In recent months actor and comedian Paul Rodriguez has made known his defection from the Democratic party because of the partys lack of interest in helping drought-stricken farmers like himself in California who have had water denied to them by court order under the Endangered Species Act to save an endangered fish the delta smelt.
As he addressed the 2009 Annual California Republican Assembly Convention in May Rodriguez complained that the fundraising support he has given to environmental groups in the past has come back to hurt him and his family: I always saw myself as an environmentalist. ... Ive funded many of these things I guess because Ive performed for them. Every time they call you go there not really knowing what youre backing not knowing that those dollars are going to turn around and and hurt me hurt those I love the most. The complete audio of Rodriguezs speech can be found here.
As he recounted that environmentalists compare the delta smelt to the canary in a coal mine he quipped that environmentalists treat the farmer like the canary. Rodriguez quoted his uncle who used to be a coal miner: The job of the canary is to you know we were digging and were looking at the canary were digging and looking when the canary dies man you run the hell out of there! That canarys job is to die so you live see?"
He continued: And that really got to me and I said They got it wrong. They want the farmer to die and the canary to live."
Rodriguez the son of Mexican immigrants also spoke of his late fathers admiration for America and the good fortune one has in just getting to live in this country: He had a deep love for this country. He was grateful. He told me that he wasnt going to leave an inheritance for his children. He was going to leave something more important than that. He was going to leave them in a place with ideals and a place where you can become someone if you really wanted to you had a shot at it.
And in contrast to much of the mainstream medias habit of encouraging Republicans to moderate on social issues he suggested that the Republican partys conservative positions on issues like abortion and family values would be an advantage in attracting Hispanic voters. Rodriguez: You need to attract more of me or else youd be an endangered species. ... You know we have so much in common. A lot of the values that this party espouses we espouse. We believe strongly in family. We believe life is sacred.
Rodriguez lamented as he concluded his speech: It is tragic that in the most fertile soil that God has ever placed on any corner of this blue marble that we should have a desert where there should be a garden.
Rodriguez also appeared on FNCs Hannity show on June 19 and complained that the Obama administration has ignored his pleas for help: I think that when the Endangered Species Act was put on they didnt take humans into consideration. ... We tried to get the attention of the administration. Mr. Salazar was gracious enough to fly over our valley but didnt land. I dont know what. Theres plenty of places to land you know because theres no farming going on. Its pathetic. Video of the interview can be found here.
He soon called on President Obama to reconsider helping them: They dont understand that without the food that we grow in the valley your prices are going to go up. Its not going to help the economy. Putting 80000 of us out of work is not going to be a good stimulus package. I appeal to Mr. Obama to consider and look at us.
After conveying his history as a Democrat he relayed that his support for President Obama is fading and called on Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to visit the California farmland:
This has not only changed my political point of view it has changed everyone around me. We have always been lifelong devoted Democrats. I supported Mr. Obama. You know Im part of the I love you Mr. Obama group. But I -- that patina is starting to fade. I want -- I want my lover to call me. Theres 80000 of us over here hoping to get some precipitation here. We need to continue to farm and we need that water open badly. I appeal to Mr. Ken Salazar the interior secretary to please land this time talk to us come see us look at the faces that youre affecting.
Below is a complete transcript of Rodriguezs speech from the May 5 Annual California Republican Assembly Convention followed by a complete transcript of his appearance on the June 19 Hannity show on FNC:
#From the May 5 speech at the 2009 Annual California Republican Assembly Convention:
PAUL RODRIGUEZ: Well I already got two of you to stand up. I appreciate that. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I was watching you on TV last night.
RODRIGUEZ: Thank you. These are people that are you know theyre giving me like a down payment on what you may say. I want to thank all of you. Ive learned a lot and Im still willing to learn. Three years ago if you would have asked me what my political affiliation is I wouldnt have given it too much thought. I would have readily told you you know a Democrat. Its kind of like an unwritten law if youre a Mexican-American its an inheritance. You know for the most part were we are Catholic and we are Democrats. You cant change. Youll upset your parents. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
I remember many years since trying to contemplate the idea of joining the Grand Old Party and I said I better run this through Mom. I said Ma Dad sit down I want to talk to you." Before I could go any further they said Oh my God hes gay. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Ay Dios mio hes gay." I said No no no Mom Im thinking of being a Republican." She said I wish you were gay. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Please look what have we done?"
I went on two years ago I started this three years ago. Two years go I wasnt so sure what I was. Now I got a vague idea. You know I didnt seek this I guess we can call it a battle now. It came to me you know. My Mom called me up and she said You hear whats going on over here?" I said No Ma whats going on?" And she lives right outside of Fresno. And I figured nothing goes on there because thats Fresno. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) In fact if it wasnt for Bakersfield wed have nobody to look down on. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) God bless you folks here in Bakersfield.
Its just its just that home is where your mother lives and shes there. You know we came to this country we came as migrant farm workers we came very very poor but not of spirit. My father was a wonderful optimist. Excuse me let me help you with that. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) I feel bad Im the only Mexican here not working. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) You know I have found I hope you continue with that sense of humor when Im going through things that you may not agree so much on. But thats the beauty of it all that we can have dialogue.
