CAMISA DE ONCE VARAS | Mexican Federation of Charreria USA

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CAMISA DE ONCE VARAS

C?SAR CH?VEZ and CHARRER?A

by El Siete Leguas

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?Even the late, great Cesar Chavez was outspokenly opposed to this mistreatment of animals.? March 27, 2011 letter from Ms. Beverlee McGrath, paid Legislative Specialist and lobbyist representing the Human Society of the United States, addressed to the Nevada Senate Natural Resources Committee regarding a failed attempt to ban manganas (?horse tripping.?)

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We are not quite sure what irks us more: an Anglo American animal rights activist prostituting the words of a Mexican American icon to promote a racist anti-Mexican agenda; or the Mexican American version of the showcased ?token (N-word)? porch-boy who parrots the propaganda propagated by people who precisely long to legislatively purge out of existence an icon of Mexican American culture ? Charrer?a.

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?Eviction of the charro association in Escondido (California) has created controversy? Supporters of the Mexican rodeo?claim it teaches young people responsibility, respect, discipline and a strong work ethic? (Charros) told the City Council that without the charro experience, youths may turn to gangs. What an alarming and thinly veiled threat coming from those who purport to want the best for the charros and the youth of Escondido. No racist could have spoken more menacingly of those young people?If young people are taught to make a sport of cruelty, why should we be surprised if the next step is violence toward people and their community? Far from being a deterrent to violence, rodeo is a virtual training ground to encourage violence. Cesar Chavez wrote: ?Racism?and rodeos are cut from the same fabric: violence.?? Rodeos the Wrong Way to Foster Proud Heritage by Cam Mart?nez; North County Times ? February 18, 2011

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Mart?nez reminds us of another pseudo charro authority who, without expiscation, claims that the ?violence? exercised by the Mexican equestrian on animals boils over and is directly related to a family violence epidemic in charro households. If we were either of these armchair social psychologists we would seriously consider not quitting our day jobs as charlatans.

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?Kindness and compassion towards all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or against animals, is not the exclusive province of any one culture or community of people. Racism, economic deprival, dogfighting and cockfighting, bullfighting and rodeos are cut from the same fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves.? Letter from C?sar Ch?vez, cofounder of the United Farm Workers organization addressed to Mr. Eric Mills, founder of the animal rights organization Action for Animals ? December 26, 1990

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This quote is the source of our Ch?vez controversy. Don?t get us wrong, Mr. Mills can use the contents of the letter addressed to him anyway he damn well pleases; he is, after all, protected by the First Amendment. But for any hijo de vecino (Tom, Dick and Harry) to use Mr. Ch?vez?s words to con donors and legislators into believing that all Mexican Americans condemn rodeo is offensive. Think of Rodin?s ?Le Penseur?; we sit here one arm akimbo and the other as a chin-rest contemplating the text of C?sar?s message and find that the reference to ?rodeo? seems out-of-place, an afterthought, an addendum. Was this in response to a query by Eric regarding ?violence? in rodeo? Rodeo is universally defined as North American Western style cowboy rodeo. Unless our Alzheimer plagued memory deceives us, he, Eric, was at the time of the letter in question aggressively pursuing a ban on professional cowboy rodeo events. This before deciding it easier to tackle the then politically defenseless charro. Take into account that C?sar did not refer to the charro or charrer?a in his missive. We can not document that C?sar attended charreadas and applauded the charros roping skills; but neither can our nemesis?s document he did not. So, was C?sar confused as to the difference between rodeo and charreada? Absolutely not! It is estimated that over 90% of the original UFW membership had been exposed to Mexican ranch management practices turned competitive events; i.e., riding and roping horses and cattle. C?sar?s brother Richard, who designed the UFW ?Eagle? logo, participated in charreadas as documented at the 1993 XXIII USNA Charro National Finals Competitions held at Riverside, California. Another relative and fellow Arizonian, Fred Ch?vez, served as vice-president for the governing body of organized charrer?a in the USNA for over a decade until 1996. Our legendary ranchera interpreter and International Ambassadress, Arizonian Linda Ronstadt, who in her Grammy winning Canciones de M? Padre sang La Charreada with gusto and gusto, hosted the 2009 ?San Jose Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival? that paid tribute to C?sar and also celebrated Mexican films including the classic ?Ay Jalisco No Te Rajes? that starred the famous Charro Cantor Jorge Negrete and celebrated an important part of Mexican heritage ? Charrer?a.

