Through Newspapers and the Internet:

Editor's Note - The objectives of this article are (1) to sum-up the critical importance of developing a politically mature anti-colonial movement; (2) to recognize that central to this political maturity calls for the need to expose the contradictions between the objectives of a sector of the Hispanic petty bourgeoisie (middle class poverty pimps and pseudo-nationalists) and the revolutionary nationalist forces fighting for the self-determination of the masses of the Mexicano people; (3) specifically to point-out how the U.S. colonial system will do anything to maintain its hold over La Raza and how the neo-colonial Hispanic media serve as agents - consciously or not - in the service of the oppressor; (4) to continue our critique of a "clique" of reactionary lunatics, who have united with the colonizer, who claim to be "leaders" of the "National Brown Beret Organization," as a means of laying out in the open the degenerate-sick method of struggle of these falsos - utilizing publications, the Internet, etc.- who call themselves movement people, but in reality form part of the Hispanic bourgeoisie; and (5) finally, to raise contradictions as a way of sharing our political experiences with movimiento forces and provide possible responses to the current attacks faced by our movimiento. Excerpts of this article were previously printed in the March 1997 issue of Guerrilleros de la Pluma; the journal of the Chicano Press Association (CPA) and the National Chicano Moratorium Committee (NCMC).

Every Ideological Struggle Must Be Tied To Advancing Our Movement For Self-Determination And Defeating The Enemy (Capitalism-Colonialism) And Not Some Egotistic Intellectual Exercise

As an organization which is serious about some day winning the liberation of Mexicanos, we have come to terms with the necessity of building a politically mature movement. We see this as the only road that will lead the Mexican liberation struggle to overcome and destroy the immense resources and physical/psychological machinery of U.S./European capitalism-colonialism.

History and our experiences have taught us how the capitalist-colonialist system oppresses the great majority of our people while enabling a small ruling elite (capitalists) to live in a most extravagant life style. It is the role of revolutionaries to expose this situation, organize the masses, and destroy all forms of oppression; and work towards the creation of a society where everyone is equal and all can live without poverty: no rich, no poor, no oppressed and no oppressor.

We understand that to create this society it will take a tremendous amount of struggle, discipline, organization, and sacrifice. It is this understanding that forms the basis of progressive struggle; it guides our actions and our ideas; and it is an understanding from which liberation will materialize. It also takes commitment to come to terms with the vicious realities of how oppression works. It takes consciousness and serious study to grasp how the system implements literally thousands of tactics to achieve its objective of maintaining its exploitation of La Raza.

It is around the study of the tactics of colonialist oppression where we find the root-cause as to how, historically, a vendido section of our community has betrayed us in order for them to live a life of luxury or feed their egos. It is within this particular question that we find the role that the "Hispanic media " (newspapers, books, Internet web-pages, etc.) plays in keeping our gente in a state of subjugation and colonization; because no matter what the Hispanics say, they have shamelessly collaborated with the rich anglo in their continuing oppression of nuestra gente.

Uniting The Progressive Raza Press/Media As A Means Of Countering The Reactionaries

While some Hispanics are blind to how oppression works, they have never the less become tools of the oppressor. This is generally because of their ignorance or economic status. It is around the need to confront those who assist the colonizer that Unión del Barrio has attempted to expose the Hispanic media and all lackeys of gringo capitalism-colonialism. This is one of the reasons why Unión del Barrio, in 1989, called for a summit to re-establish the Chicano Press Association (CPA). We felt this was a step forward towards uniting the progressive Raza press and providing the community (workers, prisoners, students, progressive professionals etc.) with an alternative to the lies and distortions of the gringo and hispanic media.

Unión del Barrio, from its very inception in 1981, has attempted to struggle and defeat the neo-colonialists (hispanic-vendidos) as we understand that this is a prerequisite to the eventual defeat of European colonialism. Through our collective experiences and those of other movement formations (Brown Berets, La Raza Unida Party, Crusade for Justice, etc.), we were able to recognize the ingenuity of capitalism-colonialism in developing ways to continue the oppression of nuestra Raza. We were able to recognize the large bag of tricks the oppressor has developed in order to maintain its vicious parasitic hold over the masses of the people throughout the world. Critical to us is the importance of challenging the collaborationist/assimilationist politics of the Hispanic Media, pseudo (phony) nationalists, and other reactionary (counter revolutionary) forces.