This battle was ridiculous. I didnt believe it. I had to go check it out for myself. That a judge without the express will of the people without any kind of consultation or asking What do you think if we do this?" should allocate zero water to an industry that solely depends on its survival for that. If anyone has found a way to farm without water well then they should let us know because I dont know what that is.
You know if they would have given us 10 percent there would have been a percentage for us to negotiate for us to say perhaps we have been a little piggish with the water lets be more responsible how about five and you keep five? Like the song of my era said Billy Preston said it best that Nothing from nothing leaves nothing" and there was nothing to negotiate. To try to explain this to my friends in Hollywood or my friends in urban areas who dont understand why I dont go to the parties so much now why my agent has to always explain to me that I picked a dead horse. But its not one of the sexy issues Paul. Its not breast cancer. Youre not going to get a lot of media out of this you know. Youre not going to stand next to George Clooney and get exposed." But I swear to you that there are many other things that I could be doing to expose myself. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) UNINTELLIGIBLE figure out a way without resorting to this.
Sincerely from the bottom of my heart I did not get into this with any kind of ambitions whatsoever. I will swear on it right now that I have none zero political aspirations because if the Governor had skeletons in his closet Ive got bodies in mine. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) And I enjoy my privacy and I want to quickly return to that.
But this was ridiculous. I always saw myself as an environmentalist. I perhaps have Hollywood and perhaps UNINTELLIGIBLE to me Ive funded many of these things I guess because Ive performed for them. Every time they call you go there not really knowing what youre backing not knowing that those dollars are going to turn around and and hurt me hurt those I love the most.
You know it was it was really ridiculous to try to explain that my neighbors werent going to farm this season because they didnt have any water or their allocation and its so complicated and the opponents in this issue are quickly to remind you how ignorant or uninformed or downright stupid you are. Theyve said things like well oh theyre misinformed they dont really know the issues of it. Well thats true I will never be accused of being any kind of brain trust fund here but all I know is that we had water last year and I know what that looks like. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) And I know what a field without water looks like. And thats what we got there.
You realize that the people that Id most admired the people that have shaped me all of a sudden I had done something wrong because I didnt understand. Where was the United Farm Workers?" I said. Where are they? They should be on this." I knew Cesar Chavez. He knew me. We broke bread together. He came to my house. It wasnt a casual acquaintance. I remember briefly in Delano marching with him I was 12. He came to my home Ive got letters this wasnt someone that Ive heard of.
I remember one time after having him on my television show in Spanish which cost me that show because I had him on and all of a sudden the supermarkets that were sponsoring my program didnt. And I knew that that was going to happen but I was willing to pay that price because to me friendship has very very a very high value. And you dont give it away readily or take it. But when I heard comments that the UFW was not going to support any water towards farmers because they didnt want to advance or help the white farmer in any way I figured it was they who had been mis-educated and they didnt know what they were talking about because if you cant have a farmer you cant have a farm worker. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) You know? I have been both and I have been lousy at both. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) You can say anything but you got to admire my consistency. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
You know I wont be wordy. There are other speakers here that I want to hear and I am in a little bit of back pain but I expect more of it to come because Im not going anywhere. They think- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) -whatever accusations they may make of me bring it on. Before you try to out me Ill tell you exactly what I do and what I am. And a lot of it Im not proud of but thats just the way it is. You know you have to be able to stand on your own two feet
I happen to be the son of a wonderful man that never made the news when he passed but hes lying restfully and reedly and maybe that graveyard is not going to have enough water to water that lawn but Ill see to it its green because of my Dad. And the wonderful thing about my Dad is when he brought us to this country he didnt come here with no demands. He didnt come here as a matter of fact I always used to have to battle for my Dad to vote. And he would tell me he goes No I better not. I used to vote in Mexico and look what a mess I made over there. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) You know the gringos have done a pretty good job here Paul just let it be just let them continue to do that." It was pretty hard to argue with it you know. He had a deep love for this country. He was grateful. He told me that he wasnt going to leave an inheritance for his children. He was going to leave something more important than that. He was
going to leave them in a place with ideals and a place where you can become someone if you really wanted to you had a shot at it.
