Saturday, March 26, in the San Fernando Valley, about 80 to 100 members of MECha protested against the militarization of our schools and the war in Iraq.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MECha By MEChA
http://www.csun.edu/~mecha/main.htm
In April of 1969, El Plan de Santa Barbara was drafted by concerned Raza educators, students, and community members in a conference held at the University of California, Santa Barbara. At this meeting, it was agreed upon that all participating student organizations from here on shall be known as MEChA. MEChA has a direct link to community groups. There is also a nationwide network of MEChA chapters at a Junior High, Senior High, Community College, and University level. The Plan de Santa Barbara (EPSB) gave two very important contributions to the Chicana/o Movement: MEChA and Chicana/o Studies. With chapters in the northwest, east coast, and now the Midwest, MEChA has since then grown into one of the most prominent Chicana/o organizations in the nation.
MEChA de CSUN has been existing since 1968 when it was originally founded as the United Mexican-American Students (UMAS). Under El Plan de Santa Barbara, the organization changed their name to MEChA and has been one of the most active student organizations on campus since. MEChA is the official recognized organization of the Chicana/o Studies Department at CSUN and continues to be on the forefront of many issues, most recently with the attacks on EOP and its disadvantaged students and the struggle against further fee increases in the CSU, UC, and Community College systems.

What does MEChA stand for?
MEChA is an acronym for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicana/o de Aztlan. Is Chicana/o Exclusively for people of Mexican descent?
No, the term Chicana/o is inclusive to all Raza living in Aztlan. MEChA’s issues include: U.S. Immigration, Central American, South American, and Native American political, socio-economic, cultural, labor, gender, and sexuality issues.
Is MEChA only a political group?
No. Not only do we provide an opportunity to become politically aware and active, we offer a broad experience of cultural, historical, and social activities and events. What can MEChA do for me?
MEChA fosters leadership skills, self and group respect, and more friendships with other students. Most important, MEChA can help us keep our education in focus and help answer that fateful question; “Why are we here?”
How can I join MEChA de CSUN and who can join?
Meetings are open to any CSUN student. There are NO fees, dues, or application process. Just show up to our meetings and be active.

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There is no such place as "Aztlan."

In Chicano folklore, Aztlan is often appropriated as the name for that portion of Mexico that was taken over by the United States after the Mexican-American War of 1846, on the belief that this greater area represents the point of parting of the Aztec migrations. In broad interpretation, there is some truth to this in the sense that all of the groups that would subsequently become the various Nahuatl-speaking peoples of central Mexico passed through this region in a prehistoric epoch, as attested by the existence of linguistically related groups of people distributed throughout the US Pacific Intermountain region, the US southwest and northern Mexico, known as the Uto-Aztecan-Tanoan group, and including such peoples as the Paiute, Shoshoni, Hopi, Pima, Yaqui, Tepehuan, Rarámuri (Tarahumara), Kiowas and Mayas.

very cool. It's great that there's such a mixture of people involved.

As revolutionary Marxists, we have a side in the current situation, against the U.S., its allies and Iraqi lackeys. Our starting point is to demand the immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all U.S. troops, and their allies. We defend the peoples of Iraq against any U.S.-led attack and repression. Insofar as the forces on the ground in Iraq aim their blows against the imperialist occupiers (including the over 20,000 private mercenaries operating in the country), we call for their military defense against U.S. imperialism. Every blow struck against the imperialist occupiers is a blow struck against the enemy of workers and the oppressed all over the world.

But we do not imbue the forces presently organizing guerrilla attacks on U.S. forces with “anti-imperialist” credentials and warn that in the absence of working-class struggle in Iraq and internationally against the occupation, the victory of one or another of the reactionary clerical forces is more likely to come about through an alliance with U.S. imperialism. We are intransigent opponents of the murderous communal violence against other ethnic, religious and national populations oftentimes carried out by the very same forces fighting the occupation armies. And we condemn the kidnappings and executions of foreign civilian workers in Iraq.

from The Left and the “Iraqi Resistance”

http://www.icl-fi.org/ENGLISH/2004/Iraq-830.html

a MEChA-ista w/an anarchist flag???

how weird..

Personally, I believe those people who have shown up to protest do not realize, that possibly there are Children, or teenagers, young adults there who are wanting to join the military because of something different than the war, or being deployed. Mind you, not all soldiers are deployed. It first off, depends on the job field you are in. Secondly, JROTC is not even anything near close to ROTC or the real military. It's a class to learn leadership, history of our nation we are thank God to be fortunate in, and to help the kids stay phyiscally and mentally in shape.
-c/maj.

I thought that's what the Boy Scouts were for.
Boy Scouts with guns?
Merit badges for Sniping? Escape and Evasion, Physical interrogation techniques, pealing potatoes etc,,,

i am trying to join the army currently and i understand the necessito de protesta, but i have noticed as a gringo that when mexican americans do anything its with a passion wich i love. but at the same time JROTC isnt just about throwing children into the meat grinder its about learning respect, discipline and teamwork within a unit. so teaching is part of it.

That's a good one. How hard are you 'trying' to join.

blah blah blah....
whats funnier than a poser having to explain their lies?

having them post them AND throw out some Tribal Names in a FAILED attempt to APPROPRIATE
other's TRUE HISTORY...!

Im A Cadet lt AND IF i DIDNT HAVE JROTC i WOULD NOT BE IN SCHOOL N JOIN THE u.s. mARINES. i WOULD hAVE BEEN on the streets n i n drugs now i have a full Scholarship two Morwich University for the Marine Corps, So Jrotc is the best thig out there n the people that protest are fag n people that are jealous of our achievments!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Semper Fi for the people that support us,

C/LT Arroyo