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Towards a National Liberation Movement
(draft proposal)
The Indigenous population within the U.S. (including the Chicana/Chicano people), people with Asian and African heritages, Hawaii and Puerto Rico continue to have a colonial relationship with the United States. The high incarceration rates, high school dropout rates, high poverty, high rates of substance abuse, high rates of diabetes and other diseases within our communities are directly related to colonial and genocidal oppression. We can choose to fight piecemeal each issue, or go to the fundamental roots of imperialistic oppression, or a combination of those strategies. The world history of colonized peoples teaches us that colonized peoples become absorbed (cultural genocide), destroyed (physical genocide), or gain some form of liberation. Actions that discourage colonized people from thinking concretely about colonization and liberation is part and parcel of the genocidal process that often accompanies colonization.

I would like to pose the question to all colonized sisters and brothers, “Do you want to assimilate into and become part of this imperialistic super-power, or do you want to free yourself and your people and work toward a more peaceful world?� Unless we have already been too digested (assimilated) into U.S. society we must seriously consider our decolonization and our right to determine our political, economic, social and cultural development.

This paper will encourage the development of national liberation movements within communities colonized by the U.S.. The primary audience for this document is Chicana-Mexicanas, Chicano-Mexicanos, and their allies. This is dedicated to those past, present, and future freedom fighters who support the power and intelligence of the vast majority who are not dictators, despots, and bureaucrats whom have led us to our current conditions.

Chicana-Mexicana & Chicano-Mexicano Liberation:
El Plan Espiritual de Azltan espouses our belief in our sovereignty, and our indigenous heritage. But it also points out a disbelief in “capricious borders� and that our nationality is composed as a “union of free pueblos.� Like anything, that document can, and should be debated and discussed to take into consideration the current realities. The idea of a union of free pueblos is very rarely explored in many of these discussions.

The concept of a union of free pueblos could have been a reaction to the then already over-centralized federal government. In today’s context it can be looked at as a way to deal with the sovereignty of the many indigenous nations that had not relinquished sovereignty to México nor the U.S. during the invasion of northern México (regardless of federal recognition). It can be a way to deal with the reality of Chicana-Mexicanas and Chicano-Mexicanos having indigenous roots in the “Southwest� of the United States. Mexican indigenous roots, or a heritage with northern indigenous people can both be recognized in this way. If one recognizes that all States on the continent are the result of colonization, the point of forming a Nation-State on the basis of maps created by colonizers is not as important as liberating the hundreds of nations within the U.S. and the continent.

Recognizing the sovereignty of all indigenous nations also avoids continued colonization of various nations because of lack of federal recognition, size of nation, and maintenance of traditional practices. Recognizing and overcoming the internalized colonization that disrespects indigenous nations by labeling them as non-native or as non-nations will move all liberation movements of the U.S. forward a great deal.

This type of federation could be centralized like the U.S. system, or a decentralized federation. The union of free pueblos could allow people to choose to live where they have lived. A federation could allow indigenous nations to reclaim previous territory, as is described by the UN,

“Colonial domination and oppression, whatever their origin, clearly constitute aggression against the peoples concerned. Consequently, it is not legitimate to claim that the territory of a colony, or territory conquered or acquired by force or by threat of force, forms an integral part of the territory of the State which administers it, and on that ground to deny independence to the people of such territory.�(1)

It could also allow people to move to areas that have a system of self-determination that they enjoy. A flexible federation could allow people to choose a highly centralized and structured community, or a highly independent and unstructured community.

This assumes that sufficient numbers of Chicana-Mexicanas and Chicano-Mexicanos are interested in concrete liberation from United States colonialism. This, of course, is a serious consideration, and history shows that States do not willingly allow neither psychological nor physical separation of populations.

