In Cesar Chavez’ letter to farm workers and their supporters he addresses an issue that the group has encountered in Arizona; a law was passed that prevents the farm workers from forming a union, which is their right. In Chavez’s letter he brings awareness to the problem of this law by using facts and the experiences of farm workers in Arizona. Chavez also tugs at the heart strings of his audience in order to get them to help solve this corrupt situation.
Chavez begins his letter with a surprising fact about the farming community, “Not even 5% of America’s migrant farm workers are protected by union contracts,” by bringing up this statistic, Chavez points out why the law Arizona passed is such an issue. Unions help to protect farmers and passing a law that strips them away of this protection is unfair to the farmers and their supporters, it leaves them vulnerable.
Chavez continues by mentioning the cruel treatment the farmers had to endure, he writes, “In many cases, their letters were thrown into trash cans in front of their eyes.” Farmers in Arizona tried their best to get the legislators to realize how unfair this law was but they wouldn’t listen. Chavez also brings up how quickly the politicians were to pass the law, “After the bill passed, it was brought to the Governor by the Highway Patrol. He signed it immediately.” Chavez proves to the audience that the politicians in Arizona are not on the side of the farmers and that it’s up to the farmers to solve this problem since no one else will.
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In addition to using facts and experiences, Chavez appeals to the feelings of the audience to get their support. Chavez states, “Our People have been poor for more years than we can remember. We have only made a small amount of progress these past ten years of work and struggle. Our women and Children still die too often and too young. There is too much hunger and disease among us.” Chavez’ audience must be fed up with their economic status and the deaths in their community, pointing out their problems helps Chavez to gain their support because this must be something they want to change.
Chavez then asks his audience a few questions to appeal to their desire for justice, “Why shouldn’t farm workers finally have a chance to hold their heads high in their own organization? Why shouldn’t there be food on the tables of the families who work so hard to harvest that food? Why shouldn’t poor people be allowed to struggle non-violently for justice?” These questions must be absurd to the audience because they should be allowed to obtain all of these things and more. However as Chavez writes, the politicians of Arizona are preventing them from getting the solutions they desire and justice must be served.
In today’s society, people are faced with countless obstacles and most of the time, no one is willing to help. Chavez helps his audience to realize that when people refuse to help, there’s always strength in unity. He emphasizes in his letter the refusal of the politicians to help and the destitute state of the farming community to get them to understand the importance of working together and committing to Chavez’s request.