El Sol de San Diego, A Classic Example Of A Sold-Out Publication

In the last issue of ¡LA VERDAD! we summed-up how El Sol (AKA El Sold-Out), a San Diego-based Hispanic newspaper, used its editorial section to attack and slander Unión del Barrio. Its attack, through an editorial titled "A political mugging in Chicano Park" by the hispanic-burrocrat (EOP Director), Gus Chavez, (read El Sol de San Diego, Nov. 7, 1996), was based on the fact that the Raza Rights Coalition (a coalition of several progressive organizations and individuals) had organized a protest against the Democratic Party's attempt to use - through its Hispanic flunkies - Chicano Park as a location to promote their agenda on Nov. 4, 1996; the eve of the national presidential elections. The Raza Rights Coalition (RRC), through the protest, exposed the Democratic Party rally as an attempt to prostitute a symbol of Raza resistance and culture (Chicano Park). The protest was also to inform the community that the Democratic Party never supported the establishment of Chicano Park; in fact Democratic Party officials have always opposed the ideas for which the park stands: Chicano Mexicano self-determination and the liberation of Aztlán.

While "El Sold-Out" criticized the RRC's protest, they intentionally and in an unprincipled fashion, down played what really took place that particular afternoon. They failed to mention that a key Democratic Party flunky (Alvin Ducheny), disrespected and tore down a Mexicano flag and "flipped-off" the RRC members who were protesting against the Democratic Party rally. It was the actions of this vendido that led the RRC to take over the stage and chase the Democratic Party out of the park (for detailed information on this incident, read the San Diego Union-Tribune, Nov. 5, 1996 and Voz Fronteriza, Dec. 1996). Instead of telling the truth, El Sold Out chose to slander Unión del Barrio, calling us dogmatic, repressive, sexist, and so forth, and purposely ignored the leadership role of mujeres within the RRC and the protest itself.

In a letter to Voz Fronteriza, Marco Anguiano (local movement activist) gave an excellent description of Alvin Ducheny and Gus Chavez:

"We know Ducheny is a hypocritical, red-baiting gusanito who has yet to be properly outted. He calls us protesters, 'left-wing extremists.' (San Diego Union-Tribune, Nov. 5, 1996). This is a clear case of the pot calling the kettle black. In the 1970's and 80's wasn't Al [Ducheny] a contributor to The Call and a member of the Communist Party Marxist-Leninist? The October League? What alphabet soup KKKommunists party ['white led' so called 'communists'] wasn't he a member of?

"Gus, by regurgitating your editorial bile you can try and isolate the Unión, but you can't contain the growing consciousness in Raza communities. You can try, but can't control the collective sense of revulsion that our pueblo feels for your brand of opportunistic politics. And you can't hide the fact that most Raza can see through your shallow diatribe. I guess you simply want to practice the old political axiom: if you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit." (Voz Fronteriza, Dec. 1996)

Politically Stripped Naked By The Movimiento; Hispanics Unite To Cover-Up A Fellow Vendido

The hispanics became infuriated by the response of Voz Fronteriza and ¡LA VERDAD!. Soon after, 8,000 copies of these papers were circulated throughout Aztlán; inside these issues we responded to the slanderous and vendido editorial in El Sold-Out. Here we - politically speaking - stripped the hispanics naked for everyone to see. Later we saw that an attempt was made by other hispanics to come to the aid of Chavez, Ducheny, and company. The February 20th, 1997, issue of El Sold-Out proudly announced that it had received numerous awards from the "National Association of Hispanic Publications" (NAHP) - among these awards was one for the "Outstanding Editorial Column-English (Smaller Publications) - "A political mugging in Chicano Park", by Gus Chavez.

By awarding El Sold-Out for a poorly written, inaccurate, and slanderous editorial, the NAHP made a feeble effort to build-up a paper which finds itself with no credibility in the community. Above and beyond just looking like idiots, El Sold-Out was a laughing stock even among the hispanics themselves (read chismes in the other San Diego based - hispanic rag La Prensa, AKA "La Mensa"). It (the NAHP) also exposed itself for what it is: an association of servants to the gringo colonial system.

