Listening Text

Listening text

(Subject & verb)

"He faced strong, often violent, opposition without violence. And he was victorious. Cesar Chavez left our world better than he found it. And his work encourages us still. He was, for his own people, a leader to freedom. Farm workers in the fields wanted to gain respect and support themselves. They looked for hope to this man. Cesar Chavez had faith and worked hard. With gentleness and amazing inner strength, he led a very courageous life."

These are the words of  President Bill Clinton of the United States. He was speaking in 1994 about a man named Cesar Chavez. Clinton awarded Chavez the Presidential Medal of Freedom. By that time, Chavez had died. But his example continues to encourage thousands of people. Today’s Spotlight is on Cesar Chavez and his fight for farm worker’s rights.

Cesar Estrada Chavez was born in Arizona in the United States in 1927. When Chavez  was 10 years old, his family had to leave their farm and house. They became migrant farm workers in the state of California. There were many families like the Chavez family. Many of these farm workers were from Mexico. In California, they moved from farm to farm. They worked for a short time at each place. Cesar Chavez went to 37 different schools. And at age thirteen he left school completely. Instead, he worked like an adult on a farm, to make money for his family.

At that time, farm workers like Chavez were not treated well. Almost all of them were very poor. The employers who owned the farms did not pay them much money. Adults and children often worked many hours a day in very bad conditions. The workers’ homes had no electricity or running water. Some farm owners even used chemicals on the fields while the workers were there. This was very dangerous for the workers’ health.

Chavez  wanted to better conditions for all farm workers. He began to work with more and more people. Chavez found that the way to make a change was to help people to work together. When workers came together as a group they had more power. Chavez said:

"I had a dream that the only reason the employers were so powerful was that we were weak. We could somehow begin to develop some strength among ourselves. Then we could begin to equal that, balancing their power in farming."

Chavez encouraged farm workers to demand rights such as fair pay and education for their children. He also wanted to change some laws. At this time it was illegal for farm workers to join a union. These groups work for better treatment of workers. Chavez fought very hard to form a farm workers union. But this fight was not violent. Chavez only used peaceful methods. Chavez said:

"Non-violence is a very powerful weapon. Most people do not understand the power of non-violence. Those who have been involved see the difference between violence and non-violence. We are deeply committed to a lifetime of non-violence. It is not easy, but it is an effective and very powerful way."

In 1962 Chavez formed the National Farm Workers Association. They did many non-violent actions such as demonstrating and marching. Because of these actions, many people learned about farm workers’ problems. Chavez became famous for his fasting. He would not eat for many days. Once Chavez went for over 30 days without food. This made people see that Chavez and the workers were serious about change.

One of the National Farm Workers Association’s most successful actions was a boycott. This is when people stop using a service or stop buying something. Boycotts often make business owners lose money. A boycott can force a business to make a change. In 1965 Chavez organized a boycott of grapes. Farm workers picked this round sweet fruit. But the workers wanted people to see their bad living conditions. They wanted the farm owners to pay and treat them fairly.

So they began to march and hold up signs. They told people about the poor conditions of the farm workers. They asked people to boycott, or stop buying, grapes. And many people joined them. This forced the farm owners to make a deal with the farm workers. The workers won  the right to higher pay and other forms of protection. They also won their right to come together to form a union. The grape boycott was a big success for Cesar Chavez. But he gave the credit to all the people who worked together. Chavez was encouraged by the farm workers who worked so hard.

 

Unfamiliar word :

-          Violent             : keras  

-          Violence          : kekerasan

-          Encourages      : mendorong

-          Courageous     : berani

-          Treat                : memperlakukan

-          Faith                :  kepercayaan

-          Each                : masing-masing

-          Demand           : menuntut

-          Weapon           : senjata

-          Fasting             : puasa

-          Deeply             : mendalam

-          Field                : ladang  

 

Resume

Cesar Estrada Chavez was born in Arizona in the United States in 1927. He was a migrant farm worker in California since the age of thirteen. At that time, he worked without knowing  tired. However, the pay given by the farm owners was not worth with  the effort that was gave by Chavez and farm workers. In fact, the only benefit the owners of the farm and make farm workers very poor. The existence of this injustice makes Chavez thinking how to find a way to make the condition better. Until the end, Chavez found a way to make change is by working together with farm workers, because something to do together will add  powerful.

Cesar fight for his rights and the rights of farm workers to be treated well and fairly. Chavez encourage farm workers to demand the rights that the owners of the farm can provide a fair pay and good education for their children. Chavez the form a farm workers union. Chavez  unionize farm workers. That is the only way that is effective and very powerful. This struggle is not a form of violence, but it is done peaceful methods.

In 1962 Chavez formed the National Farm Workers Association. They do a lot of non-violent actions such as boycotts. in 1965 Chavez organized a boycott of grapes. Farm workers hope with this boycott, in order to make a deal with the owners of the farm that is willing to pay and treat them fairly. The owners also received a request from the farm workers  and workers rights. Because of the hard struggle Chavez, and farm workers can  get the rights that form a unity, pay and treated fairly. chavez has died, but because his actions are meritorious and changed the lives of farm workers, so that his example continues to encourage others.

Conclusion

From the listening text above, we can learn if we had to work hard, strong, and never give up. we have to care for themselves and others. Instead, we know that resistance is not only done with violent but there is another effective weapon that is non-violence and fight for rights.