Dolores

In 1965 Filipino grape workers in Delano, California went on strike. A week later, the predominantly Mexican workers joined in and the merged forces became the United Farm Workers union led by Caesar Chavez and his formidable organizer Dolores Huerta, who brought along women and kids to participate. As the architect of a lengthy grape boycott to secure better working conditions, Dolores’ goal was blackmail. This film features commentary by the likes of Angela Davis, Gloria Steinem, LGBT activist Rick Rivas and filmmaker Luis Valdez, who observes that “the tragic contradiction of the US is it presents itself to the world as a beacon of independence, liberty and human rights; of course the real stain on this mythology is slavery, and with it the potential for the enslavement of others…” But no one was being held against their will in the grape fields! Dolores then comments that “the alternative to capitalism is democratic socialism.” Capitalism ended slavery; socialism of any sort is a continuation of slavery and that requires sacrifice! Nowhere in this documentary is it ever mentioned that the growers/employers have rights also: the guy who makes the initial investment, who takes all the risks, who pays the payroll taxes and puts up with filing the paperwork and the bureaucracy, who faces condemnation for turning a profit – what are his rights? Under socialism, he’s the sacrificial slaughter. In real life, Dolores Huerta sacrificed her own children to a life of abandonment and revolving temporary homes. All these disgruntled workers were welcome at any point in time to find a more equitable country, that was less racist, to be part of. Only problem: THERE ISN’T ANY!!

[NR]