Joey Cardenas joey_cardenas@hotmail.

com Linda Chavez et al Federal Case in El Paso

Dear LULAC Brothers and Sisters, Today, Mrs. Chavez, Mrs. Martinez, and myself, received word that the court in El Paso ruled in our favor in regards to National LULAC's prohibition keeping us to from running for any office within the organization. The court is clear in its interpretation of the permanent injunction that both parties agreed on and signed. We never agreed to eliminating ourselves from running for office at any level of LULAC. It is now clear that the ruling of the Texas legal advisor was wrong; that the ruling from the election judge in the San Antonio State LULAC convention, Roger Rocha, was wrong; and that the challenge to Mrs. Chavez and Martinez spearheaded by the National Legal Advisor, Manuel Escobar and Luis Vera, was wrong. However, brothers and sisters, let me assure you that this issue was never about Mrs. Chavez, Mrs. Martinez or myself, but rather it was about the general membership and the quality of organization that you are entitled to have. It is gratifying that the court sought to right this wrong. For while an organization may be entitled to its own affairs, it must do so under the rule of law. Today's court action is a victory for the membership of LULAC, and a first step to regaining our organization back from "leadership" that lacks vision and trust in Democratic principles. One of our country's founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin once said that any person wishing to give up any amount of liberty for the sake of security is deserving of neither. I must echo those sentiments here today, because Mrs. Chavez, Mrs. Martinez, myself, and a few others in our organization have been "shouldering" this burden for too long. The membership can not continue to expect others to fight its battles to maintain its liberties and rights given to them by the LULAC Constitution; you, the membership of LULAC must not be cynical but rather, you must re-dedicate yourself to the founding purposes of the organization and its

mission remembering that the price we pay for democracy is constant vigilance. And with this sense of obligation and ownership of the organization, you must participate in the organization to bring about a more progressive LULAC that will be ready for the challenges of the future for the sake of our children and grandchildren. We must not continue to look to the past as LULAC's glorious days or settle for the status quo because it is safe for us to do so. This court ruling can mean so much, but only if you choose it to be so. No doubt National LULAC will appeal this ruling because they lack vision to see what we see: an organization that is stagnant neither moving backwards nor forwards. So let us commit ourselves to re-energizing each other with the knowledge that the most glorious days our organization are not behind us, but rather yet to come in our children's future! This is the vision that we no doubt share together for our organization; I wish you continued success in your endeavors, and expect to be hearing shortly from Mrs. Martinez; Mrs. Chavez' statement is enclosed in the attachment. Please share with all those who want to improve our LULAC organization-joey