Getting to the Truth of MECHA

Sometimes call it for what it is and Get Spat Upon

by Benjamín Escobedo
Editor, emeritus

I‘m sitting in front of my computer staring hypnotically as the icon blinks repeatedly at my sullen face, reminding me of how I went wrong as a writer. I was supposed to do a story on MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan), the Chicano student organization that has chapters in high schools, colleges and universities throughout the country. I was supposed to do an article on the history of MEChA in OC and how it differs (if it does) from anywhere else in the country. I was supposed to do something, anything, regarding this group.

Then some individuals at Berkeley MEChA (the militant chapter-more on that later) went and stole an entire press run of a newspaper by some conservative students simply because they dared to criticize MEChA. Now all MEChA’s have been instructed not to talk to any media, even if the media member is a proud MEChista who got his butt whipped during the heyday of the Pete Wilson resistance. This same organization that I once put my ass on the line for failed to return my numerous phone calls or e-mails. I can understand giving people some time, but one month, come on!

So here begins my story, so here begins my confession.

Mechistas have been wreaking havoc all over the U.S. ever since that fateful year of 1969 when MECHA was founded amongst the rise of the Chicano movement. Ever since then it has been a blur, from the beginning of the La Raza Unida Party to the stealing of newspapers on a university campus. In between these events, we can find some accomplishments. The rallies and protests of Proposition 187 and Proposition 209 made a great impact on the community. Although both propositions passed, MECHA’s vigorous opposition to the propositions brought something to the state of California that the Republicans are combating futilely to this day: the Latino Democratic electorate. MECHA has also shed light on the inherent inequity in the present American system regarding its treatment of minorities and its imperialistic bent. We can also talk of the many hunger strikes, fundraisers, and mentorship programs that day by day, MECHA has accomplished.

But the question remains: what has MECHA accomplished in Orange County? Better yet, what have they accomplished in general? As far as I have seen and experienced, almost nothing at all. All of Orange County MEChA’s accomplishments, if any, have come within their respective campuses and benefit only themselves. They preach community every chance they get but they are seldom seen in the community. For example, Cal State Fullerton’s chapter has a reputation of being self-serving and openly hostile towards those that it deems not “Chicano enough” for them. One individual, Ron Gomez, was once kicked out of a MEChA meeting at Fullerton for mentioning the name of a local Chicano activist with whom the chapter had a history of enmity. “I went there to ask them to help out in a community issue and someone noticed that the man was part of the issue”, Gomez recalls. “They immediately started accusing me of being evil just because I associated with him. We really needed their help and they lagged on us only because of our involvement with the activist. That’s not a community organization; that’s a good ol’ boys club.”

Like many organizations, MEChA has had its share of internal problems since its inception. Santa Ana College’s chapter fell to pieces after another organization, ILSA (Independent Latino Student Association), started recruiting heavily. ILSA can also be found at Cal State Fullerton where this same problem happened 10 years ago. A Santa Ana college alumni and former MEChA member, Elva Plana, states that ILSA came at the right time. “ILSA recruited heavily”, Plana said. “They took three quarters of our members.” Plana also added that the campus and the community were ready to embrace something new and fresh, due mostly to perceptions of an intolerant MEChA.

Santa Ana College is also the place which gave me the most trouble. I spoke to a member there and they informed me that they would get back to me in a couple of days; it has been two weeks since then. I even tried to speak with the Chicano studies professor, Angelina Veyna. Once again, no response (see a pattern developing?).

This is at the local level; at the national level, it is worse. MEChA as a national organization is one of the worst bureaucracies in the Third World. Every chapter has its own version of a big brother. They start with local chapters and then grow to county level, regional level, state level, and the national level. That is where the power lies to be able to write position papers against certain individuals and to bar a certain chapter to be recognized by the different levels.

This is also where a MEChA media blackout usually originates. MEChA has always been wary of dealing with the media and with good reason; historically, MEChA has been viewed as racist, either by the media, people in general, and in some cases by Chicanos themselves. It all goes back to the Plan de Aztlán (the founding document of MEChA) in which it states the intention of taking back the lands that were annexed by the United States in 1869. The document written in the 1960’s refers, “…the brutal “gringo” invasion of our territories…foreigner ‘gabacho’ who exploits our riches and destroys our culture.” The history reference, which happened in the 1500’s, is true but the times have changed. We have gained rights and accessibility because someone fought and bled for these rights. It should also send a message to MEChA that they should update their documents because we are in a different time.

I cannot sympathize with MEChA on this subject; they need to revise their documents to be able to move forward. While some members have openly called for a revision of the offending language, the old guard steadfastly refuses. A classic case of the struggle between revising the racist documents and staying with them is in the Berkeley chapters up north. UC Berkeley has two MEChA chapters, both recognized but one is more militant than the next. Internal struggle all over again. The two chapters went through ideology strife and decided to break into two. The story mentioned at the beginning is some of the latest problems facing MEChA. The latest reports have them completely denying the story. I hope it turns out for the better because that is the last thing they need.

In trying to get interviews with people, certain people have told me that maybe they think I am not ‘Chicano’ enough and therefore not worthy of an interview. I know that is not the case: I was involved with MEChA at Pasadena City College and at Orange County’s Chapman University. Or they’ll say something along the line of not wanting to talk to an individual who writes for a ‘Latino’ publication. I seriously doubt that also. Or they say that they are students and are very busy.

Now you must think, if they are so busy, how do they find time to argue with one another at their meetings? Anyone can take fifteen minutes out of his or her day to answer some of OC Latino’s elaborate questions. Thank God that I wasn’t the Orange County Register or the Times; they probably would have thought they would be burned at the stake. It is not often that a fellow member who writes for a publication has the opportunity to interview you. I have never encountered that, my fellow members were too busy complaining about the media. They had their reasons for that. For example, during my time at Pasadena we had invited a Chicano band recommended to us by a member. The groups’ rapper would go out on a tangent and would speak in between songs. During his ’so called’ inspirational words to the high school students in the audience, he managed to throw in some racial slurs against people of European descent. That led to us being glorified in our school newspaper, if you catch my drift.

As we go back to the notion that they only accomplish things affecting their campus is very true. The documents and members scream community but their screams only go as far as inside its campus. As chapters they do not accomplish many things in the community, but as individuals with an education who can make a difference in the future. In the end, MEChA fails and the community wins.

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Benjamin Escobedo is an Associate Editor, Online for OC Latino.