Volume XXIX Number 15 April 15, 2005

FrontPage Stories

Celebrating 35 Years of Chicano Park

by Michael Klam

Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez was 18-years-old when Barrio Logan residents, college students, and community activists took over the plot of land that would become today’s Chicano Park. The city had a plan to bulldoze and flatten a large part of the area below the Coronado Bridge to create a California Highway Patrol sub-station. Many residents felt that city and state officials had deceived them. The land should’ve been designated for the neighborhood. The community flocked to the park. They formed a human chain around the land movers, and forced the workers and the city to stop construction. Residents began to work the land on their own. They planted cactus, magueys, flowers... the seeds of a new era, a new generation. The Chicano flag was raised to mark the grass-roots occupation of Chicano Park. “I saw people working the land with shovels,” says Chunky Sanchez, “and I thought — These people are serious about what they’re doing. They want to have a park and I want to be part of this. If they need help, I’m going to help. — I saw a determination in their faces. I’m still here 35 years later.”

Tommie Camarillo and Ramon “Chunky” Sanchez (seated) chatting with friends.

Chunky sits on a bench in front of the park’s Kiosko. He is reminded of the struggle and perseverance that is both the park’s history and its future. “Nothing is given to us in life. You have to earn it. You have to struggle for it. And it makes you appreciate it that much more. These are the values that we have to teach our children, and that will make the difference in the future of Chicano Park.” 10-year-old Marcos Islas interrupts Sanchez with a greeting, “Hey, Chunky!” When asked what he will do to preserve the park, young Islas says, “The walls say what this park is all about. We can have all this beautiful stuff. I’ll work around here, plant some plants and clean up.” Chunky gives Marcos a nod of approval: “If our young generations understand how this park was formed and why it was formed and the struggle it has taken to maintain it and keep it up... If our young generations can comprehend that, and continue the traditions, then it’s in good hands.”

For the rest of the story, please follow this link:


The History of Chicano Park
Commemorating 35 years of Struggle, 1970-2005
By Jess Santos
“Tierra, Liberación y Revolución!” Land, Liberty and Revolution, with these few powerful words, Emiliano Zapata set in motion the first social revolt of the 20 century: the Mexican Revolution of 1910.


Civil Rights Icon ‘Corky’ Gonzales Dies At 76
Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales, a boxer turned civil rights activist and a leader in the Chicano movement in the Southwest, died Tuesday (April 12). He was 76.


IN LATIN AMERICA, SECULAR VOICES SOUND ON PAPAL SUCCESSION
By Marcelo Ballve
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Mexican pilgrims, in Rome to pay their respects to Pope John Paul II, greeted Mexican Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera with chants of “Mexico! Mexico!”, “Norberto for pope!” and “Yes, it can be done!” Rivera, considered a candidate for the papacy, later seemed hard-pressed to reclaim an atmosphere of sanctity for the papal succession.



Stories

Changing their own realities
By Pablo Jaime Sainz
Although many people might look at selling flowers on the side of the road like something negative, Arlene Alvarez said she’s proud to have done just that in order to help her family survive economically.


Alianza fronteriza de Filantropía Fronteriza México – Estados Unidos
Por Luis Alonso Pérez
Durante los últimos años la práctica de la filantropía en muchos países se ha establecido como una forma viable, perdurable e integral para la sociedad civil y empresarial de colaborar directamente con la satisfacción de las necesidades de sus comunidades.


México del Norte
Jorge Mújica Murias
¿Y qué tal si?
Hace unos días estuvo en Chicago uno de ésos académicos que nos han agarrado de “migrantillos de Indias”, y han hecho sus carreras en torres de marfil declarando a izquierdas y derechas que somos y como pensamos.


Accompanying the poor
By Pablo Jaime Sainz
When Dorothy Granada arrived in Nicaragua 18 years ago, the country was torn due to the Civil War and the recent disater caused by a hurricane.


Norma Hernandez Receives Fiesta de las Estrellas Award
Southwestern College Leader Honored for “Excellence in Education”
CHULA VISTA –For more than 30 years, Southwestern College Superintendent/President, Norma L. Hernández, has shined in higher education, particularly in the community college arena. Her dedication to providing educational opportunities to people of all ethnic backgrounds made her a star at the Fiesta de las Estrellas gala and earned Hernández an “Excellence in Education” Award.


