Anti-HR 4437 Movement in Modesto - May 1
Written by Xiuhcoatl of Aztlan Rising
On May 1, 2006, the day of the nationwide boycott against HR 4437, over
10,000 people took to the streets of Modesto in a march that will be
etched in Modesto history books and engraved in our hearts and minds
for years to come. Although 10,000 may not seem like an astonishing
amount in comparison to the 400,000 marchers in L.A., for a city with a
population of just over 200,000 and a metropolitan area in the
300,000’s, it is just that – astonishing!
What was so beautiful about the march is that it was completely
spontaneous. The Modesto Bee mistakenly advertised an 8:00 AM march put
on by Aztlan Rising and the Mexica Council for Community and Solidarity
rather than the educational protest that was planned. People showed up
to march, and that is exactly what they did.
They advanced south on Crows Landing Road to Whitmore Avenue, where
they turned back and walked north towards Hatch Road. When law
enforcement officials asked them to return they would not obey. This
day was our day, and the only voice we were going to listen to was our
own. They continued the march, passing Highway 99, over the 7th Street
(Lion’s) bridge and into downtown Modesto where they made a brief stop
at city hall before returning back to Crows Landing Road.
Onlookers were left in awe as a wave 10,000 people advanced upon them, flooding the streets of downtown Modesto.
Aztlan Rising got the word out, but it was the people who ultimately
determined what they would do that day. It was a wonderful sight,
thousands upon thousands walking in solidarity, chanting phrases like
“Si se puede” and “El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!” They hoisted
their picket signs high in the air with slogans that read, “We want
human rights, not civil rights” and “Stolen lands: From Alaska to
Argentina.” There were also protestors with t-shirts made from modified
Aztlan Rising art.
People of all ages and backgrounds demonstrated: citizens and the
undocumented, brown and white, children and adults. This was not an
‘immigrant’ or ‘illegal alien’ protest as most media would lead you to
believe. It was a march by the people and for the people.
Thousands of adults missed work. Many students skipped school.
Approximately 1/3 of all students in the Ceres Unified School District
did not attend classes on May 1. In Modesto roughly 20% of students
missed class, with individual schools having absentee rates as high as
67%.
On Sunday, April 30, stores in Modesto were jam-packed with those
making last-minute purchases in preparation for the general boycott. On
May 1 parking lots were empty. Over 40 stores on Crows Landing Road, in
the predominantly Mexican South Modesto area, closed for the day.
It seems, at least for now, that the May 1 boycott was a success. But
the battle doesn’t end here. It has only just begun. They are already
distributing money to anti-immigrant sectors of the government, and
they will continue to do so as long as we allow it. The Senate hopes to
reach an agreement at the end of May. The House and Senate anticipate a
compromise bill by the end of August. Between now and then they will do
everything in their power to conceal the actions they are taking
against us. We must keep them under close scrutiny, observing all that
they do and say.
This is why we thought it so important to educate the people on this
day. Although we supported their decision to march, we all missed out
on an opportunity to learn more about what we were protesting against
and what more we can do to make sure that our demands are met. Aztlan
Rising had several speakers who would be discussing the issues and
rapper Victor-E from El Vuh was ready to perform at any time.
Despite the change of plans, he was still able to take the stage at an
after-school protest organized by MJC MEChA. Victor-E made it clear to
the people that we are not immigrants on this land. We are indigenous,
the original and true protectors of Ixachilan. By forcing the Hispanic
and Latino labels on us they are stripping us of our identity as
indigenous people. If we believe we are the conquering Hispanics and
not the Native American, then they have won most of the battle. As
Europeans we have as much of a claim to this land as the English
colonizers. But as indigenous people we have an inborn right to live on
the land that our ancestors have inhabited for over 50,000 years. This
includes all land in Ixachilan, but in this case, we can be precise.
The ancient homeland of the Aztecs, our ancient homeland, is located in
the four-corner region of the U.S. Southwest. We are not migrating to a
new land. We are returning home.
If the American people have a problem with us returning back to our
ancestral homeland, then I am challenging all of them to demand that
the U.S. government discontinue its worldwide terrorist attacks against
poor nations of and people of ‘color.’ Tell the government to stop
funding and arming fascist dictators and death squads and really start
spreading democracy. Petition for the government to pay reparations to
the nations it has kept in states of severe poverty, at the border of
starvation, to keep their overhead costs low. Unfortunately, in this
case, the overhead costs happen to be human beings, or as Somoza of
Nicaragua, a U.S. supported tyrant would put it, “uneducated oxen.”
They are able to keep us in a state of fear through the utilization of
systematic and widespread terror.
They still do so to this day. I will never forget 9/11 -- not because
of the thousands of lives that were needlessly ended, or because of the
complete destruction of the World Trade Centers. No. Although the loss
of life was tragic and the people did not deserve this fate, it will
not stand out in my mind as much as what came from it. I will remember
it because it ushered in a new era for America -- an era like all
others, but different. It was unchanged in that people’s fear and
compassion was exploited by those who are sworn to protect us. As it
has always been, movements by and for the people are still being
squashed by government agencies. But now, with the creation of the U.S.
Patriot Act, they have a new power to openly oppress all those living
within its borders. What they once executed covertly to avoid negative
publicity they can now make public. It is in direct violation of the
inalienable rights granted us by the U.S. Constitution and Bill of
Rights, and even more importantly, of our rights as human beings.
The civil liberties we were given by the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and
14th amendments have now been stripped from us. We no longer have
freedom of speech, religion, or assembly. We are no longer protected
from unreasonable searches and seizures. Due process has been thrown
out the window. We have no right to a speedy trial or impartial jury --
we can be incarcerated with no trial. We are no longer protected from
excessive bail or cruel and unusual punishment. And yet, many people
still believe the government is in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting for
our freedom. The battle for our freedom begins and ends at home.
The U.S. Patriot Act was written by none other than James
Sensenbrenner, author of H.R. 4437. Under the guise of an
anti-terrorism bill (H.R. 4437), he has successfully drawn up
legislation that will create an environment similar to the one in Nazi
Germany. All that was left out of the Patriot Act – concentration
camps, immigration police, and criminalization of the innocent – was
drafted into H.R. 4437. The police state is coming, fascism is already
here. We have the power to make a change.
On May 1, we, the indigenous people of Ixachilan and supporters of
human rights stood in solidarity against Western oppression. We are
demanding that our rights as human beings and people indigenous to this
land be acknowledged and respected. We have achieved critical mass. The
time has come to employ this power to make the changes that will shape
the future of our people. The actions we take during the next few
months will determine whether we will endure another holocaust in the
21st century or stand united against colonial terrorism and persecution.
“It is better to die on your feet than live a lifetime on your knees.”
~Emiliano Zapata~
Xiuhcoatl is an independent writer from South Modesto, CA. You can learn more about H.R. 4437 at http://aztlanrising.com/cms. |
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