Flame Throwing Mayor Ignites Protest

Taos Tea Party Today
Education and Water Rights

(Deep Background) Today in Taos during Tax Day, protestors, led by the Brown Berets, will march against what they call discriminatory attacks by the mainstream press and punditry. Picketers are expected to show up at DMC Broadcasting and The Taos News this morning. According to reports, the Mayor of Taos, a shadowy Tea Party group, and Fat Cat Administrators from CRAB Hall are fighting back to block education reforms in the community. Local control of the schools is one of the issues.

In a late development, parciantes on the Spring Ditch say they will join the protest because the Town and Mayor have stonewalled their requests for remediation. Encroachment on the historic ditch and blockage by developers, homebuilders, and the Town constitute a violation of the New Mexico Constitution itself, according to parciantes. Parciantes have privileges or rights permanently enshrined by the New Mexico Constitution. Acequia activists say water rights can’t be shortchanged by spurious legal arguments. The proof is on the ground and in the aquifers.

The struggle for a student’s right to an education and control of the schools by local citizens  began with the election of two minority members to the board, Lorraine Coca-Ruiz and Arsenio Cordova back in 2007. Though a minority, they brought attention to a decade of cover-ups by the Crab Hall educational elite. Then with the election of Stella Gallegos in 2009, this trio of reformers began taking real action: fast tracking plans for athletics, remodeling buildings, and hiring professional—outside–auditors to identify problems. In other words they shook up the status quo and the status quo fought back.

The elite educators, often highly paid and under qualified, have consistently resisted the citizens’ school board. At meetings, recalcitrant Fat Cats hissed and booed while expressing themselves in vile and unprintable ways. Then they joined with failed school board candidates and their supporters—Tea Party Types–to campaign for the ouster of the reformers, filing recall petitions and lawsuits—though ultimately frustrated by the tactics of superior movida-makers.

These reformers remind this longtime observer of the legendary Brujas, who shook up county government and pried the Democratic Party away from the political bosses. Now, the school board is fighting back against retrograde Boss politics itself —as the shadowy puppeteers (subject of a future column) try to regain control of the community.

During the last year, bias print reports and shock jocks supplied fuel and voices for anti-reform critics. Then the Mayor threw gasoline on the low-level blaze by sending a letter to the Secretary of Education and asking for the ouster of the board. Seen from an outsider’s point of view, the community appears to be on the verge of a civil war, as dysfunctional politics and community leaders fight among themselves.

Meanwhile the Mayor and Council itself are now defending themselves against both past and current “conflict of interest” charges—contracts for cronies–while coping with increasing tension between established merchants and weekend nomadic vendors. Even the DA is prosecuting poor roadside vendors at the traditional Rio Grande Gorge Mercado. Each week another shop window becomes vacant as the Grand Recession continues. The Town’s new mantra for attracting tourists—“Return to Sacred Places”—rings hollow as money dries up and blood is spilled in the streets.

B.W.

PLANNED PROTEST IN TAOS, N.M. BY THE OFFICIAL BROWN BERETS’ LOCAL UNIT.

Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2010, 4:57 PM

It is as National Commander of the Brown Beret National Organization that I am addressing to you regarding a planned protest that will take place tomorrow, April 15, 2010 at 09:00 am. It will begin in front of the DMC Broadcasting facility and the participants will march towards the offices of the Taos News organization. With this protest the Brown Berets and other concerned area residents and community representatives will bring attention to certain conditions that have prevailed in this city and county for years and even many decades and have adversely affected the lives of countless members of the Mexican and Latino community.

Some of these conditions have reached levels of epidemic proportions such as in education. It is quite sad that more than half of our youths drop out of school and as they do, they enter a vicious cycle, which include drugs, gangs, imprisonment and other negative activities. It is equally sad that more of our youths enter prisons rather than universities and it’s because there is something wrong with the educational system. Not that we are stupid and as Brown Berets we have led the struggle in many states that have brought about much needed changes in education for our children. We support efforts by individuals that strive to create a positive learning environment in the kids and also accountability by school officials.

Other reasons for this protest march is to bring light to the fact that there are people in Taos that because of their position or status in the community have the ability to influence others and do so in untruthful ways.

Recently a ‘Drugs and Gangs in Taos Summit’ was held at the Youth and Family Community Center which was attended among others by school and police officials, community agency and media representatives, volunteers, area residents as well as Brown Berets; including myself. We offered ideas and suggestions that will alleviate the problems at hand. Later that day a woman said to be employed by DMC Broadcasting issued a statement on the air that “The Brown Berets want to start a race war”.

Subsequently; it was brought to my attention that the Taos Mayor had stated that ‘The Brown Berets are the Chicano KKK”. These remarks by both individuals are very stupid and irresponsible and may have been intended to inflame certain feelings among some people.

There have been more public statements made by others denouncing the protest march and the Brown Berets, such as one made by a man claiming to be from the Brown Beret League of New Mexico who wants to distance himself from us.
To this I can say that since the founding of the Brown Beret National Organization in 1967, there have been many individuals claiming to be Brown Berets but have only followed their own selfish agendas and in opposition to the real Brown Berets’ goals and objectives, and to our membership. Other times phony organizations have been created in order to create confusion and division between our people.

I can with all certainty say that the Brown Beret National Organization is the only Brown Beret organization with legitimacy and a proven track record since 1967. We at times may have taken certain steps to achieve victory and that some could have disapproved of, but it was so that we created health centers for the poor, parks, changes in education and broke down walls that have opened up opportunities for our, and all people.

In closing, I am proud of our Brown Beret National Field Marshall, Juanito Burns; for it’s under his leadership that this event is being carried out. He is a responsible family man and a member of the Taos community, which needs to be praised and supported by all.

Sincerely;

Jeronimo Blanco
National Commander
Brown Beret National Organization