Author: mopress

THE ORIGINS OF THE “ELIMINATE THE GRINGO” QUOTE

By Jose Angel Gutierrez

Originally published en espanol in La Estrella newspaper of Fort Worth, reprinted by permission of author.

I was the head of the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO) in Texas in 1969 having just return from military duty during the Vietnam War. I held a press conference in San Antonio, Texas on April 11, 1969 to announce our organizational plans.

This is what I said:

“MAYO had found that both federal and religious programs aimed at social change do not meet the needs of the Mexicanos of this state.

“Further, we find that the vicious cultural genocide being inflicted upon La Raza by gringos and their institutions not only severely damage our human dignity but also make it impossible for La Raza to develop its right of self-determination.

“For these reasons, top priority is given to identifying and exposing the gringo. We also promote the social welfare of Mexicanos through education designed to enlarge the capabilities of indigenous leaders.

“We hope to secure our human and civil rights, to eliminate bigotry and racism, to lessen the tensions in our barrios and combat the deterioration of our communities.

“Our organization, largely comprised of youth, is committed to effecting meaningful social change. Social change that will enable La Raza to become masters of their destiny, owners of their resources, both human and natural, and a culturally and spiritually separate people from the gringo.

“Only through this program, we of MAYO, see the possibility of surviving this century as a free and complete family of Mexicanos. We will not try to assimilate into this gringo society in Texas, nor will we encourage anybody else to do so.

“Rather, MAYO once again asks of friends here and across the nation to assist us in our efforts. We intend to become free as a people in order to enjoy the abundance of our country and share it with those less fortunate.

“MAYO will not engage in controversy with fellow Mexicanos regardless of how unfounded and vindictive their accusations may be. We realize that the effects of cultural genocide takes many forms—some Mexicanos will become psychologically castrated, others will become demagogues and gringos as well and others will come together, resist and eliminate the gringo. We will be the latter.”

Questions followed the press statement, particularly from Kemper Diehl, a reporter with the San Antonio Express News. He wrote an article on the press conference and printed his version of an exchange:

Q: What do you mean by ‘eliminate the gringo?’

A: “You can eliminate an individual in various ways. You can certainly kill him but that is not our intent at this moment. You can remove the base of support that he operates from be it economic, political, social. That is what we intend to do.”

Kemper Diehl wrote more: “Gutierrez was again pressed as to intentions of killing gringos ‘if worst comes to worst.’ He replied ‘If worst comes to worst and we have to resort to that means, it would be self-defense.’ ” Gutierrez went on to be quoted as detailing attempts on his life and property just a few years before.

For the record, this was a press conference 38 years ago! It was not a press conference held yesterday much less statements made by me in my class room at the university. Since immigration and anti-Mexican attitudes are now the talk of the day particularly on national radio and television I have been resurrected.

Lastly, about 2 years ago Alan Wall that works and lives in Mexico put together words as if they were mine and posted them on VDARE.com claiming they were mine. Soon these quotes appeared in many extreme right wing websites. Two months ago David Horowitz included me in a list of the 101 Most Dangerous Professors in the United States and cited these Allan Wall quotes as his evidence. Reporters today are now citing them over and over again today.

Because of this the FBI came to see me and warn me that some people want to kill me. I cannot stop crazies from believing these lies. This will pass. In the meantime realize that the white hate aimed against me now is really the same white hate aimed at all of us of Mexican ancestry residing in the US.

Jose Angel Gutierrez is a home-grown civil rights hero of Texas history. We are honored to have his permission to post these selected writings. Special thanks to Roberto Calderon for forwarding these works.–gm

Oh, and while we have the attention of our Nazi readers, don’t forget to vote in our school funding poll. We like to keep track of how many you are.

By Jose Angel Gutierrez

Originally published en espanol in La Estrella newspaper of Fort Worth, reprinted by permission of author.

No this is not a match between two boxers or wrestlers; it is a debate at the University of Texas-Arlington campus on April 28, 2006 at 1pm at the Student Center, Rosebud Theatre. It is free and open to all the public.

I am debating Jared Taylor, a racist in a suit. Look at his writings for the past 14 years under http://www.amren.com He believes that the first white persons that came to North America were “pioneers” and “nation builders,” not illegal aliens.
I say the first illegal aliens in the US were the pilgrims, his forefathers. I believe that the first illegal aliens in Texas were Davy Crockett, Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, and thousands of other criminals. He believes that they were freedom fighters and heroes.

Taylor also has racist views about certain people. White people are good and intelligent by nature. Blacks and browns (Latinos) are criminal by nature. Mexicans and other Latinos are invading the US and destroying the white way of life, he writes, says, and believes.

Come hear him. To him and his supporters, the US has been a white country, still is a white country, and should remain a white country. I believe this is a nation of immigrants and we should all accommodate each other and live peacefully as human beings not racial groups.

Mexico lost these lands we now call Texas and the Southwest in wars of aggression fought by the US in the early to mid-1800s. Political control over these lands transferred over to the US and our problems began. Overnight we were made illegal and unwanted in our own homelands. That is still the case today.

The Taylor’s of this country believe we should not come into the US unless we become like them. In the case of African Americans who were brought here in chains and into slavery, the Taylor’s of this country believe they are inferior and cannot become like them. In our case the Taylor’s believe we are not only different in our culture but deficient because we are not white.

I realize you probably do not believe such people exist today but they do and I am having this debate in public to expose this racist in a suit on April 28th at 1pm. If you cannot come, go read his material. Taylor and others are daily on the air on radio and television talking bad about Mexicans, immigrants and me in particular. I think we need to answer them back in public.

