Cesar Chavez was a man to be admired. If Hispanics feel he is their finest hero,
fine, he has a day named after him, but IMHO, does not justify a paid Holiday. 
If so, then next, an Asian hero day, then a Native American hero day, ad 
infinitum?

In any event, Columbus Day is in Jeopardy!!! The I-A Community called out at 
least 6 months ago, for our Major I-A Organizations to collaborate/establish 
a Columbus Commission, but I am unaware of any such effort. We need to 
INFORM, and we need to Strategize!!!!! And we Need to do it NOW!!!!!! 
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CALIFORNIANS CAMPAIGN FOR A CESAR CHAVEZ DAY; 
SOME OPPOSE A PAID HOLIDAY FOR UNION LEADER

The Washington Times
Nation  
Ellen Sorokin, 
04/05/2002 

A group of community leaders and politicians in California has started a
national campaign to create a federal holiday honoring the late labor leader
Cesar E. Chavez, despite resistance from some local governments that remain
split on the issue. 

The group, which calls itself the Chavez Holiday Campaign, said it will hold
a petition drive aimed at winning congressional and presidential approval to
have a paid federal holiday commemorating Mr. Chavez, whom Hispanics of
Mexican descent regard as a hero. 

"Cesar Chavez is one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century, and he
deserves a holiday," said Evelina Alarcon, the campaign's national
coordinator. "Cesar is the working-class David who fought the agri-business, 
Goliath and won." 

U.S. Reps. Susan A. Davis and Bob Filner, California Democrats, are
supporting the effort. Mr. Filner submitted several resolutions in Congress
last year calling for a national Chavez holiday. 

Mr. Chavez founded the United Farm Workers union in the 1960s and sought
better pay and working conditions for laborers through hunger strikes and
boycotts. He died in 1993 at age 66. President Clinton posthumously awarded
him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994. 

The Cesar Chavez Foundation in Los Angeles supports the movement. "It would
be a fitting tribute if it honors his values and philosophies," said Andres
Irlando, the nonprofit foundation's executive director. "And if some states
or cities decide against it, that's their decision to make." 

So far, California is the only state that made his birthday - March 31 - a
paid holiday for state employees. That effort, born in East Los Angeles, led
to Gov. Gray Davis signing legislation in 2000. 

Four other states - Texas, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico - have declared
Cesar Chavez holidays. Colorado and New Mexico legislators are trying to put
on the ballot this November an amendment that would make Cesar Chavez Day a
paid state holiday. And, across the country, at least 29 schools, 17
streets, 17 libraries and parks, four plazas and one bridge have been named
after Mr. Chavez since 1993. 

But some city governments in California have resisted making the holiday a
paid one for city workers. They also don't believe that the federal
government should make Mr. Chavez's birthday a paid holiday for its
employees. 

"There are a lot more wonderful people out there whom we should honor - like
Ronald Reagan, who ended the Cold War, and Harry Truman, who ended World War
II," said Bob McClellan, a City Council member from El Cajon, Calif., which
has not approved a Chavez holiday for its workers. 

"Cesar Chavez is important, but there are other people out there who did a
lot for our nation. Mr. Chavez helped immigrant workers, but a lot of those
are illegal," Mr. McClellan said. 

City workers throughout California already have at least 12 holidays a year.
Some cities like El Cajon in San Diego County just can't afford another paid
holiday, Mr. McClellan argued. More money should be devoted to police and
security, instead of giving workers another day off, he said. 

The Chavez holiday also stirred a debate in Los Angeles last month, when the
City Council there voted to substitute Columbus Day with Chavez Day at least
for this year to save money. Another paid day off would cost the city an
estimated $5 million, city officials said. 

The decision drew a storm of protest from Americans of Italian descent,
including former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda and actor Joe
Mantegna, who interpreted the council's action as racist and anti-Italian. 

"We don't object to having a Chavez holiday, but don't take it away from
Christopher Columbus and the Italian-American community," said Russ Rametta,
president of the California Commission For Social Justice, Order Sons of
Italy in America. "Columbus represents all immigrants, he represents all
people."
=========
ACCENTUATE the Positive, ELIMINATE the Negative!!!!

Speaking out with One Voice against Negative Stereotyping 

Italian-American One Voice Coalition is a national network of activists 
enabling the Italian American community to act as one united voice when 
dealing with defamation, discrimination and negative stereotyping.

Member organizations provide a liaison with the IA One Voice Coalition to 
disseminate information to the Italian American community and protest with 
one voice against each outrage against our heritage, culture and character. 

Italian American One Voice - Who We Are 

Web Site:
 
<A HREF="http://www.italianamericanonevoice.org/iaindex.html">Italian 
American One Voice Coalition</A> 
http://www.italianamericanonevoice.org/iaindex.html