The Orion Online

Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: Online Exclusives

Media Credit: David Flannery People pack the Delta Psi Delta fraternity house to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day. Police were on hand throughout the day and patrolled the downtown area to make sure house parties did not get out of hand. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: David Flannery Liz Shea, Natalie Carnes and Erin Downing dance to the Hooliganz performance at the Theta Psi Theta Cesar Chavez Day party Monday. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: David Flannery A student partier displays her attitude toward Chavez on her sombrero during a Theta Chi party on Second Street. Many students wore ponchos, sombreros, fake mustaches and red, green, yellow and white and drank Mexican alcohol to show their spirit. [Click to enlarge]

April, 2 2008

Coming at the end of a three-day weekend, some students used Cesar Chavez Day to recover rather than party.

"It's calmed down a bit from the past, but there will always be students drinking," said senior Brian Sowden. "I mean, come on, we get the day off."

Police anticipated an increase in activity Monday but nothing big, said Sgt. Dave Barrow of the Chico Police Department. They staffed up with about eight extra officers for a total of about 15 on duty with multiple shifts.

"Cesar Chavez Day hasn't been that significant compared to other days like St. Patty's, Halloween or Labor Day," he said. "I still don't really get the party connection."

Police made 16 arrests Monday, with five drunk in publics and four DUIs. The activity level was busier than police anticipated and increased in the late afternoon, Barrow said.

The morning was slow and police figured it was from an increase in activity during the weekend, he said.

Officers arrested 60 people from Friday to early Monday, with 22 drunk in publics and 14 DUIs. Normal Mondays have only one or two alcohol-related arrests, he said.

Good weather and the three-day weekend were probable factors in the increase, but it's unclear if the activity was directly related to Cesar Chavez Day, Barrow said.

"(Students) have an extra day, and it is nice weather, it's bound to be a bit busier," he said. "Could this have happened another weekend? Who really knows. Maybe."

But partying on Cesar Chavez Day is a sensitive issue for some students, said senior Jesus Torres, director of university affairs for Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan, a political group on campus.

MEChA members try to educate people about Cesar Chavez and want to make his birthday, March 31, a national holiday, he said.

Chavez was a labor activist and a leader of the United Farm Workers. He worked to improve the working conditions and salaries of farm workers.

"He lived down to his profound philosophy," Torres said. "He's a national hero for that."

Torres thinks Chavez belongs in the same category as Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. and should be treated the same, he said.

When students treat Cesar Chavez Day as another day to party and dress up as immigrants or farm workers, it becomes offensive, Torres said.

"If we dressed up or made mockery out of Martin Luther King Jr. people wouldn't like that," he said. "It's crossing the line and a slap in the face."

Students don't try to be disrespectful, they just aren't aware of the history, Torres said.

Sowden disagrees and thinks students do know about Chavez and drinking on the holiday isn't offensive, he said.

"Students are just having a good time, and it's not mocking anybody," he said.

Wearing sombreros on Cesar Chavez Day is the same as wearing green and drinking green beer on St. Patrick's Day, Sowden said.

"Everyone pretends to be Irish, and it's not a big deal," he said.

Since Cesar Chavez Day is the first holiday after spring break, and students are back in town, there will always be parting, he said

"No matter what holiday it is or who it's for, there will be drinking," Sowden said. "It's just how things are up here."

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