Welcome to his World of Chola!
Dear Newly Re-elected Mayor of Santa Ana,
Last Saturday, the OC Weekly wrote about how internet persona ‘Ask a Chola’ was really a wealthy white Santa Ana Loft Dweller and not a chola (d’uh) nor even a Chicana/Mexicana attempting political satire through a character of her people. Now I know you probably don’t even have a clue as to who this person is – you don’t even know when a human rights abuser like Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio comes to town – but she claims to be an artist and lives in your sanctioned ghost lofts. Ask a Chola claims to be on the side of raza but simple tenets of white privilege 101 escape her post-modern hyper-reality. You, by some accounts, have undergone a ‘Viva la Raza’ transformation yourself in the lead-up to your latest re-election. Does this mean that you will look the other way if foreclosed families squat in these ghost lofts of gentrification? Will your arts and culture vision turn to the grassroots institutions that come from the soil of the city as opposed to subsidizing imported ones? Santaneros want to know!
Signed,
Lil’ Joker
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Dear Lil’ Joker,
Thank you for the preguntas! You’re right! I don’t know about this Ask a Chola person. I’m sure she would approve of my support for Harvey Milk Day though and make some video podcast opposing what’s going on in Arizona, no? And forget about these lofts! Property has nothing to do with progressive politics! As for the arts, remember back when that Vietnamese Art Exhibit was expelled from my city? It had communist symbolism! (forget the context) Artist Colony Artists were silent as censorship akin to that exhibited by authoritarian regimes was displayed! It’s like when Ask a Chola deletes criticism off her Facebook fan page (or so I’ve been told!) What’s the problem? Eff the haters! As for those grassroots, homegrown institutions you refer to, I link to them from my spiffy new blog. What more do you want! Between you and I, I really don’t like Son Jarocho anyway. Whenever I do venture outside of my Floral Park abode, one of these annoying jaraneros pops up from under everywhere strumming and singing! It hurts my ears! Now, just remember Lil’ Joker, despite what you hear from haters, I’m progressive…. just like Ask a Chola is Mexican! (or Chicana, or art, or an anarchist or anything)
HAHAHAHAHAHA!
This is quite a stretch. Mayor Pulido has nothing to do with any of this. The fault lies with the young woman who decided to do these ridiculous videos.
Ask a who? It’s always fun to pull back the curtain on the Wiz or the bandanna in this case. In activist politics it is often said to go after Walt Disney, not Mickey Mouse, and that’s always true-“go after the big fish, not the guppy!”. In this case, I don’t think idiotic Pulido is the Big Fish, and my suspicion is that “Chola” was trying to imitate Ask a Mexican. Hipsters appropriating what they think are elements of ethnic cultures is as old as Kerouac and Ginsburg. Think about it, so many OC Weekly’s located in hipster coffee shops and one little Greek girl with a postmodern flair, a latte, and a dream.
Javier is correct. If you want to identify the inspiration for this fake Chola look no further than our beloved OC Weekly. Pulido had NOTHING to do with this episode.
Art — you don’t get it. And that’s not what my brother is getting at either.
Please return to the 4th estate of the blogosphere. It misses you.
Gabriel,
Oh I understand what you are trying to say. I just don’t buy such spin anymore.
Pulido is a lot of things but the villains in our town are the Usual Suspects, not Pulido. And he no longer does their bidding. They have been shut out of city hall. We should be applauding that.
Pulido is a lot of things indeed and you won’t say them anymore.
It’s a shame.
Why should I Gabriel? The Council majority is doing a good job. If they err, then we will deal with it.
Why should you? Because Pulido and the Council are not infallible gods. In the interest of dialogue, I care not if you have a genuine positive view of your local government. The tenets of the 4th estate notion, however, are at the most basic level there to place a ‘check’ on power. You were quite functional in that aspect and continue to be an idea generator – even if I don’t agree with all of them. I do care when I witness a complete cessation. (Correct me if I’m wrong)
The elections are over. If you favored this candidate or that one, it’s time – as it has always been – for critical evaluation. This doesn’t always have to be colored by negative overtones. Ever hear of constructive criticism?
You say “if they err.” No, it’s “when they err,” and I will hold you to your word.
There was a blog I loved that “spoke truth to power.”
I don’t remember its URL any more.
Pulido isn’t the big fish for sure. There is a shadow that casts over his city hall and his governance and we all know what’s casting it…he deserves criticism, though, for being subservient to be sure, especially from the critical voice of a fellow Mexicano…
Gabe, who does the shadow belong to? Help an outsider here.
Follow the money.
San Roman, I suggest you get some lemon and sqirt it all over your face! It great for bleaching the skin!
You need a ego booster!
OMG!!!!
What are you blabbering about?