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Chicano conference programs and speeches, April 1973-May 1974

1973-04-14 Keynote Speech Page 11

a private school was established. This has been the pattern throughout. The "justice" as Rap Brown once said, "Is only a word that is spelled correctly by the oppressed because the oppressor spells 'justice', "just is".

In 1970 what was a diffused and erotic movement bubbling here, striking there, came together and developed a new dimension. The movement for acquisition of political power. La Raza Unida Party was born. Almost at the same time in Tejas and three days later in Colorado. Since that time we now have 23 states of this union that are actively organizing La Raza Unida Party in their states. 

The party very basically strikes two postures. One, we must liberate ourselves from the conditions that have long kept us down, the conditions of colonialism. Because we are a colony. You can look into the Southwest where there is a majority population of Chicanos in communities, they are held in impotent status. You can look anywhere in the institutions of this country. Look at this college. And you do not find Chicanos. You do not find us making the decisions; you do not find us in the board rooms of corporations determining economic policy, directions and policy of this country.

It is a sad commentary to state that close to 3 1/2 million Chicanos in California are entitled to one congressman. The same in Texas where 2 1/2 million Chicanos are represented by two Mexican-Americans. The only representative in the Senate is Montoya from New Mexico. This is not a "just" distribution of political power.

When you look at the Southwest and parts of the Midwest and you find Paul Riojas in Missouri and you find the only Chicano elected official in Iowa being a councilman down from the South. You look at Illinois and do not find any. Look at Michigan and you find one, mujer Jane Gonzales elected to the council in North Shore, Michigan. You look across the number of elected officials and you find us very wanting. You look at education and you find our Chicanos under represented not only in the classroom, here even as janitors. But you find now the Spanish Spanish Departments flocked and crowded with anglo students looking to learn Spanish, to go teach Spanish to Chicanitos because the job market is tight. 

We are talking about political power for the control of our destiny. So it is we who determine what steps to take, and second it is the party that seeks to remove our people from supporting the institutions of this country, particularly the Democratic and Republican Parties. If you are not a member of La Raza Unida Party so be it, hermano. There is work that still needs to be done. But if you are still a member of a Democratic or Republican Party that is unforgivable because you are part of the problem too. It is these institutions that have dictated the policy of deportation. It is these political parties that have

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a private school was established. This has been the pattern throughout. The "justice" as Rap Brown once said, "Is only a word that is spelled correctly by the oppressed because the oppressor spells 'justice', "just is". In 1970 what was a diffused and erotic movement bubbling here, striking there, came together and developed a new dimension. The movement for acquisition of political power. La Raza Unida Party was born. Almost at the same time in Tejas and three days later in Colorado. Since that time we now have 23 states of this union that are actively organizing La Raza Unida Party in their states. The party very basically strikes two postures. One, we must liberate ourselves from the conditions that have long kept us down, the conditions of colonialism. Because we are a colony. You can look into the Southwest where there is a majority population of Chicanos in communities, they are held in impotent status. You can look anywhere in the institutions of this country. Look at this college. And you do not find Chicanos. You do not find us making the decisions; you do not find us in the board rooms of corporations determining economic policy, directions and policy of this country. It is a sad commentary to state that close to 3 1/2 million Chicanos in California are entitled to one congressman. The same in Texas where 2 1/2 million Chicanos are represented by two Mexican-Americans. The only representative in the Senate is Montoya from New Mexico. This is not a "just" distribution of political power. When you look at the Southwest and parts of the Midwest and you find Paul Riojas in Missouri and you find the only Chicano elected official in Iowa being a councilman down from the South. You look at Illinois and do not find any. Look at Michigan and you find one, mujer Jane Gonzales elected to the council in North Shore, Michigan. You look across the number of elected officials and you find us very wanting. You look at education and you find our Chicanos under represented not only in the classroom, here even as janitors. But you find now the Spanish Spanish Departments flocked and crowded with anglo students looking to learn Spanish, to go teach Spanish to Chicanitos because the job market is tight. We are talking about political power for the control of our destiny. So it is we who determine what steps to take, and second it is the party that seeks to remove our people from supporting the institutions of this country, particularly the Democratic and Republican Parties. If you are not a member of La Raza Unida Party so be it, hermano. There is work that still needs to be done. But if you are still a member of a Democratic or Republican Party that is unforgivable because you are part of the problem too. It is these institutions that have dictated the policy of deportation. It is these political parties that have