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Brown Beret co-founder and tireless Chicano, human, and immigrant rights activists Carlos Montes will speak tonight in Anaheim starting at 7 p.m. on his experience with an FBI/SWAT raid earlier this year and the resulting charges against him at the Unitarian Universalist Church on the corner of Broadway and Harbor (sandwiched between the Library and the Police station.) The action was definitely politically motivated and supporters have steadfastly demanded that charges be dropped. Montes had been one of the 2008 RNC protest organizers and is one of 23 other anti-war activists who are facing similar legal situations. There’s been some media coverage of the ordeal, but the majority of it has left much to be desired.
Author, journalist and Truthdig columnist Chris Hedges, however, doesn’t beat around the bush nor mince words in his writings. His article and take on the scenario focused on the national implications of authorities targeting the Chicano activist. For starters Hedges writes in his typical to-the-point tone:
On May 17 at 5 in the morning the Chicano activist Carlos Montes got a wake-up call at his home in California from Barack Obama’s security state. The Los Angeles County sheriff’s SWAT team, armed with assault rifles and wearing bulletproof vests, as well as being accompanied by FBI agents, kicked down his door, burst into his house with their weapons drawn, handcuffed him in his pajamas and hauled him off to jail
In calling the resulting felony charges against the longtime activist a cautionary tale of the security state, Hedges, whose books include The Death of the Liberal Class, pens that “There is little daylight now between raiding a home in the middle of the night in Iraq and raiding one in Alhambra, Calif.” Indeed, empires are known by history to collapse upon the bankruptcy of their formal democratic institutions when imperial repression abroad becomes commonplace domestically.
For Chicanos, undocumented immigrants, African-American and Indigenous peoples, this has always been the case, however, for they comprise the internally colonized of the nation. Recognizing that, Hedges continues, “Poor urban neighborhoods, which bear the brunt of the estimated 40,000 SWAT team assaults that take place every year, have already learned what is only dimly being understood by the rest of us—in the eyes of the state we are increasingly no longer citizens with constitutional rights but enemy combatants.”
To read the in-depth interview with Montes by Chris Hedges’ into the raid and the legal mess that has ensued check out the article on Truthdig: http://tinyurl.com/5vvuh7g
For info see on tonight’s event, visit http://www.uuchurchoc.org/ or call (949) 257 – 8501. The UUCA is located at 511 N. Harbor Blvd in Anaheim.
What a joke. How much does the Swat Team get to bill the Government for the man hours to drag this citizen from his bed and p.J.s. Good article Gabriel.
“in the eyes of the state we are increasingly no longer citizens with constitutional rights but enemy combatants”……… Hmmmmm
It is Latinos who destroyed the constitution by not recognizing difference between the immigrant and illegal-immigrant.
Once you take the “legality” out of the constitution, all will take advantage of it even the Government.
The leftist Latinos, Liberals and Socialists created slippery slope and now are bitching to ride it down.
Enjoy.
From The Exile is right in that I have never once in my life seen a Latino refer to an illegal immigrant as anything other than a) immigrant, b) undocumented immigrant (a term meant to trivialize and downplay the illegal nature of their presence in the US).
Yeah, right. I guess you don’t watch the local news where Latino/a anchors use the term all time, or those who adhere to newsprint stylistic guidelines.
I’ll never use it.
You all have bought into the scapegoat and can’t see the forest for the trees.
“You all have bought into the scapegoat”……. Hmmm
Isn’t it chupacbra rather than scapegoat cabrone?
I don’t know. Keep pondering that while everyone’s civil liberties erode all the while you cry “illegals”
“Keep pondering that while everyone’s civil liberties erode all the while you cry “illegals””………. Hmmmmm
FYI, the civil liberties eroded with mandatory political correctness and my right to hate who ever I want to hate.
Yeah, ok, you go ahead and worry about that imaginary dilemma while the successive administrations lay siege to civil liberties with the expanded authorities of a now hyper-presidency.
Relax gabriel san roman,
I do understand your point and have actually more global experience in what you are talking about because I have lived 22 years behind the iron curtain.
The problem is that you do not understand that you leftists have created this fascism and now you are bitching about it.
Start following the law and law will protect you!!!
