STOP THE RACISM
STOP THE STEREOTYPES, END THE CHASCO FIASCO
The age of mass marketing acceptable racial stereotypes has all but come to an end. As we move forward in the 21st Century many vestiges of stereotypes have been extinguished as part of a by gone era.
Imagine a festival where hundreds of Caucasian-Americans dressed themselves up in “black-face” and played out a gross Vaudeville representation of African-Americans. They dressed up floats in a plantation theme, and had their children act out the capturing of African slaves, in which the slaves were the antagonists and the slave masters and catchers were the higher-minded hero’s. People would be justifiably outraged, and call for the end of such a play and theme for a festival. Yet there is little outcry outside of the Native community regarding the Chasco Fiesta.
Imagine a festival where hundreds of Caucasian-Americans dressed themselves up with Yarmulke’s and in a stereotypical Jewish manner. Floats filled with monopoly money and had their children act out the infamous NAZI holocaust of Jewish, Polish, Gypsie, homosexual and other peoples. In this play the NAZI’s were the enlightened hero’s and the victims of the holocaust were savages who could only be saved by adopting the fascist beliefs if the NAZI party. People would justifiably be sickened and call for the end of such a play and theme for a festival. Yet there is little outcry outside of the Native community regarding the Chasco Fiesta.
Imagine a festival where hundreds of Caucasian Americans dress like the Frito Bandito and act lazy, talk with exaggerated accents attempting to sound Latino, rob and thieve their way around. Imagine floats dressed in a Hollywood cinematic “Mexican western theme” circa 1950’s westerns. People would be justifiably outraged and call for the end of such a theme of a festival.
Now image a festival where hundreds of Caucasian Americans dress like Pebbles and Bam-Bam from the Flintstones pretending their dress is Hollywood style Indian clothing. They have floats with stereotypical representations of Indigenous communities and housing from two centuries ago. Their children act out a play in which the invading Spanish Conquistadors are the enlightened hero’s and the Native people of Florida are heathen, barbaric savages. Florida’s Indian population in 1538 is estimated at 900,000. Most would be wiped out over the next two decades and by the end of the next century would be gone-Florida’s Indigenous population’s highest figure since is the current 36,000 estimated to live in the state. Yet the initiators of this genocide are portrayed as hero’s and the victims are the villains. The Indigenous culture is evil, barbaric, heathen and savage and only through the adoption of the invading culture can the Indigenous people be redeemed-and they are brought to some redemption by making a Spanish boy their King Pithla and a Spanish girl their Queen Chasco.
The Chasco Fiesta promotes stereotypes and celebrates the genocide of Native people as its theme. It extols the supposed “superiority” of the European culture and value systems over those of Native peoples. It encourages Caucasian-Americans to dress in stereotypical manner and their children to act out a play that shows the Native culture as less than that of Europeans-even including contrived human sacrifices being conducted by the Indigenous peoples of Florida that suffered one of the Western Hemisphere’s first genocide’s. Yet there is little outrage for this vile and racist event outside of the Native community.
The era of Sambo and the Frito Bandito are, mostly, justifiably behind us. Its time to vanquish the racist stereotypes of Native people.
Plan on standing with Florida AIM during our protests of this event March 20, 2003 at 7pm at Sims Park and March 22, 2003 in New Port Richey against the parade. Plan on supporting and participating in our protests of the vile Chasco Krewe and its participation in the Gasparilla Parade (Tampa), and Festival of States Parade (Saint Petersburg).
Join with us in convincing the sponsors of the Chasco Fiesta to halt their support of this racist festival.
If you live out of state and can’t make the protests you can still help. Contact the sponsors and Pasco County and advise them you will boycott this racist backwater until they end this vestige of racism.
Make donations to the Florida AIM Chasco Fund to help with the legal costs that will be associated with our protests.
Spread the word about this racist festival so unsuspecting Native people are not used by the Chasco organizers deperate to show Native support for this vile racist festival.
Join with us now and drive a stake into the heart of the beast of racism and stereotyping. Lets STOP THIS LEGEND NOW, END THE CHASCO FIASCO
AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT OF FLORIDA
Aaron Two Elk./David Goyette Memorial State Office
136 4th Street N Suite 308 Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
(727)-826-6960 Fax (727) 550-2207
email AIMFL@aol.com
web page http://hometown.aol.com/AIMFL
Conference web page http://geocities.com/FLAIM17thConference
CONTACTS
SPONSORS OF THE CHASCO
West Pasco Chamber of Commerce
5443 Main Street, New Port Richey, FL 34652
Telephone: 727-842-7651 Fax: 727-848-0202
email chamber@westpasco.com
Community Hospital of New Port Richey
5637 Marine Parkway
P.O. Box 996
New Port Richey , FL 34652
Telephone: (727)848-1733
Fax: (727)845-9146
Covanta Energy
Contact web site http://www.covantaenergy.com/contact/index.php4
Pasco County Office of Tourism
7530 Little Road
New Port Richey, FL 34654
(800) 842-1873
(727) 847-8990
commissioners@pascocountyfl.net
Ferman Nissan
302 West Flecher Avenue
Tampa FL 33612
Phone: 813-933-6641
Fax: 813-936-1080
contact web site http://www.fermannissan.com/frameset1.asp?LINK=Information&MAIN=contactusform&id=94
Publix Supermarkets
Publix Super Markets Corporate Office
ATTN: Consumer Relations
PO Box 407
Lakeland, FL 33802-0407
800-242-1227
Contact Web Site http://www.publix.com/servlet/MainController?action=prepareContactForm
Saint Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
490 First Ave. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 893-8111
timespresident@sptimes.com
Gateway Honda
8425 US Highway 19
Port Richey, FL 34668
Phone: 727-848-0688
Toll Free: 800-966-4663
Fax: 727-845-4317
E-Mail: http://www.hondadealer.com/gateway/
City of New Port Richey
5919 Main Street,
New Port Richey Florida 34652
Phone Number: 727-841-4500, extension 257
Fax Number: 727-841-4575
Peoples Bank
6435 Ridge Road
New Port Richey, FL 34688
(727)841-6677
727-849-7703
email contact: http://www.peoplesflorida.com/contact.htm
Bourbon Street Night Club
4331 US Highway 19
New Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 843-0686
email: info@clubbourbonstreet.com
Pasco-Hernando Community College
10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey 34652
727-847-2727
727-844-7244
email: frances.bogan@mail.ph.cc.fl.us
2002-07-02 16:03:00