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March 31, 2000
State Workers Make Money on Cesar Chavez
As expected, Governor Gray Davis will sign into law Senate
Bill SB 984, sponsored by Senator Richard Polanco (D), making March 31, the
birthday of César Chávez, a paid holiday for state workers. This act will
cost the California taxpayers anywhere from $43 million to $188 million per
year, according to budget analysts.
The sudden fast tracking of, SB 984, the Chávez Bill, would
make it seem like all the Mexican organizations, politicos movie stars, and
community activists are in support of making the birthday of Chávez a `paid
State holiday.' In fact, the Bill was steamrollered by a few Latino
legislatures with or no effort to sense the opinion of the majority of the
Mexican American and Latino voters. As it stands right now, the cost of honoring
Chávez is going to come at the cost of achieving substantive changes that would
attack the very roots of our dis-enfranchisement and exclusion from American
society.
The majority of the 30 million Mexicanos and Latinos in America are
systematically excluded from achieving racial, economical, educational,
political and social equality. The $50-$188 million that will be spent yearly on
honoring one person are moneys that could be utilized to root out the very real
evils of discrimination and racism that maintain our people in a servile
position in America.
The holiday means little to the majority of the state workers "who are not
Mexican nor Latino." Perhaps a few Chicanos, who work for state funded agencies
or organizations will get a paid holiday and make an effort to spend the time to
honor César. But, at what cost?
César Chávez gained recognition for fighting to bring the farm workers as
well as all other oppressed minorities of this nation under the protection of
our Constitution and Bill of Rights. He fought to stop the exploitation of
Mexicans, Latinos and all other people of color.
In our State, we, the descendants of the Spanish Conquest, are honored by
having our State named after our forefathers, having mountain ranges named in
their honor. We have cities, towns, counties that bear the names of our people.
We are honored by having our massive ocean named in our honor. We are honored by
statutes in our parks, byways and roadways bearing our names. We are honored in
so many ways except in being accepted as human beings in our own country since
the migration from Europe began in the 1600's.
On March 31st, the Farmworkers, as well as most of the working
class people of color, in California, will be busy, working in the fields,
stores, factories, restaurants, bars, hotels, earning a pitiful pittance in jobs
that no Anglo-European will take.
Making March 31 a "paid" holiday is a transparent ploy to distract the people
from demanding the real changes that are needed that will make a difference in
our lives and the lives of our children. The State is offering a bon bon to the
masses instead of substantive change and our politicos bought into it!
Paid holiday or not, we will honor César Chávez. As we have while he lived
and struggled and now that the Good Lord took him away from us.
Other articles republished from La Prensa San Diego
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