By Jose Angel Gutierrez

Originally published en espanol in La Estrella newspaper of Fort Worth, reprinted by permission of author.

I read several newspapers recently and pieced together a growing pattern across the country: deportation raids against Mexicans are with us again. The Border Patrol is not raiding plants and employers looking for illegal Asians or Africans or Canadians. The Border Patrol is only hunting for Mexicans. It is the hot topic.

This is nothing new but it is alarming as always. The human cost is terrible on the person deported, family, relatives, and especially children. The US has recruited Mexicans with one hand dating back to the beginning of 1910s. The US welcomed Mexican labor coming across fleeing the Revolution of 1910. The Border Patrol was not even in existence then. It came about in 1925.
In the 1920’s Mexicans were deported because they were forming labor unions in the US. Labor organizing in the US means communism to the business people and their hired politicians. US Attorney General Palmer deported many Mexicans in what he called the Palmer Raids.

During the Depression of the 1930s Mexicans were once again deported because we were taking jobs from “Americans” and asking for welfare. Everyone was looking for a job and welfare then but we were the scapegoats. When World War II broke out, the US needed labor and the Bracero Program began in 1942. We were welcomed then provided we worked like slaves for cheap wages and no benefits. The program lasted until 1964.

In the middle of the Bracero Program, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the deportation of Mexicans once again in the 1950s. The program was a military excercise called Operation Wetback. In the 1960s President Kennedy created the Alliance for Progress for Latin America and recognized all of us as Americans. In the US, white people believe they are the only Americans. But the Cuban Revolution broke out and again Mexicans were pushed out in favor of Cubans coming to the US.

In the 1970s President Reagan sent troops in to Central America and many refugees came to the US. In 1986 the US Congress attempted to legalize some immigrants and deport those that were not eligible. Since then, the Border Patrol has been on constant raid posture.

I am alarmed not at the deportations but at the new contract to build detention centers given to Halliburton Corporation, the company Vice President Cheney worked for before this position. The Halliburton subsidiary, KBR has received $385 million dollars to build more detention centers.

The press release from http://www.Halliburton.com reads: “the contract, which is effective immediately, provides for establishing temporary detention and processing capabilities to augment exisiting ICE Detention and Removal Operations Program facilities in the event of an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S. or to support the rapid deployment of new programs.”

In the middle of World War II, the US government ordered the arrest and detention of thousands Americans of Japanese ancestry because they might be disloyal to the US. The US government did not arrest Italians, Spaniards, or Germans and they were at war also. I wonder if the “rapid deployment of new programs” is an election plan before November to conduct massive raids and roundup thousands of Mexicans in a get-tough display of power?

By Jose Angel Gutierrez

Originally published en espanol in La Estrella newspaper of Fort Worth, reprinted by permission of author.

The idea of an economic boycott by immigrants in the US on May 1st is a good one. The economic might of immigrants, legal or not, in the United States is two-fold: labor power and consumer power. California Gov. Pete Wilson proposed and supported Proposition 187 which contained the basic anti-Mexican and anti-immigrant provisioins of the current James Sensenbrenner bill that passed the US House of Representatives last December 2005. In both cases persons of Mexican ancestry in the US rose in opposition and organized massive protests.
The idea of a national boycott was discussed by various leaders and attempted. I know some of us put up signs on our doors then: No Compro/No Trabajo. The media then like now said our boycott was ineffective. Employers then like now told employees they would be fired if they did not show up for work or participated in protests. Nothing much has changed.

If you want to change public policy and law, you must challenge it and be prepared to pay the consequences. In this case who is really needed? Is it our labor that is more important or is it that we have a job that is more important?

Several so called “leaders” are flying off to Mexico to discuss how to stop the boycott. President Fox is not interested in upsetting the dialogue and relations between him and Bush. Mexico is the largest trading partner of the US in the Americas.

Immigrants of all types, Cuban, Indian, Vietnamese, Dominican, Mexican, Salvadoran, Polish, Greek, etc. earn money in the US and send some to their homeland. These remittances save the US government lots of money in foreign assistance they do not have to send those governments. And these government get this money “free” without any effort. They enjoy the benefits of these immigrants working outside their country.

I do not know how effective the boycott will be but two things are sure. First, US workers will once again join the rest of the world in celebrating May 1st as the Day of the Worker internationally. The US government broke away from that tradition to split US workers from the international community and allows Labor Day on the first Monday in September. The US government shot and killed labor protestors during the Haymarket Riots in 1896. Thereafter, organized labor in the US chose to celebrate on another day not in May.

Second, economic boycotts work best when you have a specific target. A target in 1987 was Disney Corporation because they gave money to the advocates of Proposition 187. In 2006 the target some boycott organizers suggest ought to be is James Sensenbrenner. He is the heir to the Kimberly Clark fortune. They make Kleenex, Kotex, Depends, Scott tissue, Pull-ups, Huggies, Little Swimmers, Viva, and Cottonelle products. We all use them at sometime.

There is also Kimberly Clark de Mexico, SA. If Sensenbrenner does not want Mexicans in his midst then why should Mexicans buy his products?
Third, some of us will pay the price and boycott. I will not work that day. I will show a movie during a lunch hour at the university where I work about the greatest tennis player of all time, Pancho Gonzalez. Come visit, it is free on May 1, noon, University Hall Room 121 (University of Texas – Arlington).