Another Side of Resistance to Racism - June 25,2005

The event could be titled "mass mobilzation" to "confront" the SOS/MMP/ Other Racists rhetoric of ignorance and hate. And this title wouldn't be a false given the images that so many have contributed about the action that took place in Baldwin Park the last Saturday, June 25, 2005. But if you were to soar high above the scene and look very carefully with good set of binoculars, you might see that much more was taking place than the images so far presented might show. You might notice that marching with signs wasn't the only resistance going on. Some of us resisted with politics woven in the fabric of poetry, song, dance, theatre, art and others forms of expression. Some of us thought it a more appropriate response to help build the culture of resistance, so that regular people could seize it for themselves

Among these people was Michael Heralda who taught people a song in their original language, Nauatl. Also contributing were students from Baldwin Park High School who wrote a play about "Pottie", the SOSer who had a bad bottle day, as well as their spoken word called "Letter to Joe Turner". Local SGV Jornaleros ( Day Laborers) spoke up about their struggles and gave poetry of their own. Bands like MEZKLAH and CIUAHTL TONALLI sang songs of resistance and revolution aganist the fear at the root of the SOS hysteria. FUPA Teatro layed down the history of a country made by robbery and lies. Judy Baca and SPARC Mural added their skit and amazing 90ft. mural to help explain how borders try to contain us all to no avail. Rudy Rude and BOOMARANG POLITICS slammed Joe Turner and the Minuteman Project with earth-shattering rhymes, and the militant AZTLAN UNDERGROUND closed the ceremony with its own musical assault on the foolishness of racism and imperialism, reminding everyone that, " We didn't cross the border; the border crossed us" There are many other contributors/conspirators who added their own impressions though they are not named here, but their contribution was felt among us who were open to them.

So you could say that "The Reconquista of Justice, Peace, Liberty and Love" was lost among the more "sensational" stories of arrests and lines of cops. But that position totally ignores the importance that it had to us who agreed from the beginning that it was the best way to deal with a few so called "patriots" who have no ability other than to stir up divisive statements and let the corprate media do the rest. For all the children, teens, mothers, workers, and activists who stayed with us, it was an unforgettable experience.