Spartan Daily - Serving San Jose State University since 1934

Large turnout marks day of Mexican independence

Abstract:
Thousands gathered at Discovery Meadow between West San Carlos Street and Woz Way in downtown San Jose Sunday for the Fiestas Patrias, a celebration of Mexico's independence from Spain.

Fiestas Patrias was sponsored by the San Jose Mercury News and the San Jose GI Forum, the largest chapter in the country....

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Robert E. Garcia

posted 9/16/08 @ 9:30 AM PST

In part I ( and mi familia ) went to see the Grand Marshall, LCPL Angel Gomez. And we did see him and his parents: I shook his hand and awkwardly mumbled a few words. But, having seen for the first time that magnificent parade and understanding the full significance of anyone's "freedom" or any country's "freedom" from any kind of restricting power ... I realized this was parade was timeless and though the LCPL was the in the Reviewing Stand ( and well earned ) ... we all are entangled in the idea of freedom and the in expressing our culture's beauty, or our country's beauty.

As to this parade vs those that I see in the upscaled Suburbs ( mainstream ) ... yah made the burbs look sick.

Nam Vet, SP4 Robert E. Garcia

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Robert E. Garcia

posted 9/16/08 @ 10:16 AM PST

magnificent ... the right choice of LCPL Angel Gomez as the Grand Marshall and the parade itself puts most suburban "mainstream" parades to shame.

Garcia, War Veteran

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Greg

posted 9/16/08 @ 4:56 PM PST

why are we, in america, celebrating the independence of another nation?

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Robert E. Garcia

posted 9/22/08 @ 1:37 PM PST

LCPL Gomez was born in Mexico, one may as well ask why would people, born in other countrys join the chase and fang of life for the U.S.A., when in fact there has been much stealing of pride, land, and life from the Mexicanos for a very, very, long time. As to the ultimate celebration of freedom from Spain being celebrated by those other North Americans from Mexico ... I don't know ... but it was GREAT.

P.S. I am Chicano and Filipino American and served on a U.S. Army Riverboat in I Corps, Vietnam ... and up to the DMZ via the Cua Viet River. I know about the denigrations and insults to the Filipino Migrant Farmworkers ... I know about the Filipino-American War that is largely forgotten to the sissy Spanish American War ... I served about 900 miles from the province of my father's birth ... and I do believe that July 4th was selected by the Filipinos for their country as a moment linked to our own special day.

What the heck ... g8t parade and I felt connected to it all ... as though starved out by all the "mainstream" parades in suburbia that I have seen. And I have seen many. Why not a great parade and why not LCPL Angel Gomez and familia on the Review Stand ... scars in his scalp and all.

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Greg

posted 9/22/08 @ 4:30 PM PST

Originally posted by
Robert E. Garcia
LCPL Gomez was born in Mexico, one may as well ask why would people, born in other countrys join the chase and fang of life for the U.S.A., when in fact there has been much stealing of pride, land, and life from the Mexicanos for a very, very, long time. As to the ultimate celebration of freedom from Spain being celebrated by those other North Americans from Mexico ... I don't know ... but it was GREAT.

P.S. I am Chicano and Filipino American and served on a U.S. Army Riverboat in I Corps, Vietnam ... and up to the DMZ via the Cua Viet River. I know about the denigrations and insults to the Filipino Migrant Farmworkers ... I know about the Filipino-American War that is largely forgotten to the sissy Spanish American War ... I served about 900 miles from the province of my father's birth ... and I do believe that July 4th was selected by the Filipinos for their country as a moment linked to our own special day.

What the heck ... g8t parade and I felt connected to it all ... as though starved out by all the "mainstream" parades in suburbia that I have seen. And I have seen many. Why not a great parade and why not LCPL Angel Gomez and familia on the Review Stand ... scars in his scalp and all.

So are you proposing that we celebrate Bastille Day (French Independence Day July 14)? Yeah, and land was stolen from the Mexicans. Who stole it from the Native Americans. If you want to use that argument, then we should all go back to living like Neanderthals from whence we came.

And I'm a USAF veteran too but I don't see what that has to do with anything.

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Robert E. Garcia

posted 9/23/08 @ 9:50 AM PST

yup ... I was born July 14th, 1949.

well, who stole what and all that ... I know this kind of statement but actually to me I was not celebrating Mexican Independence ... I was enjoying the parade.

so

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