Anti-Colonial Struggle:
The second question I am posing to those seeking liberation is, “Am I a part of a movement that avoids looking at the colonization and genocide of my people while fighting for civil rights and increased privileges of empire, or am I part of a movement working to break down empire and create freedom for all peoples?� It is not a comfortable question, since many of us do not want to look at ways we benefit and collude with an oppressive society. There are no easy answers, but the question should be asked regularly.

Our path toward liberation needs to be discussed openly and sincerely. Many Liberation Movements already exist and all will be required to eliminate the imperialism of the U.S. and its allies. Movements create a general direction in which specific organizations can take more specific action. Some of the issues to keep in mind follow.

SELF-DETERMINATION
Because of the imperialist genocidal nature of the U.S. we must understand that we will need to look to ourselves for our liberation. Building self-determination from the ground up will be our mission. Beyond any theories, we will need to develop practical self-determination on the ground in order to inspire others and ourselves to move beyond subjugation!

We need to be clear that liberation is not given. We will need to rise up and make our liberation ourselves. It will be more than a liberation of the “working-class� because often that view attempts to lump us and erase the concrete realities of different peoples into some eurocentric generic human. The majority of the left, radicals, progressives, anarchists, and liberals either don’t know, or plainly ignore the reality of U.S. colonialism, and especially as it relates to indigenous peoples and their genocide. Often those who think themselves to be our best allies have not dealt with their privilege – whether it is the middle-class progressive, working communist, activist living collectively, or assimilated liberal. Going beyond the abstract awareness of colonization and genocide is difficult but will be worth the work.

We need the anti-racist white allies to do their work. Giving up what they have been conditioned to see as “their land� will be tough for them obviously. Instead of working on that issue they may want to try and “help� us. But they and we must understand that ultimately we will need to free ourselves. If we trust ourselves and quit waiting for someone to do it for us we can and will move towards liberation!

Self-determination is about our being able to meet our own needs. To end the dependence on others to do for us is liberation. This is something that needs to be created at individual and small group levels in order to provide models for others. Doing this in a way that invites people in will be important. Many cooperatives and communes look “strange� to the average working person. Our creativity will be important in promoting our freedom of action without alienating the community we wish to inspire.

Overall it will be up to us to liberate ourselves. Self-determination is about our commitment to us as much as it is about our rights. When we accept the challenge we will be able to move forward and do so proudly!

SOLIDARITY
Supporting people taking active stands against any oppression is positive action. Strikers and other resisters need support. Often they may only be fighting for a five-cent raise, but often they are often risking their job and livelihood. It has been pointed out, “If you can’t win a small reform, how will you win a revolution?� Direct action assists with the development of radicalization and supporting confrontations with oppressive institutions is important for planting seeds of further resistance.

Making the connections between different issues will also build solidarity. Building alliances between liberation organizations directly will also be productive. When people see that nuclear weapons, for example, are related to an agenda of global imperialism, it will be easier to pull in people for anti-colonial work. When we can point out that the social-relationships internal to our community often follow colonial models we can begin to liberate those relationships and increase the anti-colonial movement.

MEDIA LIBERATION
Media literacy will be important. It is important to understand the propaganda that is thrown toward the community. Training people to understand the false messages of the media, especially those designed to make liberation movements and organizations look bad will be a great advancement.

Another key point will be a need for continually getting the word out. People are dissatisfied with much of society, but many people are conditioned to forget about their dissatisfaction by watching TV or many of the other distractions provided for the population. Continually framing the contradictions of society is important. Organizing independent media is also a strong organization building process.

PLANNING
It will also be important to begin thinking proactively. Continually responding will, and does, lead to burn out. We can begin to look for ways where we are initiating something that requires the system to react. The drawback being that system response is often violent. Thus a security culture that does not lead to paranoia will be important. But often, we will be able to do a good amount of work before we come to the attention of authorities for response.

