▁the ▁explo itation ▁of ▁an ▁opp ress ive ▁society ▁that ▁occup ies ▁our ▁land . ▁Thus , ▁the ▁principle ▁of ▁national ism ▁serves ▁to ▁preserve ▁the ▁cultural ▁trad itions ▁of ▁La ▁Famil ia ▁de ▁La ▁R aza ▁and ▁prom otes ▁our ▁identity ▁as ▁a ▁Ch icana / Ch icano ▁G ente .' ▁Such ▁statements ▁have ▁led ▁ME Ch A ▁to ▁be ▁critic ized ▁by ▁right - wing ▁sources , ▁including ▁the ▁National ▁Review ▁and ▁Mich elle ▁M alk in ▁which ▁alleg es ▁that ▁ME Ch A ▁is ▁t ing ed ▁with ▁rac ist ▁and ▁separ at ist ▁views . ▁The ▁Times ▁Online ▁has ▁referred ▁to ▁ME Ch A ▁as ▁" a ▁radical ▁Mexican ▁student ▁organisation " ▁in ▁describing ▁the ▁associations ▁of ▁California ▁g ubern atorial ▁candidate ▁Cruz ▁B ust am ante . ▁ ▁Crit ics ▁also ▁point ▁out ▁the ▁group ' s ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁word ▁A zt lán : ▁To ▁many , ▁this ▁word ▁calls ▁to ▁mind ▁a ▁myth ical ▁region ▁compr ising ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁South western ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result , ▁some ▁critics ▁feel ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁phrase ▁implies ▁support ▁for ▁the ▁controvers ial ▁theory ▁of ▁recon qu ista . ▁While ▁ME Ch A ▁supp or ters ▁point ▁out ▁that ▁the ▁A zt lan ▁myth ology ▁itself ▁does ▁not ▁refer ▁to ▁rec laim ing ▁conquer ed ▁lands , ▁it ▁simply ▁describes ▁the ▁myth ical ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁Az te c ▁people . ▁ ▁Crit ics ▁of ▁ME Ch a ▁regard ▁the ▁phrase ▁" P or ▁La ▁R aza