Indigenous Studies and Consciousness Generationally Delayed

I've long-wondered why an Indigenous consciousness exists among some Mexicans/Chicanos/Central Americans and other peoples from this continent, while not in others, considering that all are generally products of colonization? This phenomenon is often most stark when many reject the notion of celebrating a "Hispanic heritage" at the expense of subjugating their primarily Indigenous-African and mixed heritage. And a related question: Why did Indigenous Studies, counterintuitively, never develop as an academic discipline within Raza Studies, considering that Indigeneity is at its philosophical core?

For the rest of the column, go to: http://www.truth-out.org/speakout/item/42091-indigenous-studies-and-consciousness-generationally-delayed

Enriqueta Vasquez: Eminent Historian for "The Women of La Raza"

I am going to go out on an (academic) limb and call The Women of La Razaby Enriqueta Vasquez both a treasure and a living codex. I will also say this about Enriqueta herself: Vive en la sabiduria -- she lives in wisdom, wisdom of an elder, wisdom of the elders, an elder who also leaves footprints and also walks in beauty. Her words and generational knowledge are gifts to us, and I will say that her epic book is a must-read, especially for those interested in the history of Chicanos in general, but even more specifically, the history of Chicanas in this country. For the rest of the column, please go to:http://www.truth-out.org/speakout/item/41899-enriqueta-vasquez-eminent-historian-for-the-women-of-la-raza

The National Council of La Raza's Name Change: A National Capitulation

The National Council of La Raza's Name Change: A National Capitulation

Thursday, September 07, 2017By Roberto Rodriguez, Speakout | Op-Ed

The National Council of La Raza's (NCLR) recent name change to UnidosUS is bizarre and incomprehensible and its rationale that their name was "getting in the way of their mission" strains credulity, especially because it was also purportedly trying to be more relevant to the young. This action, coming from the nation's largest Latino civil rights coalition, simply reeks of outright capitulation -- this at a time when the communities that it seeks to represent are under the most relentless attacks in modern history, compliments of the current White House occupant and his allies. 

For the rest of the column please go to:http://www.truth-out.org/speakout/item/41865-the-national-council-of-la-raza-s-name-change-a-national-capitulation

The Spanish Inquisition Lives On in Arizona's Ban on Mexican American Studies

The Spanish Inquisition Lives On in Arizona's Ban on Mexican American Studies

Friday, August 11, 2017

I have always viewed Arizona's effort to eradicate Mexican American Studies (MAS) as something akin to an unholy Inquisition. For some, that will sound hyperbolic; not for me.

US district Judge Wallace Tashima is expected to make a decision soon on whether the 2010 Arizona House Bill 2281 legislation, which bans Arizona public schools from offering ethnic studies classes, was passed with the intention of discriminating against Tucson's Mexican American students.

For the rest of the column go to: http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/41578-the-spanish-inquisition-lives-on-in-arizona-s-ban-on-mexican-american-studies

Mexican American or Mexican Mexicano?

During a time of changing identities, I remember a student of mine at the University of Arizona once defined himself as a Mexican Mexicano, this in contrast to Mexican American, as was the case for many of his classmates. I understood that identity. For the rest of the column, go to: http://diverseeducation.com/article/99152/ http://diverseeducation.com/article/99152/

Law Enforcement Violence in 2017 "Normalized"

by Roberto Rodriguez

The recent exoneration of the Anaheim and Bakersfield, California police officers, respectively, who killed Adalid Flores, who was carrying a cell phone, and 73-year-old Francisco Serna, who was carrying a crucifix, drives home the mantra of “no convictions” that has been made by criminal justice activists. In three recent high-profile trials involving the officers who killed Philando Castile, Terrence Crutcher and Sylville Smith, all officers have walked.

For the rest of the column, please go to: http://diverseeducation.com/article/98756/

THE MAS TRIAL: A CIVILIZATIONAL WAR

The Arizona Daily Star:

The Mexican American Studies trial is underway in Tucson’s federal court, and yet the historic trial will never receive the national coverage it merits. The trial will determine whether the 2010 anti-Ethnic Studies HB 2281 legislation, which resulted in the elimination of Tucson’s highly successful K-12 Raza Studies Department, and which was initiated by former state schools’ superintendent, Tom Horne, was motivated by racial animus.

At stake here is whether Arizona can determine what constitutes permissible versus impermissible knowledge in its schools, this within the context of a “civilizational war.”

For the rest of the column in the Arizona Daily Start, please go to:

https://xicanation.com/the-mas-trial-an-arizona-civilizational-war/


Longer version of the article with active links to the study re the hate mail in the Arizona Daily Star and the Arizona Republic between 2010-2012. https://xicanation.com/the-mas-trial-an-arizona-civilizational-war/