Raza Unida Party
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
LRUP and the Electoral Process
The US mid-term-elections on November 2, 2010, created an array of reactions from
fear of “the continued Democratic left wing takeover” to “Republican Religious Right
Christian domination” But the most ridiculous is the overall assumption that the
election of either a republican or a democrat is going to have any effect on
Chicanos/Raza or any working class people. We need to analyze and digest all the
implications of elections and what it means to us today, as well as the USA in general.
Those who are elected in the USA today have more to do with maintaining a capitalist
safe guard than being the “best” candidates for the benefit of the people. For the most
part, popular elections are determined by those who have astronomical amounts of
money and who fit within the structure of the “Two Party Dictatorship” of democrats
and republicans. This limits most candidates to those in bed with “the deep pockets”,
meaning the two reigning political parties.
The assumptions of either “Democratic left
wing takeover” or “Republican Religious Right” imply a lack of analysis and critical
thinking within the US voting public. Very few can dispute that US society promotes
ignorance and arrogance over conscious critical participation in politics, much less
social perception of political equality or justice. US culture is dictated primarily by main
stream media; the voice box of consumer capitalism. The majority of people in this
country, in particular colonized Chicanos/Raza and Africans, have little notion as to the
functioning of the political system in this country. Far worse the ignorance, the media
lies, and the lack of education are not accidental but done by design.
Regardless of their intent, there are periods in US history when Chicanos and people in
general have consciously participated in the electoral process and challenged the “two
headed snake”, bringing to the surface its multitudes of contradictions. The latest was
the Chicano Power Period of 1960-1975. This era of Chicano Power exposed the
inequities of US-Consumer Capitalism, laying bare the ineffectiveness of the electoral
process. These are only a few reasons that allowed us to witness the organization of
the Black Panther Party, the Young Lords Party, the Peace and Freedom Party and La
Raza Unida Party in the 1960’s. The reaction from the system, to the challenge posed
by LRUP and the others was brutal. The US political organization did everything in
their power to destroy the political consciousness created by the Chicano and our
movement. The “two headed snake” attempted to replace our movement with deeper
political penetration of mainstream ineffectiveness.
Today, this ineffectiveness is projected in many of our people. Chicanos/Raza with a
history here in Aztlan, see no real value in voting. They have learned through decades
of occupation and political manipulation that voting has no effect on our overall well
being. This does not mean that they don’t vote because they understand the deeper
corruption within. Instead, they have learned Raza doesn’t matter to the system. And
because we are not affected by their outreach, mainstream politics push Chicanos
aside in their rush for the “New Immigrant” vote who are not yet jaded by the scheme
and are more easily “directed” by the vendidos who sell themselves to the highest
bidder; regardless of political affiliation.
It would seem that most of the participants have forgotten the purpose and outcome of
the Chicano Power Period 1960-1975. The truth is that the Chicano Power Period, as
with all social movements in the USA, has fallen victim to the systematic Consumer
capitalist conversion. As have all small or large social actions and movements, they
have been downsized into fragmented historical bits and pieces, dispensed by the
system and its institutions as unconnected “sound bites” with no relationship to the
continual process called history: Then sold in an advertising campaign as the next big
“Thing”. A clear example is the historical value of May 1 within the US-working class or
even Cinco de Mayo. Mexico doesn’t widely celebrate the day a small group of young
men wrapped themselves in their beloved flag. These young cadets hurled themselves
3 stories to their death rather than allow the Mexican flag to be captured by the United
States. However, it has become an excuse to sell liquor to unsuspecting Chicanos,
Mexicanos, Latinos, and Hispanics along with the rest of the all consuming general
public. In the US, this day became a great consumer boon.
To be clear, the reason US-Consumer Capitalism fragments and projects our history as
unrelated segments of events is that without a continual perspective of our
development or process we are more easily manipulated, controlled and demoralized.
This is called social-historical projection, where the true history is systematically
erased and replaced with a “story” more acceptable to the mainstream society. This
method is meant to keep us from developing a “critical social consciousness” that
would put into clear perspective our own social and historical development, and it
stops us from recognizing solutions to our own problems. As a result every generation
of Chicano students throughout society is made to believe that we have no history.
