Selected Interview Segments: Vernon Carl Allsup

  
  
  

Vernon Carl Allsup,
Author - The American G.I. Forum: Origins and Evolution.
Copyright 2007 South Texas Public Broadcasting System, INC.

Q: There's a pre-World War II view of Mexicans and Mexican-Americans by Anglos in Texas, that they are apparently inferior. Could you explain that stereotype?

A: In Texas there is a view that is both present and develops in the 19th century through the 20th century before World War II. In Texas, Anglo-Americans have a very clear perception of Mexican-Americans. It is that they are deficient intellectually. They are deficient morally. At best they have simple virtues such as the ability to love their children. But taking it beyond that they could not understand the complexities of an organization. They would not profit from the education. Indeed, the only education they would need would be enough that they could exist as workers. They would enjoy bright colors. They were a fun people, but they were not a people that could order their own lives. They had to be directed by the superior race and superior culture and that, of course, was Anglo-Americans.

Q: Talk about Mexican-American service in World War II, and their treatment after returning home.

A: Mexican-Americans as an ethnic group made tremendous and significant contributions during World War II. Many were already in the armed services. Twenty-five percent of the men in the Bataan death march were Mexican-American; which was considered one of the most horrendous and heroic acts by American service people during World War II. Mexican-Americans won seventeen medals of honors, which was the highest, for any, in terms of percentage of any ethnic group in the United States. Yet, when they returned, even during the war, and most particularly after the war, they found that their contributions, their service, and even particular instances with medal of honors winners, not only was not appreciated, it wasn't even noticed. It was basically dismissed because they were "just another Mexican."

Q: In your book, you write that there was a unique brand of school segregation found in Texas prior to World War II.

A: The common experience of a Mexican-American child entering the Texas school system would be to be placed in a separate facility based on what was called pedagogical deficiency. Simply meaning the inability to speak English. No tests were given in an objectified, uh, manner, and that is a test administered to all students. This was proven throughout the history of G.I. Forum, but for that student, they were placed in what was called a pre-first grade. Then they were place in a second year pre-first. Then they were in first grade, all based on language deficiency. All separate from, what would be called the normal, meaning Anglo-American, education. Perhaps they would reach by their fourth year, what would be called the normal first grade. Obviously, this produced a very frustrating experience for Mexican-American children, particularly those that couldn't speak Spanish.

Q: Let's talk about G.I. Forum's philosophy to follow Dr. Garcia as the leader. Can you talk about these former soldiers working together, and following a leader?

A: The G.I. Forum expanded based on their experiences during World War II. Meaning the experiences of being soldiers; of organizing for a goal; organizing to pursue an agenda; having leaders to both direct and guide in that experience. In this case, of course, it was leaders of their own communities and it was leaders who shared the agenda with them. But it was the ability to organize and pursue that agenda, to pursue that common goal, that stands out again and again in Forum activities so that when, for example, Dr. Garcia would organize, they would all be speaking the same language in terms of what to do.

The American G.I. forum does not have the word Mexican-American in its title. There's a clear reason for this. After World War II, in 1948 the cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union has begun. It is already popular on the part of opponents of social change, of social advancement for people of color, whether they African-Americans or Mexican-Americans or native-American, to label them as "un-American." the best way to do that in 1948, and in fact for many years after, was by calling them communist. There was a clear way to prevent this or to make it very difficult and that was to call attention to the service of these men and some women in World War II. It would be very difficult to call a World War II veteran, who served in a combat zone, a communist.

Q: Could you comment on Dr. Garcia's commitment to his people and his legacy?

A: Dr. Garcia began his work through the American G.I. Forum and then with the G.I. Forum. Never disassociating himself from the Mexican-American community in any way. His work never improved his material condition. He never sought that improvement. His work was devoted to the betterment of the Mexican-American community. His resources were devoted to the betterment of the Mexican-American community. The advantages that he had were those of his profession, his medical profession, but he took those advantages and he always placed them back in the community. He never lost his sense of his obligation to the community and his responsibilities to Mexican-Americans. He did the very best that he could and he never stopped doing it.

There are people in American history, in American society that are exceptional. I don't find that their "exceptionality" is based on intelligence. I don't find that it is based on any particular ability, any material ability or any intellectual ability. I find the "exceptionality" to be in their commitment and in their understanding of injustice and in bringing that understanding to their life. Those are the individuals who answer the needs of oppressed peoples. They are great men and they are great women and Dr. Garcia was one of those and he was a Mexican-American from the day he was born until he died. And he was proud of it and that was his legacy.