As an organization dedicated to developing the strategy and tactics that will liberate all Mexicanos, as well as understanding the many ways the oppressor works, Unión del Barrio sees these attacks by the Hispanic neo-colonialists as part of a capitalist-colonialist campaign to neutralize the Mexicano national liberation movement during a period in which we are witnessing a tremendous resurgence of mass protests and liberation politics. Presently - from Fillmore, California to Tucson, Arizona - we see movimiento politics as the leading force in the occupied territories. In regards to this, we recently wrote:

"Within the last few months we have witnessed an organized campaign to weaken the struggle for Raza self-determination. In a period of two months, November and December of 1996, articles attacking Unión del Barrio and other movement formations have appeared in (1) the San Diego Union-Tribune (the major gringo-owned right-wing newspaper in San Diego County), (2) El Sol de San Diego (an hispanic bi-weekly paper with limited circulation, known to activists as "El Sold-Out"), and an "unsigned" document that has been circulated throughout California. These articles accuse Unión del Barrio of being 'male chauvinists', 'violent', 'repressive', 'police agents', 'self-anointed pontificators of the truth', etc." (read, "As Part Of The Counterinsurgency, Neo-Colonialist Vendidos Are Calling On The Government To Destroy The Movimiento", ¡LA VERDAD! Sept-Dec., 1996)

Hispanic Press Is Scrambling To Prove Themselves In Order To Obtain Money From Their Gabacho-Colonial Bosses

A close study of the "Hispanic Press" reveals how its basic purpose has been to confuse and put our people to sleep with lies and useless information. It also attempts to "recruit" young people who have not yet developed a consciousness of liberation into the service of colonialism. Furthermore, it acts as a "cover" for the real roots of the oppression and misery faced by the great majority of Mexicanos: gringo capitalism-colonialism. How well they serve their bosses dictates how much "funds" they will get from the system.

Extremely demoralized and scrambling to get some material compensation (grants, donations, advertisement money, etc.) the Hispanic media is doing everything it can to prove its usefulness to the gringo colonizer. Having lost by 1990 its hold over the leadership of the community, which was opportunistically assumed after the FBI-police destruction of most of the movimiento forces in 1975, the Hispanic sell-outs have launched a concerted attack to destroy the movimiento and once again "govern" the Mexicano masses for their gabacho bosses. This is why the Hispanic Press and other bourgeoisie (middle class) forces have stepped up their attacks against Unión del Barrio and other movement organizations.

David Sanchez And His Sidekick Geronimo Blanco, Through Slander And Emotional Tirades, Continue To Do The Work Of The Gabacho Colonial Government

The gabacho colonial system does not only limit itself to using the straight out petty bourgeoisie sector; those middle class gente who aspire to be like the rich ruling class. The system also likes to employ low-life elements to do its dirty work - especially those who were at one time "movement people." It is around this dynamic of colonialism that we find the key to understanding the current pendejadas coming from former "Brown Beret militants" David Sanchez and Geronimo Blanco.

In the past issues of ¡LA VERDAD!, we documented the negative, reactionary, and vendido politics of David Sanchez and Geronimo Blanco, the so-called "leaders" of the "National Brown Beret Organization." We specifically exposed - through actual copies of documents written and produced by them - how Sanchez and Blanco, in a "rata like fashion" were using the gabacho courts to sue David Rico and the Brown Berets de Aztlán. At the same time we exposed how they are pushing a "working within the system" line, clearly in violation of the Brown Berets principles of unity and the politics of self-determination. We also pointed out their elitist ego-tripping behavior in which they claim all of the work of the Brown Berets during the Chicano Power Period of Struggle, 1965-75, as their personal property, rather than part of the history of the Mexicano people and our struggle for liberation. We laid this out clearly, and we explained that they had no right to tell anyone "who was a real Beret" what to do - as they had not been involved in the movement for over 20 years (read their own historical chronicle, "History of the Brown Berets", by David Sanchez, Brown Beret National Organization web-page, April 1997 - www.brownberets.org.).