You know in Mexico the son of an irrigator which is what he used to do he used to irrigate bean fields in Sinaloa. That person does never have a shot at being any kind of celeb or to have the hope to achieve anything. If it does happen Ive not heard of it. So whatever I am in your eyes it really doesnt matter. I know what eyes some see through. And all the things that Ive gotten I am grateful for. And this is why Im here. We were migrant farm workers. The Lord smiled on me and I was able to make a few dollars and one time working with Mr. Bob Hope doing his last Christmas Special. I casually asked him you know how would I how would I I heard that he was very successful how would I double my dollar he goes Young man run out to the edge of town and if you have the money buy it anywhere thats here in these Lower Forty-Eight or if you can get up to Alaska or Hawaii anywhere thats in America" he says Buy a piece of land sit on it and you cant go wrong." And up to three years ago he was right. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
So there I am I bought my mom the proverbial farm we grew the sweetest oranges and are still growing them that the Central Valley can grow and the sourest lemons and a lot of olives and a lot of things. We are truly blessed to live in a land thats just like Canaan. Everything that you drop on there will grow. We have everything we need except resolve. You know the sad part about it is that the more I went to learn I learned that both parties cant even agree on how to store water. They cant even agree well should it be underground? Should it be above ground? How do we capture whats coming from the ground whats coming from the sky? Where do we put it? In the middle of a historic drought thats not going to get any easier were still battling over this. I say that I dont understand this much but there are two things that we the Latino Water Coalition want and that is a short-term solution open those pumps yesterday- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) -and a long-term solution a comprehensive plan so that we dont have this fight again.
Now when I say Latino Water Coalition" a lot of you automatically say Why Latino? Doesnt everyone need water Paul? Why just you Latinos? And as a Caucausian person I take offense to that. Why does everything have to be segregated?" I dont know. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) I dont know but were using this were using this race card in a positive manner a cloak. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE): You know everybodys welcome to this. The reason why we call it the Latino Water Coalition" because it gives them a pause. We better not attack these Latinos. We dont know." If we called it the Caucasian Coalition" you bet they would already been attacking us because Caucasians sadly to say whos defending you? I am. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) You know just to put that to rest theres no division. They came to me and God knows I wasnt asking for no kind of leadership.
Ive been in front of many many audiences over the 30 years of pretending to work. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) I seldom have been as nervous I think even the pain that I have in my back might be psychosomatic. Ive been performed in front of prisoners of San Quentin and both Afghanistan and Baghdad more than four times back there- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) -and I swear to you on the way over here I almost had pause and think of my words and to show you the truth heres my idea of a speech that I dont seem to need now because Ive connected with you. I want you to know Im speaking off the cuff Im telling you this that you have become allies of mine because all the things that Ive heard about you like most of the things that you might perceive about me more than likely they more than likely are wrong. The reason why these things exist is because of fear.
When I was a young man I was indoctrinated believe of the evil the incarnate evil of the white farmer who mistreated his workers and cared more about his John Deere than Juan. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Although I never met that person. Although if we ever received kindness was from farmers who treated us decently with respect. Thats what I can remember. I never heard my father complain. And Im not defending or kissing or becoming a coconut or whatever label you want to put on me. Im simply telling you what happened to me. Im not speaking for the other 40 people in my house. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Me.
I wont be too long. What it is is this. The more I try to learn the more I realize that the people who are our opponents the environmentalists I believe in their sincerity. This is what makes them dangerous. Theyre sincere in their beliefs theyre dedicated they have the tenacity of a Jehovah Witness. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER): Thats what makes them formidable. We must have even more tenacity than them. We must be able- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE): -the kind of fear that theyre able to instill in politicians and elected officials. When I first started to knock on doors you know they would say Well who is this guy?" You know. He doesnt even have a hit show." But I wasnt there as the comedian I was there as a citizen the same rights that you have.
I wanted to see. It happened that a lot of those politicians there I had helped to elect but Id knocked on doors for Fabian Nunez. At one time I was the only game in town. Every time they needed an entertainer for a banquet to raise money I was Juan on the spot. I was happy to do it. I felt that was the most I could help my community to give to them you know but when I knock on the door and it wasnt to have a parking ticket fixed or anything like that. It wasnt something for me it was for my area You know Fabian the people over here they need water I got a farm whats up?" Wouldnt see me. Wouldnt see me. The first people that saw me were Republicans. And I said- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Whats going on? Why are they so slow on this?"
Id been friends with Cruz Bustamante. I remember traveling with him places to go to casinos to raise funds and I told him I said You know be careful Cruz theyre going to turn and use this on you." And he said Oh its legal." And I said Theres a lot of things that are legal that might look immoral." And I dont know anything about politics. It has never been my favorite topic. I couldnt begin to tell political jokes. Theyre just not funny to me because I mean most of them are in office. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) And that way its terrible to talk of. But this has really been personal you know. When all the mayors when all the elected officials of the valley I call home came to me with a petition and I said Why me?" they go Why the Governor is in show business and youre in show business you guys got something in common. Youll see each other" We dont have anything in common other than we both mangle the English language you know thats it the fact that we would probably need an interpreter to communicate we dont have nothing in common. But if I could help I would. The more I started to learn about this the more I realized how something so simple as turning on a pump can be so cumbersome with red tape and You dont understand the politics" and Its going to take more of this its going to take more of that."
You learn that there are two pumps one is state and one is federal. I dont really care. Does a farmer if your house is on fire do you care if that fire is being put out by federal or state water? You want the fire off. They dont seem to understand the urgency. Wait you know its going to take its a slow process were going to get there." I my trees cant wait the cattle cant wait. You dont wait water is not water is way up there with like breathing. Water is not a its not a privilege its not a right its something its life itself if youre going to function. I can give you statistics and examples but that would be just a waste of time. Im sure youre educated. Im sure you know. Im probably preaching to well I know Im preaching to people who are more allied in my views because I can tell you folks know something about farms.
