Houston Brown Berets, holding it down on Latino Talk TV

Congratulations to our Houston Chapter of Carnalismo Brown Berets – featured on Latino Talk TV, on August 10, 2015. They spoke eloquently about Carnalismo as an historical organization, and about issues affecting our Barrios nationwide, such as Gentrification, and what revitalization and preservation of our communities SHOULD look like. Be sure to check out and “like” their Facebook page at: http://tinyurl.com/qedganb

Carnalismo Houston Brown Berets, featured on Latino Talk TV

Carnalismo Houston Brown Berets, featured on Latino Talk TV

The video can be seen here:

There once was a time…

There once was a time, when Brown Berets didn’t distincly “beef” with one-another. There once was a time when the stakes were higher, in terms of the adversities and atrocities we fought.

There once was a time, when the “Chisme” element never took hold, never took shape of “El Movimiento.” There was a time when such “Chisme” operators didn’t slip through the cracks.

Many activist groups, of any stripe, or any cause find themselves at some juncture faced with the task of dealing with in-fighting, or worse yet, ego-slamming personalities who through their own “Chisme” personal agendas instigate and perpetuate the in-fighting. The following pictures show an historical march against Police Brutality which took place en Tejas, in the early 70’s. Nothing new there; Brown Berets have been addressing this issue for over half a century.

What might seem new, which is actually really old, is how our brothers and sisters banded together once – regardless of patch, because the stakes were that high. What is also depicted in the pictures are a very rare, and little known representation of the “La Causa” patch, NOT seen in yellow and brown, but red and black, with a striking semblance to the colors of the Carnalismo Brown Beret Flash.

These are things that cannot be made up, nor falsified – nor can they be diluted by anyone slinging a “Chisme” motive. These are the things that were done during the old times, of the Brown Berets.

Carnalismo brown Berets, alongside "La Causa Brown Berets." Note that their patches are RED, not yellow

Carnalismo brown Berets, alongside “La Causa Brown Berets.” Note that their patches are RED, not yellow

Again, a rare glimpse of the La Causa patch, depicted in Red and Black

Again, a rare glimpse of the La Causa patch, depicted in Red and Black

These things are very real, the genuine article. And there are periodicals of note to back this up.

These things are very real, the genuine article. And there are periodicals of note to back this up.

 

BBNO further bolsters their hostile controversies

We underscored it earlier, in previous posts, how the “BBNO” continually operate from a duplicitous agenda – we have been demonstrable from that regard. In many respects, we put together a digital diorama, which shows just how much to rapacity clings to ownership of the Brown Beret persona, as well as Brown Beret level activism.

These hostile grab ups can be paraphrased here:

 

How the BBNO sought to remedy the strife can be watched here:

 

It should be addressed here NOW that our movimiento as Carnalismo Brown Berets has always sought PURO genuine involvement. Thus has been the ONLY capacity at which we have operated. To regale ANYONE to false promotions is merely a maligned, mal-adapted and fake psychological exchange – an exchange we continually witness being put into practice. We continually and painfully see this as a by-product of colonization; a continuum of “puppies an followers.”

Much of our gente are seduced by the movida to follow indiscriminately, such as the examples can be presented here. But leadership is actually an abstract concept, riddled with the power of discerning thought. Those incapable of discernment are those who lack a capacity to thinks for themselves – and as as painful of a plight they may undergo, we KNOW, that  those so incapable are lost, in the respect that they need some sort of guidance. They are incapacitated toward intellectual thought. They have a thirst to be lead, rather than a drive to facilitate  others toward leadership. In other words, some people know nothing outside of being led. Just watch the vids, they seek to explain the tenets of “independent thought.”

 

Causa Unidos Brown Berets continue to deal with BBNO unrest

The Causa Unidos Brown Berets have had to continually deal with the rapacious BBNO, and their actively offensive motives to undermine activists  en Tejas

The Causa Unidos Brown Berets have had to continually deal with the rapacious BBNO, and their actively offensive motives to undermine activists en Tejas

The BBNO, in its’ newest incarnation (a post Jon Burns era) have again resurfaced, with obvious ambitions toward rapacious grab ups for BOTH recruitment and expansion. Their eminent self implosion surfaced itself in the Autumn of 2011. They enjoyed a really big hype around 2010, when their “leader” appointed Jon Burns (A.K.A. Juanito, A.K.A El Gitano) to their second in Command. His title was then Chief of Staff, and there exist screen shots of BBNO proudly hailing this. But not only was Jon Burns ousted as a sexual miscreant, (who continually calls out hits on people) but he also tainted that 2010 incarnation of the “La Causa” patch.

For those who don’t know, YES, many Brown Berets wear different patches, and YES, there does unfortunately exist some dispute on the validity of such patches.

However, one thing that can NEVER be disputed is that the Carnalismo patch has never been rife with disruption nor dispute. Carnalismo Brown Berets are far more in keeping with some tenets of the old school, “veterano” Brown Berets, in that we DON’T operate from a place of imposing our will, and that we instead operate from a sense of understanding – in fact, that is what “Carnalismo” means in the first place.

