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vnç AHistoryofChicano
IdentityandResistance
YolandaAlanizandMeganCornish
Forew
ordbyRodolfoAcuña
ReDLe-r-rePRess•Seattle
©2008by
RedLetterPress
Contents
Allrightsreserved
PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica
RedLetterPress
4710UniversityWay
NE,Suite
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Seattle,WA98105•(206)985-4621
www.RedLetterPress.org
FIRSTEDITION2008
Coverdesign:EliasHoltzandJonathanMatas
Bookdesign:HelenGilbert
Coverphoto:MexicanIndependenceDaymarch
inDenver,Colorado,September16,1969.
(DenverPublicLibrary,WesternHistoryCollection,X-21666)
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
Alaniz,Yolanda,1950-
Vivalaraza
:ahistoryofChicanoidentityandresistanceI
YolandaAlanizandMeganCornish
;forewordby
RodolfoAcuña.
p.cm.
Summary:
“AhistoryofChicanaandChicanomilitancythat
exploresthequestionofwhetherthissocialmovementisaracial
oranationalstruggle”--Providedbypublisher.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN
0-932323-28-6
1.MexicanAmericans--Ethnicidentity.2.MexicanAmericans--Politics
andgovernment.3.MexicanAmericans--Civilrights--History.4.Civil
rightsmovements--UnitedStates--History.5.Socialmovements--United
States--History.6.Government,Resistanceto--UnitedStates--History.
7.UnitedStates--Ethnicrelations--Politicalaspects.8.Racism--United
States--History.9.MexicanAmericans--History.10.MexicanAmerican
women--History.I.Cornish,Megan.II.Title.
E184.M5A6552008
305.8968’72073--dc22
2007030589
ForewordbyRodolfoAcuña
9Introduction
13AcknowledgmentsbyYolandaAlaniz
18AcknowledgmentsbyMeganCornish
21
Part1.Theory
AnUnconqueredPeople
23
ApproachandTerminology
24
NationandRace:DynamicsandDifferences
28Ascientifictheoryofnationhood
28Thenatureofracism
36TheNationalQuestionandChicanos/os
47Chicanos/os:asuper-exploitedrace
65Thefallacyof“cultural-national autonomy”
71Theoreticalconclusions
78
Part2History
Conquest andResistance
79ThesubjugationofMexico
79TheEnglishcolonies
81Spanishsettlement ofNorthernMexico
82How
theWest wasstolen
83Desperadosandguerrillafighters
90Chicanos/osandtheMexicanRevolution
93
TheSagaofChicana/oIndustrialLabor
97Miningstruggles
98Garmentindustry
battles
107
Chicanos/osandtheClO
114
McCarthyism
118
VWALA
RAZA:A
HISTORYOFCmco
IDENTifY&RESISTANCE
demonstrateuntilU.S.troopswerefinallywithdrawnfromVietnam.In
Los Angeles, Chicana/omoratoriums becameannualeventstocommemo
ratetheAugust1970demonstrationanditsmartyrs.
Theestablishment usedbruteforceinanattempttobreaktheChi
cana/oantiwarmovement becauseitfearedthatarevolutionaryexplo
sionwouldoccur ifthesocialmovementsofthe‘60swereweldedintoa
unitedfront.Theintroductionofculturalnationalistpolitics,however,
provedmoredestructivetounitythanthegovernment’sironfist.
ThecallforAztlán
Ferventshoutsof“ChicanoPower!”and“ChicanoPride!”resounded
duringthelate1960sandearly
‘70s.Theslogansexpressedasurging
racialconsciousnessandadeterminationtoquell Anglodomination.They
broadcast theradical,self-affirmingcharacter of thestruggle.Thoughthese
declarationsofprideandpowerdidnot refertonationhood,manyChi
cana/ostudentsandactivists, alongwithleftwingtheorists, confusedthe
newmoodwithnationalism.
Tosomedegree,thismistakewasunderstandable. Theinspiringmili
tancyofstrugglesfor national liberationinVietnam,Cuba,LatinAmerica
andAfricawaswell known.Thereforemanypeopleassumedthatrebel-
liononthepartofanyoppressedpeopleautomaticallyspelledtheexist-
enceofanation.Butthis isn’tthecase.Aspreviouslydiscussed,thematter
dependsentirelyonwhetherthegroupinquestionisinfactanation.