You know when you go to the U.S. offices of the Latino caucuses the representatives all those people that werent there some 25 years ago when myself and several others started to work towards that and now they proudly have flags of the UFW here and there and they all espouse Oh you know I used to pick grapes and you know the apples and the things- You can tell that if they ever did that theyd picked it at a supermarket you know. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) We all pretty much knew each other and I dont remember them.
My uncle Figueroa Pantoja he was a legend in that area Pantoja Trucking he had trucks and he knew about that and so he was a contractor some very very hard work and there were so many other issues that we would talk about you know that we might have disagreement or agreement on but Im not worried about that. I knew that if I could get you or whoever to listen to me to agree on one just one issue water put all issues aside and this march that I called for because I didnt know any better I was afraid I was expecting maybe myself and I dont know three or four other people out there marching you know. To my amazement this swelled to 5000 the first day the middle days we went 1500 the lowest we had was 1000. And the last day we topped 10000 people. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)
And marching out there unlike the other marches that I had saw I was marching next to white farmers next to Sykh businessmen next to Mexicans like ourselves Americans first. We were all marching along and there were no Mexican flags because I dont want no Mexican flags. We dont live in Mexico. It is not my country. I was not in the Mexican Air Force. I dont know if they have one. Im tired of apologizing for a country I dont run.
And this is where you have to also distinguish. Until you can see Hispanic-Americans with the same interest and we can see you in the same way we will both wither. We need to coalesce. We need to fight the Endangered Species Act. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)
And you look around the room you need to attract more of me or else youd be an endangered species. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Theres no shame in that. You know we have so much in common. A lot of the values that this party espouses we espouse. We believe strongly in family. We believe life is sacred. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) It might not be the popular belief but this is what we believe.
And we believe we have the right to believe you know and when I was in Baghdad when I was in other places when its all said and done the conflict there is religious conflict thats all I know some people are against this or for this. I dont even go there. All I know is I was in the service and when I ... saw a USO show and it sure made me feel good. Now I have an opportunity Ill go there. Im not pro-war Im not against war as I watch these young kids Marines here they werent too much older than that the ones I saw in the hospital. Lets just make sure that that blood was shed for a reason. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Lets make sure than when they come back theres a reason why that price the highest of all prices was paid. Not frivolously send someone there.
You know as I close Ill tell you this. Its I dont know what Im going to do next but I know Im going to do something because Im not going to sit there and see a canal with plenty of water go right by my property and my property has no water. Im not going to sit there and see my family suffer needlessly. And if its illegal for me to take a back hoe (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE) and open up and make a canal then Ive already been accused of being illegal once before. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
The most wonderful thing that Ive gotten from this march is the friendship the camaraderie a sense of importance not self but our cause is just. I talked to farmers that were vilified. I talked to farmers that realized that hey this was my neighbor man and we had something in common and we might we reserve the right to disagree on a lot of things. So what? We found something to agree on and that is a foundation. That is something we can have communication. We can talk about that. And we realize that they have the same fears we do perhaps some of the prejudice that we have to look inside ourselves. We have to also look to the fact that whether we like it or not were here youre here Im here. And its not such a bad deal. If you realize that and if you can understand that whether you like it or I like it or it doesnt really matter facts are facts. When they want to cut this water off Ill say to myself What ulterior motives could they possibly have? How do they want to revert this pristine country back to how it was? They want to return the salmon back to the Sacramento. They want to do all these things. At what price? At what price do they want to do that?"
They tell me that the delta smelt is the canary in the mine they say a wonderful metaphor the canary in the mine. And I said to myself well Im not a miner but my uncle was a miner. He mined coal in Chihuaha and Ill ask him and he said Oh yeah yeah theres a canary oh yeah. The job of the canary is to you know we were digging and were looking at the canary were digging and looking when the canary dies man you run the hell out of there! That canarys job is to die so you live see?" And that really got to me and I said They got it wrong. They want the farmer to die and the canary to live." (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Thats not going to happen. You know damn I wish I would have closed with that one! (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) But it was.
I want to show you what happened. I want to show you what happened. Give me a second. I want to show you what happened. So you can look at that and you look at that and you say you know maybe Ill join them next time because theres going to be more. This time were going to go to Washington. Were going to try to do it the legal the proper way but you know desperate men do desperate things and this is Im not exaggerating this you got it because I know where the pumps are. And I know that somebody out there could be my friend someone out there knows how to run those pumps someone out there has a blow torch someone out there knows how to make this water run. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) All were missing is resolve and a friendship that we must promise to each other that one day when this is over and it will be because summer is coming and I dont expect to go without water maybe you and I and our families can get to knoweach other and we can have a park and we can barbecue and we can eat all the things we grow because it is tragic that in the most fertile soil that God has ever placed on any corner of this blue marble that we should have a desert where there should be a garden.