We will need to become masters of analysis. In order to initiate proactive activities we will need to be creative and more than just flexible, but more like “fluid.� We will need to be able to fill in gaps that are being ignored, move between the cracks of the oppressive system, and to tax the ability of the social-systems to continue abusing people with “business as usual.�

U.S. “POLICING�
Important to any movement in this context will be an understanding of what the U.S. is willing to do to keep any such movements and organizations down. A study of COINTELPRO and the PATRIOT ACT shows clearly what the U.S. has done, and is willing to do to various liberation movements. We need to be aware of what we are faced with as we move forward. This will also hopefully give people a resolve not to allow these things to continue.

FLEXIBILITY AND SECURITY
To be fluid, the movement will likely need many open, some occasionally nameless, permanent and temporary formations. Some of these groups will be able to react better to spontaneous situations and release independent, self-organized social activity that opposes being directed by oppressive, hierarchies.

Given the security apparatus of the United States, it will be important to have many small, decentralized formations. Large, centralized organizations have been and will continue to be easy targets. It is also what the U.S. policing system enjoys because it is easier to infiltrate and break down.

Organization for Liberation:
Anti-Colonial struggle will require organization. It seems common sense to attempt to develop organizations based on the principles of the future society we desire. If we are seeking a society where people are free to follow their own intelligence and free will, organizations will have to reflect that. We must also keep in mind that for specific actions, for different types of organizations, or for reasons of security there will be different needs of centralization and secrecy. But overall we should create organizations that reflect the future we wish to see: free, open, and truly democratic!

Organization is important because it allows us to multiply our strength and activity. Organization will be how our deepest ideas, hopes and dreams come to be realized. With self-determination (or liberation) as our key goal, our organizations will need to encourage and inspire self-determination in members, and encourage true, grassroots involvement. We need to encourage Chicanas and Chicanos to be self-reliant, act for ourselves and manage our own lives directly.

ENCOURAGING SELF-DETERMINATION & PARTICIPATION
If we want participation, then organizations will need to be structured to allow everyone the maximum potential to participate. Full human beings will be self-determined; sheep cannot express self-determination (they will just follow their shepherd). We need to balance the liberated action of individuals, with the real necessity of cooperation to develop the consciousness and initiative of our communities for the future we want. We need neither charismatic leaders nor tyrants nor bureaucrats any longer!

Local organizing groups will apply their knowledge of local conditions and develop policies and actions that reflect those conditions. Locally and among the different cooperative levels groups will work to coordinate with those sharing common purposes and work to avoid harming the work of others, respecting agreements made. Groups should not be required to report prior to actions. Sharing information on lessons learned and successes will be an important aid to all, and will be a good practice to develop.

Trying to live by the values of self-determination to whatever extent is possible within the “belly of the beast� will be crucial to moving forward. Dealing with political, social, cultural, and economic differences within the movement will also be a key challenge. The umbrella federations or organizations should be a help to local and new groups, not a new hierarchy wanting power over others. It may be that different tendencies will need to work in different formations in order to avoid the often-redundant arguments of “my way is best� that get in the way of any actual work. These tendencies can come together under the banner of “national liberation� in order to share their lessons and successes, and possibly to attempt to create space to work together. As every organization would be autonomous, it would be important that any committees of a common front to have administrative roles, spreading information, suggestions and proposals coming from groups within the front. They would not have veto or directive powers. They would model those who can rise above their own agendas and coordinate and encourage the liberatory feelings within already existing social struggles.

THEORY
Our theories and ideologies must come from more than books. True, we must enrich current and ongoing social struggles with our ideas and suggestions, but more importantly, we must enrich our ideas and theories by experience and practice. The purpose of truly revolutionary, or liberative, organization is not to get people to listen to speeches by expert leaders, but to get people to speak for themselves.

As much as possible documents clarifying where a group is coming should be developed. This literature is important for outreach, but more importantly to let people interested in joining to know where the group is coming from. Discipline needs to be self-discipline for the most part. People will participate in what they are comfortable in. If they are not in agreement they can choose not to participate in an action, but there is no coercion for participation, as that would counter the atmosphere of self-determination. Groups that disagree with the majority should feel encouraged to argue their point and that point be published in whatever propaganda of the group, clearly identifying its status as a minority position. Unless an individual or group works against the group there would be no need to impose discipline from the group.

