The LA Times has begun a front-page four-part expose on the United Farm Workers, the union started by Cesar Chavez. Even even part of this is true… (and I’m sure it is.)
Today, a Times investigation has found, Chavez’s heirs run a web of tax-exempt organizations that exploit his legacy and invoke the harsh lives of farmworkers to raise millions of dollars in public and private money.
The money does little to improve the lives of California farmworkers, who still struggle with the most basic health and housing needs and try to get by on seasonal, minimum-wage jobs.
Some farmworker camps have nothing. Where is the union?
In the canyons of Carlsbad north of San Diego, hundreds of farmworkers burrow into the hills each year, covering their shacks with leaves and branches to stay out of view of multimilliondollar homes. They live without drinking water, toilets, refrigeration.
On Monday the Times will detail "The family business: Insiders benefit from a web of charities"
Actually criticism ofthe UFW might be a good thing. – But only if it is constructivecriticism. The L.A. Times article is a “hit peice” with misstatements of fact and political opinion disguised as purported “facts”
The good part of this bad situation, however, it that it does draw attention to theUFW. We need to turn the destructve L.A. Times article into something that will help the farmworkers but defeding the UFW and correcting the misstatements in the Times articles. And we need to all get moreactive in helping the farmworkers.
Jim DeMaegt