In recent months actor and comedian Paul Rodriguez has made known his defection from the Democratic party because of the partys lack of interest in helping drought-stricken farmers like himself in California who have had water denied to them by court order under the Endangered Species Act to save an endangered fish the delta smelt.
As he addressed the 2009 Annual California Republican Assembly Convention in May Rodriguez complained that the fundraising support he has given to environmental groups in the past has come back to hurt him and his family: I always saw myself as an environmentalist. ... Ive funded many of these things I guess because Ive performed for them. Every time they call you go there not really knowing what youre backing not knowing that those dollars are going to turn around and and hurt me hurt those I love the most. The complete audio of Rodriguezs speech can be found here.
As he recounted that environmentalists compare the delta smelt to the canary in a coal mine he quipped that environmentalists treat the farmer like the canary. Rodriguez quoted his uncle who used to be a coal miner: The job of the canary is to you know we were digging and were looking at the canary were digging and looking when the canary dies man you run the hell out of there! That canarys job is to die so you live see?"
He continued: And that really got to me and I said They got it wrong. They want the farmer to die and the canary to live."
Rodriguez the son of Mexican immigrants also spoke of his late fathers admiration for America and the good fortune one has in just getting to live in this country: He had a deep love for this country. He was grateful. He told me that he wasnt going to leave an inheritance for his children. He was going to leave something more important than that. He was going to leave them in a place with ideals and a place where you can become someone if you really wanted to you had a shot at it.
And in contrast to much of the mainstream medias habit of encouraging Republicans to moderate on social issues he suggested that the Republican partys conservative positions on issues like abortion and family values would be an advantage in attracting Hispanic voters. Rodriguez: You need to attract more of me or else youd be an endangered species. ... You know we have so much in common. A lot of the values that this party espouses we espouse. We believe strongly in family. We believe life is sacred.
Rodriguez lamented as he concluded his speech: It is tragic that in the most fertile soil that God has ever placed on any corner of this blue marble that we should have a desert where there should be a garden.
Rodriguez also appeared on FNCs Hannity show on June 19 and complained that the Obama administration has ignored his pleas for help: I think that when the Endangered Species Act was put on they didnt take humans into consideration. ... We tried to get the attention of the administration. Mr. Salazar was gracious enough to fly over our valley but didnt land. I dont know what. Theres plenty of places to land you know because theres no farming going on. Its pathetic. Video of the interview can be found here.
He soon called on President Obama to reconsider helping them: They dont understand that without the food that we grow in the valley your prices are going to go up. Its not going to help the economy. Putting 80000 of us out of work is not going to be a good stimulus package. I appeal to Mr. Obama to consider and look at us.
After conveying his history as a Democrat he relayed that his support for President Obama is fading and called on Interior Secretary Ken Salazar to visit the California farmland:
This has not only changed my political point of view it has changed everyone around me. We have always been lifelong devoted Democrats. I supported Mr. Obama. You know Im part of the I love you Mr. Obama group. But I -- that patina is starting to fade. I want -- I want my lover to call me. Theres 80000 of us over here hoping to get some precipitation here. We need to continue to farm and we need that water open badly. I appeal to Mr. Ken Salazar the interior secretary to please land this time talk to us come see us look at the faces that youre affecting.
Below is a complete transcript of Rodriguezs speech from the May 5 Annual California Republican Assembly Convention followed by a complete transcript of his appearance on the June 19 Hannity show on FNC:
#From the May 5 speech at the 2009 Annual California Republican Assembly Convention:
PAUL RODRIGUEZ: Well I already got two of you to stand up. I appreciate that. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I was watching you on TV last night.
RODRIGUEZ: Thank you. These are people that are you know theyre giving me like a down payment on what you may say. I want to thank all of you. Ive learned a lot and Im still willing to learn. Three years ago if you would have asked me what my political affiliation is I wouldnt have given it too much thought. I would have readily told you you know a Democrat. Its kind of like an unwritten law if youre a Mexican-American its an inheritance. You know for the most part were we are Catholic and we are Democrats. You cant change. Youll upset your parents. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
I remember many years since trying to contemplate the idea of joining the Grand Old Party and I said I better run this through Mom. I said Ma Dad sit down I want to talk to you." Before I could go any further they said Oh my God hes gay. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Ay Dios mio hes gay." I said No no no Mom Im thinking of being a Republican." She said I wish you were gay. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Please look what have we done?"
I went on two years ago I started this three years ago. Two years go I wasnt so sure what I was. Now I got a vague idea. You know I didnt seek this I guess we can call it a battle now. It came to me you know. My Mom called me up and she said You hear whats going on over here?" I said No Ma whats going on?" And she lives right outside of Fresno. And I figured nothing goes on there because thats Fresno. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) In fact if it wasnt for Bakersfield wed have nobody to look down on. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) God bless you folks here in Bakersfield.
Its just its just that home is where your mother lives and shes there. You know we came to this country we came as migrant farm workers we came very very poor but not of spirit. My father was a wonderful optimist. Excuse me let me help you with that. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) I feel bad Im the only Mexican here not working. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) You know I have found I hope you continue with that sense of humor when Im going through things that you may not agree so much on. But thats the beauty of it all that we can have dialogue.
