ANTICAPITALISTAS EN LA SEXTA: Ethnic Studies

Anticapitalistas en la Otra

Anticapitalistas en la Sexta es un espacio de discusión y organización política de carácter anticapitalista e internacionalista, que busca enlazar las luchas y fortalecer la unidad de las y los trabajadoras de la Ciudad, el Campo, el Mar y el Aire, y del resto de l@s explotad@s por el sistema capitalista para avanzar en la construcción de un Programa Nacional de Lucha y su Plan de Insurrección. Como segundo propósito buscamos difundir las luchas, denuncias y actividades de los adherentes a La Sexta en el país y el mundo, y también de todos aquellos que que sin ser parte de La Sexta se encuentren abajo y a la izquierda.

Video del mes: Palabras del mes: Es preciso no olvidar que en virtud y por efecto de la solidaridad del proletariado, la emancipación del obrero no puede lograrse si no se realiza a la vez la liberación del campesino. De no ser así, la burguesía podría poner estas dos fuerzas, la una frente a la otra, y aprovecharse, por ejemplo, de la ignorancia de los campesinos para combatir y refrenar los justos impulsos de los trabajadores citadinos; del mismo modo que, si el caso se ofrece, podrá utilizar a los obreros poco conscientes y lanzarlos contra sus hermanos del campo. CARTA DE EMILIANO ZAPATA A GENARO AMEZCUA Tlaltizapán, Febrero 14, 1918

lunes, 25 de octubre de 2010

Ethnic Studies

Actually, Ethnic Studies Should Not be in Compliance with HB 2281

By Raúl Al-qaraz Ochoa

http://antifronteras.com / http://chicanamagazine.blogspot.com

Ethnic Studies is part of a legacy of resistance and rebellion to colonization—past and present. People in Arizona struggled since the late 60’s for a program like this and finally 10 years ago after tireless community mobilizing, TUSD has the only K-12 Ethnic Studies program of its kind in the nation.

Yes, ethnic studies makes students do better on AIMS. Yes, ethnic studies bolsters college-going rates for Latinos/as. Yes, ethnic studies promotes diversity. But what is often not highlighted by our side is that Ethnic Studies does in fact promote some real, subversive, revolutionary, transformative shit! Tom Horne has this very well understood. So why can’t we come to grips with this reality and be publically proud of it? Why do we have to hide our history of resistance behind diversity, good AIMS test scores and high college-going rates? If Tom Horne and the entire Arizona state apparatus are attacking us, why not declare the Ethnic Studies department as the training ground for social justice community organizers that will transform the way Arizona operates? I mean, they’re coming after us anyways.

Considering we live in Apartheid Arizona with jacked up laws flying through the Arizona state legislature like crazy, we are in desperate need of some new, militant youth leadership. Ethnic Studies should serve to fill this need, and we should not hide it.

Tom Horne writes that Ethnic Studies is not in compliance with 2281 because:

It promotes the overthrow of the United States government
It promotes resentment toward a race or class of people.
It’s designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic groups.
It advocates ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.

We get so caught up trying to prove him wrong and counter each of these points. But I think Ethnic Studies should not be in compliance with HB 2281. Here’s why I think this: 1. Ethnic Studies envisions a world free of injustices and oppression. If Chican@ communities face oppression and injustice today, a tyrannical government should be “overthrown”—Tom Horne’s forefathers say we can do so. 2. The classes do promote resentment towards a class of people. We resent oppressors, colonizers and rapists, whatever race they may be. 3. Of course Ethnic Studies is designed for particular ethnic groups, doesn’t the name say it all? 4. Yes, “ethnic solidarity” is the goal and we see ourselves as a collective, not “individuals”, cuz if we have “solidarity” we can take you down more easily Mr. Horne, and others like you. J

So not being in compliance with HB 2281 wouldn’t be such a bad thing, it would just affirm our compliance with the roots of Ethnic Studies.

Anyways, if this is the case, the more I think about it, the more Tom Horne makes sense to me. With the browning of America and the right-wing agenda of making holy hell fall on Arizona, Horne seems a bit late. This program exists in a state where it is perfectly acceptable to racially profile and separate families; the program exists in a state that has the most extreme legislature in the country and allows for a genocide to take place at the Arizona-Sonora desert. In all truth, I am very surprised we have an Ethnic Studies program today, considering we live in a state that has genocide as its state policy. Stripping youth of their history and culture (through HB 2281) is a part of such a policy.

To conclude I will say that we all need to continue fighting tooth and nail for Ethnic Studies to be preserved and expanded. However, we should also realize that the idea and meaning behind Ethnic Studies will remain alive no matter what Horne or his posse may do. We’ve prevailed throughout the centuries, and I’m sure we will survive this one. Ethnic Studies is about being part of a community, it’s not about being part of an institution. If we have homes and communities, it doesn’t really need to be in their schools. Ethnic Studies was born in the streets, and if they ban it, Ethnic Studies will have to return to the streets. Arizona can take Ethnic Studies away from our students, but they can never take their heart, their roots or their warrior spirit.

¡Que Vivan los Estudiantes!

¡Que Viva Ethnic Studies!