They think they must invent our struggle time and time again; when it is simply a matter
omitting our consistent history, leaving one to believe Chicanos have no relevance.
After his death, a survey was conducted to see what the youth in secondary and
university levels of education knew about Cesar E. Chavez, the champion of the
Campesinos. Only seventeen years after his death, the majority of students involved in
the study had no notion who he was, and those who did, confused him with the boxer
of the same name. Manipulation of history creates a general lack of clarity within a
people. When youth are not allowed to recognize and identify with heroes within their
own culture and race they will identify with and emulate the oppressing culture.
Elections and the electoral process are the most clear of examples regarding this
disconnected projection of our history. It has been said frequently that “Those who
don’t know their history are bound to repeat it”. In public education we are trained to
forget history. Through media manipulation and censoring we forget all the campaign
promises made by the candidates while courting our vote. What’s worse is that we
even forget the political exploitation of this country throughout history. This
manipulation of reality has produced both a blind following and cynical
disenfranchisements where people either follow their chosen party or decide “why
bother”. Both attitudes serve the colonizer by dividing the people.
What we need is to shift away from divisive thinking and work toward building our own
Revolutionary Political Chicano Party, toward building our nation -- Aztlan. Upon
publicly stating “the building of Aztlan”, we are always confronted with the question,
“Can’t we use the existing electoral system?” There are two main answers to this
question. First, we need to understand that we are not trying to fix the electoral system:
It is not broken and it is doing exactly what it was designed to do: Keep us in our place
and maintain the capitalist system. Second, yes--we can use the existing system. By
registering people to vote within La Raza Unida Party we maintain a method for giving
our people a sense of political “National Unity”. As in the past, we can run candidates
with the purpose of presenting the issues important to our community.
The existing system is well aware that when we are allowed to see our development as
Chicanos/Mexicanos in a linear perspective — from the beginning of our history, we
will understand what has worked in the past and what has not. This is the reason why
they have worked so hard to dis-educate us.
Voters in this country have been seduced into believing that our vote counts within
this system. But when realizing that we live under a dictatorship, they begin to
understand that this is impossible. Of course, the “dictator” of today has evolved from
the typical “Hitler type” dictator to one of “Global Corporations” which embody
Consumer Capitalism. This “U.S. type” dictator has been perfected by ad agencies and
“spin doctors” and political lobbyists. We have been duped into believing that there are
two opposing parties that challenge each other for the political vote of those allowed to
believe themselves in control. But in fact, this country has two political parties that
represent the same interests, essentially a snake with two heads that represents
“money for the rich”.
A saying from the 1960’s remarks, “There is no difference between a democrat or a
republican; The republican, stabs you from the front with direct racism and the
democrat pats you on the back, but stabs you anyway”. Even their names are
misnomers: There is nothing “Democratic” about the democratic party nor is there any
real sense of “Republicanism” in the republican party. Yet this “two party dictatorship”
translates into a more harsh reality for the Chicanos, US-Africans, and Puertoriqueños
colonized in the USA.
Within the 2010 election machinery, there was a sense of urgency to draw “Raza
Voters”. This urgency to convince our people of a difference between the two major
parties is due to the fact that people of color will soon be the majority in the Southwest.
The colonizer is aware that consumerism does not care about the color of the
consumer, only what they consume. The fact remains; capitalism is not concerned with
equality but privileged capitalism. But it is involved in capital domination instead of
human value, as well as profits over human dignity. They need control over “equal
representation” to exist. This means they need control over our vote in order to exist.
We were awakened to the understanding that life could be different and better during
the Chicano Power Period of 1960-1975. We realized that as a united people we had
power and for a brief moment in history, most of our people felt free and enjoyed the
human right of deciding what we wanted for ourselves. We rejected the two party
dictatorship and the education system. We realized our own political power though
acknowledgment of our own true identity as Chicanos. We organized and built our own
independent political power through La Raza Unida Party.
The two party system does not allow justice, democracy and human dignity exist. It
continues to attack with all the physical and psychological force available to them. The
outcome was exemplified during the 1980’s and the “Decade of the Hispanic”
campaign, coined by Joseph Coors while in the Ronald Regan presidential cabinet.
