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<> LA VOZ DE AZTLAN NEWS BULLETIN <>
<>.<>.<> Los Angeles, Alta California <>.<>.<>March 6, 2003
Mexican-American Anti-War Movement Gaining Momentum It appears that the Mexican-American anti-war movement has finally gotten off the ground with its first significant anti-war march and rally scheduled for Sunday March 9 in East Los Angeles. The Mexican-American and other Latino communities are concerned that the loss of lives in a war against Iraq and other Islamic countries will weigh heavy on our families as this occurred during the racist Vietnam War. The organizers of the demonstration are urging that instead of wasting time, resources and young lives on an obviously unjust war, that the US government focus on the urgent needs of the neglected Mexican-American community and construct and repair public schools and build much needed medical clinics in our communities. Principal slogans for the march and rally will be "Books not Bombs" and "Drop Bush not Bombs".
Historically, Mexican-American soldiers have been utilized as mere "cannon fodder" by the US Armed Forces. Even though Mexican American soldiers were the most decorated for bravery per capita in the Vietnam War, we also suffered the greatest casualties per capita than any other ethnic or racial group. Many of our youths are forced to join the military because of lack of opportunities in other sectors of US society. The Mexican-American soldiers are the "grunts of the US Armed Forces. Ernesto Cienfuegos of La Voz de Aztlan described this situation thoroughly in his article "LA RAZA: The "grunts" of the U.S. Armed Forces" that is published on the Internet at http://www.aztlan.net/grunts.htm
The Sunday march will commence at 10:00 AM at Atlantic Park located at 570 S. Atlantic Blvd and end in a rally at Rubén Salazar Park (formerly Laguna Park) situated at 3864 Whittier Blvd in East Los Angeles. Ruben Salazar Park is the location where an anti-Vietnam War rally was brutally repressed by the Los Angeles County Sheriffs on August 29, 1970 (see http://www.aztlan.net/default3.htm ) . During the rally, the LA County Sheriffs launched a vicious attack against the anti-war demonstrators killing four civilians including the popular Los Angeles Times journalist Ruben Salazar. The name of Laguna Park was later changed to Ruben Salazar Park. The march and rally is supported by a variety of Mexican-American groups. Among these are the National Human Right Coalition, Centro CSO, La Raza Anti-War Coalition, Latinos Against the War on Iraq, National Chicano Moratorium Coalition, Impacto 2000, Answer L.A., SEIU Local 660, Hotel Employees Restaurant Employees Local 11, MECHA UCLA & Roosevelt High School and many other groups.
The USA faces an uncertain future as it prepares to wage war against all of Islam without the support of the United Nations Security Council. There are sinister forces pushing for the attack upon Iraq and the Mexican-American community needs to have a better understanding of the global interests which are propelling the imminent war against Iraq and other Islamic countries. Surely, everyone knows that one primary goal is to take over Middle East petroleum resources, but there is another factor in the equation which is Zionist Israel. We need to honestly discuss the influence on the Bush Administration of powerful US Zionists and their plans for the Middle East. We need to discuss the Trillions of dollars of our tax dollars that have been given to Zionist Israel since 1948. Our young soldiers need not die on behalf of Israel. We ask all Chicanos who live in East Los Angeles and Boyle Heights, who owns most of the commercial buildings in our community and especially along Whittier Blvd.? Who are we paying rent to for our cucaracha infested housing? It is the same group which Bush is contemplating sending billions more this year instead of spending it in Medicaid and other programs that will bring much needed help to our economically devastated communities.
