Viewers' Comments

Thank you for visiting our web pages. Please read the thoughts other viewers' have shared on this electronic forum.

I find that with all information about Chicano History there is a certain lack of historicity. I am fourth/eighth generation mexican-american, grew up among Spanish Americans of Colorado and New Mexico and have deep roots in both Arizona and Los Angeles. Although I appreciate the emphasis of information that the chicano series placed was on activism of the 1960s with the LA blowouts, UFW and Cesar Chavez, and Crystal City etc. I cannot appreciate the basic lack of information about New Mexico it's lengthy history of political activism. The singular politico-cultural narrative with which the series paints Chicanos also disturbs me as did the Eyes on the Prize series. I was happy to finally see something, but I have never seen my own "Chicano" history reflected in these narratives. We are not victims and martyrs all. Ultimately I felt important issues were skirted, our multiracial history (and racist legacy), class based divisions within the community, the fact the myth of Aztlan has led to a dreadfully narrow cultural nationalism that looks to mexico and mythological notions for identity, and finally, I felt to be truly honest, the whole notion of contributions of women and queers to the chicano movement of the 1960s was sorrowfully omitted. Pero, all in all it was good to see out there.
Paul Edward Sweeney de Perez
Oxnard, CA USA - Monday, May 27, 1996 at 14:58:32 (PDT)