send your niece some of its CDs (plus the adulatory Che Guevara biography it promotes on its website.

BTW, that gun pointing at Uncle Sam's head doesn't look very "inclusive" to me:

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