Right Time for a Chavez Holiday

The idea of a state holiday honoring Cesar Chavez has been raised in the Legislature before; such a proposal passed in 1993, only to be vetoed by then-Gov. Pete Wilson, who called Chavez too controversial. Now the torch for a Chavez holiday is being raised again, and the effort deserves to succeed for many reasons, including the need for a diverse panoply of heroes in a state like California. State Sen. Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) took up the cause with a bill to mark March 31 as Cesar Chavez Day, including a paid holiday for state workers and a day off for schoolchildren on the first Monday or the first Friday after that date.

Supporters include Assembly Speaker Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles) and Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D-San Francisco), as well as Gov. Gray Davis. There were plans to try for passage on Chavez’s birth date, last Friday, but the measure was derailed by proposals to include several programs for farm workers under the argument that a holiday for Chavez must do something tangible for the people he represented. It’s a noble thought, but such programs should be considered separately. Villaraigosa is crafting a separate bill to assist farm workers and their children.

Chavez’s life was dedicated to the betterment of farm workers, and his impact on the state’s largest industry, agriculture, and indeed on all of California was great. Chavez, who died in 1993 at age 66, was not the first person to try to organize farm laborers to improve their lot. Many courageous and well-meaning leaders preceded him. But he was the one who succeeded the most. “Si, se puede” was his slogan, “Yes, it can be done.” And so should it be with a state holiday.