LA COLUMNA VERTEBRAL
Por Ellen Lee Alderton
Equidad de Vivienda: Es tu Derecho
El movimiento de Derechos Civiles marcó un sendero a través de la Historia ameri-cana, y mucha gente en este país probablemente ha escuchado sobre el Acta de Derechos Civiles de 1964, el cual reforzó el derecho a votación de todos los ciudadanos –independientemente de su ingreso, nivel educativo u origen étnico. Menos personas, sin embargo, están al tanto de otras piezas significativas de la legislación de los derechos civiles de ese mismo periodo: el ‘Fair Housing Act’ de 1968.


You are my other self
By Heriberto Escamilla
Those of you that have read my stories have no doubt noticed that I devote much of my thinking to personal development. Even though I stopped formally practicing psychotherapy years ago, accepting my degree carried the promise of helping people with this endeavor.


Cluninary/Food Page:
Weekly food recipes/themes & Recipe archieves -- Enjoy


Editorials

Editorial
Time to re-evaluate Sweetwater Union High School District and Chula Vista?
The pause in the land swap deal between the City of Chula Vista and the Sweetwater Union High School District is as good time as any to re-evaluate and consider the long term benefit to the City of Chula Vista and a shared high school board/district with South San Diego.


Comentario:
La Incertidumbre de los Precios de la Gasolina
Por Humberto Caspa, Ph.D
La avalancha histórica de los precios de la gasolina, que se han disparado recientemente desde $2.30 dólares por galón a principios del mes pasado hasta $2.60 –está proyectada en $3.00 dólares para el fin de año— ha generado un descontento en la sociedad. Todos señalan con el dedo al acusado, nadie asume responsabilidad de una problemática que tiene repercusiones negativas en la economía, especialmente en el bolsillo del consumidor.


Commentary:
Trying to Make the World a Better Place
By Ernie McCray
NPR (National Public Radio) is soliciting personal essays from people about their beliefs and how those beliefs were formed or tested or changed.


Commentary:
Taxation without benefit
By Robert H. Linnell
    Millions of workers in the U.S. pay billions in taxes and yet have no possible way to receive benefits. Who are these people? They are illegal immigrants. They all pay Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes and to a lesser extent income taxes. At 7.65% of earnings (matched 100% by employers) even the farm worker who only earns $10,000. contributes $765. (adding the employer match makes a total contribution of $1530.). Just how does the system work to collect these taxes?


Commentary:
The Truth About Education Policy
By Adam Chavarria
In recent weeks, much has been said and written about the president’s commitment to Hispanic education. Most of the comments have been positive. However, there also have been some misunderstandings of the policy and its implications. It is high time we examined what the state of Hispanic education truly has been over time and why it must be changed.


Commentary:
 Break the Cycle of Child Abuse
By California Attorney General Bill Lockyer
The California Department of Social Services estimates that 374,378 referrals for investigation of child abuse and neglect involving 715,062 children were handled by local child welfare services agencies in our state in 2003.


TEZOZOMOC SPEAKS
Q-V0 Gente... How are we? Seems that with the death of El Papa... it feels triste around this town and the world. The world somehow ya no está igual. Sadness pervades our thoughts (pensamientos) and our feelings (sentimientos) are burdened with the thoughts (pensamientos) that in the end, we all must leave this life... No sé, if this Computer contraption can sense that somehow something is not well with our lives anymore.

The Public Forum . . . El Foro Publico
Minutemen performing a great service
Letter re:United to stop the hatred by Luis Alonso Pérez, published 4/11/05.

As they say, beauty and truth are in the eye of the beholder. In other words, we each interpret what we see through the filter of our life’s experiences. I won’t argue with Mr. Pérez about his view of the Minuteman Project. But here is mine.

Etc. Etc. Etc.
Entertainment, Reviews, Sporting news, and other tid bits

Words Must Come Alive … Daniel Reveles Speaks at Local Library
By E.A. Barrera
 Daniel Reveles stands in front of a crowded room at the Rancho San Diego Public Library… with his thinning white hair combed upwards towards the center of his head like a strutting, proud peacock. His skin is a deep tan, and his eyes glimmer as he talks to the overflow audience about the “Diana Bar” or “Gabriel Adame” or most important of all, his home town of Tecate.


Final Abierto: Presentación de proyectos y charla con artistas de inSite05
Por Luis Alonso Pérez
El telón fue descubierto, haciendo públicos los proyectos artísticos que formarán parte de la edición 2005 del evento internacional de arte contemporáneo inSite, en una exhibición binacional simultanea en Tijuana y San Diego bajo el nombre Final Abierto / Open Ended. Al norte de la frontera fue inaugurada el 1 de abril en la biblioteca de música y arte Athenaeum de La Jolla. Al sur de la frontera fue inaugurada el viernes 8 de abril en el Instituto Cultural de Baja California de Tijuana.


