Cesar Chavez: Then, Now, and the Power of the Organized

[xchrom]

https://www.commondreams.org/view/2014/03/28-0

When Ronald Reagan famously ate grapes on television as governor of California in 1969, he was thumbing his nose at a growing movement for the rights of farmworkers. The grape boycott that Reagan proudly defied put him on the wrong side of history. Today, the leader of that boycott, Cesar Chavez, who died more than 20 years ago at the age of 66, not only has his March 31 birthday commemorated each year, but he now has a feature film dramatizing his life.

The 1960s struggle of migrant farmworkers in California played out alongside many other political movements of the time. Long hours, brutal conditions and lower-than-minimum wages provided the impetus for the great grape strike and boycott, centered in Delano, Calif. The campaign, led by Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the co-founders of the National Farm Workers Association (today known as United Farm Workers of America), lasted more than five years and involved hundreds of miles-long marches, nearly month-long hunger strikes and brutal police violence.

That story and Chavez’s central role in it are depicted in a new biopic by Mexican actor and director Diego Luna. The film, named simply “Cesar Chavez,” opens in theaters Friday, just days before what would have been the labor organizer’s 87th birthday. Starring Michael Peña as Chavez, America Ferrera as Chavez’s wife Helen and Rosario Dawson as Huerta, the film is Luna’s directorial debut.

[Bluenorthwest]

1. Chavez was a great influence on me growing up in CA. Giving up grapes was difficult as

I loved grapes! But my parents come from less than affluent agricultural backgrounds and so we stood with the UFA. Reagan eating those grapes made me so mad, but later I was glad that Ron had shown himself to me so clearly when he was elected President by Republicans and 'Moderate Democrats' and thus was the fool on the hill presiding in silence over the greatest health crisis of modern times. I knew who he was, he was the enemy, casually dismissive of justice, of humanity, of basic decency. Many, many conservative Democrats declared that they were 'Reagan Democrats' and stood with the Grape Eater, the AIDS Denier, the Monster that was Reagan, and they had 'reasons' much like they have 'reasons' in their current incarnations....
I'm very excited about this film.

[Zorra]

2. K&R nt

[erpowers]

3. Surprised They Made the Film

I realize this film is coming from Hollywood, which is considered by many, if not all, as a major left leaning area, but I was still surprised when I saw that this film had been made. Even though a Che film was made, I did not expect a film to be made about Cesar Chavez.

[GeorgeGist]

4. I think you're confusing Cesar ...

with Hugo Chavez.

[erpowers]

5. No

I know who I am talking about. Cesar Chavez is the California labor organize. Hugo Chavez is the former President of Venezuela. I used Che as an example of a controversial left figure whose life was depicted in a movie.

Maybe I should not have been surprised about a movie being made about Cesar Chavez. However, when I first saw the movie poster was surprised and thought the potential reaction from the right would have prevented a movie from being made.

I realize Hollywood always makes movies that angers the right. I was just not expecting a Cesar Chavez movie.