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21 December 2018

The Activism of Oscar Zeta

Caiaphas told the other Jewish leaders when they were talking about crucifying Jesus on the cross, “It's better that one man should die for the people” (John 18:14 American King James). This is important because Oscar Zeta Acosta said something along the same lines. Oscar Zeta Acosta once said, “Life is not as it seems, Life is pride and personal history. Thus it is better that one die and that the people should live, rather than one live and the people should die”(Goodreads). This quote means that people are self-absorbed about history, but people should live for others. This quote is important because it shows how he says we focused on us, our history, and our lives, and we don't care for others as much as we should. Oscar Zeta Acosta fought for equal rights for Mexican Americans.

Oscar Zeta Acosta was born on April 8, 1935, in El Paso, Texas. He was an American attorney, politician, novelist and activist in the Chicano Movement. He was most famous for the novels he wrote about the Brown Buffalo and The Revolt of the Cockroach People. Oscar was the third child to be born and was the second to survive childhood. His family moved to California, where all the kids spent her childhood in San Joaquin Valley. After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force. Later he went to San Francisco State University and studied creative writing. He was the first person to get a college education in his family. In 1966, Oscar passed the California bar exam, and in 1967, he worked for the East Coast Legal Aid Society. Oscar moved to East Los Angeles due to feeling that he couldn't do things for the people that came to him. In 1968 Oscar already saw the Chino movement forming.  In 1968-1970 of living in the east part of L.A., Oscar became a necessary part of the Chicano movement. Later he ran for legal counsels in two important court cases. He won both in 1970 and represented the East  Los Angeles 13 and the Baltimore 6. The L.A. 13 surrounds or takes care of students, activists, leaders of the brown berets, and teachers. At the same time, Oscar wrote for La Raza. This was a publication for Chicanos where he shared information about the cases he was doing and wrote about the legal system and their problems. In 1971, He wrote and published two works that were both essential to the  Chicano movement. Oscar published Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo in 1972 and he published The Revolt of the Cockroach People in 1973. One year later, Oscar disappeared in Mexico (Martinez).

Oscar was proud of being Mexican but did not like the way his people were being treated. This resonated with him as he realized the negative perception people had towards Mexicans and desired his people to be looked at as equals. This is why he became a lawyer and he fought injustice so his people can be treated well. Oscar was always involved with the Chicano movement so that Mexicans could be in positions of power. This was the catalyst for his entire movement.

Sarvodaya is the universal uplift of all. This is Gandhi's most Important social-political movement. Oscar uplifted Chicanos by encouraging and giving them hope. He wanted Chicanos to be treated fairly like the rest of the people. One of Gandhi’s principles that Oscar also achieved is called Satyagraha. Satyagraha means passive resistance, it is also a nonviolent method of doing something. Oscar showed Satyagraha by using nonviolence to help Chicanos to be treated right.  He gave up so much in his life to help others.

“Gene Sharp was the founder of the Albert Einstein Institution, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the study of nonviolent action, and a retired professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth”. Sharps methods were the Methods of Nonviolent Actions. Oscar uses many Sharps nonviolent methods. The most important one to him our Public speeches, Boycotts, Displays of flags and symbolic colors. Oscar and the Chicanos used these so that Mexican Americans can have power.

Chicanos are better off because of Oscar’s work. He is considered somewhat of a Chicano legend. He subpoenaed every member of the L.A. County grand jury and to show there were unfair treatment and views of Mexican Americans. There is still discrimination toward Mexicans in the United States today. Just recently, our current President said that he plans to build a wall along the border to prevent people from Latin America from coming to the United States, because as he has said “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They are rapists” (Trump). In order to help eliminate the stigma this stigma, as well as lessen the discrimination that Mexicans face, it would be beneficial to have more Latinx people in positions of power as well as being more involved in politics. This would help because we can help change the rules and laws to help Mexicans. If this happened views on Mexicans would change drastically. Oscar brought into being something far greater than himself, which proves to be just as relevant today. We can only hope that things will continue to look up for the Latinx community in the days to come.

CITES

-“The Rise and Fall of the Brown Buffalo.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, www.pbs.org/program/voces/rise-fall-brown-buffalo/.

-Acosta, Oscar. The Revolt of the Cockroach People. Vintage books Edition, 1989

-“The Fascinating Life and Legacy behind Hunter S. Thompson's Real 'Dr. Gonzo.'.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/documentary-dr-gonzo-captures-oscar-zeta-acosta-s-wild-ride-n859201.

-“Oscar Zeta Acosta and the Los Angeles Chicano Civil Rights Movement.” PBS SoCal, 4 June 2018, www.pbssocal.org/documentaries/oscar-zeta-acosta-los-angeles-chicano-rights-movement/.