Film Analysis

Alice Lopez

Dr. Timothy Kubal

SOC 122

19 April 2016

Chicano Rights Activism

          This film is about the history of the activism for Chicano rights and the people who played a major role in the movement. We see how the movement came about and what were factors that oppressed Chicanos for years. Not only that but we see the overall history of the life of a farmworker. Through this film we also see an analysis of framing, resource mobilization, and political opportunity.

          As discussed in class framing in a movement is about setting the context of the movement in how it will be portrayed to the public to obtain an emotional response from them. In other words, you want to use certain details that will make the public reaction or change their mood for the cause, whether it be anger or compassion or anything else in between. In this film we see that the embodiment of such framing was the leader Reieis Lopez Tijerina. He was able to express in words the emotions of the people and their frustration that otherwise could not be expressed. When the forest service revoked half the grazing permits for small farmers he was able to speak up for them. The people considered him to be a messiah who had tremendous charisma and passion.

          Furthermore, in this film when it comes to resource mobilization what gets analyzed is how did this movement use people, tactics, and networks to advance their cause. Well for one, the group led by Tijerina was far more radical than those who wanted to only advocate their cause in a non-violent way. Therefore, this tactic known as the "radical flank effect" helps the more moderate groups since they now seem more reasonable. In addition to this tactic, the movement also helped to bring in diverse networks when it came to different ethnicities. One ethnicity that this movement helped unite was the Filipinos who also marched and boycotted. Another resource that the movement used effectively was the well-known leader Caesar Chavez. He was someone who had been involved for a long time, but he was someone who made it clear that it was a civil rights movement. He helped to speak to the public and more leaders, he also was used as an icon just like many other civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr and Mahatma Gandhi.    

          Finally, the political opportunity portrayed in this film was about knowing which environments encourage or discourage activism. Moreover, knowing which forces are resistant, who are your powerful allies, and any changes that upset the status quo. During the beginning of the movement, around 1965, there were multiple movements across the nation: women were demanding equal rights, college students were protesting wars, blacks were fighting for their rights, and Caesar Chavez was there fighting for equality and social justice for all Hispanics. During this time, it becomes an ideal time to bring forward more issues and awareness. In addition to timing, the film also discusses powerful allies like Senator Robert Kennedy who helped make the issue public on a national basis versus letting farm owners keep it a local issue. Overall, we see a resemblance amongst many other groups and how certain tactics can be applied to all groups, but also how under the wrong guidance a movement can lack progress and fail.