We also printed a copy of an "unsigned" letter that was either written by David Sanchez - as its rhetoric and style of writing resembles Sanchez's - or some police agency, in an attempt to get Raza not to work with Unión del Barrio, National Chicano Moratorium Committee (NCMC), Brown Berets de Aztlán, or support the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional (EZLN). (For a detailed history of the Brown Berets and the reactionary duo of Sanchez and Blanco, check out the last two issues of ¡LA VERDAD!, April-Aug. 1996 and Sept-Dec. 1996)

Pseudo (Phony) Nationalists Are Using The Internet To Attack Movement Forces

Not satisfied with just calling the gabacho judicial system (police/courts) on movement forces and what many within the movimiento recognize as circulating slanderous letters, these individuals go even further. Sanchez and his clique - one or two mindless robots - have been utilizing the Internet as a means of attacking Unión del Barrio, the Brown Berets de Aztlán, and other movement forces.

For example, in a most general, vague, and unsubstantiated fashion, the Brown Beret National Organization computer web-site (during the week of March 17-21,1997), posted, as part of bulletin #3, the following:

"Recently, the Brown Beret National Organization has again come under attack by 'agents' posing as extreme leftists which we suspect are working for law enforcement agencies. They are re-writing the Brown Beret history to discredit the new Brown Beret Movement. For example, they are calling leaders of the Brown Beret National Organization "Vendidos", when in actuality [sic], they are the 'traitors' who have sold out to internationalist interests who are opposed to our local Aztlán nationalist struggle. Please tell Ernesto Bustillos and Union del Barrio [sic] to get off our back!".

Obviously referring to Unión del Barrio, this statement fails to clarify or back any of is claims. All movement people must demand to know in which way are we re-writing Brown Beret history? Why are they referring to us as vendidos? What evidence do they have that in any way suggests that we work for the system? And what "internationalists interest" have we sold out to? To those involved in movement for any length of time or to those who have studied liberation struggles here in the belly of the beast (occupied Mexico), the terms and words (extreme leftists, internationalists, etc.) are buzz words that the police and right-wing racist politicians (Nixon, Reagan, Bush etc.) have used to attack those involved in any kind of struggle for democratic rights or self-determination politics. As we have stated in the past, the government has used these terms, during the "Chicano Power Period" of struggle, against the Crusade For Justice, La Raza Unida Party, Brown Berets, and other leading formations.

It is interesting to note that within a week (by March 23), they had replaced this "bulletin #3" with a statement calling for "Unity and peace between all Raza Organizations." Originally, one of Sanchez' and Blanco's main complaints and reasons for their lawsuit was their claim that someone associated with the Brown Berets de Aztlán called Sanchez an "FBI agent." Now, they don't want to be jammed-up for the very things to which they are accusing others of doing, probably from the advice or "orders" from their hispanic lawyer, Carlos Castañeda (known in San Diego as a life long poverty pimp). They hurriedly took out this particular statement from their web-site and replaced with a "call for unity". But as unprincipled and crooked as they are, David Sanchez and Geronimo Blanco gave absolutely no reason as to why so abruptly they took their original statement off the Internet.

Reactionaries (Anti-Revolutionaries) Are Using The Same Propaganda That The FBI And Other Pigs Have Used Against The Movimiento

Yet another example of these attacks - which we again believe to be made by elements allied with Sanchez and Blanco because of its same style of writing - is a message sent to the CPA (Chicano Press Association) web-page, by someone hiding under the name of "el chingazo." This individual wrote the following:

"The CPA and the other communist, wanna-be Chicanos from San Diego are agents of Whitemen. Everybody knows Union del Barrio (aka union del vato) since they are sexist against mujeres. H=Just want what they call 'revolution' what they really want is to get our chicanitos confused, to join their subersive so-called`Raza organization so they woul end up in prison don't visit CPA or other communist webpages." (printed here unedited, sent to CPA April 8,1997)

Again, we see the buzz words "communist" and "sexist" with no explanation what so ever to explain why they use these terms to refer to Unión del Barrio. Evidently the author of the message believes that by simply saying something, everyone will accept it as fact. Never mind that these are the same terms that Edgar J. Hoover (first director of the FBI), Goldwater, Nixon, and other gabacho racists used against those fighting for liberation within the military borders of the United States and throughout the world.