If not, don’t complain don’t explain.
This entire rant is completely racist and hate driven. You should be ashamed to hide behind the cloak of “political correctness” to vent such shameful venom.
Huh????
Again I have to ask:
Ahahahaha!
Pretty clear Vern – Montes is a convicted felon – the raid was based on a tip that there was a weapon in the house and guess what, there was a shotgun – a weapon a convicted felon cannot legally possess. Instead of characterizing Mr. Montes as a convicted felon further violating the law, GSR characterizes the neurotic and paranoid Mr. Montes as “embattled,” victim of a “politically motivated” raid, and the “felony charges against the activist a cautionary tale in a security state.” Sounds more to me like the police doing the job of enforcing the law.
GSR in the zenith of a racist rant continues “empires are known by history to collapse upon the bankruptcy of their formal democratic institutions when imperial repression abroad becomes commonplace domestically. For Chicanos, undocumented immigrants, African-American and Indigenous peoples, this has always been the case, however, for they comprise the internally colonized of the nation.” (evidently those of Asian decent have always been welcomed and not repressed – same goes for Irish, Italians, etc.)
Internally colonized? You mean that are being forced to stay here? Imperial repression? What racist nonsense.
GSR, “imperialism” means “the practice, the theory and the attitudes of a dominating metropolitan centre ruling a distant territory.” “The Age of Imperialism, 1850–1914”. Google docs. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
So, according to GSR, all but non Northern Europeans with light complexions are currently being held captive in the United States and face systematic repression from distant lands? Whatcha talking about GSR?
Internal colonialism is a sociological theory perhaps best laid out by scholar Robert Allen. That’s what I’m talking about. What aren’t you talking about? The obvious political pretext to the raid. That is to be ignored by a person such as yourself.
Also, some of the quotes in my so-called “racist rant,” were actually quotes from a white journalist who is a whole lot more with it than you could ever dream of being.
Go figure. Next.
Ah, that would be Chris Hedges. Famed war correspondent and author of “War is a Force Which Gives Us Meaning.” Part of a little clique I am now a proud member of along with Tom Englhardt and Paul Krugman – writers who pissed off everybody on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 by not cheerleading. (OK I didn’t get death threats like some of them.)
I think Geoff Willis should apologize for calling my words ‘completely racist and hate driven.’ He hasn’t even put forth the slightest argument towards the notion.
GSR, you have said that 1) light complected northern Europeans are holding “Chicanos, undocumented immigrants, African-American and Indigenous peoples” captive within this country, 2) that it is “pretext” not the fact that Mr. Montes WAS ACTUALLY BREAKING THE LAW that is the reason that the lightly complected northern European government took legal action against Mr. Montes, and 3) the reason there is more police activity in poor urban neighborhoods is because of this captivity and biggotry having nothing to do with the fact that the preponderance of crime happens within those neighborhoods. I think you have clearly made my point for me and that you should apologize to me.
I am tired of these apologies demands.
Have you ever heard gabriel san roman: If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen?
Geoff,
WHERE does GSR say the following?;
“GSR, you have said that 1) light complected northern Europeans …”
I have read and reread the above post and can’t find ANY references to “light complected northern Europeans”, GSR does allude to the fact that minority communities bear the overwhelming brunt of swat team raids (and of course, that is true), but nowhere does he assert that the agents of these assaults are all white. I am sure that GSR is well aware that our police departments are well integrated and one can be a minority and still be an oppressor.
Some one is a RACIST here and it ISN’T GSR.
Not to mention GSR’s approving quote from Hedges, “…Carlos Montes got a wake-up call at his home in California from Barack Obama’s security state.”
Now, the President may be “light-complected” compared to Wesley Snipes, but I wouldnt’a thought of calling him Northern European.
From the Exile:
I know damn well Willis won’t apologize. I put that out there because I knew it would rankle him and ultimately end up in him requesting an apology from me! haha.
Anonster and Mr. Vern Nelson know what’s up.