This battle was ridiculous. I didnt believe it. I had to go check it out for myself. That a judge without the express will of the people without any kind of consultation or asking What do you think if we do this?" should allocate zero water to an industry that solely depends on its survival for that. If anyone has found a way to farm without water well then they should let us know because I dont know what that is.
You know if they would have given us 10 percent there would have been a percentage for us to negotiate for us to say perhaps we have been a little piggish with the water lets be more responsible how about five and you keep five? Like the song of my era said Billy Preston said it best that Nothing from nothing leaves nothing" and there was nothing to negotiate. To try to explain this to my friends in Hollywood or my friends in urban areas who dont understand why I dont go to the parties so much now why my agent has to always explain to me that I picked a dead horse. But its not one of the sexy issues Paul. Its not breast cancer. Youre not going to get a lot of media out of this you know. Youre not going to stand next to George Clooney and get exposed." But I swear to you that there are many other things that I could be doing to expose myself. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) UNINTELLIGIBLE figure out a way without resorting to this.
Sincerely from the bottom of my heart I did not get into this with any kind of ambitions whatsoever. I will swear on it right now that I have none zero political aspirations because if the Governor had skeletons in his closet Ive got bodies in mine. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) And I enjoy my privacy and I want to quickly return to that.
But this was ridiculous. I always saw myself as an environmentalist. I perhaps have Hollywood and perhaps UNINTELLIGIBLE to me Ive funded many of these things I guess because Ive performed for them. Every time they call you go there not really knowing what youre backing not knowing that those dollars are going to turn around and and hurt me hurt those I love the most.
You know it was it was really ridiculous to try to explain that my neighbors werent going to farm this season because they didnt have any water or their allocation and its so complicated and the opponents in this issue are quickly to remind you how ignorant or uninformed or downright stupid you are. Theyve said things like well oh theyre misinformed they dont really know the issues of it. Well thats true I will never be accused of being any kind of brain trust fund here but all I know is that we had water last year and I know what that looks like. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) And I know what a field without water looks like. And thats what we got there.
You realize that the people that Id most admired the people that have shaped me all of a sudden I had done something wrong because I didnt understand. Where was the United Farm Workers?" I said. Where are they? They should be on this." I knew Cesar Chavez. He knew me. We broke bread together. He came to my house. It wasnt a casual acquaintance. I remember briefly in Delano marching with him I was 12. He came to my home Ive got letters this wasnt someone that Ive heard of.
I remember one time after having him on my television show in Spanish which cost me that show because I had him on and all of a sudden the supermarkets that were sponsoring my program didnt. And I knew that that was going to happen but I was willing to pay that price because to me friendship has very very a very high value. And you dont give it away readily or take it. But when I heard comments that the UFW was not going to support any water towards farmers because they didnt want to advance or help the white farmer in any way I figured it was they who had been mis-educated and they didnt know what they were talking about because if you cant have a farmer you cant have a farm worker. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) You know? I have been both and I have been lousy at both. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) You can say anything but you got to admire my consistency. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
You know I wont be wordy. There are other speakers here that I want to hear and I am in a little bit of back pain but I expect more of it to come because Im not going anywhere. They think- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) -whatever accusations they may make of me bring it on. Before you try to out me Ill tell you exactly what I do and what I am. And a lot of it Im not proud of but thats just the way it is. You know you have to be able to stand on your own two feet
I happen to be the son of a wonderful man that never made the news when he passed but hes lying restfully and reedly and maybe that graveyard is not going to have enough water to water that lawn but Ill see to it its green because of my Dad. And the wonderful thing about my Dad is when he brought us to this country he didnt come here with no demands. He didnt come here as a matter of fact I always used to have to battle for my Dad to vote. And he would tell me he goes No I better not. I used to vote in Mexico and look what a mess I made over there. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) You know the gringos have done a pretty good job here Paul just let it be just let them continue to do that." It was pretty hard to argue with it you know. He had a deep love for this country. He was grateful. He told me that he wasnt going to leave an inheritance for his children. He was going to leave something more important than that. He was
going to leave them in a place with ideals and a place where you can become someone if you really wanted to you had a shot at it.
