Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. It seems that one of the organizers who claimed she was sexually abused by the late Latino labor leader César Chavez decades ago has finally decided to take action. She’s suing the nonprofits tied to him, and I’ve got to say, it’s about time someone did. The complaint was filed in Southern California, and it’s the first legal action since the allegations against Chavez surfaced in March. I mean, it’s not like the guy was a saint or anything, but still, these allegations are pretty shocking.
The complaint names the César Chavez Foundation and the United Farm Workers Foundation as defendants, and they’re being sued for a whole bunch of things, including negligent supervision, negligent infliction of emotional distress, and sexual harassment. Now, I’m no lawyer, but it sounds like they’ve got a pretty strong case. The woman, who’s now in her 80s, claims that Chavez tried to ply her with alcohol and dance with her at a party back in 1973, and then later followed her home and raped her. That’s just disgusting.
The woman’s attorney, V. James DeSimone, says that she’s committed to the process and is grateful that she can finally do something about it all these years later. He also expects to hear from other abuse survivors, which doesn’t surprise me one bit. I mean, if there’s one thing we’ve learned in recent years, it’s that these kinds of allegations often aren’t isolated incidents. The César Chavez Foundation has released a statement saying that they’re reviewing the complaint and will respond in a way that stays true to their mission and values, but let’s be real, folks, they’ve got a lot of explaining to do.
It’s interesting to note that when the allegations first came to light, the foundation called them shocking and painful, and vowed to stand by the victims and achieve “restorative justice.” But now that they’re being sued, they’re suddenly a lot more tight-lipped. The United Farm Workers union, which is not named in the complaint, has also declined to comment, which is probably wise, considering the circumstances.
The legacy of César Chavez has been pretty much dismantled since these allegations surfaced, and it’s hard to argue that it wasn’t deserved. I mean, the guy may have done some great things for workers’ rights, but if he was also a serial abuser, then he’s got to be held accountable. DeSimone says that they’re not looking to stop these nonprofits from carrying out their missions, but rather to hold them accountable and give survivors a sense of closure. And I’ve got to say, I think that’s a pretty reasonable goal.
In the end, it’s all about accountability, folks. No cause, no organization, should be above the law, and sexual abuse and assault are not the price you should have to pay for fighting for a noble cause. So, let’s see how this all plays out, and hopefully, justice will be served. And who knows, maybe this will be the start of a new era of accountability for nonprofits and organizations. Wouldn’t that be something? 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
