Herr Reichsmarschall Bustamunte...

[MKSheppard]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,95871,00.html

Bustamante Won't Renounce Ties to Chicano Student Group

Thursday, August 28, 2003

LOS ANGELES — California Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante (search), the grandson of Mexican immigrants who counts improving race relations among his biggest pursuits, refused Thursday to renounce his past ties to a little-known Hispanic organization considered by critics to be as racist as the Ku Klux Klan.

Instead, Bustamante, who is running to be governor of California, praised the Chicano Student Movement of Aztlan, or MEChA (search), and said he still supports it.

"The students who are in MEChA today are just like the students when I was there, pretty much they are trying to get an education," Bustamante said during a press conference in which the first three questions related to his ties to the group.

"I think the actuality of what takes place in those organizations is to provide student leadership. For me, and many, many others, we were running for student government. That's how I got here today."

MEChA has used violence in the past to make its case. At a July 4 celebration in 1996, members of the group, who call themselves Mechistas, were videotaped attacking black and white Americans protesting illegal immigration. In 1993, students at UCLA caused $500,000 worth of damage during protests to demand a Chicano studies department. MEChA has also been associated with anti-Semitic groups like Nation of Aztlan.

MEChA's motto is "for the race, everything. For those outside the race, nothing." Critics say affiliation with that kind of group could spell political ruin for a white candidate and are upset that little attention has been paid to Bustamante's relationship with the group. He belonged to MEChA while attending Fresno State University in the 1970s.

"Whatever you did in your youth, it's what you did at the time. You can't disassociate from the past," said Manuel Olgin, a former MEChA member and now a counselor at the university. "Now if you're still plugged in and doing stuff, that's another question. But this is immaterial to me."

"Joining MEChA was a rite of passage just like if a black student joined a black student union. And if you didn't join, you weren't Chicano. The question is why hasn't he renounced it now. It is a racist organization," said radio talk show host Larry Elder.

MEChA has as many as 300 chapters in universities across the U.S., with 100 of them in California alone.

According to the organization's constitution, "Chicanas and Chicanos must ... politicize our Raza [race] ... and struggle for the self-determination of the Chicano people for the purpose of liberating Aztlan."

Aztlan (search) is the area that is currently the southwest United States, but Mechistas claim Aztlan is their homeland to be returned to Mexico and the group says white Americans who currently govern these areas must be removed from power.

Some of Bustamante's contemporaries from the group say he was a moderate, not a militant member of the organization.

"His involvement in MEChA was not in a leadership position. His involvement was in being a member and doing what he could. He was involved at a higher level and that level was in student government," said Tony Garduque, a former MEChA member, who said the group did a lot of good things.

But that explanation doesn't wash with critics.

"What is a moderate member of a racist organization? 'I was a moderate member of the Klan.' Imagine if a Republican made that statement," Elder said.

"I think he should answer for his membership in the group," said syndicated columnist Michelle Malkin. "I think he needs to explain why he has not disassociated himself from a group that is violent, which has caused riots on campus and which has preached anti-Semitism and anti-black ideology."

Bustamante left Fresno State early and instead took correspondence classes. He was honored by the school last year at age 49 during a Hispanic-only graduation ceremony.

Though he defines his "racial ethnic agenda" as one that provides good schools, good jobs and safe neighborhoods, Bustamante has been questioned before about racism. In 2001, he had to apologize profusely to state African- American leaders after mistakenly referring to a black union using the N-word. Bustamante called it a slip of the tongue, but audience members attending the Black History celebration were stunned at the reference, for which he did not apologize until the end of his 10-minute speech.

Racist or otherwise, critics say Bustamante's membership in MEChA is certainly more relevant than Arnold Schwarzenegger's father being a Nazi. Schwarzenegger uncovered that truth when he initiated his own search in 1990 of his father's past with the help of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

Fox News' William LaJeunesse contributed to this report.

[HemlockGrey]

And in other news, Bustamante's hat was set on fire, shot, and then dragged out of the ring...

[Nathan F]

And another victory against mecha.

[Hamel]

Once the word on Mecha gets widespread, Busto-whatever will get burned and will probably drop out

[Joe]

Once the word on Mecha gets widespread, Busto-whatever will get burned and will probably drop out

Doubtful, this story has already been circulating for a couple days (plus MeCHA is a politically correct hate group, so it receives less scrutiny).

[MKSheppard]

It's funny that we can have black and hispanic only graduation ceremonies,
but oh NO, try a white-only ceremony, and we're all RACISTS

[Stormbringer]

It's funny that we can have black and hispanic only graduation ceremonies,
but oh NO, try a white-only ceremony, and we're all RACISTS

Goddamned liberal double standards. Seperate but equal is okay when they want it. But heaven help the white guy that asked for the same treament.

[EmperorSolo51]

Once the word on Mecha gets widespread, Busto-whatever will get burned and will probably drop out

Doubtful, this story has already been circulating for a couple days (plus MeCHA is a politically correct hate group, so it receives less scrutiny).

It's not only a hate group, It is an organization that's main goal is to have the Mexican session to withdraw from the Union and cede it back to Mexico. No Governor or Lt. Governor should in any way be affiliated with sessionist groups.

[LordShaithis]

Tanks vs MEChA! Under the treads with you, Paco!

[Xenophobe3691]

Once the word on Mecha gets widespread, Busto-whatever will get burned and will probably drop out

Doubtful, this story has already been circulating for a couple days (plus MeCHA is a politically correct hate group, so it receives less scrutiny).

