Growing up in L.A. in the ’60s, I vividly remember the big West L.A. Federal Building — on the corner of Wilshire Blvd. and the San Diego Freeway — as a landmark known for civil rights protests.
Our family would regularly drive by the building on weekends going to and from my grandmas’ houses — one lived in Westwood and the other in Santa Monica.
For a child, some of the memories of the protests there were disturbing. As the beat movement gave way to civil unrest in the ’60s, the scene came to light with photojournalism from the likes of Charles Brittin. “Brittin took his camera to the front lines, and his often tightly focused images were filled with raw emotion,” as his obituary in the L.A. Times observed.
“One from a 1965 protest at the West L.A. Federal Building shows no faces, only body parts — the splayed legs of a black female protester being gripped by a white officer.” It is titled “Arrest at Los Angeles Federal Building Protest,” 1965 and has been shown at the Getty Museum, among other places.
Now, as it turns out, Nevada County political activist Mark Meckler and his political allies are going to stage their own protest at the West L.A. Federal building on October 7 titled “Wake Up America.” A flyer is here, and the rally is being promoted on the Nevada County Tea Party Patriots Facebook page.
“If you are concerned about the fiscal state of this country and state, this rally will provide you with ways to get involved in grassroots groups and initiatives so that you can make an immediate difference in the November election,” it reads.
“Some of you may not believe this, but a small number of people can make a big difference in politics. Those with the loudest voice get heard. We need your voice!
“Our country and state are on the precipice, but the ship can be turned around this November. Now is the time to get involved. Wake Up America!…Liberty is Waiting….Let’s Roll!” Sponsors include the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
We’ve come full circle in my lifetime of roughly 50 years, and the scenes at the West L.A. Federal building — from childhood to adulthood — is just one case in point. I’m not sure if we’re going backward or forward — but I have my suspicions.
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I, too, know it well — that’s where I, as a senior at UCLA, spent day one of the 1992 L.A. Uprising/Riots.
Man, I love that photo titled “Arrest at Los Angeles Federal Building Protest.” I am surprised that have never seen it before, even having visited the Getty.
Thanks for posting Jeff.
Will they be dragging off people who don’t agree with them? I remember the Roseburg video and if the good, decent people at the gathering didn’t leave, who knows what could have happened.
We need to be looking at the huge civil rights issue right here in own back yard. Folks can’t pay the rent and are then forced into hiding out in the woods to survive or sleeping in shelters.
Nearby Placerville birthed a plan to safely give these folks the emotional and physical support to get back on their feet. I visited their recently built homeless camp and made a video that pretty much tells their story. Regardless of our “side” we should all come together as neighbors and make something like this happen before this winter.
I posted the video to youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzkkC7CL-iU
Greg,
We have complete outright economic discrimination going on in our country over the last 30 years plus, it is unbelievable. I will save everyone the long list of statistics of proof of this shift in policies but I know everyone can see it all around.
I wish you would comment on what you learned from the video. It is a complete action plan on how to end homelessness that could be done here in Nevada County.
I’ve often wondered how such flaming idiots like Todd Akin or Michelle Bachman get elected to anything. Just looking at the poster for the bagger rally, its not very difficult to connect the dots.
A pro-american rock band? Bruce Springsteen is going to be there? Are there anti-american rock bands? I guess I’d better get on Youtube.
I wish I agreed with the Tea Party solutions and ideas because their ability to organize is great. As I tell classes that I go speak with about democracy and activism, democracy is ugly at the same time beautiful. Their is no final battle with democracy, every generation needs to take up the cause otherwise the gains that have been made will be lost.
Tony Benn’s Five Questions To Power
What power have you got?
Where did you get it from?
In whose interests do you use it?
To whom are you accountable?
How do we get rid of you?