Read Ana Mendoza’s response to this article here

Have you ever had the chance to read The student-tuition-funded Collegian supplementary insert titled La Voz De Aztlan? This newspaper insert is intended to be used as a cultural appreciation and or awareness supplement. However, recent issues have been filled with articles unrelated to the publication’s intended purpose. In an effort to celebrate “La Semana de La Raza” (week of the race) here on campus, I’d like to share a perspective with those curiously inclined to learn what’s really going on!”

To fully understand the nature of any article in La Voz, the reader must first understand a concept called Aztlan. Aztlan is a mythical place and/or idea that geographically represents the Southwest portion of the United States. Members of radical Latino hate groups believe Aztlan is stolen land from Mexico, and that it is their duty to eradicate Americans from the land. A group coincidentally on our campus known as MEChA is one such group. It is made up of misguided Latino-American students, illegal aliens and their sympathizers. The acronym MEChA translates, and literally means, The Aztlan Chicano Student Movement. Our current Associated Students, Inc. President Pedro Ramirez is an admitted MEChistA and/or MEChA member. By boasting about his Aztlan beliefs on his social networking site, Ramirez revealed how he truly feels about Americans.

La Voz de Aztlan literally translates to The Voice of Aztlan. It’s not an original name exactly. It was stolen, like their perceived land, from www.Aztlan.net, an online publication of the same name that originated in the 1990s.

The website was and is still operated by members of a defunct organization called The Nation Of Aztlan. It is important to note that the Anti-Defamation League has investigated and labeled this online publication and its organization as a hate group for publishing articles similar to those found in The Collegian’s “cultural supplement.”

Ana Mendoza is a Fresno State student, La Voz De Aztlan columnist and the lead reporter permitted by The Collegian to cover the Ramirez controversy during the fall.

I question the level of biased journalism produced by Mendoza during her tenure with The Collegian. Her alignment with the Brown Berets, another Aztlan-based hate group in support for Ramirez, is very well documented.

On March 9, 2010, Mendoza and the Brown Berets participated in a sit-in at the office of Dr. Paul Oliaro, vice president of student affairs.

On Dec. 1, 2010, Brown Beret Juan “Ralphy” Avitia interrupted an ASI meeting. Avitia cut in line, seized the microphone out of turn during the public comment session and shouted Aztlan hate speech against all Americans in general and against Charlie Waters, a judge advocate for the American Legion and well-respected Central Valley war veteran, specifically. Mendoza published biased articles describing this incident as “Chicano activists questioning history.”

On Nov. 19, 2010, I attended a DREAM Act rally to counter protest Ramirez’s presidency. After reading my positions loud to the media and providing the media, including Mendoza, a copy of my statements in writing, she still unapologetically and intentionally misquoted all my positions in her article published on Nov. 22, 2010.

After a two-hour long recorded meeting with Mendoza, she agreed to publish concerns I had over Ramirez’s presidency.

Instead, Mendoza’s Aztlan bais caused her to ignore the questions I posed regarding Pedro’s unlawful behavior and failed presidency. Her deceptive journalistic practices utilizing La Voz De Aztlan and The Collegian were reasons why I then decided to launch www.TheRealPedro.com, a website dedicated to uncovering the hidden truth behind the DREAM Act controversy at Frenso State.

Having investigated many controversial developments this past year, it is greatly disappointing to see Aztlan-inspired journalism allowed to manifest unopposed using our own student resources. There is no place on any university for hateful and racially-charged rhetoric such as the poem published in May 2, 2011, issue of La Voz de Aztlan by Luiz Sanchez titled “America.” For those who missed his belligerent attack, I’d like to remind Sanchez that as an American of Argentinian heritage, I do not agree with any of his claims, particularly that Americans are white savages, intolerant and stupid. There is no excuse for this kind of propaganda to be used as a weapon of deception and division against students of all colors. There is also no justification to wave a banner of “anti-oppression” preaching cultural diversity on the surface, while at the same time masking the true intent of a radicalized group of a misguided Latino supremacists. As an American I will not celebrate Aztlan awareness and Latino supremacy week. It has no place on our campus.

Neil O’Brien is a senior recreation major.