To SwallowThatGum:

"If she gave a right-wing speech, we wouldn't be hearing a peep of complaint from the people who are now complaining."

Yes, we probably would have actually. I am right wing, but still would not have found it appropriate to speak for over 30 minutes on politics, because that was not what that day was about. That day was for celebrating the accomlishments of the past 4 years, for commending the students (many of them, including myself, the first individuals in their families to graduate from college) for their hard work.

To be honest, it wasn't so much that she gave a left-wing speech; It was the fact that she was asked to speak at a commencement ceremony that was supposed to be celebrating and inspiring the graduating students, not lecturing them about politics. If she was going to be giving a speech with political undertones, it would have been more fitting to speak about both sides of the spectrum, not only her extremeist views. On that note, it wasn't even entirely the fact that she spoke about extreme politics, but let's add to that the fact that she pretty much RAMBLED the entire time. It wasn't even a well put-together speech. In fact, I doubt that she put any thought into it at all. I understand that Ms. Huerta is 79 years old...but for being as "wise" as she tried to make herself out to be, one might think that she would have at least understood what an important day it was, and put her political agenda on the back-burner for ONE SPEECH.

If Delores Huerta and people want to place blame on the mistreatment of  farmworks and Mexicans alike, hey, lets start with Mexico. They're the biggest culprit of all.  

If she gave a right-wing speech, we wouldn't be hearing a peep of complaint from the people who are now complaining.

F.Y.I.    Delores Huerta does not speak for all of us Mexicans.  I guarentee it!!!

Sorry about that ~Bakersfieldgirl75~...I only listen to 'Flush' Limbaugh when I'm constipated---and you sure can tell when he misses his N.A. meetings and dancing with his 'meds' again....poor thing

From what I've heard of this person, she only goes around spreading trouble.  Whether it's to get consumers to make a corporation look bad by making false complaints or bringing up her own agenda at a public event, not meant to be political, but to celebrate many students' achievements.  She says to not listen to people like Limbaugh, but in fact by the things she does, she acts like Rush Limbaugh only on the other end of the spectrum.  She makes me wish freedom was speech was limited.

Whats done is done...this should be a learning lesson to those that ask these people to speak..what were they expecting---(and they are suppose to be smart)....

Wonder whom will be next years speaker---" Joe the plumber "....

Ditto Coops

First of all Ron, I wasn't aware that the blog was on English lessons. Second of all, last time I checked, I was leaving what we call a "comment," not writing an essay. I suggest you learn the difference.

The thing that frustrates me is why is it that the term "racist" only applies to those who our society wishes to apply it to and not to everyone who fits the ticket? Mexicans who call whites bad names should research their history a bit since they are really White Europeans too. Last time I checked Spain was in Europe and the indigenous tribes they mixed with are Americans from the American continent. Also, there were a lot of Germans and others Europeans who migrated to Mexico and South America.  

Someone in my family who grew up in an outlying farming town and worked the fields in the summer told me that when Caesar Chavez didn't get his way with the farmers on labor issues he would burn down their packing sheds. Sounds a bit divisive to me and not very legal. Not the passive guy he is portrayed to be. Yes the farm laborers are a concern but the older I get the more I realize we all have a story of misfortune and mistreatment to tell, some worse than others. Like me for example, I almost died several times to horrible accidents and at the hands of my parents so who do I get to sue? It is just life.

I heard Ms. Huerta speak once at a Girl Scout function and yes her rantings were awful and inappropriate for the venue. One of the reasons we left Girl Scouts. I did not want to be associated with an organization that supported such a radical. Girl Scouts is suppose to be for the girls, not a political platform. I would have felt the same way had it been a speaker on the other end too ranting away.

Cal State should not be let off the hook for this either. I can't believe someone in administration didn't know what Ms. Huerta's agenda is.

When did they quit teaching "Paragraphs 101"?  What a shame.

As one of the graduates of Cal State on Saturday, I felt the need to speak out about this article. First and foremost, I completely understand that not everyone is going to have the same opinions when it comes to what was said in Ms. Huerta's speech. As a graduate, I was shocked and disappointed that Ms. Huerta stood up on the podium and spoke for over 30 minutes about topics that did not have anyuthing to do with the fresh new start in the world that myself and my fellow graduates were about to embark on. We have spent the past four years working hard to obtain our degree, so to have a speaker give a speech at our commencement ceremony that did not have much to do with us was truly disappointing. I am not one to usually enjoy a lot of attention, but at that point in time, I would have liked for my commencement ceremony to have, at the least, been kept on the topic of the students sitting before her. I understand that many of the issues that Ms. Huerta spoke of are indeed real issues, but what people have been saying is true...she used our ceremony as a way to put her agendas out there to an audience that did not have any choice but to sit there and listen. I would venture to say that 75% of the topics she covered were not relevant to us at all. Again, I understand that some of her issues are real issues, and that it takes everyone, especially those of us fortunate enough to receive higher education, to make changes....but for her to sit there and basically harp on Caucasian people (which, I might add, the majority of the crowd consisted of) was not professional, was not respectful, and was not needed. I understand that the University cannot demand to see a speaker's speech beforehand, so as not to limit expression, but the least they can do for the future graduating students is to respectfully ask the speakers to kindly steer their speeches towards inspiring students, and not forcing political agendas on them.