ChicanoscholarRichardA.GarciadescribedtheconfusionofChica
nopridewithnationalismwhenheobservedthatin“the1960sandearly
1970sMexicanAmericanyouthsbecamepsychologicalandcultural na
tionalistsaswell aspoliticalandideologicalnationalists. Itwasnotuntil
1972thatChicana/oyouthsbegantoattemptadifferentiationbetween
nationalismasasenseofprideandidentity,andasan
“201Un-
fortunately,GarcIadoesnotclearupthematterbecausehecontinuesto
usetheterm
“nationalism”torepresentbothconcepts.
Underthewatchwordofnationalismwerelumpedall advocatesof
anindependentChicana/oidentity.Thisincludedmilitantswhodidnot
desireaseparateChicana/onation,aswellasthosewho
didwanta
sovereignChicana/ostate, somewhourgedreunificationoftheU.S.South-
ITnt
CALL
FORAZTLAN
westwith
Mexico,andotherswhosoughttoisolateelmovimientofrom
outsidestrugglesonthechauvinisticgroundsofChicana/Oexceptioflalism.
Becausethesamewordwasusedtodescribehighlydivergentcon-
ceptSandstrategies,thedistinctionsbetweenthevariousviewpointswere
blurred.But,aswasdiscussedinPart1,ifferentiatingbetweenaninde
pendentidentityaridanatiorto-lexistenceiscrucial.Confusingthetwo
conceptsintroducedcontradictionsinanalysis,
goalsandprogramthat
provedtobedisorientinganddestructivetotheChicana/Omovement.
TheturntowardnationalismwasananomalybecauseChicaflaS/0S
historicallYhaveengagedinmultiracialefforts
or,whennecessary,in
nonsePaIati5t,autonomousorganizing.Theydidnotorienttoseparat
ismuntiltheendofthe19605.Thisshiftwasareactiontorawand
brutalracismandalsoreflectedthestronginfluenceofculturalnational-
ismamongBlacks. ThemagnetofBlacknationalism
Inthelate1960s,after15yearsofgruelingstruggle,alargesectorof
Blackfreedomfightersgrewdemoralized.Themassofwhitesinthelabor
movementhadfailedtocometotheirdefense.Thereformistcivilrights
leadershadnotachievedvictory.RevolutiOfl1e5,suchasMalcolm
X,had
beenslaughtered,jailedandexiled.Deprived
ofkeyleadershiP,many
Blacksretreatedintosingle-iS5ueseparatist,andnarcissisticpolitics.
BlacksocialistTomBoottrenchantlYexplainedtheimpactofthis
developmentontheAfricanAmericanmovement:
Blackmilitantstookthisaudacious[BlackPowerslogan,which
neverotiginY
dealtwithnationhood,andmadeitintoanational-
istsloganimplyingacallforaseparatestate.“BlackPower”was
transformedfromatacticintoamatterofprogramSanditsapplica
tionbecameanexcuseforabstentionfromanddisinterestinclass
struggle.
202
Stymiedmassorganizingledtoafrustratedretreatthatwascloaked
inmilitantposturing.Confrontationwith
thesystem
diminished.Afri
can-StyledasbikishirtsandAfrohairstylesreplacedcogentpoliticaltheory.
BlackmasculinitY
wasglorified;Blackwomenwereexcludedfrom
lead-
189
188
VIVA
LARAZA:A
HISTORYOFCmco
IDENTITY
&RESISTANCE
ershiproles.Feminismwaslabeled“awhitewoman’sthing,“ratherthan
seenasauniversal strugglefor equality.
Withitsappealtoimageandartifacts, Blacknationalismbecamean
overnightsensation,dominatingthemovement—andpoliticallypara
lyzingit.Blackleaderscalledforself-imposedphysicalandsocialsegre
gation,adaptingtoaperspectiveofpermanent isolationthatwasadeadly
mirrorofwhiteracism.