Since we don’t subordinate our fellow Chicanos with egotistical tyranny, it ALSO means that we work closely and strongly and continually with our affiliate patches – those who have humbly organized alongside us.

Such is the case, with the Causa Unidos Brown Berets from El Paso, Texas. Their initiatives, and their works are so much in alignment with us, that in many respects, they are a part of our whole. When they deal with adversity, we sense and feel it.

Since, however (or leading up to) the burial of Reies Lopez Tijerina (a Texan who for Land Grant rights en Nuevo Mexico), we have again seen an uproarious resurgence stemmed from people who lust to own a cause to which they have exhibit unethical ambitions.  With regard to Tijerina, we  WATCHED as so many greedy agencies and institutions made the passing of this defiant Tejano’s death a part of their own causes – how they were exploitative in their nature to gather own ness over the death of this man who in his life stood for justice.

And though Sr. Tijerina had converted himself to another religion for long years passed, we also saw how many people tried to step into his legacy – and to grandstand their own motives for their own perceived ill gotten gains.

Honestly, it was a sick, disgusting affair, to see so many destitute (or despot) organizations squeeze themselves in, for a chance to speak blank words into a microphone, into a camera, or onto the news. It could even be argued that such organizations, such as the BBNO, La Fey, etc. actually garnered more money or more followers for their duplicitous outcries – their false gritos.

As a NATIVE Nuevo Mexicano, whose Abuela was from Del Rio, Texas,  I felt insult coursing in my veins. Much of the embodiment of Tijerina’s work existed in my back yard, a long time ago. In his latter years, Tijerina moved back to his native Tejas, and settled into a humble life – while he was still alive, few people knew him, nor cared much about where he ended up.

But the Causa Unidos Brown Berets DID! They could tell you what his favorite food was shortly before he passed away. They could tell you where he sought solace, in contrast to  a lot of grandiose organizations who so hungrily salivated over owning his legacy. Few people would know his humble road as he sadly departed us all. But the Causa Unidos Brown Berets were there when few paid attention to him.

This “ambulance chasing” attorney out of El Paso has been hastily “promoted,” and emboldened by Jeronimo Blanco, to lead and direct the new incarnate of the BBNO. The hasty “promotions” are reminiscent of the 2010 BBNO, when Burns had been endowed as second in command. Burns only lasted a little over a year.  What credibility lies with a man who barely became a Brown Beret when he was middle-aged, and why he is given so much credence?

The current incarnate of the BBNO have distinctly sought to be rapacious, and to have ownership of the Brown Beret persona. Their enthusiasm shows, since they copyrighted the “La Causa” patch. And for all the flagrantly reckless statements they make on their website, it is VERY ironic that the BBNO used the same gabacho laws they claim to be against in order to copyright the “La Causa” patch – a patch and symbol that has been in use before any of their existent leadership became Brown Berets. None of the “men” who poise themselves as leaders are even originators of the “La Causa” patch. Still, they continually “troll” on facebook, to deceive the public. They flagrantly disrespect other Brown Berets, of other patches, and they try to harass other Brown Berets with “legaleaze,” and false cease and desist threats.

This is the precipice of the problem, as it exists for Chicano activists today; the ego-stroking characters, conjuring fake adversaries, spreading libel, slander, and harassment, and implementing deception to cause unrest and disruption.

To those poor saps who joined the BBNO, drank the koolaide, bought those silly khakis, the canteen belt y todo; Carnalismo feels sorry for you. We have no ambitions to recruit “puppies”, who subject themselves to be lead on a leash. We are comprised ONLY of leaders, NOT followers. And we only encourage independent thought. We challenge one another, and we UNDERSTAND one another. This is why we hold strong – BOTH with our chapters, and our affiliates.

We keep our Movida clean from trolls, never-do-wells, sex offenders, and ego-stroking sycophants. That is what we have always done, and that is what we continually do. And most importantly, we do it from a place of CARNALISMO; compassion, understanding, carino, and shared conciseness – actions which cannot be written in words…

 

How the BBNO demonstrates thier misconduct

This is a video on how the current incarnate of the BBNO conducted themselves at the Cesar Chavez festivities in El Paso, Texas – in 2015. Unfortunately, the video doesn’t show some of the subsequent, unabashed things they published on facebook, misportraying what happened. But the issue is continual, as such elements operating under a Brown Beret persona continue to harass, threaten and bully the very same people they claim to “defend” from an ethnic standpoint. Either way, their conduct was rude, arrogant, and inflammatory – and they rhetoric and continual slander and libel toward other individuals stands to misportray ALL Brown Berets, and activists who have sought to solidify equal rights for the sake of the greater good. Their divisive demeanor is demonstrably shown here.

