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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1972)
I doily tfnfeffi)Ess)(n) monday, april 24, 1972 lincoln, nebraska vol. 95, no. 101 v. It, Gu&rta ... "V hava tssn itrippod of our psst, Guerra: cultural genocide victimizes U.S. Chicanos by Bob Latta "The Chicano in America today is a victim of cultural genocide. We have been stripped of our past, our language and our pride by economic imperialism and sheer force," Carlos Guerra told a small crowd in the Nebraska Union Friday. Guerra. a participant in Chicano Awareness Week, is co-founder of the Mexican American Youth Organization. He also helped organize La Raza Unida, a Chicano Political party. La Raza Unida is an alternative to the Democratic and Republican political parties, Guerra said. "The history that our children are taught in school is not what happened in the past," he continued. "It is a selective memory of what Anglos have chosen to remember and the Chicano has been slighted in the white memory. "The American press picks our leaders for us and then tells us that we are a minority in our own land. Our children are taught that to be intelligent you must speak English. "They are taught that the Mexicans who have sold out on their own people are Chicano heroes and proud Chicanos who fought for their people are called bandits." Guerra said many of the foods grown in America today, including com, rice and Irish potatoes, were originally cultivated by Mexican Indians. He pointed out that the Chicanos have made -nany contributions to American culture but they are still the poorest people in the country. He said Chicanos have now begun to group together in self-interest and racial pride. "Anglos are afraid that a minority army will rise up in America in organized rebellion but that will not happen. Black people will organize black people. Orientals will organize Orientals and Chicanos will organize Chicanos. - "Chicanos must become a part of the system in order to survive but we cannot aid and abet the system because it is oppressing us." Guerra urged Chicanos to try to regain some of the land that used to belong to their ancestors. He told Chicanos in college not to sell out to white affluence. "Go back home and help your own people, they need yoo. Become a part of the resistance. "If an Anglo conies along and pats you on the back and says that you're not like the rest of those Mexicans then you're not a friend of mine. "We must realize that our real enemies are those Anglos who ran this country who have no respect for anyone but themselves." There are 55,000 Chicanos in Nebraska and 35 Chicanos at UNL. according to Guerra. State commission probes status of women Last year Nebraska's Legislature joined the rest of the states in establishing a statutory Governor's Commission on the Status of Women. For the first time in Nebraska, hearings are being held to determine what problems face women in the community. Public hearings already have been held in Lincoln and Omaha. The primary concern so far seems to be the low wages paid to women, said Betty Jeanne Holcomb-Keller. Lincoln attorney and vice chairman of the 23 -member commission. At Saturday's hearing in Omaha. Linda Pratt. UNL assistant professor of English and chairman of the Faculty Senate's Committee on Women's Rights, testified about the low wages paid to women clerical weaken at the University. Some are paid less than $4,009 a year after 20 years of service, she said. Another major problem is child care. Keller said. Nebraska has never put money into child care, said Kathy Braeman. commission member and candidate for the Republican nomination to the House of Representatives in Nebraska's First Congressional District. Some other areas the commission will investigate are sex education, family planning, minority and sex discrimination, abortion and equal employment opportunity, Braeman said. There's only been a small number at the hearings (about 49 people including housewives and professional women), Keller said. Some general concerns voiced at the hearings have been "feelings of inferiority, of being overeducated and underemployed." The turnout was due partly to poor publicity. Braeman said. Some groups didn't get invited, and there was no representation of the student's views, she said. Braeman added that she would like a student to be appointed to the commission. Some groups were sent notices of the hearings. Keller said, even though they are public and no invitation is needed. The statutory commission, chaired by Helen Hafjgse, women's page editor of the Lincoln Journal. was created by the Legislature last year. The members housewives, educators and professionals were appointed by the governor from the state's judicial districts to insure geographical balance, Keller said. The commission is permanent, but the women's terms are staggered. There have been other commissions on the status of women, beginning under former Nebraska Gov. Frank Morrison. Keller said, but they weren't statutory. The current commission operates on a limited budget, she noted. There are now similar commissions in all states, Keller said. After the hearings, the commission will compile data and make recommendations to the Legislature. The schedule of hearings is: April 29 at Scottsbluff. April 30 at North Platte. May 13 at Norfolk, May 20 at Grand island and in Lincoln on an undecided date. Photographers win honors Six UNL students were among the winners in the college division of the Mrsska Press PrtoterBprters Association Photo Contest held this weekend in Lincoln. Three students placed first in the contest. They are: Bill GanzeL picture story; Gail Folda. news; and Monte Gertedh. color photography. Wick Partsch placed second in the feature category; Mike Therter, third in feature; and Diane Peterman, second in the color category. Ganzel, who earlier this month placed fifth in the national William Randolph Hearst Photography Contest won the largest number of awards. In addition to his first, Ganzel placed second in the news category and second, third and honorable mention in the sports photography division. Ganzel and Folda are DmSf tistondksa staff phcocraphers. ' i K L- - - - - - - - - r - - -' Tht Grssa Phsitoca ttnkzs ssia ... CroyhHI EtssnotM Fountain took on m ustfmulm hue last wedc wi an unknown wandsl dumped green dya in its water. Ths fountain's fiZtsring tystani removed th color tsffein tm days, however.