TheChicana/omovement,too,hadsuffereddefeats,andmanyChi
canas/ostookthesameseparatist turn.Nevertheless,nationalisminthe
Chicana/omovement didnot havethesamesteamroller impactithadon
theBlackstruggle.Themovement wasnever aspoliticallyisolatedasthe
groundbreaking
Blackcivil rightsmovementhadbeen.Inaddition,the
UnitedFarmWorkersbattleandother Chicana/olabor strugglesreceived
multiraciallaborandcommunity
supportthatserved
asatremendous
counterweight toseparatism.
But amongstudentsandyouth,whowerelessrootedintheworking
class,thenationalist call waslikeatrumpet blast. It awakenedracepride,
butalltoofrequentlyitshatteredclassconsciousness,violatedmulti-
issuesolidarityandbrought forthreactionarypolitics.
AztlánandtheCrusadeforJustice
Chicana/onationalismfocusedonthecallfor Aztlán—aChicana/o
nation—andwasmost closelyassociatedwith
Rodolfo
“Corky”Gonza
lesandhisorganization,Crusadefor Justice.
“Aztlán”
isanAztecwordmeaning“thelandtothenorth”—pre
sumablytheU.S.Southwest —
whichaccordingtomythwastheoriginal
homelandofAztecswho
latermigratedsouthtotheCentralMexican
plateau.Aztlánwasadramaticsymbol,apowerful imagethatenhanced
unityandpride.Butwasitanassertionthatanationtrulyexisted?Wasit
anemblem
spawnedbyculturalnationalism?Orwasitsimplyameta
phortostimulateChicana/osolidaritythroughprideintheIndianpartof
theirMestizoheritage?
AsthemainstatementofChicana/o“national-
ism,”thedramaticcallforAztlánanditsimpacton
elmovimientoare
worthyofcloseexamination.
CorkyGonzaleswastheforemostadvocateofAztlánandthebest-
ITm
CAU
FORAzUAN
knownRazanationalist,aformerprizefighter,andapoet.Gonzaleshad
coordinatedChicana/ooutreachfortheJohn
F.Kennedycampaignin
ColoradoandforatimeworkedintheDemocraticPartyhierarchyand
federalanti-povertyprograms.Buthegrew
disgustedwiththewayChi
canas/oswerebeingusedand,in1965,heresigned.Hewrotethefa
mousepicpoem,“YosoyJoaquIn”
(Iam
JoaquIn)
,whichwasembraced
bythemovementasanexpressionofprideanddefiance.Itbegan:
IamJoaquIn,
lostinaworldofconfusion,
caughtupinthewhirlofa
gringo
society,
confusedbytherules,
scornedbyattitudes,
suppressedbymanipulation,
anddestroyedbymodernsociety.
..Yes,
Ihavecomealongwaytonowhere,
unwillinglydraggedbythat
monstrous,technical,
industrialgiantcalled
Progress
andAnglosuccess...
Ilookatmyself.
Iwatchmybrothers.
Ishedtearsofsorrow.
Isow
seedsofhate.
Iwithdraw
tothesafetywithinthecircleoflife—
MYOW
NPEOPLE
203
In1966,GonzalesformedtheDenver-basedCrusadeforJusticeand
becameaninfluentialleaderofthenationalChicana/ostruggle.
TheCrusadewasinitiallyabarriocommunity
centerthatpro-
videdsocialservicesandpublishedthenewspaperElGallo.Itbuilta
militant,andtosomedegreeanticapitalist,civilrightsmovementwith
particularappealtoyouth.Thegroupprotestedsegregation,fought
policebrutality,andadvocatedforwelfarerecipients.Itstarteditsown
191
190
VWALARz:A
HISTORYOF
CHICANOIDENTITY
&RESISTANCE
school, EscuelaTiateloco,whichprovidedfreebilingualclassesto300
preschool andelementaryschoolchildren.Becauseofitsmilitancy,the
Crusadesufferedahighlevel of policeandFBI disruptionandspying.
Crusadefor JusticeorganizedthefirstNational ChicanoYouthLibera
tionConference, whichtookplaceinDenver in1969, wherethemanifesto
“El PlanEspiritual deAztlán”(TheSpiritualPlanofAztlán)wasadopted.
