Interview with the Teacher Who Called for Revolution Against 'Racist White People'

This is a rush transcript from "On the Record," May 14, 2010. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, FOX NEWS HOST: The video is burning up YouTube, a Los Angeles high school teacher calling for revolution. Our own Griff Jenkins went to Los Angeles and found the teacher.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFF JENKINS, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Here in South Central Los Angeles Ron Gochez is a history teacher at Santee High School. He's making quite a stir now with the video on the Internet that was made three years ago on the campus of UCLA where he rails against imperialism, capitalism, white racist people, and calls for revolution.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON GOCHEZ, SANTEE HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: This is a global struggle against imperialism and capitalism. All of that is happening with the concept that where we now stand is stolen occupied Mexico!

(APPLAUSE)

And the message that we bring is you want to bring a little bit of a more of a revolutionary context to this. Why is it that these people, these frail, racist white people want to keep us out of this country? It is not simply because the color of our skin. It is not simply because they just want to exploit us.

Let me tell you why -- because on this planet right now of six billion people at the forefront of the revolutionary movement is the La Raza!

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

JENKINS: We asked to speak with the principal here at Santee as well as the superintendent of the L.A. unified school district. Those requests were declined. The district did issue this statement saying, quote, "The teacher in question was participating on his personal time. His views do not represent the views of the district. Their appears to be no direct violation of district policy."

We spoke with Mr. Gochez earlier and here's what he had to say.

JENKINS (On Camera): Mr. Gochez, your speech three years ago making rounds on the web. Do you still stand by your comments in that speech you made at UCLA?

GOCHEZ: What is important that people understand is the concept of why that speech was given on that day at UCLA. When I said the "racist white people" I was speaking specifically about the minutemen at UCLA that day speaking about deporting illegal aliens.

So when I say "racist white people," I meant towards them. Not all white people. I'm not that naive. I'm not a racist or anything like that. But when I said about those people I meant it and I stand by that. Those minutemen, the tea party folks, or whoever it is, if they are anti- our community then I'm going to call them racist every single day.

As far as capitalism and imperialism, we stand by that. We see it all over planet earth. Historically the two things that have been the biggest enemy of our communities and all communities of color is specifically capitalism and imperial. So I have no problem with that.

And for those who say I'm indoctrinating students and teaching this -- no. I'm a professional. In my classroom I do what I have to do and I teach my kids. Outside the classroom is a different story. I stand by my words, but I'm not going to allow these people to call me a racist without explaining what I'm speaking about.

I think that's completely irresponsible, so I'm glad Fox News is going to cover the story and that they will explain who I was speaking to, because when they make it seem like I said all white people are racist, that's irresponsibility and that's not what I meant.

My white colleagues at work they are asking what is wrong? We know you're not racists. So I don't have a problem with white people. I have problems with capitalism, imperialism, and racist whites or racist any other people racist against anyone.

JENKINS: What about the call for open revolution? You said the enemy of capitalism and imperialism -- that sounds almost like you a problem with the country where you live in, where you are prospering, where you are a teacher?

GOCHEZ: We support the revolution that's happening all over Latin America. It's happening in a peaceful manner, and we support that. Whether it is in Bolivia, Ecuador. You don't see people calling for arms and that's not what I'm doing.

You show me one time on the video where I say grab guns. I didn't say that. That's not what I mean. We need to make changes peacefully in this country. However, those people who are the most hateful that have been calling me, they are talking about killing people, they are talking about we have guns don't mess with us. Those are the violent people, not us. We don't advocate violence against anyone.

JENKINS: Are you an advocate of communism or Marxism if you don't like capitalism?

GOCHEZ: I have the right to support anything that I want. Now, personally, my views, I am against capitalism. Do I say that in my classroom? No. I don't tell them anything. I don't tell them my religious beliefs, my political beliefs. That's something I leave completely out.

Really, just to cover my own end -- I know that's not what I'm supposed to do. To tell kids what they should believe is something I have never done and never will do. People who are concerned about that, that's their problem.

What did I believe in? Yes, I'm a socialist. I believe it is happening all over the continent, that's what I support, and I will never back down from that. I'm not violating any law by doing that.

People who might have a problem with socialism, we can agree to disagree. I have a problem with capitalism. I don't go out and attack people. I don't threaten people with death like they are doing to me.

So if you are asking am I going to back down from that, no, I'm not. I'm a socialist, I organize in the community, and I support the socialist processes around Latin America and the world.

JENKINS: The Arizona law, is that your latest issue, what are your thoughts on that, and do you talk about the Arizona law in your classroom at all?

GOCHEZ: Of course. The students always ask me. They always see us on TV doing the work that we do. And so they ask us. And we've presented the actual bill to them so they can see it.

Now, they have their own opinions, no doubt. My school is about 95 percent Latino any way. So that law they see as a racist law. I don't have to explain it to them, they know that.

My personal view of the law is that it's obviously a racist. But I think it's a distraction. It is a distraction because the real problem in this country is the fact that the Democratic Party has not acted on promises of immigration reform.

We are putting pressure on the Obama administration to keep their promises. They promised us immigration reform, that's what we are demanding. If they have immigration reform this whole nonsense in Arizona wouldn't be an issue.

JENKINS: You are as upset about the Democrats not delivering a promise?

GOCHEZ: Right. We don't expect anything from the Republicans. We know that these folks have been anti-immigrant for years.

Our issue is with the Democratic Party who promised our communities immigration reform but they've done nothing about it. So our target right now is the Obama administration for what they are doing against us. We know that there were more deportations in the first year of the Obama administration than the last year of the Bush administration. That is not the hope and change we were promised.

So I don't advocate for the Republicans or the Democrats. To me both parties are anti-immigrant, both parties do not represent the best interests of our community or any working-class community.

JENKINS: Thank you for your time this morning. And just so that are viewers realize, you're calling for open revolution peacefully, no call to arms, as some have misconstrued your words.

GOCHEZ: Yes, I'm not making a call to arms. I'm not making something about violence or attacking people, not at all. We want and need change in this country.

And when you look here in Los Angeles two weeks ago on May 1st, there were almost 200,000, 300,000 people there. Not one person did any kind of violent act. I think one person got arrested for being drunk. We are by and large a peaceful people. The majority of immigrants come here to work and we are not about violence.

Those who are against us however, they're the ones who show up to rallies in Arizona with AK-47's. If they want to talk violence I think they should talk about themselves not us. I am not advocating for violence. I am advocating for revolution.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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