About a month ago, I went to a mixer celebrating the Latino OC 100, a list honoring the 100 most influential Latinos in Orange County (full disclosure: this wab made the list). At the mixer, I was accosted by various Chicano All-Stars who took issue with my article criticizing Nativo Lopez, he of the fabulous cow lick and self-promoting ways. One pendejo, in particular, assured me Nativo does all his camera-mugging for a cause greater than he. “He's really a humble person,” Nativo's friend insisted. “He's not looking for any recognition.”
So much for that lie. Lopez is scheduled to speak at Socialism 2006 a weekend conference at Columbia University scheduled from June 22 through the 25. In his brief bio, Lopez is described as “a leading organizer of the massive immigrant rights demonstrations in LA, and a crucial voice in the burgeoning immigrant civil rights movement.”
Who knows if Lopez actually wrote that blurb, but one thing is clear: Nativo doesn't mind the adulation even if it's wrong. One, the immigrant-rights marches succeeded not because of organizers (and if any credit goes to organizers, it should be to Spanish-languade DJs such as SanTana native El Piolín) but because they were organic. More importantly, Lopez's voice is little more than shrill, embarrassing claptrap. I'll never forget when Lopez and I were on the Al Rantel Show, and Al asked us if we believed Mexicans had a right to enter the Southwest because it was once theirs. I dismissed that belief as irredentist idiocy, but Lopez would not answer the question straight. Next time you see Lopez, ask him the question and watch him justify reconquista.
P.S.: Wish we could post the picture accompanying Lopez's bio on the Socialism 2006 website–the man looks smug as hell. But we're not that web-savvy, and our blogging system pela.
