Cesar Chavez Page #2

(CESAR SPEAKING)

What is happening here in Delano

is the same thing that is happening

in Salinas or in Stockton.

If we don't get organized,

the bosses are going to treat us like...

Excuse me.

Who are you?

Cesar Chavez.

DOLORES:
How much are you

asking for, Chucho?

CHUCHO:
Twenty-five dollars.

(SIGHING) How about 10, Chucho?

Look at all these other people

who also want money.

(CESAR SPEAKING)

My daughter has some questionnaires.

We want to know what concerns you.

Come on, just do that for us.

Here, people can put messages

to their family, or anyone, it's free.

Want to see the union paper?

(SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

(LAUGHING)

Sheriff, every night this goes on.

And I have to tell my husband to rush home

because I'm frightened

about what is going on over there.

We are decent folk

and don't want any trouble.

I'm terrified for my children

and who knows where...

Okay... Okay... Ladies... Ladies...

Let me make sure I understand this.

- You say they get together every night?

- Every night.

And there is 50 of them?

Fifty-seven. I count 57.

Fifty-seven?

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

Mr. Chavez?

Yes?

How are you doin' today?

Fine. How can I help you?

I just wanted to introduce myself.

- I'm Sheriff...

- I know who you are.

You seem to be gathering quite a crowd.

Is there a law against that?

No, not really.

But I would like to ask you some questions

about some of the people around you

and their affiliations.

Affiliations to what?

Let's say the communist party.

- Communists?

- Yes.

(TRANSLATING)

(CROWD LAUGHS)

Do you mind tellin' me what's so funny?

It's that we are Catholic.

How can Catholics be communists?

I've seen stranger things.

Mr. Chavez, do you mind

if we take a look around?

Do you have a warrant?

Not on me.

So you're asking me for a favor?

I think you'd be doing yourself a favor.

(DOLORES SPEAKING)

Come on. There's nothing to see here.

Come in.

We have nothing to hide.

So what they doin' here?

You givin' away free pinatas or something?

It's a credit union.

No sh*t.

Where's the money coming from?

Donations.

Here's a box if you're interested.

I don't know exactly what you're up to here

but the citizens of Delano,

they don't care much for subversives.

They respect the law.

So do we.

Especially the Bill of Rights.

Ever read the Bill of Rights?

(CHUCKLES)

Let's go.

FOREMAN ON BULLHORN:

Listen up, all of you in there.

You have 10 minutes

to vacate the premises.

You are now trespassing and will be

prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

We are not moving!

Is that you, Larry?

Yeah. Yeah, it's me.

Larry, you get your people out of there now

and get back to work.

I'll forget everything.

No blacklisting, no nothing.

(DOGS BARKING)

Sorry, that's not good enough.

You cut our wages too goddamn much.

We starve on what you pay us anyhow.

Go.

(GLASS SHATTERING)

(LARRY SHOUTING)

Nobody leave!

(CLAMORING)

Stay together, stay strong!

The growers cut their pay in half.

Now they have barricaded themselves

in the camps.

This thing is blowing up.

- The Filipinos?

- Yeah.

And now the growers are recruiting

our people to break the strikes.

That's why Larry specifically asked

for you, Cesar.

He knows he can't win without us.

Oh, and by the way,

who gives a sh*t about the Filipinos?

(SCOFFS) No mames.

They undercut us left and right.

Do you think they would strike for us?

They play the races against each other,

that is their tactic.

Are we a union or not?

(APPLAUSE)

(ELI SPEAKING)

Our brother Cesar Chavez

will speak to us now.

(APPLAUSE)

(CESAR SPEAKING)

Brothers and sisters.

Today our fellow Filipino workers

have taken a vital step

towards the fight for freedom and dignity

that poverty has denied us.

And they have come to us

and asked a very important question.

Whether we're prepared to set our

differences apart and join their strike.

But the most important thing to consider

is if news of this strike remains only in

Delano, then we will have been defeated.

Because they not only own the land,

but also the police and judges.

If we show the world

their abuse, greed, and brutality

then our voice will be heard

and responded to.

And when they see that our actions are just

they will understand

that our cause is just.

Then we will prevail.

Yes we can!

Strike! I

(ALL CHANTING)

The growers are going to be...

Larry, now that we are together,

the growers are gonna have to...

I'm not worried about them.

My people are angry.

This thing has been building for too long,

it's ready to explode.

Everyone is angry, we just have

to manage our own people.

I have people from Stockton to Coachella!

I didn't say it was going to be easy,

but if you take care of your side,

I take care of mine, we'll be fine.

- There are things we can't control.

- No, there are things we have to control.

So who the hell is this Cesar Chavez?

Nobody knows.

Somebody said he was from Arizona.

Word is he used to hang around Alinsky

and the other commies from the CSO.

He's been up and down the valley,

stirring up trouble.

I heard he's Mexican.

Seems a safe bet.

They've come out with this newspaper.

Got this beaner character in there

named Don Sotaco.

There he is.

He's kinda funny. (CHUCKLES)

Well, it's a cartoon,

but I'm not sure it's funny.

Who cares, most of our workers

are illiterate.

Yeah, but you can understand a cartoon

without being able to read.

So, this Don Sotaco,

(INHALES DEEPLY)

he, uh, informs the workers

about their rights.

- And this is what, a weekly?

- Mmm-hmm.

Thank God it isn't a daily.

Although, 52 weeks a year,

that is a lot of rights, Sheriff.

Long live the strike!

Long live the farmworker!

Long live our cause!

Long live our farmworker movement!

Did they confirm?

- Of course.

- Anyone...

Mostly local, but some are actually

coming down from San Francisco, Arizona...

- Where are they?

- I don't know. They should be here by now.

(GATE UNLOCKS)

Get the hell off our property!

Go back to Mexico!

Stay calm, don't react.

FOREMAN 1:
We don't need you. Wetbacks.

- FOREMAN 2:
Get out of here!

- Don't react, just keep moving.

We don't need you.

We want you out of our country.

We want you back to Mexico.

Get the hell out of our country!

What do you think you are looking at, huh?

Damn spics! We don't need you! Get out!

Keep marching. Keep marching, please.

- Get these sons of b*tches off my land.

- Yes, sir.

We aren't going anywhere,

we have the right to be here.

Suit yourself.

Deputies, now, you're witnesses.

This horde invaded my property

and we are just defending ourselves.

A man has a duty to defend his property.

You are damn right he does.

Cesar, they will shoot.

You get rid of them!

Everybody move! Move back!

Back to the main road,

everybody move back now!

Move back! Move back! No, no, no!

(GUNSHOT)

Are you going to do something?

You hard of hearing?

The boss told you to clear out.

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