Thread: Yale chapter of M.E.C.h.A

http://www.yale.edu/mecha/index.html



Anthem translated by wordlingo.com
For those of you that are fairly new to this, the Zapatista's are a group of revolutionaries. Do a "google" search on them it makes for some quite colorful reading.

From the Wikapedia:

Zapatista originally referred to a member of the revolutionary guerrilla movement founded around 1910 by Emiliano Zapata, whose Liberation Army of the South (Ejército Libertador del Sur) fought during the Mexican Revolution for the redistribution of agricultural land. Zapata, his army and allies, including Pancho Villa fought for agrarian reform in Mexico, specifically the establishment of communal land rights for Mexico's indigenous population.

Zapatista gained a new meaning in 1994 with the public debut of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (Ejército Zapatista de Liberación Nacional, or EZLN). The new term can be used for any member of this movement or as an adjective for the movement itself.

The modern Zapatista movement did note the spectre of Revolution hero Zapata as a rallying point for its cause, which in truth is very similar to that of a century ago. The main goals of sweeping agrarian and social reform, as well as a Southern Mexico separatist movement, are recurring themes from early 20th century Zapata rhetoric. Whereas the first Zapatistas were lead by Zapata himself, while the EZLN is democratically organized, the most dominant figure and spokesperson of the modern movement is Subcommander Marcos. Other prominent figures include Subcommander Elisa, and Comandante Ramona who was of Tzotzil origin.

Like its predecessor, the movement started in southern Mexico, this time in the state of Chiapas. It remains most popular with the poor indigenous peoples of that area. It appeared shortly after (and in reponse to) the signing of NAFTA - the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Zapatista movement is seen by some in the anti-corporate globalization movement as a model for resistance and for local democratic organization. Soon after its inception, the EZLN held an international conference in Chiapas called the Intercontinental Encounter for Humanity and against Neoliberalism. It resulted in various other Zapatista groups emerging outside of Mexico, including the West Essex Zapatistas in East London.

Presently, the Zapatistas are offering more nonviolent resistance. They reject parliamentary elections at the national level because they see such elections as not involving participation by the people in a meaningful way and therefore, as not truly democratic. (See Anarchism.) The Zapatistas have organized a network of grass-roots based democratic village councils in their autonomous region, and have set up schools, courts, and clinics. The most recent large demonstration was a 2001 march to Mexico City with only very scattered episodes of violence. Since the late 1990's, the movement has been involved in an introspective series of Councils of Good Government within their realm of influence. While the rebellion may appear to be in somewhat of a standstill, the people are still very active in their attempts to acquire autonomy. The government remains reluctant to address the rebellion because doing so might lend an impression of political instablity. In 2005, the EZLN held a summit, the result of which was the Sixth Declaration from the Lacondon Jungle. This document reflects many Marxist ideas.

As part of the campaign promises of Vicente Fox during the 2000 Mexican Presidential election, he claimed he would solve the EZLN guerrilla problem in "fifteen minutes" . His promise failed to be realized, however, when, after being elected, he simply turned over the constitutional changes demanded by the Zapatistas to Congress to deal with. On New Years day, the Zapatistas began another march.

Building Bridges - Vancouver, Chiapas Human Rights Observer Project

Zapatista in Austin, Texas

Philadelphia Zapatista Solidarity Network

IFCO/Pastors for Peace Chiapas Organizing Index

Global Exchange (Mexico Program)

Community Action on Latin America

Barrio Warriors de Aztlan

Chiapas Coalition 98 (Los Angeles)

Tactical Media Crew

Colectivo de Solidaridad con la Rebeli Zapatista de Barcelona

Direkte Solidarit Chiapas Zurich

Korautnomedia_chiapasa

Zapatista Solidarity Collective Melbourne

Japanese solidarity page

Chiapas Peace House Project

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zapatista"

Here are a few interesting pictures I found.





The Zapatista Hymn on the Yale MEChA website

The horizon is already watched
Zapatista combatant
The way will mark
To that they come back

We go, we go, we go, we go ahead
So that we leave in the avante fight
Because our Mother country shouts and needs
Of all the effort of the zapatistas

Men, children and women
The effort always we will do
Farmers, the workers
All together ones with the town

We go, we go, we go, we go ahead
So that we leave in the avante fight
Because our Mother country shouts and needs
Of all the effort of the zapatistas

Our town says already
To finish the operation
Our history demands already
Fight of liberation

We go, we go, we go, we go ahead
So that we leave in the avante fight
Because our Mother country shouts and needs
Of all the effort of the zapatistas

Unit is necessary to be
And to follow our slogan
That we live by the mother country
Or to die by the freedom

We go, we go, we go, we go ahead
So that we leave in the avante fight
Because our Mother country shouts and needs
Of all the effort of the zapatistas

The preamble to their constitution
translated by http://dictionary.reference.com/translate/text.html

PreambleThe Movimiento is a pursuit of greater gains by individuals united loyally with one another, not content with the status quo, but instead striving to bring about respect and equality in an environment which fosters ignorance. The energy to lead the Movimiento stems from the creative consciousness of its members, los Estudiantes, driven not by self-righteous motives, but by the firm belief that united as an organization, the interests of the greater Chicano community can be attained. The spirit that guides these Estudiantes Chicana/os is rooted in their past, their homes, and their heart--Aztlán. The spirit that gave their ancestors life, the spirit that thrived in the soul of the Mexica, it is that same spirit which gives the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán strength to endure. And as members of this Movimiento at Yale University, we recognize that we are part of a greater national network of Chicana/os embodied by the National Movimiento, and thus we respect and recognize the core philosophical papers, los Planes, of the national organization.

Virginiamama, my husband works with a guy who is a "resident alien" meanig he and his wife both have green cards they have renewed for abouth the last 20 years. They have raised 3 kids here and at least one is in college at Oregon State University. I asked my husband to see if this guy knew what MECHa was. He asked and the response his co-worker gave him was a brief "oh, just a college students club for Latinos", then he asked very quickly "why?", my husband said I had heard of it and wondered what it was.

I felt he really knew but obviously was not willing to give out more information than that (or acknowledge he knew more). So, truly, is this group linked with all the others completely, or are they linked and not realizing what they have aligned themselves with? I thought the first myself.

If you want to know about M.E.C.h.A, you need to read its manifesto...

El Plan de Aztlan.

You can find it here: http://www.ojjpac.org

Just scroll down and click on the El Plan de Aztlan hyperlink.

It outlines the plan for the "liberation of Aztlan" (SW, United States).

They look just like HAMAS members. Why do these cowards always hide their faces. Is is out of shame?

could they be the first step in restoring power to the people of mexico. these guys look like fox worst nightmare. Mexico is a rich land filled with beautiful people. They need their own government.

they have suffered enough under the bush corprate whore government.

the Rhino likes the revolution. Either government needs there but kicked if they cross the border. A strong government, with the intrests of the people of mexico does not need american welfare.


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