This campaign made vendidoism the poster child for Gringo colonialism. To many this
meant defeat: Many sold out, became cynical or disillusioned. But as the saying puts it
“Where there was fire, ashes remain”: A DONDE HABIA FUEGO, CENISAS QUEDAN.
The passion and fire created by the Chicano Power Period has continued in many of
our people and organizations. Time and the continued unfolding of our history will
prove that this fire burns in all of us and will ignite once again, advancing our
movement closer to our goal.
We need to free ourselves of the myths that keep us servants to consumer capitalism. I
understand the reaction of the State is a concern for many. We are only asking people
to think, analyze and organize. Once we begin the liberating process of study and
organization, we will see things fall into place. In the past I would ask my students,
“Imagine what the school districts would do if all Chicanos demanded to be taught our
true history and advocated for real consciousness raising education at all levels”. This
was precisely what was put forth by Chicanos during the Chicano Power Period and
continues today among the individuals and organizations who struggle for truth,
dignity, self-determination and liberation. This is what I ask of you today. Think.
Analyze. Organize.
Jenaro Ayala, National Chair
National La Raza Unida Party
11/7/10
The US mid-term-elections on November 2, 2010, created an array of reactions from
fear of “the continued Democratic left wing takeover” to “Republican Religious Right
Christian domination” But the most ridiculous is the overall assumption that the
election of either a republican or a democrat is going to have any effect on
Chicanos/Raza or any working class people. We need to analyze and digest all the
implications of elections and what it means to us today, as well as the USA in general.
Those who are elected in the USA today have more to do with maintaining a capitalist
safe guard than being the “best” candidates for the benefit of the people. For the most
part, popular elections are determined by those who have astronomical amounts of
money and who fit within the structure of the “Two Party Dictatorship” of democrats
and republicans. This limits most candidates to those in bed with “the deep pockets”,
meaning the two reigning political parties.
The assumptions of either “Democratic left
wing takeover” or “Republican Religious Right” imply a lack of analysis and critical
thinking within the US voting public. Very few can dispute that US society promotes
ignorance and arrogance over conscious critical participation in politics, much less
social perception of political equality or justice. US culture is dictated primarily by main
stream media; the voice box of consumer capitalism. The majority of people in this
country, in particular colonized Chicanos/Raza and Africans, have little notion as to the
functioning of the political system in this country. Far worse the ignorance, the media
lies, and the lack of education are not accidental but done by design.
Regardless of their intent, there are periods in US history when Chicanos and people in
general have consciously participated in the electoral process and challenged the “two
headed snake”, bringing to the surface its multitudes of contradictions. The latest was
the Chicano Power Period of 1960-1975. This era of Chicano Power exposed the
inequities of US-Consumer Capitalism, laying bare the ineffectiveness of the electoral
process. These are only a few reasons that allowed us to witness the organization of
the Black Panther Party, the Young Lords Party, the Peace and Freedom Party and La
Raza Unida Party in the 1960’s. The reaction from the system, to the challenge posed
by LRUP and the others was brutal. The US political organization did everything in
their power to destroy the political consciousness created by the Chicano and our
movement. The “two headed snake” attempted to replace our movement with deeper
political penetration of mainstream ineffectiveness.
Today, this ineffectiveness is projected in many of our people. Chicanos/Raza with a
history here in Aztlan, see no real value in voting. They have learned through decades
of occupation and political manipulation that voting has no effect on our overall well
being. This does not mean that they don’t vote because they understand the deeper
corruption within. Instead, they have learned Raza doesn’t matter to the system. And
because we are not affected by their outreach, mainstream politics push Chicanos
aside in their rush for the “New Immigrant” vote who are not yet jaded by the scheme
and are more easily “directed” by the vendidos who sell themselves to the highest
bidder; regardless of political affiliation.