Seems to me she got exactly what she wanted attentionand free advertisement as long as the papers and news continue to publish this diatribe she will continue.........

I wrote this as a stand olone post, but it fits here as well...

Delores Huerta is an idiot. I rarely apply that name to an individual seriously, but I am this time. I must say though, that the CSUB administrators are the bigger idiots. What did they think she was going to do? Give a lucid, flowing, on topic commencement speech with the future of the grads in mind? Did they not listen to anything this posturing, racist, hatemonger has ever had to say?

I found it refreshing to read that she was both booed and laughed at as she bumbled through another UFW agenda diatribe, deriding the whites(to her, ALL whites are supremists), harping on the rights of field workers(like 22 year old grads are going to have to deal with that), extolling the virtues of unions(particularly the UFW), and most pricelessly, referring to the nations population as "Africans". So I read, anyway.

To qoute Bugs Bunny, "What a cad, what a maroon". Had I been a grad, I'd have walked out, along with my family when she took the stage.

Um..You two have a history or something?

The bottom line is that a university commencement speech is not the palce for political or cultural grandstanding, but Huerta is incapable of not posturing whenever she gets the chance. She probably does the same thing at funerals. Whether or not these problems exist is irrelevant in a commencement speech. It's supposed to be about the graduates, not the speaker, no matter their agenda.

Oh, just for the record, I've been working for the same company since May 9th, 1979, and have achieved a great deal.

The previous statement is certainly valid, considering it comes from a proven low achiever, who is paid twice real market value on the backs of the real taxpayers.

Until such time as you choose to do actual productive work in the private sector, pay actual real taxes, and reject socialist benefit guarantees, paid for by those of us with real jobs, you should keep your arrogant remarks to yourself.

BTW: That 17 year old pregnant girl did more real work in her short time on this earth than you’ll do in a life time.

Which is more important to society? A producer of food, or a jock strap technician? Which one could society most easily do without?

Have a nice day baby sitter.

Their is labor problems in Kern County and the press and the community refuses to acknowledge that they exist.
 
Last year a Pregnant 17 yr old girl was killed by her employer for not providing her with water and proper medical attention. Yet this community is more concerned and ready to persecute a crazy ole lady who has a bunch of dogs being treated inhumanly which I think is funny because this pregnant girl and her baby were murdered and they were treated like dogs, isn't it ironic in the last year tens of thousands of people are killed every year due to work related injuries.
 
If this people cant stand the truth then they should were earplugs when she speaks ,how much motivation it should be to go out there and protect the unprotected.
 
To live in Community that choose to wear binders because its inconvenient to hear the truth is a community that needs change and more people like Dolores Huerta. This community claims to want to protect the unborn yet when this beautiful young girl and her unborn baby were murdered in the fields of Kern County, their was no protest or call for action by anyone in this community.
 
God Bless America and we do need to start protecting workers and compensating them for the sacrifices they make and provide them and especially their children Medical, optical and dental benefits.

GEE who could have written THAT??

complaining of labor problems?  17 yr old pregnant girl working in the fields?  sounds like the parents are at fault too.  but the author wants to take responsibility away from them and point the finger at someone who has money and can be held accountable.  Obviously the parents aren't going to be

there have been what  the author calls labor problems in this country since it's inception.  not including slaves, the people who were most physically taken advantage of were the ones with little or no education.  It was the only work they could find, the only way they could subside.

It took my ancestors several generations on both sides of my family to finally send children to school, while the parents went and worked.  this hard work is what this country was founded on.  Unfortunately, the author feels the need that today's workers at the bottom should skip the planting of the tree, and be able to eat the fruits off of the trees other planted many generations ago

its truly sad that people actually have this type of though process. While you complain about "unfair" labor practices, and want taxpayers to pave the hard road to success, you, Mr or Mrs author are advocating stealing from us, the taxpayers.  attempting to right a wrong with another wrong never works