…if you’re in one of the handful of states that recognizes it. It’s an optional state holiday here in Texas, but since Chavez isn’t even good enough for our students’ textbooks, it’s not surprising that the state tends to opt out of recognizing this day.
Hermana, Resist has a great tribute up.
As for my own thoughts on Chavez, all I really want to say is this: during the last presidential election, people would always ask why I’d get so pissy every time Obama said “yes we can” (and even pissier when he was campaigning to Latin@s and using “si se puede”).
The reason is simple: “yes we can” is a blatant appropriation of my history. And really, what does the average person—white or otherwise—know about Mexican American history besides zoot suits and “si se puede?” I’m horrified to think that a new generation of young people will now forever link “yes we can/si se puede” with Obama, rather than Cesar Chavez.
It burns up just thinking about it (which is why, ultimately, I voted for Nader).
![The Feminist Texican [Reads]](http://feministtexicanreads.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/self-portraitwiththornnecklaceandhummingbird.jpg?w=150&h=193 "The Feminist Texican [Reads]")
