Early this morning, at 5 PM, a squadron of helicopters, squad cars, and bulldozers came to remove the 350 families from Mexico and Central America who have made 14 acres in an urban blighted area into a garden oasis in South Central LA (41st and Alameda streets). The South Central Farm is the largest urban farm in the United States. Last reports were that bulldozers were tearing down the fences and tearing into the carefully plotted trees and plants.

This battle to save the amazing gardens and farm has been waged for weeks when a wealthy developer demanded to get the land back from the city so he can build warehouses and industrial sites (in an area chock full of warehouses and industrial sites). The farmers, however, have been on this land for 14 years. Celebrities such as Darryl Hannah, John Quigley, and Danny Glover have recently taken part in supporting the farmers. All the protests in support of the farmers have been peaceful. The attack this morning shows that LA City, like most cities in this country, cater to the rich and powerful.

The deadline is tomorrow, May 22. Los Angeles City is using eminent domain to take away 14 acres of garden space from the 350 gardeners and their families who live and work there. The city and farmers have until tomorrow to raise millions of dollars to buy the land back from wealthy developer, Ralph Horowitz.

While the city will pay billions of dollars to create a shop-heavy entertainment center downtown, and $80 million to spruce up a stadium for a possible NFL team, it won’t come up with the monetary support to keep these hard-working men, women, and children from being thrown out into the street.

Mostly Mexican and Central American, and largely Spanish-speaking, these farmers/gardeners made a weed-infested block of South Central LA come alive with food crops and medicinal plants–the largest urban garden project in the country–for almost 13 years.

Xispas urges all our readers to contact the city, send emails and make phone calls to Mayor Villaragoisa and all councilpersons demanding they help the South Central farmers to continue beautifying a run-down section (considered the poorest in the county) instead of turning the land over to more warehouses (there are already miles of industry and warehouses in Vernon and the LA City area surrounding the garden on 41st street). Take a strong stand. We only have one day!

The New Normalcy: Artists Examine the Post 9-11 World, is a group show at Carlotta’s Passion Fine Art in Los Angeles that is now running until March 26th, 2006. Artists are presenting works depicting the realities of the post 9-11 world - endless war, militarism, terrorism, state surveillance and repression. The exhibit offers original and limited edition works of art by Mark Vallen, Robbie Conal, Gregg Stone, Gilbert “Magu” Lujan, Poli Marichal, Margaret Garcia, Francisco Letelier, Patrick Merrill, Sergio Hernandez, and dozens of others.

Artist’s Reception & Opening Party
On Saturday, February 25th, from 6 to 9 pm, some 300 people packed the gallery - but there are more events to take place during the length of the exhibit.

Iraq War Third Anniversary Special Events
March 18th marks the Third Anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. During the course of the exhibit, Carlotta’s Passion will sponsor numerous events related to the war’s anniversary and to human rights and social justice - including performances and poetry readings. Click here to read a full schedule of events.

The gallery has released a statement that sheds some light on the motivations behind the exhibit: “On October 19th, 2001, former Halliburton CEO and now current sitting Vice President, Dick Cheney, christened a new term. Describing the curtailment of civil rights taken for granted by American citizens as the ‘new normalcy,’ Mr. Cheney was notifying Americans that constant surveillance, arrest without charge, secret trials and military tribunals, were the order of the day. Moreover, according to Cheney, ‘Many of the steps we have now been forced to take will become permanent in American life.’ By naming this exhibition The New Normalcy, Carlotta’s Passion Fine Art and the artists in the exhibit remind Mr. Cheney and other members of the Bush administration that the only things permanent in American life are our cherished freedoms and constitutional rights as United States citizens - that and our promise of liberty and justice for all.”

Carlotta’s Passion Fine Art is located at 2012 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles, California (Eagle Rock,) 90041. Contact gallery director, Robert Squires, at: 323-259-1563. Click here for more information, including previews of the art, a full schedule of exhibit related events, and directions to the gallery.

[ Detail of Lithograph by Francisco Zuniga ]

Carlotta’s Passion Fine Art presents, Both Sides of the Border: Latin American and Chicano Art. The exhibit focuses on original and limited edition works of art by Latin American and Chicano artists. The Latin American artwork includes pieces by Francisco Zuniga, Wifredo Lam, Carlos Merida and sixteen other masters. The Chicano artists whose works are in the show include Gronk, Patssi Valdez, Frank Romero, Leo Limon, Mark Vallen, Diane Gamboa, Sergio Hernandez, and fourteen other top notch artists.

