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Viva la huelga

From the National Huelga Committee
11 October 1997

This Wednesday, a significant event is about to occur in the history of the United States of America! The first National Strike by Chicanos and other Latinos will take place on this day. The "Huelga" , motivated by the growing concerns over the racist campaigns against our community has received endorsements and support from many national organizations and university student groups

In California, our community has been besieged by a series of ballot initiatives and laws designed to strip us of our rights that have been won through decades of struggle. These same campaigns of intolerance and bigotry will soon travel eastward and affect all states with a significant Chicano, Latino and Immigrant-of-Color populations. In fact we are already witnessing similar incidents of intolerance in other states. An article by Syndicted Columnists Roberto Rodriguez and Patrisia Gonzales is reporting that in Kennet Square, Pennsylvania, some residents have been placing "yellow ribbons" outside their houses to protest the presence of too many "Mexicans"! The citizens of Kennet Square have also resorted to spying, documenting and tracking the movements of their Mexican neighbors. This is reminiscent of the events that led to "Kristallnacht" in Nazi Germany! What we are witnessing is the possible beginnings of a "Mexicandenfrei Pogrom"!

These type of incidents will increase and become more dangerous to the public safety of our community if we do not organize and put a stop to them now. National Huelga Day will provide us with the time to reflect on our contributions to this nation's economy and will serve as a day of protest against racism and discrimination. On Wednesday, our forums, rallies. marches, school walk- outs, boycotts and other activities will send a clear message to this country that we will not sit by and watch our inalienable right trampled by the forces of bigotry.

This first year of La Huelga, has brought together a powerful national network of "progressive" groups that will assure an increasingly more powerful Huelga Movement!

SI SE PUEDE !

David Sanchez, Co chair and Hector Carreon, Co chair
THE NATIONAL HUELGA COMMITTEE