It would seem that most of the participants have forgotten the purpose and outcome of
the Chicano Power Period 1960-1975. The truth is that the Chicano Power Period, as
with all social movements in the USA, has fallen victim to the systematic Consumer
capitalist conversion. As have all small or large social actions and movements, they
have been downsized into fragmented historical bits and pieces, dispensed by the
system and its institutions as unconnected “sound bites” with no relationship to the
continual process called history: Then sold in an advertising campaign as the next big
“Thing”. A clear example is the historical value of May 1 within the US-working class or
even Cinco de Mayo. Mexico doesn’t widely celebrate the day a small group of young
men wrapped themselves in their beloved flag. These young cadets hurled themselves
3 stories to their death rather than allow the Mexican flag to be captured by the United
States. However, it has become an excuse to sell liquor to unsuspecting Chicanos,
Mexicanos, Latinos, and Hispanics along with the rest of the all consuming general
public. In the US, this day became a great consumer boon.
To be clear, the reason US-Consumer Capitalism fragments and projects our history as
unrelated segments of events is that without a continual perspective of our
development or process we are more easily manipulated, controlled and demoralized.
This is called social-historical projection, where the true history is systematically
erased and replaced with a “story” more acceptable to the mainstream society. This
method is meant to keep us from developing a “critical social consciousness” that
would put into clear perspective our own social and historical development, and it
stops us from recognizing solutions to our own problems. As a result every generation
of Chicano students throughout society is made to believe that we have no history.
They think they must invent our struggle time and time again; when it is simply a matter
omitting our consistent history, leaving one to believe Chicanos have no relevance.
After his death, a survey was conducted to see what the youth in secondary and
university levels of education knew about Cesar E. Chavez, the champion of the
Campesinos. Only seventeen years after his death, the majority of students involved in
the study had no notion who he was, and those who did, confused him with the boxer
of the same name. Manipulation of history creates a general lack of clarity within a
people. When youth are not allowed to recognize and identify with heroes within their
own culture and race they will identify with and emulate the oppressing culture.
Elections and the electoral process are the most clear of examples regarding this
disconnected projection of our history. It has been said frequently that “Those who
don’t know their history are bound to repeat it”. In public education we are trained to
forget history. Through media manipulation and censoring we forget all the campaign
promises made by the candidates while courting our vote. What’s worse is that we
even forget the political exploitation of this country throughout history. This
manipulation of reality has produced both a blind following and cynical
disenfranchisements where people either follow their chosen party or decide “why
bother”. Both attitudes serve the colonizer by dividing the people.
What we need is to shift away from divisive thinking and work toward building our own
Revolutionary Political Chicano Party, toward building our nation -- Aztlan. Upon
publicly stating “the building of Aztlan”, we are always confronted with the question,
“Can’t we use the existing electoral system?” There are two main answers to this
question. First, we need to understand that we are not trying to fix the electoral system:
It is not broken and it is doing exactly what it was designed to do: Keep us in our place
and maintain the capitalist system. Second, yes--we can use the existing system. By
registering people to vote within La Raza Unida Party we maintain a method for giving
our people a sense of political “National Unity”. As in the past, we can run candidates
with the purpose of presenting the issues important to our community.
The existing system is well aware that when we are allowed to see our development as
Chicanos/Mexicanos in a linear perspective — from the beginning of our history, we
will understand what has worked in the past and what has not. This is the reason why
they have worked so hard to dis-educate us.
Voters in this country have been seduced into believing that our vote counts within
this system. But when realizing that we live under a dictatorship, they begin to
understand that this is impossible. Of course, the “dictator” of today has evolved from
the typical “Hitler type” dictator to one of “Global Corporations” which embody
Consumer Capitalism. This “U.S. type” dictator has been perfected by ad agencies and
“spin doctors” and political lobbyists. We have been duped into believing that there are
two opposing parties that challenge each other for the political vote of those allowed to
believe themselves in control. But in fact, this country has two political parties that
represent the same interests, essentially a snake with two heads that represents
“money for the rich”.
A saying from the 1960’s remarks, “There is no difference between a democrat or a
republican; The republican, stabs you from the front with direct racism and the
democrat pats you on the back, but stabs you anyway”. Even their names are
misnomers: There is nothing “Democratic” about the democratic party nor is there any
real sense of “Republicanism” in the republican party. Yet this “two party dictatorship”
translates into a more harsh reality for the Chicanos, US-Africans, and Puertoriqueños
colonized in the USA.
