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Indybay Feature

Cesar Chavez March, Anti-War Photos

by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
Hundreds of labor and human rights activists took to the streets for the 2004 Cesar E. Chavez Holiday Parade & Festival, marching from 2nd and Market to Civic Center Plaza. This year's march was also in remembrance of Father Bill O'Donnell and was joined by many who expressed opposition to the ongoing U.S. led occupation of Iraq.
1-truck.jpg
§Lead banner
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
2-banner.jpghssry6.jpg
§Aztec Dancers
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
3-aztec2.jpg
§Marchers
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
4-girls.jpg
§Not in Our Name
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
6-back.jpg
§Code Pink
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
7-codepink.jpg
§International ANSWER
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
8-answer.jpg
§ACLU Youth Contingent
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
9-aclu-youth.jpg
§Bikes Not Bombs?
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
10-bikes.jpg
§ILWU Drill Team Contingent
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
11-ilwu.jpgy2ygwc.jpg
§Cool cars
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
12-cards.jpg
§Aztec Dancers
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
13-aztec.jpg
§Marchers
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
14-marchers.jpg
§500 Mile Marchers
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
16-500miles.jpg
§Marchers
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
17-viva.jpg
§Emiliano Zapata Presente! (magnet)
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
18-pancho.jpg
Add Your Comments

Comments (Hide Comments)
by Viewer
I trotted over to the Cesar Chavez celebration at lunchtime during a break from our 9-11 Hoax Inquiry, where labor did not bother to show up although it is the workingclass that is most adversely affected by the imperialist wars perpetrated by the capitalist class that perpetrated the 9-11 Hoax.

I was appalled to see only about 200 people marching in this Cesar Chavez labor parade, some of whom promoted Democrats who by definition are anti-labor, and the ILWU drill team carried the American flag, which they never do in the peace marches as it is the flag of war and imperialism.

Driving cars in any parade to "show them off" as cars is profoundly backward. I can remember the era when these cars were new, and it was a very reactionary era. What kind of outfit is Not in Our Name that its photographer would think any car is "cool" when by definition it is a profound waste of resources and a tremendous expense to workers? We need free, plentiful public transportation, and only labor can successfully fight for that demand as it is in labor's interest to do so.

Further, why did this Cesar Chavez parade start in the deserted Financial District rather than in the predominately Latino workingclass Mission District?

When is labor going to pay for buses to bus the MILLIONS of workers in the 9 counties of the Bay Area to these demonstrations and build a serious labor movement by organizing the unorganized?

American labor is only 12% organized. This pathetic turnout for a labor leader reflects profoundly weak labor organizations.
by Jeff Paterson, Not in Our Name (jeff [at] paterson.net)
Q: "What kind of outfit is Not in Our Name that its photographer would think any car is "cool" when by definition it is a profound waste of resources and a tremendous expense to workers? We need free, plentiful public transportation..."

A: Not in Our Name is a broad-based grassroots project that is attempting to build a resistance movement to endless war and repression. For more information, see the “About” section at http://www.notinourname.net

A: The photographer (that's me) grew up near the Central Valley (Hollister) and was deeply influenced by white vs. brown racism. Low riders were a symbol of pride for my Mexican friends, and to identify with them meant turning away, in a small way, from “white” rural life. This is probably why I still think they are cool.

A: Yes, mass transit is good. But why single out these three cool cars for your wrath? Each car had four riders, so at least they were car-pooling.

Note: There were far more than 200 people in the parade as stated above. My guess would be about 600, but I didn’t count.

Note: Yes, that is Emiliano Zapata and not Pancho Villa as my (original)caption states. My apologies to both men, their families, and friends. That's only one of the problems with Indymedia--there are (only volunteer)editors to catch errors like that. Other Indymedia draw backs include bizarre comment threads and very, very low pay…

Finally: Check out my video of the day:
http://www.indybay.org/news/2004/03/1675518.php
Warning: Contains images of motorized vehicles.
by Viewer
Mr. Paterson claims there were 600, not 200 people, at this pathetic labor march. Even if that were true, which it was not, that is a ringing indictment of the utter bankruptcy of the pro-Democratic Party (mostly pro-organized crime Willie Brown election-frauding gang) phony labor unions who never do any organizing whatsoever, guaranteeing that labor's strength declines every single year. It was 13% for most of the 1990s, now it is down to 12%.

Lots of people are poor and have contempt for cars. This writer was lucky to have enough to eat as a kid and worked as a maid in high school and college. The whole stinking car culture is a male bonding game and for this Paterson to cover his stupidity with the cloak of male bonding in the name of opposing white males who also are preoccupied with cars is an insult to all women and anyone's intelligence. Mr. Paterson should apologize for this continued glorification of the car culture, as he did for his error regarding Zapata.

This Not in our Name outfit is part of Revolutionary Worker, one of the groups who continue to perpetrate the government's lie that there were hijackers on the 9/11 planes, but sympathizes with these non-existent hijackers as being angry with US imperialism. I read that in the RW, so do not tell me it is not so. There were no hijackers on those planes; they were on automatic pilot. Instead of glorifying cars, why don't you read more and promote the Expose of the 9-11 Hoax?
by RW READER
The RW has never speculated on what happened on 9/11. Period.

Outright lies are still lies, even if you say that they are true.

And to hear this person with a petite boozwah ideology talk about how workers view cars is laughable. You gotta get some shit straight. The working class is not anti-car. Car culture is common, and people who drive cars are not your enemy!
by jamie
One day, someone will post a response on this site that has something to do with the articles and not weird personal beliefs.

A special thanks to everyone who participated in honoring the life of a great man, Ceasar Chavez! Power to the workers!
by Eva Royale (eroyale [at] earthlink.net)
Great pictures. Thank you for documenting this year's Cesar E. Chavez Holiday Parade.
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