Post by Okwes on Jan 31, 2006 10:53:40 GMT -5
Mexicans & Natives (community culture)
Hayward man fights for Native Americans
Organization seeks historical status, change in immigration policy
By Michelle Beaver, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
"Most Mexican Americans are ashamed of their Indian roots. They hate
them."
Whether it's true, it's the opinion of Hayward man Henry Guzman
Villalobos. The thought troubles him greatly. One of the only thoughts
that troubles him more is that the general populace doesn't know much
about those roots, and doesn't want to.
That's why Villalobos, 61, started an organization 3 years ago called
Aztecs of North America Inc. that intends to educate the public.
The main goal of the group is to help all Native American descendants,
including Aztecs, receive historical recognition as American Indians
from the U.S. government.
Such recognition would enable Native Americans to travel freely over the
Mexico-U.S. border, and would be a radical change to current immigration
policies and other human-rights issues.
Villalobos is circulating a petition in favor of a historical
recognition bill that currently has more than 1,000 signatures.
He gives speeches every year and labors to learn more about American
Indian-related issues, but membership in his organization is low (about
a dozen people) and progress is tough.
He has decent support in other states and has tried to bring local
community leaders into his organization. Hayward Mayor Roberta Cooper is
one of them.
"I know he's doing a lot of educating about their (Native Americans')
situation and I'm very glad about that," Cooper said. "We often ignore
the plight of our Native American citizens."
Historical recognition has nothing to do with land or money, Villalobos
said. It's about respect and history.
"What we want is to teach that the Aztecs are still here," he said. "We
still have our language. We want to strengthen our nation."
Villalobos and some scholars believe that the Aztec people lived not
only in Mexico but also on what is now U.S. land. Villalobos is working
more with the United States than with Mexico, mostly because he was born
here. He said that Aztec descendants south of the border should lobby
Mexico.
Story @:
www.insidebayarea.com/argus/localnews/ci_3446949
Hayward man fights for Native Americans
Organization seeks historical status, change in immigration policy
By Michelle Beaver, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area
"Most Mexican Americans are ashamed of their Indian roots. They hate
them."
Whether it's true, it's the opinion of Hayward man Henry Guzman
Villalobos. The thought troubles him greatly. One of the only thoughts
that troubles him more is that the general populace doesn't know much
about those roots, and doesn't want to.
That's why Villalobos, 61, started an organization 3 years ago called
Aztecs of North America Inc. that intends to educate the public.
The main goal of the group is to help all Native American descendants,
including Aztecs, receive historical recognition as American Indians
from the U.S. government.
Such recognition would enable Native Americans to travel freely over the
Mexico-U.S. border, and would be a radical change to current immigration
policies and other human-rights issues.
Villalobos is circulating a petition in favor of a historical
recognition bill that currently has more than 1,000 signatures.
He gives speeches every year and labors to learn more about American
Indian-related issues, but membership in his organization is low (about
a dozen people) and progress is tough.
He has decent support in other states and has tried to bring local
community leaders into his organization. Hayward Mayor Roberta Cooper is
one of them.
"I know he's doing a lot of educating about their (Native Americans')
situation and I'm very glad about that," Cooper said. "We often ignore
the plight of our Native American citizens."
Historical recognition has nothing to do with land or money, Villalobos
said. It's about respect and history.
"What we want is to teach that the Aztecs are still here," he said. "We
still have our language. We want to strengthen our nation."
Villalobos and some scholars believe that the Aztec people lived not
only in Mexico but also on what is now U.S. land. Villalobos is working
more with the United States than with Mexico, mostly because he was born
here. He said that Aztec descendants south of the border should lobby
Mexico.
Story @:
www.insidebayarea.com/argus/localnews/ci_3446949