Friday, November 8, 1996
UNITY:
Latinos need to recognize alternative student groups, put aside
differences to come together
It is easy to lump everyone with a Spanish surname into one
category, but to do this is to overlook many differences such as
race, nationality, generation and culture. To make this easier,
let’s examine a few common definitions.
Hispanic: a term coined by Nixon for census purposes, to be used
to denote all people of Latin American origin from all racial
categories. This relies heavily upon Spanish surnames. It
emphasizes the European origin of Latinos. (Mimi’s definition of
Hispanic: all second and later generations of Latinos who can claim
no specific national or cultural affiliation. In other words,
generic Latinos.)
Latinos: refers to all people originating from Latin American
countries, often times including those originating from Spain and
Portugal. Often recognized by a Spanish surname. However, this does
not take race into consideration, so it includes Europeans, those
of African descent, indigenous peoples, Asians and all combinations
thereof. Therefore, Mexican-born Chinese and Brazilian-born
Japanese are Latinos, because all foreigners born in Latin America
are included in this category. This is the most inclusive label and
actually the one I prefer. It is often used to refer to non-Mexican
Hispanics.
Mexican, Salvadoran, Puerto Rican, etc.: these labels refer to
people of specific national origins. THEY ARE NOT INTERCHANGEABLE.
Latinos of various national origins take great offense if mistaken
for another nationality. This has to do with the snobbery and other
issues present within the Latino community, especially among
Central Americans, who hate being called Mexicans.
Often, those born in the country of origin take offense if
foreign-born Latinos adopt their parents’ nationality. In other
words, my place of birth forbids me from calling myself Mexican. I
should use …
Hyphenated labels, such as Mexican-American, Cuban-American and
Spanish-American: This nomenclature is used by both immigrant
Latinos and their American-born children. It denotes a duality of
cultural traditions, a half-breed mixture.
Chicano: This term has its roots within Nahuatl and the Mechica
tribe, who later conquered Mexico. It later was used as a slang
term, often used in a derogatory manner within Mexican circles to
denote peasantry. It was reclaimed during the 1960s to refer to
Mexican-Americans. It can be used by other national groups and
often times denotes a political awareness about Latino issues as
well as a lack of assimilation. It emphasis the indigenous roots of
Latinos.
Now that you are so well-educated, we can talk about all the
fighting that occurs among the Latino community at UCLA. Here I
will attack the big boss.
When I first came to UCLA, there were about seven Mechistas who
held a very strict definition of what a "real" Chicano was. I began
to relate MEChA with reactionary, exclusive, power-hungry,
narrow-minded cholos who hated everybody but themselves. Therefore,
I take great offense at being called a Mechista. To be fair, these
Mechistas have graduated (most of them anyway), and MEChA has
changed. But not that much.
Doesn’t there seem to be an invisible measurement of how "down"
you are? Certain people don’t qualify. And we Latinos are
constantly measuring each other.
The ability to speak Spanish is one of these measurements. If
you don’t speak it, you are not considered Latino. If you speak it
well, you’re a pinche mojado. Other variables exist, such as
neighborhood or high school attended. So the ‘hood or barrio gives
you extra points, while areas like San Gabriel Valley, Downey and
Glendale don’t count. This standard is highly related to class
issues.
As a wannabe cholo from Arcadia, I went to a Catholic school, so
my "privilege" made me "less Latina." Never mind that I went there
on scholarship and that my dad worked two jobs to pay the rest. It
seems like MEChA has taken it upon itself to set the standards and
to certify us like beef.
To MEChA I ask: Who made you the keeper of the Chicano flame?
Who gave you the power to define who I am? See, MEChA isn’t so bad.
There is a definite need for political activism and historically,
MEChA has done a lot for the Chicano and Latino communities. What I
have a problem with are those who repeat the same rhetoric they
were fed and talk out of their asses. I would respect them more if
they had an actual argument and weren’t just repeating what someone
else said.
Another problem I have with MEChA is its monopoly as the main
representative for Latinos on campus, be it for Proposition 187 or
for curricular reform. If they’re lucky, they’ve got 200 or so
listed as members (not all active, mind you). This is about 5
percent of the more than 4,000 Latinos at UCLA. How can 5 percent
speak for the other 95 percent?
MEChA also presents itself as the sole alternative for Latinos
on this campus; students sometimes don’t realize the existence of
other groups and means for community involvement.
Latin American Student Alliance (LASA), La Gente newsmagazine,
Raza Women, La Familia, Chicanos and Latinos for Community Medicine
(CCM), Society of Latino Engineers and Scientists (SOLES), the
Latino Business Students Association (LBSA) and numerous other
community service programs (such as Latinas Guiding LAtinas) offer
ways to get involved. The sun does not revolve around the almighty
MEChA. I might add that each organization has its faults. No group
is perfect, but this does not mean that Latinos shouldn’t get
involved and find their niches. It doesn’t have to be in MEChA.
Another group that gets on my nerves is that poor excuse for a
fraternity known as "Oaxaca" (QAC). You know what the real name is,
but it doesn’t matter. It’s not that I have a problem with Latino
Greek organizations. My sisters are part of the Cal State Los
Angeles Greek system, which is about 80 percent Latino. What I do
have a problem with are those jerks who smoke marijuana blunts
around North Campus and walk in late to my history lecture with
puffs of smoke behind them. Honey, NO! How can you represent our
community when you perpetuate stereotypes? You couldn’t become a Nu
Alpha Kappa (Latino fraternity) chapter? You all have to be the
tokens for IFC so they can say how "diverse" they are?
Another dividing force is the Chisme Network  the gossip
grapevine. Latinos KNOW what I’m talking about here.
I realize why we have it  it does serve certain functions.
Women need it for protection. All those cheap Don Juan Casanovas
can work their business if you don’t who they are. The Chisme
Network protects us. Tip that to freshman girls and ask around; you
don’t want to find out too late that he already has two girls on
the side or that his girlfriend is pregnant. You also find out who
your enemies are.
You’ll know which girls will try to steal your boyfriend or stab
you in the back. You don’t want to find out too late that Juanita
or Fulanita messed around with your man. Bad roommates are another
example of the Chisme Network in full effect. You want to know
early on if your roommate steals your clothes without asking,
leaves with no rent money or (yuck) masturbates with a condom in
the bathroom.
I know why it’s there, but come on! This has gone too far. I did
a study last year and found that many of you thought that the
Latino/a community is very cliquish (of those who responded, 86
percent of men and 60 percent of women). Also, many felt that the
Chisme Network discouraged dating within UCLA (71 percent of men,
100 percent of women who responded). Women felt that there is peer
pressure within the Latino community at UCLA (50 percent of women
who responded), while men varied in their opinions (35 percent
agreeing, 35 percent disagreeing). Let’s mind our own business.
Can’t we let people live their own lives?
My final suggestion before I get off my soapbox is for El
Concillio, the union of Latino groups on campus. We know that
Proposition 209 just passed. It will be tied up in courts but in
the meantime, it will weaken all programs affecting our community.
We must strengthen our own service efforts and give even more than
before. Now is not the time to hold back. We need to be a united
community, and I think that El Concillio, as well as La Gente
newsmagazine, can be a centralizing and unifying force for Latinos
at UCLA. We will always have our differences, but we can work
together to continue programs like Raza Youth Conference and
programs that parallel the goals of affirmative action Â
unless, of course, they are deemed illegal. Remember, mi gente, la
raza unida jamas sera vencida ("The community united will never be
defeated").