ElementsofElPlan
ThePlandeAztlánopenswith
adeclarationofnationhood:
WeDeclaretheIndependenceofour M
estizoNation.Wearea
BronzePeoplewith
a BronzeCulture. Before theworld, beforeallof
NorthAmerica,beforeallour brothersintheBronzeContinent,We
areaNation,WeareaUnionoffreepueblos,WeareAztlán.2°
-‘I
TiwCu.FORAZTLAN
Thisisbeautifulpoetry
—butaBronzeraceandculturearenot
sufficient tomakeanation.Chicanas/oslackaconsolidatedterritoryand
aseparateeconomy,whicharetheessential prerequisitesfornationhood.
TerritorialdispersionpreventsChicanas/osfrom
developing
adis
tincteconomy,buttheplanattemptedtoestablishaseparateeconomic
systemwithChicana/ocooperativessupplanting“foreignEuropean”com
merce(presumablycapitalism).Thisideawashighlyunrealistic.Large
corporateenterprisesrapaciouslyabsorbsmallerbusinesses,whetherco
operativeorprivate,andwilleventuallydominateanyeconomythatis
drivenbyprofit.
Theplanmakestheclaimthatracialsolidarityshouldsupersededi-
visionsofclass:“Nationalismasthekeytoorganizationtranscendsall
religious, political,class,andeconomicfactionsor
an”
205
This
cultural-nationalistview, bysilencingworkingclassprotest as“divisive,”
alwaysbenefitsrulingclassinfluenceswithinacommunity.
Blindtotheneed
forsolidarity
with
othersectorsoftheworking
class,theplanmadeno
callforunitedactionagainstracism
orother
concerns.WhileitdefinedtheChicana/ostruggleasamovementfor
nationalsovereignty,itsconcretedemandsrespondedtotheobjective
needfor Chicanas/ostogainequalitywithintheir ownU.S.homelandby
advocatinganindependent politicalparty, communityself-defense,local
control ofschools, andbilingual/bicultural education.
Unawareof,orunconcernedwith, theobjectivecriteria
fornation-
hood,theplan’sdeterminationthatChicanas/oswereanationrested
primarilyonpossession
ofacommon
race.Butitisclearbylookingat
existingnationsaroundtheworldthat“race”and“nation”arenot iden
tical.Aparticularracemayspannational boundaries;forexample,scores
ofdifferentnationsarecomposedpredominantly
ofAsians,Latinas/os,
Arabs, whites,orpeopleofAfricandescent.Ontheother hand,modern
nationsareincreasinglymadeupofamultiplicityofpeoplesandattempts
torestrict anationtooneraceorethnicityhavebeennotoriouslyracist.
Inconclusion,thePlandeAztlánwascorrect insinglingout raceas
theprimaryunifyingcharacteristicofChicanas/os.Thisisbecauserac
ismisthemainsourceofChicana/ooppression.TheadvocatesofAztlán,
byviewingraceassynonymouswithnation,underestimatedtheimpor
—i.J-_
-jm
..,
c--—---
-
AntiwarpmtestbyChicanoactivistsatthestatecapitol inDenver,Colorado,
1970.Crusadefor JusticeleaderCorkyGonzalesisintheupper left between
thebannerandflag.
192
193
VWALA
RAzA:A
HISTORYOFCmco
IDE4’rrry&
RESISTANCE
TmCn
FORAzTLAN
tanceofraceasaquestioninitself,asasocialconditionthatrequiresits
Ownmethodsofstruggle.
ThesecondNational ChicanoYouthLiberationConferencein1970
triedtofurthertheillusionofAztlánasacorporeal nationbyelecting.
acongresstodetermineongoing“national”policy.Nevertheless,Az-
tlánremainedautopia,accuratelynameda“spiritual”plan. W
ithout a
truefoundationofnationhood,itsadvocatescouldonlycreateadream
vision
ofancient Aztecs.EventheadvocatesofAztlán,whilehedging
their betsastofuturedirections, passedaresolutionattheconference
thatspelledout theprospectthat“theNationofAztlán.
..wouldmain-
tam—atleast forthepresent time—all of itsactivitieswithintheU.S.
political
“206
WomenandAZt1án
Byemphasizingcultureoverclass,Chicana/onationalistsmovedin
aregressivedirectionthatwasespeciallypronouncedinattitudestoward
women.