Both Sides of the Border opens with an Artist’s Reception on Saturday, November 19th., from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. During the opening, MEXIKA will perform exciting indigenous and new music using traditional instruments created by Martin Espino. The exhibition runs until Friday evening, December 30th., 2005. Carlotta’s Passion Fine Art is located at: 2012 Colorado Blvd., in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, California - the cross street is Maywood (click here for a MapQuest map.) Business hours for the gallery are Tuesday through Sunday, from 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Phone: 323-259-1563. A number of educational presentations and activities are planned as part of the exhibit. For a full schedule of events, as well as previews of the artworks, click here.

[ The traditional Dia de los Muertos observances that take place in late October and early November are a time of great festivity, no less so for those of us here in Los Angeles. Here’s a small sampling of just some of the upcoming observances and celebrations planned for L.A. ]

Hollywood Forever Cemetery - Sat., Oct 29th, 4 - 11 pm. One of the largest and grandest celebrations you’ll see in Los Angeles. Thousands come to view the alters, art, and costumed people in Hollywood’s final resting place for movie stars, musicians, and other Californian notables. You’ll never forget walking through this moonlit cemetery and the beauty of the alters in tribute to the dead. Bring a camera and something warm to wear. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, LosAngeles, CA 90038-1864. For more information, visit the official website.

La Placita Catholic Church - Wed., Nov 2nd, Alter Blessing 6:30 to 7 pm. An altar installation by artist Vibiana Aparicio-Chamberlin that memorializes the dead of the Iraq War and the murdered women of Juarez. Come early and stroll the shops at Olvera Street - pick up some sugar skulls - then pay your respects to the war dead at La Placita Church (Our Lady Queen of Angels) Catholic Church, Olvera Street, Los Angeles, CA.

Street Parade and Candle light march - Five Points, East L.A. - Wed., Nov 2nd. Community artists in L.A. will celebrate Self Help Graphics and Art and what it’s meant to all of us. This is an invitation to all interested artists and community members to again celebrate Dia de los Muertos as an artist-led event. This year we will celebrate Day of the Dead with a street parade. The event begins at 7:00pm. Gather for a candle light march @ Five Points East L.A. Calavera make up & attire encouraged. For more info, contact Diane Gamboa. selfhelpartists@yahoo.com

Day of the Dead Fashion Show & Exhibit - Tropico de Nopal Gallery on Nov 5th. Join artists Cindy Bravo, Victoria Delgadillo, Consuelo Flores, Rigo Maldonado and community members for a unique vision in remembering our dead. Tropico de NopalGallery, 1665 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA. For more info, visit the gallery’s website at: www.tropicodenopal.com

[ The face of antiwar protest in Los Angeles. Aztecs surround a memorial of flag drapped coffins. Photo by Marcus at L.A. Indymedia. ]

A huge antiwar demonstration took place in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, September 24th., one of many that occurred aross the nation. Organizers placed the size of the crowd at 50,000 - around the same size of the mass march that took place in San Francisco. In the nation’s capital, organizers claimed 300,000 attended the demonstration, with C-SPAN reporting the crowd at 500,000. Here in Los Angeles, we had a demonstration like no other in the country. The tens of thousands who took to the streets were a mix of all the different ethnic communities that make up the city, and they marched along Broadway Street in the downtown area of L.A. where there is a massive presence of Central American and Mexican immigrants.

Dozens of Aztec Dancers danced along the boulevard to the sound of drums, conch shells, and rattles. Xicano student groups from all over Southern California were in attendance, and Latinos in general made up a high percentage of the massive crowd. Unions, church groups, advocates for the poor and homeless, feminists and gay rights activists, artists, left parties and everyday people who had never attended a protest before - filled the streets with cries of “Stop the War!” and “Peace Now!” In the march were 60 flag draped coffins, each carried by four pallbearers. Those who carried the coffins marched silently at the end of the huge demonstration, and as the march came to its conclusion at L.A. City Hall, the coffins were neatly arranged at the base of the government building. Aztec dancers formed a circle around the coffins, dancing, praying, and offering incense to the gods. The entire march was an amazing spectacle to behold, and some say, just the beginning for an antiwar movement that is daily gaining in strength and numbers. To see more photographs from the L.A. demonstration, click here.

