This is a call-out to activists, partiers, lowriders, and other revolutionists who could help to organize a social, celebratory, carnival event for June 25 in Baldwin Park. I am contacting the mayor and council people of Baldwin Park to find out some of the logistics, but I have no experience in putting together something like this and I don't live in BP, so I need help!!! MECHistas, Food not Bombs, musicians and bands, sound system people, artists, performers--let's get it together! I'd like to set up a meeting this weekend maybe, so contact me, pass the word along, send suggestions and contacts, etc.

My email is: RASKACHE-AT-YAHOO-DOT-COM

here's some background info:

Somebody on an IMC post about the first BP demo suggested we have a big carne asada cookout instead of another big confrontation with the SOS people. I think that was an excellent onda!!!

Based on SOS's own strategizing etc., what they want is a big media event, another confrontation, violence, arrests, etc. etc. We should not be playing into their spectacle.

This is my suggestion: have a community cookout and carnival either on the other end of the train platform where the monument is, or maybe on that street that was closed off last time, right next to them, and just let them do their thing, don't play into their shit, invite the neighborhood to come have some cheap tacos (MECHA folks out there, I know you can make this happen!), some ice creams, some jugos frescos, etc. Pass out information, talk to people, have some
dancing, some teatro maybe (I was saying some of us could dress like pilgrims and grill some elote (corn) and take it as an "offering" to the SOS "natives", funny stuff like that). Let their shit fizzle out.

Let's beat them with an army of taco vendors and paleteros and IG-NORANCE--as in, let's just ignore them and make a vibrant, festive, communal space instead!!! Somebody bring some phat banda music, some nortenyas, some rancheras. hell, let's stop off in ELA and pick up some mariachis on the way!!! Hip hop artists, rappers, punkeros, too. There was a lot of cool sexy people at the last demo--I say we get some good music going and some dancing, some charla...much more fun than yelling at a bunch of tontos with their heads up their culos.

oh, and we should try to make un monton de potato tacos or something for all the vegetarianos don't get left out---food not bombs peeps, you out there??

This could be just one component of other actions. just some ideas. we have to remember to always stay creative, don't let them rope us into predictable roles and games, and don't let other groups on "our side" get their grubby sectarian paws into trying to organize and "lead" this according to their agendas and party platforms--I've already heard some of you
grumbling about how the last demo lacked "organization" and we need "leadership" in the future (all that icky spontaneity and chaos is just too much for some folks). No, we need to have FUN, PEOPLES!!! Love, joy, desire, laughter, humor--these will always be our most powerful weapons against domination from all sides.

So let's have some fun!

By the way, May 15 was the one year anniversary of Gloria Anzaldua's passing; maybe we could make this a celebration in honor of her.