Whencultural nationalismdeclaresethnictraditionstobesacrosanct,
malesupremacy,anintrinsicpartofeverysocietybasedonprivateprop-
erty, becomesenshrined.InhishistoryofChicana/onationalism, Ernesto
Chavezobserves:
Chicanonationalism. .privilegedmalesandmarginalizedfemales.
As[with]nationalismgenerally, menarecontiguouswith. .thena
tionasawhole.Women,ontheotherhand,haveonlya“meta
phoricorsymbolic
role.
“Thus,carefully
prescribedgenderroles
for bothmenandwomencharacterizedtheChicanomovement.
207
Conservativedefinitionsofculturealsoupholdthemisogynistand
homophobicchurch,abulwarkofbourgeoispatriarchythatdeniesa
woman’srighttocontrol herbodyandsexuality,andassignsherasec
ondarypositioninthehomeandsociety.
Thefamilybecomesaniconinsteadofbeingrecognizedforthe
contradictoryinstitutionitis:ontheonehand,abaseofmutualsup-
portandsurvival;ontheotherhand,thebasiceconomicunitofcapi
talism,requiring
femalesubordinationasthefamily’sunpaidcook,
child-rearer,anddomestic.
Culturalnationalismalliesitselfwiththebourgeoisiebyadamantly
opposingwomen’sleadership.Womenaretoldtostayhomeandraise
babiestopreservetheholy,or—asespousedbysexistleffists
—the
“revolutionary”nuclearfamily.
FranciscaFloresdenouncedthisperspectiveina1971articlein
Regeneración:
Theissue
ofbirth
control,abortions,informationon
sex,and
thepillareconsidered“white”women’slibissuesandshouldbe
rejectedby
ChicanasaccordingtotheChicanophilosophywhich
believesthattheChicanawomen’splaceisinthehomeandthat
herroleisthatofamotherwith
alargefamily.W
omenwho
donot
acceptthisphilosophyarechargedwithbetrayalofourcultureand
heritage—OURCULTUREHELL!
208
Thesexism
inherentinculturalnationalismwasstronglyexhibited
bythe“nation”ofAztlán.AdominantthemeofCorkyGonzales’speeches
wastheroleofthefamily.
209
TowriterStanSteiner,Gonzalesdefined
manhood/machismoasincludingnotonlyhonor,dignity,courageand
honesty,butalsotheability“torunhishouse[and]tocontrolhis
woman.“2
10
Crusade
forJusticehistorianErnestoB.Vigilobservesthat“the
organization’sconservativeculturalorientationcastwomenin‘traditional’
familialandgenderroles:wives,sisters,daughters,sweethearts.“
211This
messagewasmadestronglyatthefirstNationalChicanoLiberationYouth
Conferencewhere,Vigilreports,“Thesocialhighlight. ..wasthemarriage
ofGonzales’oldest
“212TheCrusade’snewspaper,ElGallo,pub-
lishedglowingdetailsofthebride’sattire.
Vigilnotesthatsome“Californiawomen”raisedfeministcriticisms
attheconferencethat“puzzled”themenand“offended”Crusadewomen.
Theircomplaintswerebrushedasideastheworkof“afewwomen
‘intellectuals?“
213
PressureagainstfeminismresultedinaresolutionpassedbyChi
canasatthesecondNationalChicano
YouthLiberationConferencethat
statedthey“wouldnotseparate(pursuewomen’sliberationideology)
194
195
VWALA
RAZA:AHISmRY
OFCnco
IDENTITY
&Risism.iscE
LAAUANzA:Ti-iENiwMixicoLn
SmUGGLE
but wouldremainandstrengthenAztlánandthefamily.”
214
ThoughmanyChicanasfoughtagainstsubjugationbythecultural
nationalists,theirswasalonelyandmalignedposition.
Lashingout attheLeft
AnotherdebilitatingfeatureofChicana/ocultural nationalismwas
itshostilitytowardradicals.Culturalnationalistsview
socialistsasa
threatbecauseMarxistsrecognizetheroleofclassincausingdivergent
interestswithinracialgroupsandalsogeneratinginterracialworking-
classsolidarity.