But the Internet assault against our movement does not stop with the above. Another note posted through E-mail on the "Aztlán Nation" web-page does one of the most irresponsible jobs by spreading gossip and slander without any kind of investigation or follow-up. This is something important, because any person with a computer can take a position without accountability to anybody or anything, and not even having to use their own name. We say that any statement must have investigation, follow-up, and accountability; this is something that every honest and principled organization and individual must do before they pass on any information to others. Within the movimiento, passing on information without any kind of effort to verify its content is infantile, reckless, and an anti-liberation act. An action our statement that is not backed up does great damage to the movement, as it has the effect of creating an atmosphere of distrust and confusion and falls into the trap of divide and conquer used by the government.

We know that serious movement forces understand that all criticism must be based on clear political explanations and not "chisme" as represented by the following message posted in the "Aztlán Nation" web-page:

"Estamada Raza:

We have been receiving disturbing reports that 'paid' government agents disrupted the MEChA National Conference this past weekend. The word is that trained government infiltraitors and saboteurs posing as brown berets have again succeeded in 'sabotaging' an important and major Raza event. We received the following E-mail from a MEChA student in Northern California. The allegations are serious and can have grave consequences for 'El Movimiento' and the long term well being of La Raza. Certainly we can not have the same scenario that destroyed the First Movimiento in the late 1960s and early 1970s take place. If anyone has any information on these allegations, please E-mail it to the student. We would appreciate it if you also forward a copy to the Nation of Aztlán - Minister of Information."

And then attached was the following message:

"Fellow BROWN BERETS and MEChistas, My name is Guillermo Ceja Jr. from California State University at Monterey Bay. I was a member at the MEChA National Conference in Michigan, and current member of the Brown Berets National Organization from Salinas, I am aware of all or most of the incidents which occurred at this conference. First of all the main problem was with the way that Michigan State University took a firm stand to provide and maintain a very close alliance with the BROWN BERETS de AZTLAN, not the BROWN BERET NATIONAL ORGANIZATION, I repeat not the BROWN BERET NATIONAL ORGANIZATION. These BROWN BERETS de AZTLAN were heavily creating a disturbance at this conference. They were under the command of Seferino Garcia and David Rico in close alliance with Apaxu Maiz. These Berets where using scare tactics such as:

A) Using the Beret units in the workshops guards (i.e. 2 Berets where put to guard each door and corners of the workshop rooms)

B) Basic scare tactics (i.e. when Seferino Garcia presented his workshop on community organizing he unstrapped his trench coat and took out a knife from within along with his helpers who were also carrying concealed weapons)

C) Putting in there own agenda as part of the conference (this is type of infiltration to an organization such as MEChA and the Brown Beret National Organization)

This letter goes out to the Brown Beret National Organization and to the MEChistAs who want to be informed about some of these issues. Likewise, If any organization comes around with any information concerning the infiltration by government agencies or other organizations, please contact me by e-mail.....Any info regarding this issue will be kept strictly confidential and will be highly appreciated. Thank you. El Movimiento will keep moving with the help of the goodness of the Chicano Movement.

ONCE AGAIN IT WAS NOT THE BROWN BERET NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHO WAS AT FAULT FOR THE HAPPENING AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY!!!!!!!!! IT WAS THE BROWN BERETS DE AZTLAN IN THE COMMAND OF DAVID RICO AND SEFERINO GARCIA WITH COOPERATION OF APAXU MAIZ." (printed unedited as it appears on Internet April 1997)

While we have not been able to thoroughly assess and sum-up what came down at the April 1997 MEChA National Conference we do have serious questions as to the way those opposed to the Brown Berets de Aztlán have degenerated their struggle into slander and lies (as those posted in the Internet). We must ask ourselves, why would anyone who "claims" to be part of the Chicano Mexicano Movement print such slanderous, anti-movimiento material; we say "anti-movimiento" as this type of activity only serves to weaken our movement. If they were really about struggle they would check out the background of those being attacked and make a judgment as to the truth of the information. If the "Minister of Information of Nation of Aztlán" would have asked the Crusade for Justice, National Chicano Moratorium Committee, Unión del Barrio, La Raza Unida Party, Chicano Park Steering Committee, Movimiento de Liberación Nacional, El Congreso Chicano de La Comunidad (El Paso), MEChA at Rancho Santiago or San Diego City College, or movement veterans such as Rudy Acuña, Corky Gonzales, Xenaro Ayala, Raul Ruiz, Ernesto Bustillos, Reies Tijerina, and dozens of others, he/she would have known that Seferino Garcia and David Rico, are not "agents" or "infiltraitors", but rather long time activists with a solid history of struggling for Raza liberation.

