Give a Kick in the Butt to SOS

The Danza Indigenas monument at Ramona Boulevard and Downing Avenue in Los Angeles County has become a scene of controversy. The controversy stems from quotes on the monument which reads, “This land was Mexican once, was Indian always and is, and will be again."

Those words stirred up members of the racist Ventura, California based Save Our State (SOS) who alleges the words are seditious. So SOS protested at the site recently. At that demo some people were struck by a car driven by one of the anti-immigrant types by the name of Nat Hetkin.

SOS wants the words removed and threatens “something” but who knows what if they are not.

Lots of folks don’t agree with SOS and want them sent packing. Monument supporters say Danza Indigenas speaks of the heritage of Baldwin Park's nearly 80 percent Latino population.

Over the weekend more than 500 people showed up in counter demonstrations. About 100 police officers, mostly from Baldwin Park but also from surrounding law enforcement agencies, were on duty Saturday. More than 20 arrests were made.

According to the Pasadena Star News about 25 monument supporters split from the larger group to confront SOS members and white supremacists from White Pride World Wide a few blocks away. SOS and their racist allies waved American flags and carried signs that read "Deport All Illegal Alien Terrorists,' "Illegal Aliens Bring Terminal TB' and "This land was Mexican once and will be American forever.'

The anti-racists chanted, "Hitler rose-Hitler fell-SOS go to hell," "SOS! KKK! Racist scum, go away!' and "United workers will never be defeated." Also heard were chants of, "Fuera racista!' ("Get out of here, racists!'), and seen were banners reading "Queremos un mundo sin fronteras' ("We want a world without borders').

Amongst those protesting against SOS and friends were members of the Mexica Movement a group of indigenous people against white racists. Nelyollotl Toltecatl, 35, of Los Angeles said 70 million to 100 million indigenous people from Mexico, Central America and Canada have been decimated over the past 500 years and the only reason why others survived, he told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune, was because Europeans needed slaves. "I want to drag out our history to the light of day. Europeans are here on our land without our permission," he said.

Members of the International Socialist Organization held a red banner that read "A World Without Borders" in Spanish. Yasser Giron of Los Angeles, one of the group's organizers, said they joined the monument supporters because the capitalist system is the cause of economic imbalances that lead to illegal immigration, he said.

Also, present were members of the ANSWER Coalition.

Alvaro Maldonado brought 15 people from Alhambra-based San Gabriel Valley Neighbors for Peace and Justice. "We are calling people from the working-class community to mobilize and expel SOS from our community. This is the only way in massive number to counter their nascent, fascist movement.” Sources: Pasadena Star News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, One People’s Project