Women leaders call out Tom Horne for comments on Dolores Huerta

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Press release from the Arizona Democratic Party:

PHOENIX -  Women from the business, educational and political sectors will gather with supporters Monday at the Capitol to speak out against state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne for his degrading remark last week about Dolores Huerta, a national icon for civil rights and women's rights.

Horne, in a House committee meeting Wednesday, incorrectly and insultingly referred to Huerta as "Cesar Chavez's former girlfriend" as Horne was speaking against ethnic studies programs in schools. Horne's comment shows either a shocking level of historical ignorance or just plain sexism – or both.

Huerta and Chavez were co-founders of United Farm Workers – she is his sister-in-law. Huerta is known as one of the past century's most powerful and respected labor-movement leaders. She stood next to Robert F. Kennedy when he gave his final speech before his assassination — a speech in which Kennedy thanked her by name. A recipient of nine honorary doctorates, Huerta was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993 and was listed in Ladies' Home Journal's "100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century" in 1998. Also that year, President Bill Clinton awarded her the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award.

"Dolores Huerta has paved the way for women throughout this nation, and she is one of the most significant figures in Mexican-American history," said Lisa Urias, an Arizona businesswoman. "It's unfortunate that any political leader in Arizona, especially one who is supposed to be leading in the area of education, doesn't have a clear understanding of her place and role in U.S. history."  

WHO:        

UPDATE: Here's something you don't see everyday – but should. The Arizona Capitol Times apologizes in an editorial opinion for its stenography reporting of Tom Horne's comments. AZ Policy Wonk » Comment minimized the life of civil rights leader:

The Arizona Capitol Times made a mistake last week that caused confusion for many readers and minimized the life work of a tireless leader of the civil rights movement in Arizona.

A story that referred to Dolores Huerta should have contained a fairer and more accurate description of her work as a community organizer who has spent decades fighting for the rights of farm workers and immigrants. Instead, the story relied upon an unverified statement by Tom Horne.  

Horne, the state superintendent of public instruction, was testifying to the House Education Committee on Feb. 15 when he made a comment that reduced the life work of Delores Huerta into a trivial sound bite.

The Capitol Times repeated Horne’s comment on page 8 of the Feb. 19 edition. The mistake was regrettable, and it’s not worth repeating here. It’s more important to set the record straight.

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Horne, obviously, is free to say what’s on his mind, but the Arizona Capitol Times shouldn’t have repeated it. At the very least, it minimized the life of a woman who has devoted her life to bring about changes that she believes in.

Read the entire apology to set the record straight.