by Lailo
Wednesday, May. 03, 2006 at 2:32 AM
As a representative of San Jose’s radical community, I was deeply frustrated and hurt by the mass consumerism that controlled the May 1st March in San Jose.
The March in San Jose was taken over by nationalistic tendencies, as poor Mexicanos and other immigrants were brain washed into waving thousands of American flags-the same flags that symbolize the oppression and genocide of la gente (the people).
Not only was the rally on King and Story Roads taken over consumer capitalism and mainstream radio stations, but community activists were threaten with violence and accused of being Communists as some tried to address the crowd at the rally before the march. Teachers who brought their students out of school also threatened these children that they would be punished if they left their supervision.
As the march began to take off around 3:00pm, crowd control measures were taken by the “organizers” to keep people off the streets and on the sidewalks. The overwhelming majority of Mexicanos played into these control tactics, as “security” rolled out yellow caution tape to herd the crowd off to the side as if they were cattle.
Some brave souls resisted the “security” measures and blocked traffic anyways. We were met by degrading remarks from the majority of people who refused to come out onto the streets. Although no police were present at the time, the fear that was instilled in the crowd by the “organizers,” was enough to turn the fear into hate towards anyone who would not conform.
As the Azteca Dancers came into the streets, the crowd followed behind them at a distance. This was due to the “security guards” demanding that the crowd stay behind the contingent of priests who had formed. They felt they had more of a right to be part of the march than the working people. Part of the contingent of priests included Miss America who was decked out with two American flags, an American flag hat, and an American flag dress. This contingent followed closely behind the Azteca Dancers and forced everyone else to march behind them and on the sides.
Instead of marching to Caesar Chavez Park, who represents a hero and role model to Mexicanos and other migrant working communities, the march was routed to the HP Pavilion, where Clear Channel Concerts and Sharks Hockey Games are held.
I have to ask: why???
What kept the poor, working class people from realizing the hypocrisy of priests securely marching in front of them, when it was they who enslaved, raped, and murdered our ancestors? Or the ironic fact that as the crowd chanted, “Si, se puede,” they were not allowed to freely take to the streets?
Overall, the march was a total disaster, co-opted by the state which brainwashed the people into a nationalistic stupor. Tomorrow, May 2, people will go back to their low-wage, slave jobs and NOTHING will have changed. The Capitalists will still be on top and San Jose will still be a POLICE STATE.