It's not only a hate group, It is an organization that's main goal is to have the Mexican session to withdraw from the Union and cede it back to Mexico. No Governor or Lt. Governor should in any way be affiliated with sessionist groups.

Well, if the people want to secede...

[Crayz9000]

I sure as fucking hell don't, and I'm think that the other few million Californians who aren't Hispanic might agree.

[StarshipTitanic]

I'm sure there's a free closet or walk-in fridge somewhere in Mexico City to put a few more million, let's deport the secessionists.

[Shinova]

California has a whole lot of Hispanic people. Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are. His ties to the secessionist group will only help them vote for him.

I do hope Arnold wins. At least all the dirt being thrown at him are mostly unfounded.

[EmperorSolo51]

Well, if the people want to secede...

You know there was something called the Civil War, which was supposed to have ended the question of wether or not states had the right to quit the Union.

[Iceberg]

It's all about visibility and potential damage. The potential damage from his MEChA affiliation is fairly low, because most of the people who know about it are Latinos. If enough non-Latinos knew about MEChA that it would do Bustamante serious political damage, he'd probably ditch them. Most Latinos probably don't know about MEChA's separatist philosophy, and would see it not as Bustamante renouncing the equivalent of the KKK, but as Bustamante turning his back on his own people, a clearly suicidal thing for a politician. Career politicians don't do suicidal things just because it's the right thing to do.

Sadly, it appears that Mr. Bustamante is nothing more and nothing less than a typical politician in that regard.

[Xenophobe3691]

Well, if the people want to secede...

You know there was something called the Civil War, which was supposed to have ended the question of wether or not states had the right to quit the Union.

Not really, South Carolina had seceeded for 6 months before they fired on Ft. Sumter and started the war...

[Frank Hipper]

Ever ask a Mexican what a chicano is? You'll get a strange look, and probably get laughed at, as well.

I saw a documentary on immigration a while back, talking about how the first generation of an immigrant family focuses on assimilating themselves into American society, learning English and such.
The second generation tries their best to disassociate themselves with their heritage, but the third generation embraces it.
It sounds like this MEChA is a radical form of this, feeding on it's own cultural ignorance.

Aztlan.

[Stravo]

California has a whole lot of Hispanic people. Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are. His ties to the secessionist group will only help them vote for him.

I do hope Arnold wins. At least all the dirt being thrown at him are mostly unfounded.

Wow, look out for the ignorant hispanic hordes!

Anyone ever tell you you were an asshole? If not let me happily be the first.

[Xenophobe3691]

California has a whole lot of Hispanic people. Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are. His ties to the secessionist group will only help them vote for him.

I do hope Arnold wins. At least all the dirt being thrown at him are mostly unfounded.

Wow, look out for the ignorant hispanic hordes!

Anyone ever tell you you were an asshole? If not let me happily be the first.

Asshole, yes, but he does have a point. Most vote for their own. Besides, most people in the US are politically ignorant, anyhow.

And memories of Balaguer rallies in North Manhattan come to mind... *Shudder*

[Stravo]

California has a whole lot of Hispanic people. Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are. His ties to the secessionist group will only help them vote for him.

I do hope Arnold wins. At least all the dirt being thrown at him are mostly unfounded.

Wow, look out for the ignorant hispanic hordes!

Anyone ever tell you you were an asshole? If not let me happily be the first.

Asshole, yes, but he does have a point. Most vote for their own. Besides, most people in the US are politically ignorant, anyhow.

And memories of Balaguer rallies in North Manhattan come to mind... *Shudder*

There's a difference between saying most people are politically ignorant or most people vote for their own compraed to this gem: Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are.


And as to the Balaguer rallies, the same can be said for Bush rallies, Clinton rallies, David Duke rallies, people have a right to rally for whoever the fuck they want to rally for. To equate a particular group's rallies for a candidate as anything different or worse than what we have seen other groups do is being disingenuous.

[Joe]

There's a difference between saying most people are politically ignorant or most people vote for their own compraed to this gem: Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are.

His word choice was unfortunate but I don't think he meant any offense. All peoples are often ignorant, regardless of race.

[Stravo]

There's a difference between saying most people are politically ignorant or most people vote for their own compraed to this gem: Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are.

His word choice was unfortunate but I don't think he meant any offense. All peoples are often ignorant, regardless of race.

That is NOT what he said. He said: California has a whole lot of Hispanic people. Them, being the often ignorant people they are, will vote for him just cause he is the same as they are.

Care to find the wriggle room in that statement that does not paint hispanics alone as ignorant?

[Joe]

OK, point, but Shin has never really shown any signs of being a racist elsewhere.

[Nathan F]

Once the word on Mecha gets widespread, Busto-whatever will get burned and will probably drop out

Doubtful, this story has already been circulating for a couple days (plus MeCHA is a politically correct hate group, so it receives less scrutiny).

KKK- Non PC hate group, so they are the ultimate evil.
MEChA - PC hate group, only semi-bad, but they have a cause.

Not to say that the KKK is good, mind you, I think they are a horrible organization, but the MEChA is just as bad, so they should be given the same treatment as the KKK. Who would stand for having a KKK member in office? No one (other than more KKK members). So why should anyone stand for having a MEChA member in office?

[HemlockGrey]

Or he could be referring to the generally poor state of education among immigrant.