Jesse Manciaz 2 3 2019 Near Mission TX Carrizo

Antioch College
Kat Christen, Interviewer | Antioch College KC05
Oral History in the Liberal Arts | Carrizo-Comecrudo Indigenous Led Activism for Border Justice in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas

 

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00:00:01 - Introductions of Interviewer Kat Christen and Interviewee Jesse Manciaz.

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00:00:21 - Jesse talks about resisting border wall in South Texas, identifies his people, the Carrizo-Comecrudo, as living on both sides of the border.

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Partial Transcript: "We are resisting the wall that's coming across the land here in South Texas. It's a wall that has always divided our people. My people are the Carrizo-Comecrudo people of Texas...A barrier like that, it cuts off our ability to communicate and coexist..."

00:01:05 - Jesse talks about impacts of barrier including animal migration, monarch habitat, private property splitting, digging bodies of ancestors, and LNG (liquefied natural gas) pipeline.

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Partial Transcript: "Animals that cross river are going to be prevented... another movement in the Butterfly Center, which is an attraction for Monarch butterflies throughout the world..."

00:02:27 - Jesse wants midwest to know- we are under siege by government, children in cages, properties taken like never been before. He talks about experiencing a very personal attack and making a stand.

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Partial Transcript: "What I would like to say to people in the Midwest is that what you hear in the news, there are bits and pieces of what's going on, we are under siege by this president, children locked in cages, properties split in half...."

00:03:37 - Jesse talks about need for wall as a falsehood and notes the origin of crisis is from (Trump's) campaign promise. Jesse talks about government as causing crisis by locking children in cages.

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Partial Transcript: "The need that is being talked about and used to justify the wall is a complete falsehood. I am sure that there are drugs and human trafficking and other things coming across, but a lot of it is...coming through ports of entry. The wall would do nothing...."

00:05:20 - Jesse discusses places that could use money instead of wall and need for leadership in Washington.

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Partial Transcript: "...A promise that is political, that money should go to needs we have in this country...we don't need a wall, we need leadership...."

00:06:04 - Jesse talks about the phrase Make America Great Again as an affront. Jesse talks about being a Native American, Veteran of Marine Corps with two purple hearts, his love for this country and willingness to fight for freedom.

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Partial Transcript: "...I believe we have always been great...I believe in this country, I love this country...this is my land. When I joined the Marine Corps, I said I would fight enemies abroad and within the United States and that's what I am doing...."

00:06:44 - Jesse invites you to come and help in villages, which are to get in way of wall development. Jesse welcomes help.

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Partial Transcript: "If you have an opportunity to come and help, you are always welcome....I am sure there is going to be conflict, not sure what kind...."