"We are all children of God and should feel love for each other, should we not?"
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?
Something to think about.
Aryn
Huh? What ALTERNATE UNIVERSE does your niece live in? I posted the link to the MEChA website. When you go there they CLEARLY state that they want to take over AZTLAN (Southwest USA) and kick the "evil Europeans" out. There is no reading OUT OF CONTEXT as your niece contends. They are very IN YOUR FACE with their demands. BTW, how are folks of Mexican descent being "oppressed?" Your niece justs accepts that assumption (without specifying the "oppression") and says it must be fought (even though we are never told the details of this mythic oppression).
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.
So who's keeping them from going to college? Actually MEChA's BIG DEMAND (which your niece doesn't want to face) is that the Southwest USA (AZTLAN) be turned over to them. I'm still waiting for your niece's answer on that. I really hope she won't insult us by pretending that AZTLAN is just some symbolic mythological place. The fact is it is clearly defined by the boundaries around the states in the Southwest USA. The map is even on this thread.
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.
SHEESH! Talk about CONDESCENSION ("I'm MORAL and you all are just miserable hate mongers.")!!! How can you stand that attitude when your niece shows up at family reunions? Hey Teach! WHERE IS THE PROPAGANDA???!!!! It CLEARLY STATES on the MEChA website what they want. And why shouldn't we harbor "ill will" towards MEChA if they want to take over about a quarter of the USA and toss out the "evil Europeans" as they clearly state on their website. Does your niece think we shouldn't believe what they SAY on their website?
Until we've walked a mile in the other man's shoes, we have no right to criticize him...
MY GOD!!! WHAT AN IDIOT!!! Does that mean that if we haven't "walked a mile" in jackboots that we couldn't criticize the Nazis? Methinks this "teacher" is in need of a brain transplant.
and after all, we are all children of God and should feel love for each other, should we not?
Yeah, like all that love that was just oozing over at the MEChA website. < /sarcasm>.
Well, let us know what the response is from your niece. I sure hope she READS what is actually written at the MEChA website. It sure ain't pretty. Of course, she sounds like the type who will NEVER admit the possibility that she could be in error.
