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| Courtesy El Mexicano - Wow, nice neat signs, who paid for them? |
Last night when we finally came home, I noticed a twenty four hour break in the executions which I promise I will come back to. El Mexicano is reporting this morning that over 500 people participated in a counter march to protest the blockade of the Transpennisular Highway last Friday. These people also accuse the Jornaleros of vandalism during their demonstrations (which the Jornaleros have denied). Additionally, this group has also prepared a petition or document which is to be submitted to the Municipal, State and Federal authorities urging them to outlaw or prevent further marches and blockades of the Transpennisular Highway which they believe affects the tranquility and economy of the valley and the lives of the people who live in the valley.
This group claims to be "apolitical" and have stated they are not against the movement of the Jornaleros, only against the manner in which their protests are carried out.
AFN noted this march was organized by the Ejido Nacionalista Sanchez Taboada and over a thousand people participated. They claim they were unable to go to work, unable to get home and again want the government to prohibit blockades.
One of my neighbors who is an old Longshoreman (ILWU) believes crossing a picket line is taboo and anyone who does is a scab, noted that the valley is far from being in a state of tranquility due to the huge amount of dope brought in by airplanes, boats and transported over the highway, not to mention narcotics operatives who he says are "behind every rock" and flood the area with the poison meth. Any area which promotes slavery he says, is far from being tranquil. He also wonders what's up with the Ejidians - are they attempting to show the politicos they aren't all that bad and expect some leniency on any La Bufadora interests? Boy, he went on forever about this and called this demonstration today an example of distrust and dislike between the classes, (which is debatable by some) which is one of the main reasons according to him why the Mexican people cannot organize. He also told me to wake up, that the video from Mana was twelve years old and nothing has changed. Wow.
Having lived in that area for many years, I know for a fact there are other back routes to get in and out of Maneadero which would not have been affected by the blockade at El Zorillo. On the west side, Esteban Cantu goes through to Maneadero, Emiliano Zapata and 16 de Septiembre (which turns into Alejandro Carrillo Miranda) both by Juniors, each go through to Maneadero. Benito Juarez a bit north of those last two also goes through to Maneadero. As I recall, an almost weeks notice about this last march by the Jornaleros was public information. Unfortunately these aspects were not reported in either article. Have to say though, those are some pretty swanky posters.
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Baltimore: Sail Away
11:59PM: We have been glued to the US and BBC coverage of the situation in Baltimore, which a short time ago was declared in a "State Of Emergency" - so the drug war and the violence we have been experiencing in Baja California will have to (once more) wait.
While you are watching the MSM coverage, here is another link which has been covering the subject of Police Brutality in the United States for months in fact for years. Unfortunately, Amy Goodman is in the Hague right now covering "Mass Media and Conflict" so Democracy Now's current coverage of the Baltimore situation is a bit behind, but I'm sure they will catch up with added perspectives on today's events.
Democracy Now
Topic: Police Brutality
When the Freddie Gray incident occurred, the second thing I thought of was the 1977-78 album by Randy Newman, probably the greatest musical social and historical satirist of the United States and his song-poem, "Baltimore" - you guys remember? The first thing I thought after Freddie Gray's death was this is out of control, this is bad.
Speaking of slave labor, but also applicable to the immigration problem which the US politicos have been avoiding like the plague (like everything else ahem ahem) in 1972 Randy Newman wrote "Sail Away" - a famous satiric piece which has been re-recorded by all the greats including Etta James, Bobby Darin (one of the best covers I think), Ray Charles, Joe Cocker (wow how much do we all miss him?), Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee (will knock your socks off) and many more.
As we watch the aftershocks of racism explode in the United States, here is that haunting tune: ~~~~