BASIC WORK
Given the real number of Chicana and Chicano liberatory/revolutionary nationalists, it would be best to begin working together to spread our ideas to the wider public through propaganda, initiating and working with campaigns, and to ethically spread our ideas within organizations and communities. The aim of whatever national liberation formation would ultimately be to promote a sense of community, increase confidence in individual and groups abilities, and to create self-determination at the local level.

Some of the basic tasks of local liberation organizing committees are to study writings of groups in the movement, discuss their own ideas, politics, and hopes, what they plan to do, organize their propaganda work, and how to work with other organizations and the wider community. In a local area there can be sub-groups to work on specific aspects of self-determination, ending specific oppressions, and to come together to share information and coordinate actions. In short, local liberation organizing committees will be autonomous models of a new society. They can work to assist ongoing struggles, but not to take over or infiltrate other organizations to gain power.

A main issue to be addressed is the internal relationships of the group. A group needs to be able to deal with all of the social relationships internally to model a positive alternative. Groups with one charismatic leader obviously aren’t what we are talking about here. How is work spread out? How are new people treated? Is there consensus in action, or is it a small group making decisions? There is much to be treated in this issue and it would be an entire document in itself.

Another issue that cannot be repeated enough is actually practicing self-determination. People’s Parks, community education programs, community clinics, community gardens, community land trusts, and other activities are examples of beginning self-determination in practice. This will be an ongoing struggle but a necessary one.

Obviously, only when self-determination ideals are accepted by vast majorities of the community will a different society be possible. These ideals will be spread by propaganda and by participation in the life of the community. Bringing new discussions will help people develop a trust for national liberation workers (but not by taking over other organizations). True collaboration and participation will allow people the trust to listen to liberation workers, attempting to become infiltrators and dictators will not.

Consciousness:
Part of the development of the movement will be the creation of “new beings.�(2) People who are clear of their own internal colonizers (the voices in our heads that make us conform to oppression), and the external consent created by society (what Chomsky refers to as “Manufacture of Consent�). People attempt to resist complete annihilation of themselves by ways that seem as individualistic but are often the only ways people can think of to resist. Some do not even think they are resisting. We will have to be aware that people will develop consciousness at different speeds and in different ways based on their personal experiences and the media, current patriotism, state and business propaganda, and of course direct and indirect repression. Those people who feel they have gone through a stage of consciousness can play a key role – to aid those going through it!

Avoiding the vanguardist attitude will be key. Involving ourselves in different movements related to our work will allow us the direct experience to improve our theories. The role of those of us who consider ourselves conscious would not be to indoctrinate, but to encourage development and clarification of awareness and activities. This means that of course we can provide propaganda that exposes the current social system as bankrupt and encourage resistance to oppression and exploitation. This work will need to be done with people as equals. This may seem slower, but it will be a deeper transformation bringing more activists for freedom to the movement. People who learn to express themselves in voice and action have a greater potential to become the new beings needed for the liberation of humanity.

The best consciousness will be that derived from the concrete experience of confronting oppression and colonialism. Encouraging people to take all the freedom they can and to become responsible for providing for their own needs through collective and individual action is another way to phrase this. Meaningful revolutionary action can be measured by looking at what increases the confidence, initiative, solidarity, and self-determined activity of communities. We will also need to be open to learn from non-nationalists in all of these respects.

A CALL TO ALL
The time to begin is now. As the song goes, “what better time than now?� If it seems impossible or overwhelming it is only because we have been conditioned to think of ourselves as powerless and insignificant. The feelings of fear and anxiety at the initial phases of building community, confronting authority, and pushing toward liberation are the feelings that we will overcome in our path toward freedom.

