Answer Discussion Questions

Yo soy Joaquín. 1 by Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales 2 1967 3 4 I am Cuauhtémoc, proud and noble, 5 leader of men, king of an empire civilized 6 beyond the dreams of the gachupín Cortés, 7 who also is the blood, the image of myself. 8 I was part in blood and spirit of that 9 courageous village priest 10 Hidalgo who rang the bell of independence 11 and gave out that lasting cry-- 12 El Grito de Dolores 13 "Que mueran los gachupines y que viva la 14 Virgen de Guadalupe..." 15 I sentenced him who was me I 16 excommunicated him, my blood. 17 I am Joaquin. 18 I rode with Pancho Villa, 19 crude and warm, a tornado at full strength, 20 nourished and inspired by the passion and 21 the fire of all his earthy people. 22 I ride with revolutionists 23 against myself. 24 I have been the bloody revolution, 25 The victor, 26 The vanquished. 27 I have killed 28 And been killed. 29 I am the despots Díaz 30 And Huerta 31 And the apostle of democracy, 32 Francisco Madero. 33 I rode east and north 34 As far as the Rocky Mountains, 35 And 36 All men feared the guns of 37 Joaquín Murrieta. 38 I killed those men who dared 39 To steal my mine, 40 Who raped and killed my love 41 My wife. 42 Then I killed to stay alive. 43 I stand here looking back, 44 And now I see the present, 45 And still I am a campesino, 46 I am the fat political coyote– 47 I, 48

Of the same name, 49 Joaquín. 50 In a country that has wiped out 51 All my history, 52 Stifled all my pride, 53 In a country that has placed a 54 Different weight of indignity upon my age old 55 burdened back. 56 Inferiority is the new load . . . 57 I look at myself 58 And see part of me 59 Who rejects my father and my mother 60 And dissolves into the melting pot 61 To disappear in shame. 62 La raza! 63 Méjicano! 64 Español! 65 Latino! 66 Chicano! 67 Or whatever I call myself, 68 I look the same 69 I feel the same 70 I cry 71 And 72 Sing the same. 73 I am the masses of my people and 74 I refuse to be absorbed. 75 I am Joaquín. 76 The odds are great 77 But my spirit is strong, 78 My faith unbreakable, 79 My blood is pure. 80 I SHALL ENDURE! 81 I WILL ENDURE 82