You know in Mexico the son of an irrigator which is what he used to do he used to irrigate bean fields in Sinaloa. That person does never have a shot at being any kind of celeb or to have the hope to achieve anything. If it does happen Ive not heard of it. So whatever I am in your eyes it really doesnt matter. I know what eyes some see through. And all the things that Ive gotten I am grateful for. And this is why Im here. We were migrant farm workers. The Lord smiled on me and I was able to make a few dollars and one time working with Mr. Bob Hope doing his last Christmas Special. I casually asked him you know how would I how would I I heard that he was very successful how would I double my dollar he goes Young man run out to the edge of town and if you have the money buy it anywhere thats here in these Lower Forty-Eight or if you can get up to Alaska or Hawaii anywhere thats in America" he says Buy a piece of land sit on it and you cant go wrong." And up to three years ago he was right. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
So there I am I bought my mom the proverbial farm we grew the sweetest oranges and are still growing them that the Central Valley can grow and the sourest lemons and a lot of olives and a lot of things. We are truly blessed to live in a land thats just like Canaan. Everything that you drop on there will grow. We have everything we need except resolve. You know the sad part about it is that the more I went to learn I learned that both parties cant even agree on how to store water. They cant even agree well should it be underground? Should it be above ground? How do we capture whats coming from the ground whats coming from the sky? Where do we put it? In the middle of a historic drought thats not going to get any easier were still battling over this. I say that I dont understand this much but there are two things that we the Latino Water Coalition want and that is a short-term solution open those pumps yesterday- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) -and a long-term solution a comprehensive plan so that we dont have this fight again.
Now when I say Latino Water Coalition" a lot of you automatically say Why Latino? Doesnt everyone need water Paul? Why just you Latinos? And as a Caucausian person I take offense to that. Why does everything have to be segregated?" I dont know. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) I dont know but were using this were using this race card in a positive manner a cloak. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE): You know everybodys welcome to this. The reason why we call it the Latino Water Coalition" because it gives them a pause. We better not attack these Latinos. We dont know." If we called it the Caucasian Coalition" you bet they would already been attacking us because Caucasians sadly to say whos defending you? I am. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) You know just to put that to rest theres no division. They came to me and God knows I wasnt asking for no kind of leadership.
Ive been in front of many many audiences over the 30 years of pretending to work. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) I seldom have been as nervous I think even the pain that I have in my back might be psychosomatic. Ive been performed in front of prisoners of San Quentin and both Afghanistan and Baghdad more than four times back there- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) -and I swear to you on the way over here I almost had pause and think of my words and to show you the truth heres my idea of a speech that I dont seem to need now because Ive connected with you. I want you to know Im speaking off the cuff Im telling you this that you have become allies of mine because all the things that Ive heard about you like most of the things that you might perceive about me more than likely they more than likely are wrong. The reason why these things exist is because of fear.
When I was a young man I was indoctrinated believe of the evil the incarnate evil of the white farmer who mistreated his workers and cared more about his John Deere than Juan. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Although I never met that person. Although if we ever received kindness was from farmers who treated us decently with respect. Thats what I can remember. I never heard my father complain. And Im not defending or kissing or becoming a coconut or whatever label you want to put on me. Im simply telling you what happened to me. Im not speaking for the other 40 people in my house. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) Me.
I wont be too long. What it is is this. The more I try to learn the more I realize that the people who are our opponents the environmentalists I believe in their sincerity. This is what makes them dangerous. Theyre sincere in their beliefs theyre dedicated they have the tenacity of a Jehovah Witness. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER): Thats what makes them formidable. We must have even more tenacity than them. We must be able- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE): -the kind of fear that theyre able to instill in politicians and elected officials. When I first started to knock on doors you know they would say Well who is this guy?" You know. He doesnt even have a hit show." But I wasnt there as the comedian I was there as a citizen the same rights that you have.
I wanted to see. It happened that a lot of those politicians there I had helped to elect but Id knocked on doors for Fabian Nunez. At one time I was the only game in town. Every time they needed an entertainer for a banquet to raise money I was Juan on the spot. I was happy to do it. I felt that was the most I could help my community to give to them you know but when I knock on the door and it wasnt to have a parking ticket fixed or anything like that. It wasnt something for me it was for my area You know Fabian the people over here they need water I got a farm whats up?" Wouldnt see me. Wouldnt see me. The first people that saw me were Republicans. And I said- (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Whats going on? Why are they so slow on this?"
Id been friends with Cruz Bustamante. I remember traveling with him places to go to casinos to raise funds and I told him I said You know be careful Cruz theyre going to turn and use this on you." And he said Oh its legal." And I said Theres a lot of things that are legal that might look immoral." And I dont know anything about politics. It has never been my favorite topic. I couldnt begin to tell political jokes. Theyre just not funny to me because I mean most of them are in office. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) And that way its terrible to talk of. But this has really been personal you know. When all the mayors when all the elected officials of the valley I call home came to me with a petition and I said Why me?" they go Why the Governor is in show business and youre in show business you guys got something in common. Youll see each other" We dont have anything in common other than we both mangle the English language you know thats it the fact that we would probably need an interpreter to communicate we dont have nothing in common. But if I could help I would. The more I started to learn about this the more I realized how something so simple as turning on a pump can be so cumbersome with red tape and You dont understand the politics" and Its going to take more of this its going to take more of that."
You learn that there are two pumps one is state and one is federal. I dont really care. Does a farmer if your house is on fire do you care if that fire is being put out by federal or state water? You want the fire off. They dont seem to understand the urgency. Wait you know its going to take its a slow process were going to get there." I my trees cant wait the cattle cant wait. You dont wait water is not water is way up there with like breathing. Water is not a its not a privilege its not a right its something its life itself if youre going to function. I can give you statistics and examples but that would be just a waste of time. Im sure youre educated. Im sure you know. Im probably preaching to well I know Im preaching to people who are more allied in my views because I can tell you folks know something about farms.
