Originally being from
Chicago, these tensions were really familiar due to the ever constant
violence between, African Americans and Puerto Ricans, African
Americans and Dominicans, as well as African Americans and Africans,
etc.
However, after relocating to California, being stationed
here as a Navy corpsman, and raising my family here. Attending college
at a historically "Hispanic" institution, (UCSB), working closely with
Mecha, Panche be, as well as the CLYLP Chicano-Latino Youth Leadership
Project, I must share these compelling results.
First it must be
underscored, that as a proud Hiphoppa, African/Native American, these
divisions must be further analyze and addressed as mentioned by the
author Tanya Hernandez.
Furthermore, on a historical note,
Mexico is not the accurate terminology for the country just south of
the so called United States. Remember, this land was also dominated,
plundered and pillaged by European Conquistadors. The Mexican, is more
accurately pronounced (Ma-shican).
Similar to their English
counterparts, the Spaniards sailed west thinking they were landing in
India, thus why many Americans and non-Americans, out of ignorance
still to this day, call Natives, Indians. So with this said recall, we
are speaking of an indigenous people relatively exterminated for the
expressed purpose of imperialism.
Over the centuries, cultures
have mixed, and many Mexicans identify with the populations hailing
from Spain. Consequently, many still, maintain their ties to the land
and the indigenous populations who decend from the ancient Incas,
Mayans, pueblos, etc.
In Hiphop Kulture, we are a global
kulture, beyond race, beyond religion and beyond ethnicity. Due to this
I have been able to pierce the veil of discention and structural
violence plagueing our communities.
By doing so, discussions with my indigenous brothers and sisters, alerted me to a distinction and difference in terminology.
After
several discussions, it had come to my attention that some call
themselves "latinos", while others call themselves "chicanos". Out of
ignorance, I thought these terms were inter-changeable. Nevertheless,
they are NOT! Latinos tend to identify with the Spaniard lineage, while
Chicanos identify with the indigenous North American and South American
lineage.
It must also be recalled that during the 1960's and
1970's the Brown Beret's were in fact supportive and second in command
in various communities to none other than the Black Panther Party.
During the turn of the century professional boxer Jack Johnson fled the
US, along with an untold number of Buffalo Soldiers, who were black
soldiers hired to kill and torment the pueblo peoples, after the 1851
mexican-american war, to Mexico where they were given asylum for
rascist charges by the US government.
In essence our communities
have a rich history of cooperation of alliance. This is where I may
differ with the author, in that these violent confrontations are the
results of structural violence, poverty and indicative of the
institutional racism deeply rooted in American society, military and
its prison industrial complexes. This isolation and segregation has
historically cropped when possible windows of opportunity exist.
Finally,
I encourage each of you who have interest in this topic, to go beyond
the figures, go beyond the rhetoric and get out there and learn more
about our very relative and similar cultures. When I did so, my eyes
were open to just how much the strings of disention are being puppeted.
In 2008, whatever the political agenda, we must include, chicanos,
latinos, and whoever else sees the victory in our unity.
As we think, so Hiphop is!
MalikONE
Global Advocate
Temple Of Hiphop
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