Journal on Chicano Issues
This is an excerpt from the paper...
The Chicano movement in the United States is well document in The Lost Land, I Am Joaquin, and Yo Soy Chicano. All three of these works demonstrate the dilemma between retaining cultural identity and trying to assimilate into a mainstream culture that is distinct from oneÆs native culture. In The Lost Land, we see how the land inhabited by Chicanos was basically undermined and taken from them. While the U.S. was more than willing to welcome Chicanos during the need for labor and military personnel during World War II, when the war was over Chicanos were once more relegated to an inferior status from the perspective of mainstream American culture. As Chavez (2004) reports the words of one fatherÆs son whose dad was a veteran of WWII, ôAfter he came home and found that things hadnÆt changed, he felt that he would rather be just another sailor than the kind of human being the Anglos treated him likeö (41). Likewise, we see how many Chicanos often try to sublimate their own identity and culture in order to avoid the discrimination and ostracism that are projected at them from mainstream U.S. culture. This often means many Chicanos abandon their own cultural group in order to fit into the dominant Anglo culture. As one Mexican-American maintained: I think like an Anglo and I act like an Anglo but IÆll never look like an Anglo. Just looking at me, no one could tell if I am an American or one of those blasted Mexicans from across the riv
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alized both from the Chicano culture within and the dominant white culture without. In order for any movement to succeed in promoting the goals of members committed to change, such problems must be overcome. These problems are often not overcome without a great deal of struggle and turmoil inside the movement before it can have its intended impact on the dominant culture within which it aims to make change. For example, the documents on Chavez demonstrate how difficult it is for the leaders of any movement to address all of the needs of individuals who hope for change, despite having valid needs. Chavez was often besieged by large numbers of individuals who wanted his assistance. He was also often criticized for having to charge members of the Farm WorkerÆs Association (FWA) $3.50 for membership. However, any individual and movement are limited by barriers of time, personnel, and economics. The case was no different with the Chicano movement. In one document, we see Chavez try to promote such understanding among the needy whose needs he could not individually attend to without losing his ability to guide the movement against mainstream white culture. As he maintained:
It is very hard to limit assistance and service to me
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Perez Spring, Los Angeles, Soy Chicano, IÆll Anglo, Actos Valdez, Catholic Church, Dolores Huerta, Association FWA, Las Mujeres, Mon Feb, spring 2004 chicana/chicano, lives english 25, perez spring 2004, spring 2004, english 25, 2004 chicana/chicano, lives english, chicana/chicano lives, 2004 chicana/chicano lives, chicana/chicano lives english, perez spring, chicano culture, chicano movement, catholic church, mainstream culture,
Approximate Word count = 2592
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)
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