DeHerrera family of Longmont, CO – STILL being harassed by their community

We wrote on this issue back in 2010, and originally published it on brownberetsnewmexico.com . And yet here we are, over five years later, and the DeHerrera family are still being harrased in their community of Longmont, Colorado. The original entry reads:

“Unfortunately, the Chicano people of the southwestern United States are going to be subject to this form of racism, which is inflicted multilaterally.
It begins with a hostile environment, such as racist anglo neighbors, who pressure the local police to put the squeeze on their Chicano (or minority) equivalents. In a state where even dignitaries, media and talking mouthpieces are hostile toward Chicanos and/or Mexican Nationals/the poor/minorities it is quite easy to discriminate against a small group of individuals and get away with it.

Such is the case in Longmont, Colorado – and the De Herrera family. As is often the case with our Gente we are family-oriented, and tend to have large families. Because many of us don’t make it toward “economic affluence” we as family tend to help each other out, and stick together. This is what has gone on with the De Herrera family and their household.

The De Herrera’s, like many Chicano people from the southwest have a lineage in this very territory that hails back to hundreds-upon-hundreds of years. Yet, racist Anglo Immigrants – people whose lineage likely only stems back little more than a century have taken a “NATIVIST” stance against the people, the Raza whose very blood is sewn into the soil of the southwest.

The hostile neighbors, in fear of this Chicano family’s tight bond have labeled them a nuisance, and have complained to the institutions and entities who share a similar bias toward the Chicano/Mexica people.

Those institutions have been the local District Attorney’s Office, the conservative publication, The Longmont Times-Call, and the Longmont Police Department. All these entities (and more) have collectively and multilaterally managed to terrorize, intimidate, surveil, and threaten the De Herrera’s in an attempt to remove them from their residence.

Every publicized news story in the Longmont Times-Call has shown unfounded evidence of the nuisance claims against the De Herrera’s…of course the RAG paper does all they can to elude to findings being confirmed, but their articles hold no water. We would post a link to this excrementitious news rag, but we don’t want to funnel them the web traffic. You will have to perform your own searches.

The De Herrera family came to the Carnalismo Brown Berets of NM in need of help, and we are committed to helping in such cases where civil and social justice aren’t being assured, and Gente are being marginalized, segregated, or discriminated against. We as Mountain States Brown Berets will continue to combat the issues at hand. We ARE watching the situation as it plays out…Keep visiting for updates on the matter.

-Rick Gonzales,
Prime Minister,
Brown Berets, Carnalismo NM”

The DeHerrera family was sent an anonymous letter by some coward, which was full of threats and racial epithets directed NOT only to the family, but to the Chicano people as a whole:

The anonymous letter, sent to a member of the DeHerrera family.

The anonymous letter, sent to a member of the DeHerrera family.

Official Statement, re: Jon (Juanito) Burns

As per Victor San Miguel, head of Carnalismo Brown Berets, he says, ” I have NO input to what Burns does…Burns does NOT stand with Carnalismo…”

It should also put put forth that Jon (Juanito) Burns is NOT welcome in El Paso, TX due to his negative interactions and harassment of the Tijerina family.

Burns 2012-04-13

This statement comes as Jon (Juanito) Burns has attempted to re emerge as a Brown Beret, and once again deceive other Chicanos and other organizations over his validity as an activist. There exists to this day NO single individual who has caused more disruption in divisiveness than Jon Burns. (his newest self proclaimed nickname is “El Gitano.”)

Jon Burns has been evidently proven to instigate violence, sexual harassment, bullying, manipulations, slander, libel, and LIES, and this has been a continual issue, largely because those who align with him, ally with him, etc. From here on in, those who harbor Jon Burns will have their names associated with him, and with “Rape Culture,” as well as “Bullying,” both of which are large topics in todays political climate.

Below is a message Jon Burns recently sent a member of Carnalismo via facebook, in which he uses obscene sexual language to insult two members of Carnalismo, and another member of the National Brown Berets (NBB)

Burns-IMs-Chuco-012015Those who wish to dismiss or ignore this immature behavior are themselves just as guilty as Burns himself.

Continually have to deal with bad people…

En El Movimiento, we are riddled and rife with so many ppl hung up on their own self aggrandizement – we continually have to address this susceptibility, and permeability in order to keep things honest. There is, however a certain phenomena where distinct bad actors continually try to amass own-ness or ownership of the Brown Beret persona. There are individuals who have distinctly sought to copywrite or trademark what we do. They thirst to own it. They are so hungry to own it, they are willing to pay the fees, and take the gabacho route to have “own-ness” over a cause, in an effort to own the Brown Beret persona. LETS BE CLEAR – ANYONE MAKING CLAIMS TO THIS, VIA THE GABACHO GOVERNMENT ARE STILL THEMSELVES FEEDING THE SAME MACHINATIONS THE BROWN BERETS HAVE HISTORICALLY SOUGHT TO CHALLENGE. In other words, your legitimacy continually envelopes toward your ILL-ligitimacy, and I for one am sorry that you squandered such expense to file through the gabacho system, compromise your physical addresses in doing so, and continuing to harass other Brown Berets. We will NOT allow “bad actors” en el movimiento – it simply won’t occur.