Cesar Chavez Page #7

every piece of candy in the store.

With children, you set the rules

and you make sure they obey them.

CESAR:
How you been?

FERNANDO:
I'm good. I broke 70.

You know, when the Chinese

came to America to build the rail roads,

you know what

they demanded of their overseers?

No.

Food. Good food.

And enough time to enjoy it.

And if the owners skimped on that,

they wouldn't lift a finger.

Give the Chinese a good meal every day

and they could

build the infrastructure of a continent.

Their meal is what gave

their lives dignity.

And to them, dignity was

more important than money.

That's nice, huh?

You have this annoying habit

of turning everything into a lesson.

I just like Chinese food.

How you doing?

I told you. I'm good.

With golf?

What's wrong with golf?

You are becoming a real American.

Golf is from Scotland.

(MUSIC PLAYING ON RADIO)

NEWSCASTER 1:
We interrupt to bring

you this bulletin from Los Angeles.

New York Senator Robert Kennedy

has been shot in the head,

minutes ago as he left the platform

from which he made his victory statement

in Los Angeles.

The detailed report

which we did receive initially

pictured Kennedy

on the floor of the hotel kitchen.

Blood streaming from his face,

his eyes open but unseeing.

He is on his way,

or perhaps has already arrived

at an unnamed hospital in Los Angeles.

The moment further word is received

we will pass it along to you immediately.

NEWSCASTER 2:
The final act in the

stunning tragedy of Robert Francis Kennedy

began this morning

with a touching ceremony

in St. Patrick's Cathedral

here in New York City.

The late senator was then

transported to his final resting place,

near his brother the late President

at Arlington National Cemetery.

NIXON:
I, Richard Milhous Nixon,

do solemnly swear...

(ALL SHOUTING)

Everyone, stop working for a minute.

Come, join the strike.

Cesar Chavez wants to defend you!

That I will faithfully execute the

office of President of the United States...

And will to the best of my ability...

(ALL CLAMORING)

Preserve, protect and defend...

The Constitution of the United States...

(ALL SCREAMING)

So help me God.

(ALL SCREAMING)

Slow down!

Slow down! Slow down!

- Call an ambulance!

- Juan! Juan!

Help! Help!

BOGDANOVICH SENIOR: We thank you

for all that you are doing for us.

We very much appreciate it.

Yes, sir.

Well, you're someone

who understands business

and you're a Californian,

we're all Californians here...

Yes, sir.

I'll do my best.

And thank you, thank you so much.

Take care, bye.

Nixon has promised

to sell our grapes in Europe.

And whatever's leftover

he'll have the Department of Defense

buy and feed to our soldiers.

(KEYS JINGLING)

RICHARD:
They're getting you

out in five days,

but I'm not sure about the others.

It's all lies.

They're saying we provoked them.

That the strike is not legal, they are

painting us to look like criminals.

And ever since they dumped the grapes

in Europe, their sales have gone up there.

By 140%.

We're not gonna survive Nixon.

Then we have to go over there.

To Europe?

If they're running, we have to catch them.

We can barely keep things together here,

Mansi.

I know.

BOGDANOVICH SENIOR: I never thought

I'd be saying this in my life.

To Richard Milhous Nixon!

ALL:
To Nixon!

(SHIP HORN BLARING)

Focus on human law,

since it actually exists over in Europe.

The growers have completely

subverted the system here,

but Europe still defends workers' rights.

- (PHONE RINGING) - I hear they

get one month vacations there.

You might want to mention that

Vietnam is basically awash

in Bogdanovich's grapes and napalm.

I heard the food is terrible over there.

I don't care how bad the food is,

you're not starting a fast, Cesar.

Where is my coat?

CESAR". Hey, Helen.

You should see this place.

How are the kids?

And Fernando?

Okay.

I'll see you in a couple of days.

CONDUCTOR:
Fares please.

Yes, sir.

- CESAR:
Albert.

- 2p please.

- WOMAN:
Mr. Chavez?

- Yes.

Lovely to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

- Welcome.

RADIO HOST:
We're here with Cesar Chavez,

the civil rights activist,

who has caused quite a stir in America

from his ongoing boycott

that has meant millions of Americans

have stopped eating table grapes.

Does that work for you, Mr. Chavez?

Thank you.

CESAR:
We are making a plea

of common sense, to an industry

that refuses to recognize

the basic human rights of its workers.

RADIO HOST:
Besides this boycott,

your movement has marched and striked

and you yourself have done a 25 day fast.

Why has it gone this far?

CESAR:
Well, despite the success we had

against the growers in California,

they still refuse

to sit down and negotiate with us.

And it's not

a question of economics anymore.

It's more a stubbornness.

They want to show that

they're strong and not weak.

RADIO HOST:
So they would

rather export the grapes

than sit down and negotiate with you?

They'd rather sell their grapes to London,

or Stockholm

and think that that will erase all

the indignities that people have suffered.

And what kind of support have you

received here in Great Britain?

Here in Britain, we have the Transport and

General Workers Union support,

(HORNS HONKING)

and they have endorsed our boycott.

The dock loaders refuse to unload grapes.

What are you saying to me now?

Wait a minute! We had a deal!

Which is a great endorsement

of our boycott.

We're optimistic to have

similar support from other countries.

Diverse religious groups throughout the

continent have shown their support.

Even the Pope has agreed to meet us.

I've got them grapes

halfway through the Atlantic.

Hello?

So, what are you hoping to achieve?

CESAR:
Well, it's never been

about the grapes.

It's always been about the people.

The poorest of the poor, the marginalized.

The ones who have been ignored.

(PEOPLE CHANTING)

(TRUCK HONKING)

There would be no food on the table

without these people.

And these people have

names, faces, families.

And I guess what we want to accomplish

is to give these people a voice.

RADIO HOST:
But will this be enough,

considering the amount of resistance?

Once social change begins,

it can't be reversed.

You can't uneducate someone

who has learned how to read.

You can't humiliate someone

who has pride.

You can't oppress someone

who is not afraid anymore.

We have seen the future

and the future is ours.

Ready?

(INAUDIBLE)

(PHONE RINGS)

Don't answer it!

I'm right here.

Don't take three hours.

I have to drop this off.

(PANTING)

What's wrong?

They want to sign.

Who?

All of them. All the growers want to sign.

(APPLAUSE)

It's an interesting day

you choose to be late.

Come on, they are waiting inside.

(QUIETLY) You have to admit,

this old Croat put up a hell of a fight.

Yeah, I can do that, as long as you can

admit this little Mexican kicked your ass.

(ALL CHEERING)

CESAR:
Brothers and sisters of the fields,

all around us were those

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