Open ended: Project presentation and a chat with artists from InSite05
By Luis Alonso Pérez
The curtain was lifted, making public the artistic projects that will make up the 2005 edition of the international contemporary art event InSite, it was during simultaneous binational exhibition in Tijuana and San Diego under the name final abierto / Open Ended. North of the border, it was inaugurated on April 1st, in the Athenaeum music and arts library in La Jolla. South of the border it was inaugurated on Friday, April 8th, in the Baja California Institute of Culture of Tijuana.


MACUILXOCHITL'S KIVA
Ska Legend to Appear at Del Mar this weekend
Ska pioneer and legend, Desmond Dekker, has recently released a wonderful 2 CD retrospective of his career, You Can Get It If you Really Want (Trojan). With a total of fifty one songs ranging from his first release, the 1963 single, “Honour”, all the way through to his recordings with fellow ska mates the Specials and his last solo records in 1993.


Hace 400 Años Apareció “Don Quijote de la Mancha” Obra Literaria de Miguel de Cervantes
“Una de las más grandes novelas en español de todos los tiempos”
Por: Paco Zavala
Uno de los más grandes escritores de habla hispana fue indudablemente Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, el creador de uno de los más grandes libros de habla hispana de todos los tiempos, el “Don Quijote de la Mancha”.


Eventos Culturales en Tijuana
Por: Paco Zavala
Antes de empezar la descripción de los eventos que se realizan y se realizarán en Tijuana durante los próximos días, permítanme hacer una pequeña reflexión sobre los últimos acontecimientos ocurridos en Tijuana.


Cuadernos de Hollywood
¿Quién es Daniel Craig?
El actor será el nuevo James Bond.
Por Jose Daniel Bort
¡Por fin! El veredicto ha llegado. Después de varios años de espera y especulaciones ya se sabe quien va a ser el nuevo Agente 007. No, no es Clive Owen, el “hunk” de Closer que actualmente está en cartelera con “Sin City”. No, no es Hugh Jackman o Ewan Mc Gregor, ambos con flagrantes carreras sucediendo ante los ojos de todo el mundo (Mc Gregor es el protagonista de las dos películas más grandes del verano: La tercera parte de la guerra de las galaxias y “The Island). El ganador de éste asiduo y complicado combate es…: agh, oh! ¿Daniel Craig?


Jennifer López al borde de un accidente automovilístico
Todo por culpa de un Paparazzi
Por Jose Daniel Bort
Las continuas historias de estrellas de cine que tienen problemas con los fotógrafos que tratan de conquistar la foto que entre en la próxima portada de las revistas no cesan de ocurrir. La siguiente es Jennifer López, quien la vio muy cerca cuando viajaba en su limousine de lujo en la mitad de la ciudad de los Ángeles.


VAMOS AL CINE
Aquella vieja historia de la casa encantada
Amityville Horror recuenta la historia de una de las películas de terror más famosas.
Por Jose Daniel Bort
Al parecer, los ejecutivos de la productora de cine “Platinum Dunes” descu-brieron que las mejores historias son las que ya se han contado. Estos “creadores” (o más bien “recreadores”) fueron los que estuvieron detrás del remake de la famosa película “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”, la cual tuvo un gran éxito de taquilla en el 2003. Esta vez repiten la misma formula con “Amityville Horror”.


Bullfight World
By Lyn Sherwood
El Julito To Open Tijuana Season
Can you feel the anticipation, the sounds of buckets of beer, the cheers of the crowds, the plaza band, the abrazos, as long time aficionados greet one another for another season of bullfights in Tijuana.


Esquibel Adjusting to College Baseball
By John Philip Wyllie
Sometimes life comes down to being a big fish in a little pond or a little fish in a big pond. Take San Diego State pitcher Andres Esquibel, for example. A year ago, the hard-throwing right-hander out of Oceanside was enjoying his senior year as the star pitcher of the Vista High School Panthers. He set several school records during his tenure there including one for most career strikeouts and another for the most innings pitched in a career. Following the season, Esquibel was selected a first-team All-Palomar League pitcher and also qualified for the San Diego Union-Tribune All-Academic team.


Pirates Battery Remembered by Padres Fans
By John Philip Wyllie
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Oliver Perez and catcher Benito Santiago returned to where their MLB careers began last weekend. And for both players, San Diego will forever remain special. Although their pairing did not result in the victory the Pirates were seeking Saturday night, they did at least receive a warm reception from San Diego’s fans.


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