Los Angeles, CA - The powerful slogan “Chicano power” was heard here as marchers headed down Whittier Boulevard in the heart of East Los Angeles, Aug. 28. The 40th Chicano Moratorium against war had participants from as far away as El Paso, Texas and Arizona. Large numbers of high school and college students joined with the many veteran activists of the late 1960s. The march message was clear, “No to war” and “Legalization now.” Many onlookers smiled and waved to the marchers.
This year’s protest was organized by several groups including the August 29th Chicano Moratorium Organizing Committee, the National Moratorium Committee and the new Brown Berets. The rally speakers talked about the need to continue the struggle against war and the fight for Chicano self-determination.
August 29 marked the 40th anniversary of the historic Chicano Moratorium protest against the Vietnam War. On Aug. 29, 1970 over 30,000 Chicanos marched down Whittier Boulevard in the heart of East Los Angeles protesting the Vietnam War, the high casualty rate of Chicano soldiers and racist conditions in the barrios.
The 1970 rally held at Laguna Park by the Chicano Moratorium was brutally attacked by the combined forces of the Los Angeles city police and the Los Angeles county sheriffs. Whole families were beaten and tear gassed. Youth responded by defending the rally with their bare hands. A rebellion followed for the entire day, where later Ruben Salazar, a Los Angeles Times journalist and Spanish TV news director, was killed by a sheriff at the Silver Dollar. He was shot in the head with a tear gas missile projectile normally used for barricaded situations. It is important to commemorate the Chicano Moratorium because it is part of our history of resistance that is not always taught in history classes. This event is also part of the long struggle of Chicanos for self-determination and liberation.
Today it is important to continue the fight against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and to protest the military recruitment targeting Chicanos and especially immigrant youth.
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I was there in that march. WE
I was there in that march. WE WERE RIGHT!!!!! The Truman Doctrine was wrong.
QUE VIVA LA RAZA!!!! LA RAZA QUE VIVA!!!!!!!!!!
Chicano Moratorium
Hey Lynn Ward was not killed by the police, he was not shot, at all. He died during the rebellion due to the flames..Look in to it you may get more details. Oh I do always mention Lyn and Angel, in my first articles and when I speak at the many schools, colleges and community meetings..where you never go to see or hear me.
name the names
carlos montes writes succinctly on the motives for the march: that stupid war, the casualties, conditions at home. but montes, as too many writers do, fails to name all three chicanos shot by police in LA on august 29, 1970: lyn ward, angel diaz, ruben salazar. the deaths of those two other chicanos--14 year-old lyn ward (14!) and angel diaz--was no less important than the killing of a journalist.
failing to name the other two killed by police, ward, and diaz, diminishes all anonymous chicano dead, the ones killed in combat, the ones murdered by cops in your name and my name.
Viva el Chicano Moratorio!
It is important to remember the brutality of this system, that it assassinated an outspoken and highly visible Chicano reporter - and that it was intentional and they lied about it. It contributes to keeping Raza "in the shadows" which is convenient to whitestream status quo capitalism. It is shameful to ignore this truth. It is equally important to remember the beauty of the Chicano MOratorium, a high point in Chicano activism (like the Denver conferences, el Plan de Santa Barbara, and other rallies), a moment of unity, street power, pride and vision. La batalla todavia esta aqui! Somos un Pueblo Sin Fronteras! Esta es mi Tierra, Esta es mi Lucha! Chican@! Power!
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