Cesar Chavez Page #6

I haven't thought about that

bulldozer in years.

What I remember most

was that feeling,

that feeling of

impotence.

When that bulldozer knocked over the farm.

Dad couldn't look me in the eye.

That look on his face...

The shame behind his eyes...

It never left him.

It's the first time I saw the old man cry.

That's what I'm scared of, Rookie.

To go back and face my family,

after everything that

I've put them through,

and tell them that it

was all for nothing...

So this is how you face them?

Mansi, listen,

you know I've been with you.

Through thick and through thin.

But we need a leader not a martyr.

I need to understand what you're doing.

I've lost my way...

We all lost our way.

(MUMBLING)

The violence, the anger...

I'm angry too!

I'm angry that I live in a world

where a man who picks your food

can't feed his family.

I used to think

the fight was with the growers.

It's with ourselves.

We need to stop acting like victims.

I'm not going to stop,

I'm going to see it all the way through.

Because if we lose...

I won't be able

to look at my family in the eye.

What if you die, Mansi?

Who are we going to look to then?

Get up there, it's a great shot.

WOMAN ON SPEAKER: If you are

just arriving, please,

head to the registration table to check in

and sign our pledge of non-violence.

(WOMAN REPEATING ANNOUNCEMENT)

(INDISTINCT)

(BREATHING DEEPLY)

(PRIEST SPEAKING)

Dear brothers and sisters.

As we prepare to celebrate

the mystery of Christ's love,

let us acknowledge our sins.

I confess to almighty God

and to you, my brothers and sisters,

that I have sinned through my own fault

in my thoughts and in my words,

in what I have done and have failed to do.

Through my fault, through my fault

through my most grievous fault.

It's okay. It's okay, Cesar.

REAGAN:
There is no

strike in the vineyards.

FOREMAN:
Our workers have

sought to stay with us,

and continue work without any interest

in this outside organization.

They don't belong here

and I wish they would all go back

to where they came from.

REAGAN:
The Chavez group are

seeking to force the growers

to recognize their group

as the bargaining agent.

(MAN SHOUTING)

WOMAN". And they've interfered

with our daily workers.

REAGAN:
And the only contracts that

were signed between Mr. Chavez's union

and a few wineries that signed up

under the coercion of his threats...

- (GLASS SHATTERING)

- (GROANS)

HELEN". What if something happens to us?

I'm standing up for my son!

What would happen to the kids?

SHERIFF SMITH:
Mr. Chavez!

(GLASS SHATTERS)

They've been coming in bigger numbers

ever since Chavez quit eating.

How long can a man go without food?

It depends on the man, John.

Everything depends on the man.

Maybe we let, uh, Chavez

starve himself to death,

then we won't have to do anything.

Unfortunately, I don't think

he is the suicidal type.

FERNANDO:
Ma! I'm gonna leave

some more stuff here.

Mostly clothes I don't wear anymore.

Mom, what's wrong?

Does he know what he's doing to you?

No. He doesn't.

Please go see your father before you leave.

How is he?

He's not good.

Thank you. My brother appreciates it.

- Hi.

- Hi Cruz, how're you doing?

I brought my cousins to sign the pledge,

they just crossed the border.

Well done, have them sign.

Look.

I brought Cesar some food.

Please tell him to eat something

and stop being stubborn.

- You wanna lie down?

- No.

Come on. I'll fix your pillow for you.

No, no. I'm okay.

I'm going to go home now.

Do you need anything?

Did Fernando come?

No.

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

(PRIEST SPEAKING)

And he took bread in his hands

blessed it

and gave it to his disciples and said

"Take this all of you, and eat it"

"this is my body

which will be given up for you."

- The body of Christ.

- Amen.

(MOUTHING) Amen.

(ALL CLAPPING)

I come as an American citizen

to honor him for what he has done.

Not just for you, not just for the state.

But for all of the United

States of America.

I come here out of respect

for one of the heroic figures of our time,

Cesar Chavez!

(ALL CHEERING)

MAN ON "N:
The consumer

has a tremendous interest

and, I think, should support the

farm worker and support the farmer.

And the farm workers are

in that field, in that ranch,

they're working, they're not on strike.

REPORTER:
Meanwhile, Cesar Chavez has

organized his efforts to employ a new tactic,

one that would have a national effect.

CESAR:
One of the biggest facts is that

the American public won't stand

for injustice as long as they know.

And we are fighting for legitimate wages

in a legitimate way.

One of the biggest weapons

we have is the boycott.

Not only is it an economic weapon

but it's also a non-violent weapon.

REPORTER:
Picket lines

have been put around...

Prick.

Supermarkets in 23 major cities.

Most supermarkets in the country

still stock grapes.

But a significant number of shoppers,

mostly housewives,

are not buying the grapes.

They are observing the boycott.

That's a report from Delano, California.

This is Charles Walker...

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)

We know that your organization supported

us in the picket lines in Pittsburgh,

and we were wondering if you could

organize another team of people again

this coming week.

What city are you in?

Montreal?

Wisconsin is next, okay?

Okay, I'll tell everyone.

Thank you, bye.

(SIGHS)

Last report estimates that we've cost them

$17 million to date!

I wish they'd paid that in fair wages.

What is your view

of the strike of the grape industry?

The grape boycott...

Well, I've classified that

in the past in a number of public occasions

as immoral. I think it is.

GILMORE:
Get me John on the phone!

WOMAN:
Yes, sir.

(LAUGHS)

(PHONE RINGS)

Did you see it?

Man of the year!

I thought they were going to make

him Pope.

I know... It's all right.

Well, let's get together on Sunday.

GILMORE:
I saw her last week.

She told me and I forgot.

(LAUGHS)

But she looks great. She looks great.

- Yes, she does.

- (CLINKING GLASS)

BOGDANOVICH JUNIOR: Gentlemen.

Look,

I say it's time for the families to

put their differences aside

and speak together with one voice.

I agree.

Let's sit down with these bastards

and settle this thing once and for all.

Jack, are you serious?

You want to sit down with these characters?

We can't hang on much longer.

This boycott is bleeding us to death.

If we sit down with them it won't

be a boycott, it will be an insurrection.

We still gotta negotiate.

We don't have to negotiate,

we have to dictate terms.

Look,

I hate dealing with these dirty foreigners,

but we can't keep

putting on fake labels forever.

I'm a dirty foreigner, Jack.

You know what I mean.

I'm not the only one who feels like this.

You're not? Well, who else feels that way?

Jack's got a point.

It's time for us to cut our losses

and negotiate.

You don't negotiate with children.

You don't give children

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