You know when you go to the U.S. offices of the Latino caucuses the representatives all those people that werent there some 25 years ago when myself and several others started to work towards that and now they proudly have flags of the UFW here and there and they all espouse Oh you know I used to pick grapes and you know the apples and the things- You can tell that if they ever did that theyd picked it at a supermarket you know. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) We all pretty much knew each other and I dont remember them.
My uncle Figueroa Pantoja he was a legend in that area Pantoja Trucking he had trucks and he knew about that and so he was a contractor some very very hard work and there were so many other issues that we would talk about you know that we might have disagreement or agreement on but Im not worried about that. I knew that if I could get you or whoever to listen to me to agree on one just one issue water put all issues aside and this march that I called for because I didnt know any better I was afraid I was expecting maybe myself and I dont know three or four other people out there marching you know. To my amazement this swelled to 5000 the first day the middle days we went 1500 the lowest we had was 1000. And the last day we topped 10000 people. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)
And marching out there unlike the other marches that I had saw I was marching next to white farmers next to Sykh businessmen next to Mexicans like ourselves Americans first. We were all marching along and there were no Mexican flags because I dont want no Mexican flags. We dont live in Mexico. It is not my country. I was not in the Mexican Air Force. I dont know if they have one. Im tired of apologizing for a country I dont run.
And this is where you have to also distinguish. Until you can see Hispanic-Americans with the same interest and we can see you in the same way we will both wither. We need to coalesce. We need to fight the Endangered Species Act. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE)
And you look around the room you need to attract more of me or else youd be an endangered species. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Theres no shame in that. You know we have so much in common. A lot of the values that this party espouses we espouse. We believe strongly in family. We believe life is sacred. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) It might not be the popular belief but this is what we believe.
And we believe we have the right to believe you know and when I was in Baghdad when I was in other places when its all said and done the conflict there is religious conflict thats all I know some people are against this or for this. I dont even go there. All I know is I was in the service and when I ... saw a USO show and it sure made me feel good. Now I have an opportunity Ill go there. Im not pro-war Im not against war as I watch these young kids Marines here they werent too much older than that the ones I saw in the hospital. Lets just make sure that that blood was shed for a reason. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Lets make sure than when they come back theres a reason why that price the highest of all prices was paid. Not frivolously send someone there.
You know as I close Ill tell you this. Its I dont know what Im going to do next but I know Im going to do something because Im not going to sit there and see a canal with plenty of water go right by my property and my property has no water. Im not going to sit there and see my family suffer needlessly. And if its illegal for me to take a back hoe (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE) and open up and make a canal then Ive already been accused of being illegal once before. (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER)
The most wonderful thing that Ive gotten from this march is the friendship the camaraderie a sense of importance not self but our cause is just. I talked to farmers that were vilified. I talked to farmers that realized that hey this was my neighbor man and we had something in common and we might we reserve the right to disagree on a lot of things. So what? We found something to agree on and that is a foundation. That is something we can have communication. We can talk about that. And we realize that they have the same fears we do perhaps some of the prejudice that we have to look inside ourselves. We have to also look to the fact that whether we like it or not were here youre here Im here. And its not such a bad deal. If you realize that and if you can understand that whether you like it or I like it or it doesnt really matter facts are facts. When they want to cut this water off Ill say to myself What ulterior motives could they possibly have? How do they want to revert this pristine country back to how it was? They want to return the salmon back to the Sacramento. They want to do all these things. At what price? At what price do they want to do that?"
They tell me that the delta smelt is the canary in the mine they say a wonderful metaphor the canary in the mine. And I said to myself well Im not a miner but my uncle was a miner. He mined coal in Chihuaha and Ill ask him and he said Oh yeah yeah theres a canary oh yeah. The job of the canary is to you know we were digging and were looking at the canary were digging and looking when the canary dies man you run the hell out of there! That canarys job is to die so you live see?" And that really got to me and I said They got it wrong. They want the farmer to die and the canary to live." (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) Thats not going to happen. You know damn I wish I would have closed with that one! (AUDIENCE LAUGHTER) But it was.
I want to show you what happened. I want to show you what happened. Give me a second. I want to show you what happened. So you can look at that and you look at that and you say you know maybe Ill join them next time because theres going to be more. This time were going to go to Washington. Were going to try to do it the legal the proper way but you know desperate men do desperate things and this is Im not exaggerating this you got it because I know where the pumps are. And I know that somebody out there could be my friend someone out there knows how to run those pumps someone out there has a blow torch someone out there knows how to make this water run. (AUDIENCE APPLAUSE) All were missing is resolve and a friendship that we must promise to each other that one day when this is over and it will be because summer is coming and I dont expect to go without water maybe you and I and our families can get to knoweach other and we can have a park and we can barbecue and we can eat all the things we grow because it is tragic that in the most fertile soil that God has ever placed on any corner of this blue marble that we should have a desert where there should be a garden.
