HispanicVista Columnists
Save Our State? More like State Of Shame.
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By
Patrick Osio, Jr./HispanicVista.com - June 6, 2005
“We are angry! We are seething with anger and boiling with rage. And we are motivated and determined to fight back. This is our land. This is our fight. And we are willing to bleed to defend it.” And if you think they’re kidding or it’s just one more of those excusable didn’t mean to say that; didn’t really mean to cause violence; just exercising freedom of speech; you better wake up to the evil that is bent on creating a killing field – the Save Our State malevolent bunch from Ventura County.
Supposedly the SOS band of violent malcontents came together to “defend” the country against illegal immigration. In their search for trouble they found a twelve-year old monument located in the city of Baldwin Park (Northeastern section of Los Angeles County). The monument commissioned by the city in 1993, underwent a tremendous amount of community inputs. It wound up being a 20 foot-arch, 100 feet of plaza and 400 feet of train platform. The arch has numerous messages in five languages – English, Spanish, Gabrielino, Chumash, Luisueno (Regional Native American languages). There are a number of quotes like, “Use your brain before you make up your mind,” and “a kind of community we all dream of white, brown, yellow all living together.”
But there was also one quote which set off the ill will zealots, “it is better before they came.” Not using their brain before they made up their mind, the SOS troublemakers decided this was proof of sedition on the part of Latino residents of Baldwin Park. In their low two-digit IQ minds it was proof that the Reconquista was in full swing and they were not going to allow it – come what may – even if they have to “bleed” or better, make others bleed.
They didn’t bother to find out that the quote was by a non-Hispanic white Baldwin Park resident speaking about Mexicans, not as they interpreted, Mexicans talking about whites.
The State Of Shame organizers declared, “We must respond as our founding fathers would have responded. We must refresh the tree of liberty. We are angry! We are seething with anger and boiling with rage. And we are motivated and determined to fight back. This is our land. This is our fight. And we are willing to bleed to defend it.”
So on May 14th, the Sons Of Satan held a protest rally in Baldwin Park’s monument site. There they were with banners and signs, and with total disrespect to the city they were visiting, hurling their insults at American citizens, demanding illegal immigration stop and the removal of the city’s monument.
It was evident that the cowardly presence of the SOS mob was not about immigration, rather about race. “Ignorant savages,” “Mexicans go home,” “Traitors,” “Beaners,” “Wetbacks,” “Spicks” and just about every disrespectful and insulting adjective and noun came from their mouths, all for effect and goading for violent reaction – and they came close to it.
Like bullies in school yards, they were there seeking to intimidate Latinos, and goad them to violence. But, to their surprise hundreds of locals supported by the city Mayor and council members were there, and would not be intimidated. In the end, the bullies retreated as it was their safety that was at risk.
On their web site they claim, “…we do not seek violence… we will not run from it. … we seek to peacefully defend and protect our national sovereignty…Make no mistake our opponents are savages. In a pack, they grow incredibly brave… Many suggest the violence is coming to California. Many suggest that a civil war of sorts may be on the horizon… Save Our State will not initiate violence. However, in no way will we attempt to appease our enemy out of fear that they might resort to violence.”
Yet, it is they and groups like them that “predict” violence and civil war. It is they who call fellow Americans “enemies” it is they who enter into neighborhoods not as friends but as adversaries hurling insults, and inducing violence.
The Sons Of Satan have called for another encounter in Baldwin Park on June 25th and demanded that the city of Baldwin Park remove the monument by July 1st or “it will come down one way or another.”
So much for all their talk about how “peaceful” they are. Plus, in their own web site’s Blog postings some of their faithful identify themselves with picture icons – one shows a pistol shooter who just fired capturing the bullet in flight with the message “I’ll be there with balls on.” And, a second of his messages reads – “I don't get into fistfights with groups of people. One, yes....other than that, you're 45 chow.”
Another member’s identifying icon shows a kneeling GI pointing his rifle draped with the American flag. Another is a can with a picture of a black panther reading “Don’t mess with us.” The message relates how during the May 14th Baldwin Part incident, he was told to leave while directing CCIR (California Coalition for Immigration Reform – an Souther Poverty Law Center identified Hate Group) and SOS members to parking spaces. He posts, "they are my enemies… they’re outsiders… they are not American…"
There is at least one SOS follower who doesn’t agree with the turn the organization has taken, as it is becoming obvious that racism and racial bigotry is the motivation behind the leadership and the most vocal members. One such member wrote to the group leader, “I really don’t see the issue with this art piece, which is what it is. I understand the issue that you have with it though it has been there for 12 years without any problems and I simply don’t see you wining this battle on the art piece especially after several comments that Baldwin Park has till July 1st to remove it or it will come down one way or the other. Now if that isn’t a threat which is dangerous talk for a site that claims to be a peaceful protesting and getting the word out, well that isn’t I am sorry. You aren’t any better than those that you claim are racist.”
And here is the answer from the leader, Joe Turner – “…it seems that this group also gets the most PR and new member spikes after such "Baldwin Park" protests and the group severely needs more members.”
To increase membership blood will spill, but to those who are bigoted, racists Sons of Satan, destroyers of the American way that’s a small price to pay.
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Patrick Osio, Jr. is Editor of HispanicVista.com (www.hispanicvista.com) Contact at: PosioJr@hispanicvista.com
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