Dolores Huerta, co-founder of United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, has been stumping for Hillary

[bigtree]

Rio Grande Guardian, News Report
María González-Escareño and Joey Gomez,
Feb 19, 2008

LAREDO, February 17 - Hillary Clinton's ties with the Latino community date back 35 years ago, while Barack Obama's date back six months ago, said Dolores Huerta and Laredo's political and community leaders at a meet and greet breakfast Sunday.

“She's not the 'Johnny Come Lately',” said Huerta (75), co-founder of the United Farm Workers union with César Chávez.

“When she was in her 20s, she was registering voters down in the Valley, right in the poorest parts of the United States of America for Latinos to live. Hillary was knocking on doors to register Latinos to vote.”

Huerta also made reference to the Obama's campaign's use of the slogan Sí Se Puede - yes, it is possible. She told the audience the phrase originated in 1972 in Arizona, a state where farm workers first thought it was impossible to organize.

“We were trying to get people to support Cesar Chavez, when he was fasting to protest a law that would incarcerate anyone for six months if they went on strike,” said Huerta. “They said it's possible in California and Texas, but in Arizona no se puede. So I answered, 'Sí Se Puede.'”

“Now they're copying our slogan, but you cannot build a relationship nomas con una palabra - just with one word,” said Huerta, referring to Obama's campaign's usage of the phrase.

Huerta also referred to the Elvira Arellano case, the undocumented immigrant who was deported in August 2007 after spending one year in a Chicago church, and argued that Obama did not support her. She said the Illinois senator could have made a difference in a case that “mattered so much for the Latino community.”

“You know that saying, nomas vienen a ver el nopal cuando tiene tunas...they only come to the cactus when it has fruit. That's what this man is doing,” said Huerta.



full article: http://news.ncmonline.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=abfb7260110ddf709a9e6a60e7bd16ef

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. ty n/t

[bigtree]

5. you're welcome

[ccpup]

2. that's gonna help her in Texas

as will the constant light shining on Barack's unfortunate habit of borrowing phrases and whole speeches. I'm not sure that will endear him to the Voters as we learn more about the extent of it.

[bigtree]

6. the controversy will certainly focus more attention on what he says . . .

who knows where that will lead voters, though?

[ccpup]

7. if people are drawn in and seduced by his speeches

only to learn that he's been -- perhaps in some views -- stealing them all along, it cuts at the core of his authenticity and the argument for continuing to support him becomes more difficult.

[bigtree]

8. I don't buy the 'stealing' charge. I do, however, think his words, from now on

will be measured, for whatever that will amount to.

[ccpup]

9. a few of my friends who had been trending toward Barack

-- and have yet to vote -- are now angry at him for "playin'" them. They feel lied to and foolish and won't vote for him PERIOD. I suspect there are others who have already voted feeling a similar sense of buyer's remorse today.

[bigtree]

10. He'll have a chance to redeem whatever credibility he lost among those who heard about it

. . . probably less than you think. He does have to be careful though. As he says, words matter, and a lot more folks will be listening to his in the days ahead.

[Hepburn]

19. Did you ever stop to think...

...they told you what you wanted to hear? People do that all the time...get a clue, OK?

[bigtree]

20. sure, because only friends who support Obama are sincere . . . right?

anything else?

[NashVegas]

3. I'm Sure Obama Will Find A Way

To have his supporters completely dismiss Hillary's work w/Latino immigrants.

How very cool that Hillary was going door-to-door as a young idealist.

[bigtree]

4. looks like about the same age Obama was when he was organizing in his community

cool stuff.

[LostinVA]

11. k&r

[Annces]

12. And Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez know something about working for human rights

That is a strong endorsement for Hillary.

[bigtree]

14. for folks who know . . .

[Radical Activist]

21. But she doesn't seem to know anything about Obama.

The 6 months line is wrong.

[bigtree]

22. for her community, it may well be correct

[Radical Activist]

28. If by "her community" you mean California, then yes.

Obama has never held elected office in California and hasn't been a national figure for years like Clinton has. But in terms of the Latino community in Illinois that he has represented then her comment is an ugly lie.

[bigtree]

30. an overstatement maybe, but, an 'ugly lie'? Nothing is sacred in this campaign . . .

Dolores C. Huerta (75) is the co-founder and Secretary-Treasurer of the United Farm Workers of America, AFL-CIO ("UFW"). The mother of 11 children, 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, Dolores has played a major roll in the American civil rights movement.

Dolores Huerta was born on April 10, 1930 in a mining town in northern New Mexico . . .

Dolores’ mother taught her to be generous and caring for others. Because of her mother’s community activism, Dolores learned to be outspoken. After high school, Dolores attended the University of Pacific’s Delta Community College and received a teaching degree. After teaching grammar school, Dolores left her job because in her words, "I couldn’t stand seeing kids come to class hungry and needing shoes. I thought I could do more by organizing farm workers than by trying to teach their hungry children."

In 1955, she was a founding member of the Stockton chapter of the Community Service Organization ("CSO"), a grass roots organization started by Fred Ross, Sr. The CSO battled segregation and police brutality, led voter registration drives, pushed for improved public services and fought to enact new legislation. Recognizing the needs of farm workers, while working for the CSO, Dolores organized and founded the Agricultural Workers Association in 1960. She became a fearless lobbyist in Sacramento, and in 1961 succeeded in obtaining the citizenship requirements removed from pension, and public assistance programs. She also was instrumental in passage of legislation allowing voters the right to vote in Spanish, and the right of individuals to take the driver’s license examination in their native language. In 1962 she lobbied in and Washington DC for an end to the "captive labor" Bracero Program.

