The chicanos movement

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other issues, the group intends to challenge the generalized system of beliefs and reconstruct the image of themselves. To this we must remember that the degree of racism carried Latinos were ashamed of their origin, and feel inferior to whites. From attack, Chicanos highlight the pride of his “mexicanidad” and culture, and try to create a new definition of identity.

But the interesting thing is that the Movement was not in California, but their ideas spread by other States. Its main representatives were Oscar Chavez, who starred in Los Angeles; Reies Tijerina, in northern New Mexico; Rodolfo (Corky) Gonzalez in Denver, and Jose Angel Gutierrez, in the state of Texas. However, despite this, there went from being local or regional movements, and could never achieve national mobilization.

The Chicano Movement was very controversial, because his political ideology was not the word, but went into action. With this great enemies won, not only among whites (leaders and general population), but also among Mexican-Americans themselves, who sometimes saw with disgust that rebel actions. Many sympathize with the ideas, but not their methods. That is the great dilemma between Mexican-Americans.

In the novel "Pilgrims of Aztlan" classic Chicano novel, Mendez tells the adventures and misadventures of Mexican migrants trying to reach the United States. Loreto Maldonado, an old man who already has spent years living in that northern country.

We can then observe a demystification of what America means. Those migrants arrive, or trying to reach with the hope of making a fortune, winning a lot of dollars and thus able to give something to your family so they can eat and dress. However, upon arrival they realize the sad reality. "Wherever you think you’re going to collect dollars with broom there are also many hungry people" (Mendez, 1989 p. 70). Many travelers believe they will find a paradise, but upon arrival, the reality is different.

On the one hand, some young people travel duped. With the hope of getting work and live well, they decide to make the trip, but before arriving, they realize that everything was a lie.

These people are exploited as slaves, they are treated as slaves. No rights, in a country that sometimes it is not yours, are at the mercy of the "migra". In fact, in some dialogue one of the characters asks why the “migra”.

The social contrast is another constant in the narrative. The rich versus the poor, the rich who want to make charitable to earn heaven by selfishness, not to help the needy, the rich offering alms, coins that make them feel powerful against the other, the rich who were money through the exploitation of the poor. This contrast is emphasized by the author on several occasions throughout the novel.

I think this is very instructive, because it shows the degree of confusion that exists in many people about what they are. In the United States are Mexicans in Mexico are Pochos, and in fact, are neither one thing nor the other, none of this identifies need to create an identity, and Chicano comes to save that problem. We can not live without an identity, without knowing where we come from , which is what we want, where we are going. The Chicano movement certainly helped many of these people to find it.

Finally, it is a fact that if it wasn’t for the leaders and all the people who were part of the movement, we wouldn’t have the same opportunities and rights that we have. Today civil rights for many Chicanos are the same and laws like the Equal Opportunity for Employment, which regulates the discrimination of minorities from race religion, age, or ethnicity. Standards for minimum wage and education have changed all over the U.S. as a result of the civil rights movement. Living in a border community the integration of a majority of Chicanos in the schools is clearly seen and we are now seeing an enormous amount of young Chicanos graduating from school. Educated Chicanos are now part of our daily lives that are still fighting for help for Chicanos on the border.

Since I can remember, my family was present sow the idea of exile, the need to move. Feeling a village not wanted anywhere where you go is a condition that mark deeply. So, I think it is possible to understand my identification with the situation of Chicanos that although it is very different from the Jewish people, unites them, as any unwanted group, inter alia conflicts of identity.

References:

Manuel G. Gonzales. (2009). The Chicano Movement, 1965-1975. Mexicanos: A history of Mexicans in the United States (pp. 198-201). Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Carlos Muñoz, Jr. (2013). The Chicano Movement: Mexican American History and the Struggle for Equality. Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, 4-15. Retrieved from:

http://www.rosalux-nyc.org/wp-content/files_mf/muñoz_the_chicano_movement.pdf

Navarro, P., Professor, S. A., & Ruiz, S. (n.d.). The Chicana and Chicano Civil Rights Movement. El Movimiento: Empowerment, Liberation, Revolution, Identity, and Struggle. 2-11. Retrieved from:

http://sandruiz.bol.ucla.edu/index_files/navarro.pdf

Ariza, M (2000). Ya no soy la que dejé atrás… Mujeres migrantes en Republica Dominicana. México: Ed. Plaza y Valdés.

Méndez, Miguel (1989). Peregrinos de Aztlán. México: Ed. Era.

Sandoval Forero, E (1993). Migración e identidad. Experiencias del exilio. México: Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México.