WEBVTT

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from the start

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and was going to like we've

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seen that La raza has been
traditionally in active in politics and only a

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few mexican americans were elected to
public office. However, in the early

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years of the 20th century, some people
began to see that Mexican American

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Genius Group. Some of its members have
been completely assimilated and

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identify with the goals and
aspirations of anglo society. Others are

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completely mexican and identify
entirely with a Hispano. Mexican values

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and traditions. There are varying
degrees in between. But whatever the

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case, every member of La raza is an
individual. The mexican american is

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proud of his individualism and thus he
doesn't accept readily the

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discipline of a political party. To be
sure various unifying organizations

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have been formed. Most of the early
attempts failed, but the successful

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organizations have contributed
significantly to the political development

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of La raza. The League of United Latin
American citizens or lulac is one

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such group. It was founded at
Harlington Texas in August 1924. In truth,

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lulac is not a political organization
With a motto of all for one and one

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for all. Its program is a social one
among its many activities, lulac

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provides scholarships for Mexican
american students supports spanish

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programs and Children's athletic
programs in the schools, lulac also acts

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as a job placement center, helping to
find employment for mexican

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americans and open up new job
opportunities. The League of United Latin

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american citizens was the first
attempt of mexican americans to organize.

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Although it encountered many
difficulties in its first years, the fact

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that lulac has continued is evidence
of its ultimate success for many

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years. It was the only effective
organization.

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Then came World War Two. A turning
point for La Raza, a time during which

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more and more mexican americans became
politically aware and began to

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assert their political rights. Some
activities occurred during the war

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1940 to the office of the Coordinator
of inter american affairs under

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nelson Rockefeller established a
spanish speaking peoples division. It was

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generally ineffective, concentrating
much of its effort on such

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superficial functions as Parades and
fiestas. These events romanticize the

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spanish heritage of the borderlands
and had little if any, meaning for

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most mexican americans, the parade's
depicted a way of life which had

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never existed for any but a few rich
settlers of the past. Thus many

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mexican americans feel that the office
of the Coordinator of Inter

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american affairs failed in its purpose
of preparing la raza for

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participation in Anglo society. But
the organization had at least one

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successful program during the war. It
fostered a series of so called

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service clubs. This represents a
significant development in the search for

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unity within La raza in colorado. They
merged into the community service

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clubs incorporated among their main
purpose is were the fight against

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discrimination and the election of
people who would help mexican americans

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achieve their goals. Service club
members studied the issues and advised

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people depending on how these issues
related to basic needs.

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World War Two had far more significant
effects. Thousands of mexican

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americans served in the armed forces
and they fought bravely in places

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like baton Okinawa Normandy. But more
important, they lived and worked

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side by side with thousands of other
americans. And for many it was the

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first experience at life free of
discrimination and prejudice. Mexican

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american soldiers returned to the
United States with new self confidence,

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fresh interest in community affairs.
They used the G. I. Bill to pursue

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their education to buy homes and they
sought new employment opportunities.

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But above all, they experienced a new
political awakening. They developed

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a lively interest in voting, a
determination to assert their political

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rights. They realized they could use
political power as a means of gaining

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recognition for all mexican americans
as a result of the awakening. Many

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organizations have been formed As in
any young and developing movement

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such as the early trade unions of the
19th century. Only a few survived.

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Why do they fail? Well, part of it has
to do with the strong individualism

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of most mexican americans. Many of the
organizations lack strength because

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their members can't agree on a choice
of leaders or policy. Then too many

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mexican americans are suspicious of
politics for in their experience and

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that of their parents, politicians
have treated them unfairly and

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therefore they will not support
political groups with cash contributions.

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The organizations lack the funds to
support candidates for office. Most

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of the organizations have chosen to be
nonpartisan. Those formed after

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World War Two wouldn't commit
themselves to either party, although most of

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the members were democrats and many
groups failed because of this lack of

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commitment. Of course, some did
thrive. The American Gi Forum is one that

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has survived. It was among the 1st
post war organizations. The leading

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founder of the GI Forum was dr Hector
Garcia of corpus Christi texas

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composed of veterans and their
families. The GI Forum is a national

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service organization, nonpartisan in
nature. The forum does study

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political issues and works to get
mexican american voters to the polls.

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One Purpose of the GI Forum is to gain
1st class citizenship for Mexican

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Americans through education. Another
is the protection of mexican

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americans. The GI forum has tried to
interest its members in such cases as

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school segregation. It's used the
courts as a vehicle for winning civil

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rights for La raza In this area. The
Gi Forum was active even before the

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civil rights movement of the 1950s.

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Now, as we've said, most of the
organizations have been non political in

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nature. True, they have urged mexican
americans to make themselves heard

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through the ballot box, but few of
them endorse a candidate for office and

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because they could not gain the united
support of La raza. Few mexican

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americans were able to win elections
in past years, but a change is

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underway. A few perceptive people see
politics as a vehicle for winning

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civil rights that to win these rights.
Mexican american candidates must be

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elected to office. This can be
accomplished only if members of La raza

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unite behind their candidates. and so
in the 1960s, Mexican american

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leaders have begun to establish some
organizations oriented toward

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politics. One of these is the Mexican
american Political association

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Martha. It was founded in California
in 1960. Its slogan is opportunity

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for all through my papa. It's program
is one of social, economic and

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cultural betterment mop, carries on
voter registration drives and

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encourages partisan activity on the
part of its members. Most important

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mop a supports the appointment and
election of Mexican american candidates

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for public office. A similar and even
more intensely partisan group is

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strong in texas. It is apostle, the
political association of spanish

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speaking organizations

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Posso grew out of the Viva Kennedy
clubs of the 1960 presidential election.

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There are other similar organizations
and these organizations have worked

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hard for the political unification of
La raza. Their efforts have begun to

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pay off Mexican americans have begun
to run for office and many of these

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candidates are winning important
elections. For instance, Edward Roybal of

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Los Angeles was elected to serve in
the House of Representatives in 1962

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for the first time in the city's
history. Mexican american voters united

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their strength of the poles helped
elect Roybal in spite of the political

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division of city districts that had
always before assured the victory of

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anglo american candidates the
following year. La raza experienced another

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major political victory, juan Cornejo
was elected mayor of Crystal City

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texas, the first mexican american
mayor the city had ever had For although

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75% of Crystal City's population is of
Mexican descent. It had always been

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governed by Anglos Juan Cornejo shared
his administration of Crystal City

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with four Mexican American Councilman.
And these men were elected because

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of the united support of the mexican
american community because the

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majority of the population went to the
polls in force. But the election of

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mexican americans to office is only
part of the story. La raza has

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discovered that its newfound strength
also has an important effect on

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Anglo american politicians. Men who
run for public office must learn to

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react to the needs of mexican
americans or possibly face defeat at the

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polls. And so mexican american voters
back the candidates who support

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their cause, candidates who promise to
bring about legislation which will

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help La raza. La raza has shown that
it can exert power through political

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unity. This is only a beginning. There
have been many other examples and

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there will be many more for it's the
future which will tell the real story

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of mexican american political
strength.

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Itwas