Cesar Chavez Meet George Orwell

George Orwell in his classic 1984 writes about the state creating an unperson, also known as a non-person. The state removes all memory of the person as if the person never existed. Photos are edited, an easier task today with photoshop. Stalin created the process. Orwell named it. Cesar Chavez within 48 hours has become a nonperson. He was a hero, inspiration, and symbol for the Hispanic community and Labor Movement. Americans marched with him in Delano. The UFW grape boycott was successful. The growers in 1975 reached an agreement with the farmworkers, after a ten year-struggle. The UFW fight for the farmworkers continues to this day. Huelga became a common word. Holidays, streets, schools were named for Cesar Chavez; monuments and murals created in his image. Lesson plans were teaching tools. Cesar Chavez Day suddenly on a bipartisan basis became Farm Workers Day. I don’t ever remember Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass acting so decisively in one day, as she did in scrapping Cesar Chavez. The New York Times in two full pages laid out his sordid past. Delores Huerta, his co-partner in leading and building the united Farm Workers (UFW), accused him of sexually assaulting her 60 years ago, resulting in his being the father of two of her daughters. She kept it secret for an eternity. Cesar played the good cop with Delores the bad cop in negotiations. He was the public face; she made things happen. She is an incredibly strong woman, carrying the pain of Cesar within her for 60 years. Her public statement and denunciation of him removed any doubt in public minds about the veracity of the claims against Cesar Chavez. Other women came forward. Cesar Chavez was both a rapist and pedophile He survived the Me Too Movement even though rumors have floated that he could be a philanderer. Finally the truth emerged with clear evidence – not an unverified, unverifiable accusation against Justice Kavanaugh. Cesar Chavez had been too great an icon to be pillowed. Rumors had spread that he cheated on his wife. His authoritarianism was known. His sordid past though was covered. The media did not cover his personal life. Cancel culture would not destroy him. Admirers and supporters feel betrayed. Their Cesar Chavez has become a non-person. He was not a saint, but hos depravity was unimaginable. Delores Huerta can replace Cesar Chavez as the face of the United Farm Workers and Hispanics Rising. I have on my office wall a framed letter from Cesar Chavez thanking me for some work I did for the UFW in1990. It remains on the office wall because I am proud of what I did in 1990.