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Indybay Feature

13 Years of Marching for Peace and Unity

by ~Bradley (bradley [at] riseup.net)
On October 7th, 2006, friends and families of the victims of violence, as well as community activists, passionately marched through different Watsonville neighborhoods demanding an end to all violence, including war and government oppression during the the 13th annual Peace and Unity March.
mexican-harp_10-7-06.jpg
After the tragic gang-related murders of Jessica Cortez, 9, and her older brother Jorge Cortez, 16, in 1994, the Peace and Unity March was organized by the newly formed Watsonville Brown Berets to address the gang warfare going on in their community. The Berets aim to re-channel the energy that youth put into violent gangs and transform youth into community leaders and activists with a strong knowledge of their culture.

more photos and audio:
The 13th Annual Peace and Unity March
§Justice for All!
by ~Bradley
justice_10-7-06.jpg
§Violence is Stupid
by ~Bradley
stupid_10-7-06.jpg
§Paz y Unidad Ahora
by ~Bradley
ahora_10-7-06.jpg
§Ya Basta Con la Violencia
by ~Bradley
violencia_10-7-06.jpg
§Paz
by ~Bradley
paz_10-7-06.jpg
§Together We Rise 4 Peace
by ~Bradley
together_10-7-06.jpg
§Paz y Unidad
by ~Bradley
unidad_10-7-06.jpg
§White Hawk
by ~Bradley
white-hawk_10-7-06.jpg
§Isacc Guzman
by ~Bradley
isacc_10-7-06.jpg
§Paz en el Barrio
by ~Bradley
barrio_10-7-06.jpg
§Peace in the Streets
by ~Bradley
streets_10-7-06.jpg
§Unity in Struggle
by ~Bradley
struggle_10-7-06.jpg
§MLK Jr.
by ~Bradley
mlk_10-7-06.jpg
§United We March
by ~Bradley
march_10-7-06.jpg
§No Mas Violencia
by ~Bradley
no-mas_10-7-06.jpg
§Aztec
by ~Bradley
aztec_10-7-06.jpg
§Brown Beret
by ~Bradley
brown-beret_10-7-06.jpg
§Peace for All!
by ~Bradley
peace_10-7-06.jpg
§Watsonville Police Officer with Taser and Gun
by ~Bradley
taser_10-7-06.jpg
Who invited this guy with all the weapons to the march and rally for peace and unity? The Tasers were a new addition to this years Peace and Unity March.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taser_International

Taser International Inc. has been criticized for their aggressive marketing tactics; some say that the company misrepresents the dangers of their product and subtly encourages their use in improper situations. An article in the Arizona Republic newspaper revealed that company officials had claimed that a Department of Defense study was "independent" proof of the Taser's safety even though the company provided most of the research material used in the study and participated in three panels to determine the scope of the study, analyze data, and review findings.

The company also has met controversy about the relationship between it and the Taser Foundation, which gave monetary grants to police officers killed in the line of duty, after a USA Today report in April 2005.

Scrutiny regarding the safety of the devices sold by Taser International Inc. has prompted over 30+ 'wrongful death' lawsuits against the company, since company inception.
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Comments (Hide Comments)
by Para que saben (So that they know)
Recently, the WPD zapped a man three times with a taser until he stopped breathing, had to be recesitated by EMS and then taken to the hospital where he was comatose for several days. According to the mans family, he is schizophrentic, hadn't taken his medicine, and had been drinking. What was his crime that required such the use of such force??? Refusing to get off the bus. Yup. While at the Waztlan transit center he had been told to get off the bus, for whatever reason he didn't (maybe he had somewhere to go!?!) and somehow the WPD thought zapping him three times with a tazer was a good idea and the only way to get him off the bus. WPD official said that because of the size of the bus they had to use the taser for safety reasons. Sounds like some BS to me. Trying to test your new toys??? Scared of a little scuffle??? Trying to pick on someone less capable than you??? Where is your compassion you pigs!!!! This is seriously fucked up and even the punk as senile printed something about this...

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/archive/2006/October/12/local/stories/03local.htm

On the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party I can't help but wonder just how far we've really come. Sure, we got latino cops and politicians, and we ain't being lynched in this county no more (yes is did happen here) but when a fucking terrorist federal government can come and destroy families and carry people away to immigrant concentration camps, I mean uh, "detention centers", and the police justify zapping a mentally sick man 3 times for refusing to get off a bus, I gotta wonder just how far we've really come. I wonder how po po cheif Terry Medina thinks of this one?? City council???Where ya at Waztlan Brown Berets??? Our people, all people (my understanding is he was white), need you now and until we get the po po off the block. They call it Hip Hop..... Hip Hop..... Hip Hop.... Hip.... Its bigga than....

Mother fuck a corrupt police and fuck police brutality. This shit is wrong and needs to be challenged. I know the family could use the support too. Anyone now a good lawyer??? Pro bono preferably, they don't got a ton of scrilla.
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