The Bruin Republicans are launching a campaign today in an
effort to get a Chicana/o student group on campus to denounce what
they consider to be radical and racist views.
The campaign, their first of the year, begins close to five
months after the issue was highlighted during the days leading up
to the gubernatorial recall election in October 2003.
“We’re not just openly going after MEChA, we want
them to look at their past (actions) and refute them if they
believe they are wrong,” said Bruin Republican member
Christopher Moritz.
The group plans to campaign throughout the week to inform the
student body about what they believe are MEChA’s extreme
views. They are also scheduled to make a presentation to the
Undergraduate Students Association Council at the general meeting
tonight.
Upon hearing about their presentation, USAC Internal Vice
President Allende Palma/Saracho said he invited members of MEChA to
attend the meeting as well.
“The fact that MEChA doesn’t know about (the
campaign) is problematic,” said Palma/Saracho, who is also a
member of MEChA. “It shows the immaturity of the Bruin
Republicans.”
Moritz said his organization sent a letter to MEChA earlier in
the year explaining their grievances but that no response was
received.
The group later plans to propose a resolution to the council to
de-recognize MEChA as a USAC-sponsored organization and to freeze
funds it receives from USAC, Moritz said. To bring a resolution to
the table, the group needs three signatories from the council.
With the majority of the council belonging to the Students
First! slate ““ a slate that MEChA is traditionally affiliated
with ““ it is unlikely that a resolution of this sort could
get passed.
“I don’t think it’s possible to pass at USAC
this year,” said General Representative Josh Lawson. He added
that he believes this is an opportunity for MEChA to explain some
of their past beliefs.
The principles that the Chicana/o organization MEChA stood for
came into question when opponents of gubernatorial candidate Cruz
Bustamante criticized him for his involvement with the group in the
1970s. One of the founding documents of MEChA advocated exclusively
for the rights of the Chicana/o community while opposing the rights
of people of European descent.
At the time, several chapters of MEChA, including the one at
UCLA, said they no longer subscribe to the views of their
predecessors. The group’s functions have also evolved,
focusing largely on community outreach and student retention.
When questioned about their beliefs in September 2003, leaders
of MEChA de UCLA have said the goal and structure of the
organization has changed since its founding in the late 1960s.
Leaders have said the group now works for greater access to higher
education for at-risk youth.
Still, members of the Bruin Republicans believe it is important
that MEChA publicly refutes its past, including its call for the
liberation of Aztlán ““ parts of the southwestern United
States, including California.
He added that his group had planned on launching the campaign
after the recall election, but unforeseen and unspecified
“logistical issues” delayed the campaign until now.
This is the group’s biggest campaign of the year, and Moritz
said that, though their funds are limited, they are doing
everything possible to ensure the campaign is a success.
The opposition of MEChA is a sentiment shared by all members of
the Bruin Republicans, Moritz said.
The group has prioritized the MEChA effort over its traditional
political campaigns. He also said the group has not yet discussed
starting a campaign for the Democrat primary elections or the
presidential elections.
Moritz said he does not contend that several services MEChA
provides are commendable, but also said it doesn’t negate
what he considers to be questionable elements of the group.