I can’t tell if you are all being myopic or simply have been spewing the same words for so long you no longer understand the meaning. GSR states “empires are known by history to collapse upon the bankruptcy of their formal democratic institutions when imperial repression abroad becomes commonplace domestically. For Chicanos, undocumented immigrants, African-American and Indigenous peoples, this has always been the case, however, for they comprise the internally colonized of the nation” According to GSR the only unrepressed groups are Asians and Northern Europeans since he characterizes everyone else as “repressed.” Anonster tries to paint GSR out of the corner by saying that we could have oppressors and the oppressed all coming from the same camp, but that ridiculous interpretation renders the remainder of GSR’s diatribe even more logically inconsistent.
My beliefs on race have been entirely stable and consistent – it is abhorent to discriminate against anyone based on their country of origin or the color of their skin (or their gender or religion for that matter). In today’s multicultural, multiracial world it is equally racist to describe any group as being a part of any race (please give me a working definition of “hispanic,” or “chicano,” or “African American” (which my darkly complected carribean friends find highly offensive). You simply cannot define these groups. As soon as you stop trying to prevent distinction in treatment of the races and start trying to use race as a divisive weapon, you are definitionally racist.
Where were you on the whole Davenport threads? lolz!
Geoff,
You can’t have it both ways, either their are no races, groups or “camps” or there are;
” In today’s multicultural, multiracial world it is equally racist to describe any group as being a part of any race (please give me a working definition of “hispanic,” or “chicano,” or “African American” (which my darkly complected carribean friends find highly offensive). You simply cannot define these groups.”
You accuse GSR of racism for mentioning chicanos and african americans and then go onto chide him for not mentioning “asians” and “Northern Europeans”.
Further you assert that it is ridiculous to have “… oppressors and the oppressed all coming from the same camp” (and PLEASE Geoff, define “camp”) when in reality, history is rife with examples of that very thing.
Do you know for a fact that there were no “chicano’s” on that swat team?
And FYI, a “chicano” is an an American of Mexican descent.
I wonder how Willis will react when I ponder the possibility of the Occupy Wall Street protests evolving into something like the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.
Now that would be considered RADICAL!!!!!!
“the possibility of the Occupy Wall Street protests evolving into something like the 1973 siege at Wounded Knee, South Dakota.”…… Hmmm
No possibility the Occupation is over!… they went home!
THESE LAW BREAKERS CANT FOLLOW THE LAW . they are always crying about raids and deportaions , YOU BROKE THE LAW , ITS ILLEGAL , this chicano studies group is a riot , should see lots of che t shirts floating around , heck they are probally passing them out at the door along with the no one is illegal t shirt too .
Nope, no Che shirts. Mostly white folks, actually.
Will this guy talk about ending the war on drugs so no race of people have to endure raids like that? Or how everyone should vote for Ron Paul? Or is it going to be all brown-centric? Cause you know, the world would be better if everyone was their own self-centered racist and no one fought for equality or fairness or the rights of everyone.
Most of the activists targeted by the FBI alongside Montes actually are white women. When he speaks of his current situation, he speaks of them and in solidarity.
Now ask yourself why you assumed that wasn’t the case?
You were the one that labeled him as a brown beret. Interestingly enough, brown beret’s weren’t know for fighting for latina rights at all.
Let alone white women’s rights…
I wrote that he was a founding member of the Brown Berets. He helped organized the East LA high school walkouts. That’s not ‘labeling,’ it’s just a part of Montes’ decades long activist career.
All you can do is ignore one thing and talk shit on the other
What do you think about organizations dedicated to just protecting and promoting only one race of people? Is that how the entire world should live? If everyone had racist view like yours, the world would be racially divided. Kind of hard to live in peace and harmony with your fellow brother and sisters that way.
Alex —
That ethnic groups of people self-organize around issues in that effect them in the community (like those in education that lead to the walkouts) is no problem for me. (I don’t lend any credence to your characterization) There is ample institutional racism to be countered, then and now.
After all, who else is going to do it? Montes is clearly an activist whose concerns are many. The committee to stop FBI repression, for example, is not an ethnically defined group. You continually ignore this and other things that don’t fit within your already pre-conceived notions.
Now, you must ask yourself, why?
“Most of the activists targeted by the FBI alongside Montes actually are white women”…. Hmmmmm
WHY?
Cause you know how white women are, they are all felons and often buy shotguns.