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Another deficiency in C?sar?s nonviolence message is placing dogfighting, cockfighting and bullfighting in the same sentence, in the same breath, as rodeo. The previously mentioned ?fighting?s are blood sports. In dogfighting, for example, only one of the two rivals leave the fighting pit alive, while, according to the experts, over fifty percent of the victors are so badly mauled that they have to be put down ? the owners not interested in investing in vet bills as these would cut into their profit margins. Be aware then dear reader, we are not talking about a ?humane? lethal injection like the ones given at your local animal shelter which must sacrifice as many dogs as possible to control overpopulation and stay within an ever diminishing government funded budget. No, this euthanasia is Philadelphia Eagles QB Michel Vick style ? electrocution, a slam-dunk of the cranium to a concrete floor, or, if the canine is lucky, a clear .45 shot to the brain. Compare this to rodeo where no matter who keeps score ? the cowboy or the activist ? the percentage of animal injures to exposures has never hurdled to the left of the decimal point! Because of the illegal clandestine nature of dogfighting, no hard statistics are available; however, the ASPCA registered over 1,000 dogfighting arrests in the USNA between 2003 and 2008 representing tens of thousands of matches and thus as many animal slaughters. This without consideration for the pet companions stolen and used as bait and training of the fighting dogs. ?How dare anyone compare this carnage to rodeo!

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No matter how iconic the C?sar Ch?vez name may be, animal rights advocates, whether white or bronze, should not interpret one man?s garbled conception of rodeo as a beacon emanating from the Mexican American community reflecting a blanket condemnation. Anglo politicians should not use this as an excuse to pass anti-charro legislation thinking they can avoid being branded racists because someone with a Spanish surname; probably looking to become the animal activist?s poster-boy; sponsors racist initiatives. Racism? The charro foreleg horse catch event has been criminalized in ten of the 50 States, no other Anglo equestrian discipline ? including cowboy rodeo ? has been subjected to legislative restrictions even though these have been proven, with stand-up-in-court evidence, to have caused death and euthanasia injuries to animals while charro events have not. As political observers, we know that many politicians adhere to the Civil War political Blair family?s Caesarean motto of ?Rule or ruin? and will do and say literally anything necessary to tie-down a vote. We can understand then how some public elected servants may feel it to their gain to jump on the activists bandwagon, especially when organizations such as the Humane Society of the United States issue thinly veiled ?you?re either for us or against us? threats to politicians that read; ??an organization devoted to advancing issues that help to protect animals as well as TO PROMOTE POLITICAL CANDIDATES who support animal protection issues.? And those who don?t? Keepmg in mind Al Gore?s 2000 presidential defeat to Bush by 537 votes in Florida; if these hardcore elected officials had any political cow sense, they would know that the now majority-minority Hispanic population (2010 US census: 50,943,014), of which the Mexican American rules, can win or lose them elections.

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C?sar Ch?vez was an outspoken proponent of nonviolence. But, was he always? During the 1973 Imperial and Coachella Valley boycotts, C?sar?s cousin and right-hand man, Manuel, used physical violence on any farm worker who dared attempt to cross the UFW picket lines if only to provide for their starving families. So far, no one has been able to furnish a convincing argument that the left hand didn?t know what the right hand was doing in this case. Hey, we?re as much in favor of redemption as the next guy with perhaps the exception of convicted felon Michael Vick who, if the Academy provided an Oscar for ?Best Crocodile Tear Talk Show Performance,? would undoubtedly receive the corresponding nomination as he swears to have found Jesus and animal Patron Saint Francis of Assisi while spending two years in the hoosegow for his inhumane bloodbath of scores of dogs; the athlete now championed by HSUS CEO Wayne Pacelle himself as well as millions of NFL fans!

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C?sar put the farm workers plight on the map and kudos to him; but his misinformed ?outspoken? opinion on rodeo found resonance with but a few partisans. He converted to veganism; but neither today nor in the immediate future will you hear many Mexican Americans or Anglo Americans for that matter, ordering their next plate of tacos; ?With extra lettuce and hold the carnitas.? It is time animal rights advocates, their patrons, and legislative allies prioritize the raison d??tre they sponsor. Rodeo and Ch?teaubriand are here to stay. Live with it. Get a life.

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Part II: The NFL, Unions and nonviolence

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Source: http://mexicanfederationofcharreriausa.com/2011/09/04/camisa-de-once-varas-3/

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