Within the 2010 election machinery, there was a sense of urgency to draw “Raza
Voters”. This urgency to convince our people of a difference between the two major
parties is due to the fact that people of color will soon be the majority in the Southwest.
The colonizer is aware that consumerism does not care about the color of the
consumer, only what they consume. The fact remains; capitalism is not concerned with
equality but privileged capitalism. But it is involved in capital domination instead of
human value, as well as profits over human dignity. They need control over “equal
representation” to exist. This means they need control over our vote in order to exist.
We were awakened to the understanding that life could be different and better during
the Chicano Power Period of 1960-1975. We realized that as a united people we had
power and for a brief moment in history, most of our people felt free and enjoyed the
human right of deciding what we wanted for ourselves. We rejected the two party
dictatorship and the education system. We realized our own political power though
acknowledgment of our own true identity as Chicanos. We organized and built our own
independent political power through La Raza Unida Party.
The two party system does not allow justice, democracy and human dignity exist. It
continues to attack with all the physical and psychological force available to them. The
outcome was exemplified during the 1980’s and the “Decade of the Hispanic”
campaign, coined by Joseph Coors while in the Ronald Regan presidential cabinet.
This campaign made vendidoism the poster child for Gringo colonialism. To many this
meant defeat: Many sold out, became cynical or disillusioned. But as the saying puts it
“Where there was fire, ashes remain”: A DONDE HABIA FUEGO, CENISAS QUEDAN.
The passion and fire created by the Chicano Power Period has continued in many of
our people and organizations. Time and the continued unfolding of our history will
prove that this fire burns in all of us and will ignite once again, advancing our
movement closer to our goal.
We need to free ourselves of the myths that keep us servants to consumer capitalism. I
understand the reaction of the State is a concern for many. We are only asking people
to think, analyze and organize. Once we begin the liberating process of study and
organization, we will see things fall into place. In the past I would ask my students,
“Imagine what the school districts would do if all Chicanos demanded to be taught our
true history and advocated for real consciousness raising education at all levels”. This
was precisely what was put forth by Chicanos during the Chicano Power Period and
continues today among the individuals and organizations who struggle for truth,
dignity, self-determination and liberation. This is what I ask of you today. Think.
Analyze. Organize.
Jenaro Ayala, National Chair
National La Raza Unida Party
11/7/10
| This site created and maintained by Chimalli Cuetlachtli. © National Brown Berets, 2007 C/S (CON SAFOS) |
| ANNUAL PARTIDO LA RAZA UNIDA COMMUNITY PROJECTS FIESTA EN EL BARRIO In December, La Raza Unida sponsors the “Fiesta en el Barrio” where the local children and their parents participate in a fiesta with food, toys, games, pinatas and a cultural presentation: sharing a different portion of our true history every year. PNLRU STUDY CLASS Because the educational curriculum throughout this country fails to teach our children to think, the Partido Nacional La Raza Unida offers a study class to learn our history, analyze current issues and build a social conscious for our future. AUGUST 29TH CHICANO MORATORIUM COMMEMORATION As one of the major promoters of the commemoration of August 29, 1970, the PNLRU assists in maintaining, coordinating, and publicizing this momentous event in our long history. CHICANO LIBERATION DAY On March 26, 1969 the “First Chicano Liberation Youth Conference” in Denver Colorado took place. Partido Nacional La Raza Unida recognizes this historic day with an annual commemoration. CULTURAL ART WORKSHOPS To promote the understanding and appreciation of Chicano History, La Raza Unida conducts a series of workshops and discussions in a cultural art format. LA RAZA UNIDA PARTY VOTER REGISTRATION PROJECT Local Raza Unida Chapters offer our local communities and Raza in general the option to build a true and independent Chicano Political Power, through registering to vote as “La Raza Unida Party. Contact: La Raza Unida Party 818-365-6534 partido_nacional@yahoo.com |
| Please do your part by supporting the Brown Berets. Your donation goes to serve our Gente. |