Why Do We Continue To Openly Struggle Against Opportunists And Falsos?

Unión del Barrio has actively struggled against the opportunists and falsos (neo-colonialists) because in this particular period of liberation struggle; these elements continue hold influence over many honest forces who- if introduced to real struggle and the necessity for fundamental change- would join the ranks of the revolutionary struggle for the liberation of all Mexicanos. Our experiences have taught us, that before we can take on the big colonialists (rich capitalists), we have to destroy neo-colonialism; as the neo-colonialists are the puppet "front line" of the colonial system.

We engage in open political struggle because we want to take any differences we have with other forces out of the hands of the police and because practice has proven that up front principled struggle is the only way to educate movement forces and win them over to the understanding that criticism and self-criticism must be done in an open principled fashion towards building an anti-colonial movement for the liberation of all Raza.

Chairman Omali Yeshitela, of the African People's Socialist Party, summed the importance of up front struggle as:

"We achieve the political maturity we need by actually engaging in political struggle and ideological debate and not with tantrums which mislead our people and our cadres into believing that criticism and self-criticism are bad and 'sectarian.'

"Liberals and others who possess a petty bourgeois outlook hate principled political struggle and debate. They prefer speaking in generalities and making vague suggestive allusions. They hate having political and ideological lines drawn out so that everyone is clear on exactly where everyone stands on every question that is important to our revolution.

"Liberals and others who have a petty bourgeois outlook would prefer substituting emotionalism for sober analysis. They would prefer backbiting, gossip and slander - the breeding ground for U.S. secret political police activity - to the serious, above-board, principle approach the African People's Socialist Party has always adopted in dealing with our movement." (read, Black Power Since The '60s: The struggle against opportunism within the U.S. front of the Black Liberation Movement, by Chairman Omali Yeshitela).

How Must Our Movement Struggle Against The Opportunist Who Have Weaseled Their Way Into The Movement?

Unión del Barrio has always upheld the need for true movement forces to be up front, principled, and honest in their criticism of any form of negativism or reactionarism they may have witnessed within the movement. Central to this type of struggle is to always identify yourself and/or your organization. Not identifying yourself (sending unsigned letters or statements) creates an atmosphere of doubt and suspicion within the movimiento. Identifying yourself keeps your criticism from being used by the police as a way of casting doubt and division among activists (for more on the question of struggle within the movimiento, read "Handling The Differences And Contradictions That Arise Among Movement Forces", ¡LA VERDAD!, Oct.-Dec. 1993).

We also advise all movement forces to concretely back up their positions or political line with solid arguments and factual information. We must argue our perspective or critique clearly. Furthermore, and this is of critical and fundamental importance, every ideological struggle must be tied to advancing our movement and defeating the enemy (capitalism-colonialism), and not some egotistic intellectual exercise or some personal pedo we might have with an individual or organization.

Movement forces must use all means at their disposal, especially newspapers and other forms of mass communication, to expose the masses to the root cause of their oppression and what it will take to win our liberation. As we have upheld in the past, any force who calls itself a movement organization, must have a political organ (publication) which lays out their beliefs, objectives, and current work being done (for more on this question, read section "Making Mexican Consciousness A Reality", in Chicano Journalism, Its History And Its Use As A Weapon For Liberation, La Verdad Publications, 1992)

As we have written and stated many times before, movement forces must be prepared for the worst types of attacks from the colonizer and its lackeys. We are in a period of time that calls for the united action of the liberation press and all progressive Raza organizations. It is up to the liberation press, the propaganda and ideological arm of the movimiento, to challenge the vendidos and wrest away any hold they might have over our gente.

Expose The Vendidos And Raise The Consciousness Of La Raza!