It was great to see former Councilman Dr. Jose Moreno speaking at Council last night, on the current Ashleigh Aitken “dirty Mexican / you sure you’re not a lesbian?” scandal, and putting it all in a historical context which Jose is uniquely qualified to do. Here is the planned text of his comment, and below is a video of him delivering most of it – as we all have learned over the years, it’s hard to squeeze what you gotta say into 3 minutes!
Justice for Albert Arzola!
My name is Jose Moreno, President of Los Amigos of Orange County. Los Amigos has been meeting in Anaheim every Wednesday at 7:30am for over 48 years, since 1978. Bourne of police riots wherein Chicano youth and residents were attacked by the Anaheim police at Little People’s Park. An outraged community met with then Mayor John Seymour– with former Mayor Bill Thom anchoring those meetings along with Amin David–a host of community voices arose establishing meetings every Wednesday morning where people from across our city could attend, petition for help they may need, seek solutions or to discuss community affairs. We continue meeting in this tradition with one guiding motto “Nos Gusta Ayudar” (We like to help)
At a time when we had few Chicano or Latino elected officials and institutional leaders, Los Amigos unapologetically stood up against racism and discrimination, advocating for more diverse leadership. Los Amigos has initiated or participated in countless community actions, initiatives, and even lawsuits–including when Anaheim Police illegally surveilled it’s residents for exercising free speech; when corrupt councilmembers were giving away millions of dollars in corporate welfare to their donors; and when data showed the city’s electoral system suppressed the rights of Latino voters—which led to our current district-based electoral system. Natalie Rubalcava, Carlos Leon and Norma Campos…you are a product of that history. When you ignore us, you ignore your history.
Mayor Aitken, you have often partnered with us in our work, including standing up for district elections. For that we will always be grateful, and with it, you have earned our community’s patience while this investigation is completed. We are firm believers in due process.
But we are now in a moment. A moment of reckoning.
Our history is ripe with examples of what is possible when we engage in difficult but necessary conversations with the intent to heal, build bridges and examine the root causes of what still ails our city’s soul.
Whether the allegations are true or not, the historically painful and diminishing term “dirty Mexican” is once again revived in the language of our city.
Look to your Mayoral predecessors and lean into the pain this causes our city; engage do not hide; speak in your voice–not through your consultants; be in community—let’s regain a spirit of trust and reconciliation to determine our next steps forward. We can do this Mayor Aitken—it is the only way.
Councilwoman Meeks, thank you for being the only councilperson to call for accountability. Natalie, Carlos and Norma…for decades our people took to organizing, marching in the streets & at city hall, and filing lawsuits to press for a council that may represent and reflect the voices, hopes, experiences and pain of a people too long diminished. For you to sit there, speaking about ice cream socials, puppies and unicorns with 10 ppt slides in your communications at last week’s council meeting with no expression of concern, is equally troubling and painful. ¡Tanta lucha, para que lleguen a estos puestos para que se queden callados – que lastima! (so much struggle to gain those seats just for you to stay quiet–how sad)
Some may consider it unfair that we hold you to higher expectations. Well, I remind you that it is you who campaign in our neighborhoods citing your Latino “homegrown” credentials, telling us that we can trust you. Pues donde estan? Where are you? I fear that we know this script all too well, your charity and pictures may bring smiles, but your silence brings pain and a reminder to our community in these elections, in the words of James Baldwin, “I cannot believe what you say, because I see what you do.”
