L.A. Latinos protest war, dropout rate

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Almost 35 years to the day after the Los Angeles Chicano Moratorium, some who organized and participated in the demonstration have mounted another protest.

Not only are the organizers commemorating the moratorium Saturday, they are protesting the Iraq war, as well as the "Minuteman Project" to halt illegal immigration from Mexico, reported the Los Angeles Daily News.

"(The protest) showed us how devastating the system could be," said Jaime Cruz, coordinator for the Chicano Moratorium Committee.

Thirty-five years ago, 20,000 protesters marched in the original demonstration to protest the disproportionate number of Hispanics being drafted into the military and their high dropout rates in public schools. Police and protesters skirmished and three protesters were killed.

Despite greater representation of Latinos in government, many of the issues from 35 years ago remain the same, according to Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

"The dropout rate is as high as ever, retention rates in college are horrible and now you don't even have affirmative action," she said.