This July 30th in Baldwin Park, Califas, Danza Cuauhtemoc will be celebrating a Fiesta del Maiz related to the Aztec goddess of corn, Xilonen (she-lon-en). Named after the golden hair-like tassels found on unshuked corn, Xilonen is also the goddess of food and produce, and by extension - fertility. The powerful goddess is also the wife of Tezcatlipoca (tehs-cah-tlee-poh-cah), the sorcerer god of night who sees all in his smoking mirror of obsidian… hence his name, Lord of the Smoking Mirror. This year’s Xilonen ceremony will be cause for much dance, prayer, and blessing of foods, giving strength and vision to the people of corn. Everyone is encouraged to come and participate in the ceremony. Danza Cuauhtemoc is especially aware of the attempts by the racists of “Save Our State” to desecrate the statue, Danza Indigenas, created by Chicana artist Judy Baca for the city of Baldwin Park - so this year’s Xilonen ceremony will also help revitalize the spiritual power necessary to resist those out to destroy indigenous culture. The ceremony will be held from 11 to 5 pm., in the city of Baldwin Park - Saturday, July 30th, in Morgan Park (click here for directions). For more information, check the Danza Cuauhtemoc webpage.

[ In this Column of the Americas opinion piece by Roberto Rodriguez, the sad tale of an LAPD shooting and killing of a 19 month old girl is recounted. Titled The Price of the Innocents, Rodriguez places the tragedy in a wider context. You can reach the writer, at: XColumn@aol.com ]

As a result of the recent SWAT police shootout in the Watts section of Los Angeles, this much is known: gunman Jose Raul Pena and his 19 month-old daughter, Suzie Marie, are both dead from police bullets. William J. Bratton, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, immediately lay the blame on the father (a car dealer and ex-soldier from El Salvador) - who used his daughter as a human shield during the shootout - characterizing him as a bad man. Several investigations are already underway regarding the circumstances and tactics of the SWAT team, etc. However, three things are not in dispute: Suzie Marie was unintentionally killed; her death is a tragedy; and Suzie Marie’s mother, Lorena Lopez, will be compensated. The only question will be, how much… as in how much the price of a child?

There’s little doubt Lopez will be receiving a sum with lots of zeroes. Yet no amount of money will soften the tragedy. No one disputes this. Not the chief, not the new mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa, not anyone. This unfolding tragedy serves as a reminder regarding the value that society places on human life. That officers would shoot at a gunman - who is using a child as a shield - is also an uncomfortable reminder of the dehumanization that our society has undergone since 911. One would have expected the opposite, but we do live in times of numbing dehumanization. Suzie Marie’s death has transfixed the City of the Future, causing it to collectively ask about the wisdom and limits of force in resolving conflicts and innocent bystanders.

Think about Iraq. (Others are recalling the 40th anniversary of the Watts riots, whose epicenter was nearby). How many Suzie Maries are being killed daily in the crossfire in Iraq? We don’t know, primarily because this administration - with seemingly full compliance from the mainstream media — has intentionally shielded Americans from the actual horrors of the war. (The world media does not censor the news from the front).Why? Because war is hell. Suzie Marie’s tragedy shows us that the death of a single child can stir the emotions and conscience of an entire city (along with the people of El Salvador). The political strategists at the White House know this full well. This may well explain why the Pentagon does not count, much less name Iraqi casualties (unless it is to its political advantage). To do so might stir the American conscience. (The world conscience, particularly among Arabs-Muslims, has already been stirred as it is continually outraged by this dehumanizing practice). The outcry over Suzie Marie helps to explain why we are not permitted to see those horrors of war, nor the funerals for U.S. service personnel. The collective emotions of the nation might be stirred. Imagery is powerful and a lesson learned from Vietnam.

Yet the tragedy in Watts also points to another, even more uncomfortable truth. When force is used, it must be based on truth (including an accurate arrest warrant) and the threat posed by the situation must be credible and imminent. When there’s an innocent party involved (Suzie Marie), another factor enters the picture: the force used should be both proportionate and measured. This is what the investigations will examine. Across the ocean, Israel has engineered the controversial practice of “targeted assassinations,” which require no trials. As long as the primary target is a known terrorist/combatant, it matters little if anyone else is killed. While clearly reckless, if not outright illegal, its chief ally (the United States) does not forcefully condemn the practice, thus, the Israeli Defense Forces do not feel morally constrained. In the Afghanistan and Iraqi wars, the U.S. military has borrowed that same technique and rationale: it’s the terrorists fault for hiding among civilians.

Obviously, the technique and frequency are greatly magnified in Iraq, involving thousands of deaths. However, unlike police departments that acknowledge when they raid the wrong house and/or kill innocent bystanders, the U.S. administration has undeniably raided the wrong country. Yet, the Bush administration continues the war as if somehow, because the war rationale has changed, it is somehow now the right house. (It can do this as long as the victims remain nameless and faceless). In Los Angeles, the police chief has justified the killing and the tragedy of Pena and his daughter by claiming that he was a bad man. That cannot be the standard for use of force when it involves innocent bystanders… unless American cities are now also being regarded as actual war zones.

© Column of the Americas 2005