Tucson Students Stage Walkouts, Teach-Ins Over Suspended Mexican American Studies Program
Students organize school of ethnic studies to teach “forbidden” curriculum
Posts tagged Protest.
Anticomercial: Morir Mejor
Turn on any radio or television in Mexico and almost every other ad is government propaganda.
This is one of many anti-ads produced in recent weeks in response to the federal government’s ‘Vivir Mejor’ campaign, the Calderón administration’s slogan.
This United States funded and led drug war has cost Mexico more than 50,000 lives.
It’s time the US gets out of Mexico. And don’t forget to take Felipe Calderón with you!
Digital artist Tonatiuh Moreno of Guadalajara interrupts Felipe Calderón to challenge his drug war policy during a speech yesterday to local business leaders shouting, “When will this war be over?”
See video from Milenio and read more at the LA Times and La Jornada.
Estela de Luz
Calderón’s “Pillar of Light,” meant to commemorate Mexico’s bicentennial, came in at more than 43 million dollars over budget and a year and four months late.
“Some Mexicans have suggested the quartz-clad light tower be dubbed ‘the monument to corruption,’ ” wrote the AP.
At a total cost of more than a billion dollars, this “Pillar of Light” shows little for it. Its tackiness is an insult to Mexico’s history and heritage.
The Myths & Facts Framing Tucson’s Mexican American Studies Program
Attacks on the Mexican American Studies program of Tucson, Arizona continues. State officials are following through on a campaign promise to close the program, but its meeting resistance from students, family, and teachers.
The teachers of the Mexican American Studies (MAS) program have organized a legal defense fund, toured the United States showing “Precious Knowledge,” a documentary on MAS, and spoken out in interviews and press conferences - a strategy that has helped their cause immensely. However, the power of political office is heavy, and state officials are doing everything possible on their end to mischaracterize MAS.
Last week, the Tucson Weekly responded epically with a cover story addressing the myths behind Mexican American Studies.
Possibly the strangest, but most revealing myth was Myth No. 3, which states, “These classes are teaching a form of Mayan religion.” It traces this myth to a Luis Valdez poem inspired by the Popol Vuh called “In Lak’ Ech.”
A more analytical approach was taken by Tucson Citizen’s Three Sonorans. By using Arizona’s own audit report, it confronts the many factual errors the attacks on MAS are based on. Confronting the myth that MAS promotes resentment towards a race or class of people is a quote from Supt. John Huppenthal’s own report: “No observable evidence exists that the instruction promotes resentment towards a race or class of people. The auditors observed the opposite, as students are taught to be accepting of multiple ethnicities of people.”
A ruling from the state superintendent’s office is expected in the coming days. Regardless of its findings, the good people of Tucson will surely defend this program and its accomplishments. For state officials hoping this attack would quiet dissenters, they’re mistaken. If anything, they’ve awoken a generation of Tucson youth willing to fight for their education.
Read: Arizona Educators Clash Over Mexican American Studies via the LA Times
Photo: Precious Knowledge / Tucson Weekly
We’re a Culture, Not a Costume
Contact Party City Here or Call (914) 345-2020 and ask to speak with CEO Jerry Rittenberg. Speak up and demand they discontinue sales of their “Mexican themed” costumes. We’re a Culture, Not a Costume!
For more information on the We’re a Culture, Not a Costume Campaign, contact Saucy-Sarah.
Read: Things White People Should Stop Doing: Mexican Parties
October 12, 1992 - 500 Years of Resistance
Chicano students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison protest the 1992 Columbus Quincentennial.
Bandera de Guerra del Sexenio de Calderón
Puebla, Mexico
Caravana al Sur
More photos here.
For more information, visit Emergencia MX and Red por la Paz y la Justicia
Calderón Gives Stanford Commencement Speech; Banner Has Little Effect
Yesterday, Felipe Calderón gave Stanford’s 2011 commencement speech. In an attempt to upstage him, an aerial banner flew overhead for almost the entirety of the address, reported several news outlets.
The irony is that the students graduating from one of the United States’ top universities didn’t seem to know enough about Mexico’s drug war to get the message.
It made headlines in Mexico, but in the United States, almost nothing was reported. Stanford’s school paper, The Stanford Daily, had no mention of the protest in today’s edition; the Mercury News, a few sentences buried at the bottom of the article. El Mensajero, the Bay Area’s Spanish-language daily, live-blogged the speech and spoke with students who seemed confused by the banner. Read their article here.
The sad reality is that the United States cares little about its impact on others. Felipe Calderón knows this and was doing his part to add legitimacy to his administration and this bloody drug war.
For those interested in raising awareness in the United States about Mexico’s drug war, be mindful that’ll take a lot more than an aerial banner to get the attention of Americans.
See amateur video of the the aerial banner flying overhead as Calderón quotes Gandhi:
Watch Calderón’s full speech here.
Photo: HCervantes
El Luchador SME vs. Policías Granaderos
Supporter of el SME (disbanded electrical union) takes on the Mexico City’s riot police. That puff of smoke is from a shot being fired at the luchador. Crazy!
Legit!
1 year against 1070 march in Phoenix
April 23, 2011
Scenes from Arizona: The community in resistance
Arizona’s SB 1070 Protest Art
We Are Human by Francisco Garcia
On the morning of April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed Senate Bill 1070 into law. Later that day, an artist named Nomas threw 10 posters and a few spray cans into his bag, grabbed a bucket of paste, and jumped on his bike.
A few hours later, images of Sheriff Joe Arpaio in a military uniform with a swastika on his forehead and stenciled Hitlers saluting “SB 1070” were pasted and painted on public walls, light poles, and the backs of street signs in downtown Phoenix.
Lalo Cota’s “Invasion!” installation at The Hive
The artist doesn’t go by his real name — most of his work is illegal by city standards, and it’s usually scratched off or painted over within a couple of days.
“I had this weird feeling,” Nomas says from behind dark glasses, sitting at Lux, a Central Phoenix coffee bar. “I had to voice my outrage. It wasn’t a choice.”
While thousands crowded the downtown streets to march against legislation designed to send undocumented Mexicans home, Nomas’ images joined the growing sensory (and often censored) responses to border issues and immigration legislation across the United States.
Diane Ovalle: Scene from an anti-SB 1070 march