Some people are so assimilated that they do not wish to discuss colonization nor genocide. For them there is nothing to discuss. Some people are very committed to liberation and/or independent Statehood. For them there is also nothing to discuss about liberation. Many people are either unaware of the concepts of imperialism and colonialism, or see the issue as our being minorities within a slightly imperfect system needing minor reforms.

For those interested or convinced of the need to decolonize ourselves, this hopefully brought up thoughts about what needs to be done. We need to be clear about the role of colonization in all of our different oppressions. We need to be clear about relating other struggles to each other to build the solidarity needed to overcome imperialism. We need to organize in a way that models the liberated society we are moving towards. This will require us to take consistent and collective action over long periods of time. Liberation is individual, but more importantly it is also collective!


Change is inevitable. Liberation is possible. We cannot control what colonial society chooses to impose upon us, but we can choose from the actions we see possible. The final question is, “are we ready?�

We can choose to move toward liberty! We can choose to build our self-determination from the confinements of dependence and colonization! We can choose to change the social relationships of oppression within our communities to those that promote freedom! We can build a union of free pueblos that releases the creative energy of all of the colonized nations into a force for real liberation!

REFERENCES:

1. Aureiliu Cristescu, Special Rapporteur of the Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, The Right to Self-Determination: Historical and Current Development on the Basis of United Nations Instruments, (New York, United Nations, 1981) p. 29

2. Partido Nacional La Raza Unida, La Raza Unida Movement – Notes on the “New Being�

(San Fernando, California, Aztlan, 2000)

APPENDIX
Some definitions to help with further discussion and clarity.

National Liberation

Somebody has a very overinflated opinion of their importance.

Change is inevitable. Liberation is possible. We cannot control what colonial society chooses to impose upon us, but we can choose from the actions we see possible. The final question is, “are we ready?�

No, you are not.
Lay off the peyote.

BACK WHEN IT BEGAN......
Mexico use to be rich. In addition, they used Native Americans for slaves until very late in the 1800rds, so a source of free labor under the Ecomienda System, and very abundant supplies of silver and gold. So did they come to the United States... some. Almost every Mexican there, however, stayed with the money which was... Mexico City and other very rich places.

The United States, on the other hand, was poor. MOving to the United States was, for the Mexicans a lot like an American who moves to Chad. Didn't happen willingly, and in even earlier times, there were people who accepted the death penalty rather than immigrate to the California Colony. Bad...!

Mexico had a very ugly, very brutal civil war. It began in 1910, and ended in 1920. Mexicans fled Mexico, and the Federal Government allowed them to stay in the Border Towns as long as they did not make trouble. One to the next, as the war went on, the Mexicans fled in greater numbers, and by the end of that civil war, there were about 300,000 Mexicans in the United States. Not a whole lot more either.

Since that time, Mexicans have been on the lamb from the Federalies and came to the United States. Americans on the lamb from the Sheriffs of the U.S., headed for Mexico. But when it actually began, there were very, very few Mexican Nationals in this country, and very few Mestizoes. Santa Fe was an exception.. but very few.
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All that garbage from the Latino League about being 'colonized' is a pile of bull droppings.

The Indigenous population within the U.S. (including the Chicana/Chicano people),

Got news for this dipstick... Chicanos are no more indigenous to the region of N America that the U.S. occupies than anyone else.

Hawaii was literally stolen by the Dole family with help from our Marines.Puerto Rico was intimidated into it's position and Cuba was smart enough 100 yrs ago to realize they could do bad without being one of our commonwealths by looking at Puerto Rico.As I've said before,with terms like African American,Asian American,Hispanic American,etc. we are creating separation.There's no need for this;an American is an American no matter what.People didn't immigrate here to be a sub-class of Americans-they came here to be Americans.We don't really hear tags attached to Americans of European descent unless it by by the person in desription of themselves to show a sense of ethnic pride-Irish American,Italian American,etc.Chicano is not used to differentiate from American but to make it know they are American and not from Mexico.The guy that wrote the article obviously has issues but there's always someone that tries to lead by exploiting others.