Alianza Hispanico-Americana

This article, entitled "Alianza Hispanico-Americana," provided me with a lot of new information on my topic of Hispanics. Alianza Hispanico-Americana was a fraternal aid organization led by three men, Carlos Velasco, Pedro Pellon, and Mariano Samaniego, who founded it in Tuscon, Arizona on January 14, 1894. Velasco became the organization's first President. This organization provided low-cost insurance, fought to protect civil rights, and promoted Mexican-American social and cultural activities. I liked this article because groups supporting Mexicans are not discussed often, especially those as old as this organization, so it was good to read about this. I like most of their aims, but I disagree with and don't understand some of them. For example, "the group limited membership to Mexican Americans and did not allow convicted fellons, African Americans, or Asian Americans. It also attempted to preserve the Mexican culture and gave its members lessons in civic virtues like freedom of speech." I definitely agree that convicted fellons should not be allowed membership, but not permiting African or Asian Americans to be members seems unfair. Seeing as it was formed in response to racial discriminations, I would think that the organization would include the other groups being discriminated against. Also, the group did not allow women to be members. They only lifted this rule in 1913, "in reaction to the growing power of the woman suffrage movement." This angers because this is one more group that they discriminated against. Shouldn't the organization's goal be to unite and band together the groups being discriminated against so they can gain strength and courage against their oppressors?

Here is the article and the citation in MLA format.