Gustavo
V.Segade, aprofessoratSanDiegoStateUniversity,color-
fullydescribesthedemagogiccultural-nationalist argument againstMarx-
ism—anddefendsMarxistanalysis:
Marxism. .
.[was]not“our”way.“Our”waywastobeunique,
unprecedented,“bronze.“Marxism
wasonemoredehumanizing
Westernwayofthought.
..[But]complicatedexplanationsof[Az-
tedsymbology
didlittle
toanswertheenormouseconomicand
politicalquestionsofpovertyin..imperialist capitalism. .
..Theclass
analysisrejectstheracistandculturally
exclusivedangersinherent
intheconcept of a
“bronzemestizonation,“andonprinciple,ac
ceptsmenandwomen
asequals,whileMexicanmachismohas
becomesynonymouswithmalesexism.
215
Segadealsorecountsa1974battlebetweenMarxistandnationalist
facultyintheChicanoStudiesProgramatSanDiegoUniversity. Backed
bytheadministrationandcommunitymoderates, theculturalnational-
istsfomentedaredbaitingcampaignthatforcedthehighlyultraleftso-
cialistsoff thecampus.
216
Cultural nationalism’santagonism
towardsocialistswasepitomized
bytheCrusade’sbullyingofpoliticalopponents.OnOctober1,1976, two
Denver leadersoftheSocialistWorkersParty
(SWP)werebeaten
when
theywent toCrusadefor Justiceheadquarterstoprotest threatsagainst a
Chicanoparty
member.Afewweekslater,aCrusadeactivistsmashed
theglassdooroftheSW
Pofficeandoverturnedbookdisplays. Inaddi
tion,theorganizeroftheSW
P-affiliatedYoungSocialistAlliancehadhis
tiresslashedwhilehiscarwasparkedneartheCrusadeoffice.
217
TheSW
PorganizedanationalcampaignamongChicana/oand
Blackactiviststoopposethuggerywithinthemovement.Thosewho
endorsedthecampaignwerepromptlythreatenedandslanderedby
theCrusadeforJustice.
ThoughtheSW
P’sappealformovementsupportwascorrect,itap
pearsnottohavetakenthecustomarystepofseekingtheaidoftheLeft
initscampaignagainstanti-radicalviolence.ThisreflectedSW
P’saccep
tanceofthecultural-nationalistpremise
thatpeopleofcolorhavethe
exclusiverighttoaddressproblemsrelatingtopeopleofcolor.Italso
displaysthecompetitiveandpatronizingpossessivenesstowardtheChi
cana/OmovementthatmadetheSW
?such
afrequenttargetofattack.
TheSW
P’sisolationistdefense,coupledwiththewidespreadacceptance
ofChicana/Oculturalnationalism,preventedmostLeftorChicana/opress
from
reportingtheCrusade’sattacks,eitherbecausetheydidn’tknow
aboutthemorwereunwillingtoraiseunpopularcriticisms.
Ingeneralduringthisperiod,opportunismandwhiteliberalism
kept
mostradicalorganizationsfromofferingamilitantalternativetocultural
nationalism.AnoteworthyexceptionwastheFreedomSocialistParty,
whichopposedtheregressivenatureofChicana/o(aswellasBlackand
female)separatismandputforwardabroadrangeofdemandsthatwere
anti-isolationist,feminist,multi-issueandrevolutionary.
218
SignificantsectorsoftheChicana/omovementalsoputfortharadi
calworkingclassorientationthatwasmoreconnectedtoChicana/owork-
ersthantheelusivevisionofAztlán.
LaAlianza:theNew
Mexicolandstruggle
Thecentury-longbattleofChicanas/OsinNew
Mexicotoregainlands
stolenbytheU.S.governmentresurfacedinthemid-1960s.Theirstruggle
illuminatesanimportantaspectofChicana/ohistoryandrevealsthat
evenji*lewMexico,wheretheclosestclaimcouldbemadetoaChi
cana/Onationallandbase,themovement’s
essentialdirectionwasto-
wardsocialjusticeandeconomicandpoliticalinclusionasU.S.citizens.
Chicana/odescendantsofNew
Mexico’soriginalMexicana/Oset-
tIersdisplaysomestrongfeaturesofanationality.Theyhaveaunique
196
197