It was through her work with the CSO that Dolores met Cesar Chavez. They both realized the need to organize farm workers. In 1962, after the CSO turned down Cesar’s request, as their president, to organize farm workers, Cesar and Dolores resigned from the CSO. Dolores, single with seven children, joining Cesar and his family in Delano, California. There they formed the National Farm Workers Association ("NFWA"), the predecessor to the UFW.

In addition to organizing, Dolores continued to lobby.. In 1963 she was instrumental in securing Aid For Dependent Families ("AFDC"), for the unemployed and underemployed, and disability insurance for farm workers in the State of California.

By 1965 Dolores and Cesar had recruited farm workers, and their families, throughout the San Joaquin Valley. On September 8th of that year, Filipino members of the Agricultual Workers Organizing Committee ("AWOC") demanded higher wages and struck Delano area grape growers. Although Dolores and Cesar had planned to organize farmworkers for several more years before confronting the large corporate grape industry, they could not ignore their Filipino brothers; request. On September 16, 1965 the NFWA voted to join in the strike. Over 5,000 grape workers walked off their jobs in what is now known as the famous "Delano Grape Strike." The two organizations merged in 1966 to form the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee ("UFWOC"). The strike would last five years.

In 1966, Dolores negotiated the first UFWOC contract with the Schenley Wine Company. This was the first time in the history of the United States that a negotiating committee comprised of farmworkers negotiated a collective bargaining agreement with an agricultural corporation. The grape strike continued and Dolores, as the main UFWOC negotiator, not only successfully negotiated more contracts for farmworkers,

she also set up the hiring halls, the farm worker ranch committees, administered the contracts and conducted over one hundred grievance procedures on the workers behalf.

These contracts established the first health and benefit plans for farmworkers

Dolores spoke out early and often against toxic pesticides that threaten farm workers, consumers, and the environment. These early UFWOC agreements required growers to stop using such dangerous pesticides as DDT and Parathyon. Dolores lobbied in Sacramento and Washington D.C., organized field strikes, directed UFW boycotts, and led farm workers campaigns for political candidates. As a legislative advocate, Dolores became one of the UFW’s most visible spokespersons. Robert F. Kennedy acknowledged her help in winning the 1968 California Democratic Presidential Primary moments before he was shot in Los Angeles.

Dolores directed the UFW’s national grape boycott taking the plight of the farmworkers to the consumers. The boycott resulted in the entire California table grape industry signing a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the United Farm Workers.

In 1973 the grape contracts expired and the grape growers signed sweetheart contracts with the Teamsters Union. Dolores organized picket lines and continued to lobby. In 1974 she was instrumental in securing unemployment benefits for farmworkers. The UFW continued to organize not only the grape workers but the workers in the vegetable industry as well until violence erupted and farm workers were being killed. Once again the UFW turned to the consumer boycott. Dolores directed the east coast boycott of grapes, lettuce, and Gallo wines. The boycott resulted in the enactment of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act, the first law of its kind in the United States, which granted farm workers the right to collectively organize and bargain for better wages and working conditions. In 1975 Dolores lobbied against federal guest worker programs and spearheaded legislation granting amnesty for farm workers that had lived, worked, and paid taxes in the United States for many years but were unable to enjoy the privileges of citizenship. This resulted in the Immigration Act of 1985.

http://www.lasculturas.com/aa/bio/bioDoloresHuerta.htm

[Radical Activist]

32. Her resume doesn't make a false statement true.

The idea that Obama has ignored the Latino community is an ugly lie. Just because he doesn't know Huerta and hasn't spent much time in California doesn't mean he has ignored all Latinos, including the large Latino population in Illinois. Huerta seems to think she is the entire Latino community.

[bigtree]

33. good for you. You called her a liar. And said, she seems to think she is the entire Latino community

any more insults?

You must be an amazing person . . .

[Radical Activist]

34. I don't deify anyone.

If someone makes a false and ugly attack then they deserve to be called on it.

[bigtree]

36. so you called her on it.

good for you.

[LostinVA]

13. Huerta is irrevelant

Please tell me I don't need to use my "sarcasm" smiley!

[bigtree]

15. it made my heart jump

seriously!

[LostinVA]

25. I'm sorry!

I was just impersonating some people....

[rodeodance]

17. ha ha--i was ready to

ask you if you were going to push him under the bus like so many of DU hero's are now----like joe wilson.

rd

[LostinVA]

24. hehehehe

I'm Ms. Democratic Socialist -- I'm a HUGE admirer of her, and HRC's work with the farm workers has always impressed me.

[rodeodance]

16. This is very nice to hear. Thanks for the post.

[bigtree]

23. thanks for the k&r!

[rodeodance]

18. REC

[SammyWinstonJack]

26. K&R

[bigtree]

27. thanks

-- Grace's Grill in Parma, Ohio, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008.

[theHandpuppet]

29. Thanks, bigtree

An endorsement from a heroine who has walked the walk.

:thumbsup:

[bigtree]

31. you're welcome. she is a heroine, for certain.

-- signing up farm workers in 1962

[ElsewheresDaughter]

35. "Hillary is No Johny-come-lately when she was in her 20's Hillary was knocking on doors to register

Latinos to vote.”


I LOVE HILLARY!!!!

[bigtree]

37. testament

[ElsewheresDaughter]

38. amen

[goodgd_yall]

39. Thanks for posting

Dolores Huerta is a woman whose views I respect.