Posted on 01/05/2013 10:27:51 AM PST by Altura Ct.
Scaffolding climbs the walls of the new elementary school in Salinas, an agricultural city celebrated as John Steinbeck's birthplace but plagued by gang violence.
Although still under construction, the school is already embroiled in controversy because the school board decided to name it after Tiburcio Vasquez, one of the state's most notorious Old West bandidos.
Critics say he was a 19th-century outlaw who robbed and terrorized Californians before he was convicted and hanged for murder. They say naming a school after him glorifies crime.
In a city where two-thirds of residents are Latino, some Mexican-Americans say Vasquez was defending his land, culture and Spanish-speaking community from greedy white settlers who overran the state in pursuit of Manifest Destiny and gold.
Naming a school after Vasquez symbolizes opposition to discrimination and is an act of cultural pride, said Alisal Union School District Superintendent John Ramirez Jr.
"The real issue here is cultural citizenship," Ramirez said. "And part of citizenship is when people choose to name streets after their heroes."
The controversy has reignited the question of whose version of history should be honored and who is considered a hero in a multi-ethnic nation that often glorifies military figures.
"It's a question of who writes history," said Gary Alan Fine, a sociologist at Northwestern University who has written about the reputations of historical figures. "And the writers of history change over time."
(Excerpt) Read more at contracostatimes.com ...
"The real issue here is cultural citizenship," Ramirez said. "And part of citizenship is when people choose to name streets after their heroes."
Ironically we used to do that too before we allowed invaders to tell us what to do. Before we allowed foreigners to dictate to us who our heroes are and in fact who we are. We used to be proud of our forefathers before and would tell the likes of Rameriz to go F himself.
While zorro is a fictional character there are those who believe that he was based off of Joaquin Murrieta. This man, who was also known as the Robin Hood of El Dorado was an infamous bandit and a Mexican freedom fighter during the 1850s gold rush.
Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Was_Zorro_based_on_a_real_person#ixzz2H7vsWTuc
The end is near for CA. This is beyond outrageous.
che guyabara junior high? (Remember the castro second in command who, among other wonderful things, invented that shirt with the 4 front pockets.) Just wonderin’. Gotta love the ever tolerant lefties don’t cha?
It’s right down the street from Juan Corona High School.
So “Nathan Bedford Forrest” high school and “Jesse James” elementary school are ok now
LOL :)
The La Raza and the Aztlan movement is pushing this “social justice” in naming this school Just name the school after Cesar Chavez and get over it.
Being an American of Mexican ancestry this is a disagrace. There are many American of Mexican Ancestry who helped our country and fought for her. Instead they are naming schools after criminals. Couldn’t they name the school Romualdo Pacheco 1875 - 1875? O wait he is the very first governor AND OMG a Republican. Hmmm I wonder if that could be it. Right now he is spinning in his grave as we speak.
Romualdo Pacheco A true outdoorsman, he is the only governor who claimed to have lassoed a grizzly bear.
may as well change the name from Salinas to Mexico North while they are at it
They’re saying, “Yeah we’re illegals, SUCK ON IT...!”
The school name is an effort to stick it to whitey and make it harder to deport their kind.
Imagine a ton of honkies move down to Tijuana and open a public school called, “Alamo High”, or “La Migra High”, or “Gringo Hich”. Imagine further that NONE of the locals objected to that —what message would that send...?
How would you construe it..?
There are many positive things about Vasquez. He himself, never killed anyone. In a stagecoach robbery one of his gang did. He never robbed women demanding only a kiss. He gave his money away freely, helping many Latinos in a time of need. He was forced into a life of crime when his friend was falsely accused of murder. Many Yankees wanted him to be pardoned rather than hung. He had a strict code of ethics and was very religious Roman Catholic. Zorro wasn’t based on him but another outlaw Solomon Pico.
There are many other Latinos in California history who could be honored. Gov. Pachenco 19th Century Governor of California. Captain De La Guerra who lead Latino cavalry in the Civil War, for the Union. But, they will not be considered—they were both Republicans.
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