Blog « Can’t Stop Won’t Stop

Wednesday, July 17th, 2002

Today’s CEO Quotable: “I find that all of a sudden, I am a member of a class–CEO’s–that is held in lower repute than priests.”

–Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google

posted by Jeff Chang @ 5:56 am | 0 Comments

Monday, July 15th, 2002

From the Los Angeles Times, July 12.

Gang member turned peace activist Alex Sanchez has been granted political asylum, ending a case that was complicated by overtones of the LAPD Rampart Division scandal.

“It has great significance because we have been allowed to keep a great peacekeeper,” said Silvia Beltran, executive director of Homies Unidos, an anti-gang program.

“It’s wonderful news,” said former state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Los Angeles), who befriended Sanchez five years ago and testified on his behalf. “He’s helped a lot of young people stay out of trouble and out of harm.”

Sanchez, now 30, was deported in 1994 to his homeland, El Salvador, because of a decade-old auto-theft conviction and a subsequent parole violation for possessing a firearm. A year later, he returned illegally to the U.S. and eventually helped form the local chapter of Homies Unidos.

Police critics turned Sanchez’s case into a cause celebre, saying it was an example of how the Rampart Division tried to run roughshod over problematic witnesses by having them deported to prevent their testimony.

Sanchez had planned to testify on behalf of a teenager arrested by Rampart officers on suspicion of murder.

In requesting political asylum for Sanchez, his attorney, Alan Diamante, argued that his client might be killed if he was returned to El Salvador because of his links to the Salvadoran gang Mara Salatrucha and his stance against police corruption.

The police chief of San Salvador, Hayden, three anthropologists, a photojournalist and a psychologist were among the witnesses who testified on behalf of Sanchez.

Earlier this week, Sanchez’s conviction for firearm possession was vacated. Two years ago, his felony conviction for auto theft was set aside. With both felony offenses tossed out, the path was cleared for the immigration judge to grant political asylum, Diamante said.

The ruling Wednesday by Immigration Judge Rose Peters means that Sanchez will now be able to apply for U.S. citizenship, Diamante said.

“It has totally changed my life,” Sanchez said. “It’s a new beginning for me. Now I don’t have to run anymore. It’s a good feeling.”

posted by Jeff Chang @ 1:02 pm | 0 Comments

Saturday, July 13th, 2002

Amazing. This Jackson beating just gets deeper. First, the young white guy who videotaped the incident is hounded by the DA to give up the original tape, and when he refuses, he is arrested. Then he is beaten (by cops?) and hospitalized. Then he is extradited to Placer County on some minor charges. Meanwhile, it turns out Jackson was actually beaten worse than had appeared on tape. Stay tuned…

posted by Jeff Chang @ 5:37 am | 0 Comments

Wednesday, July 10th, 2002

BREAKING NEWS: ALEX SANCHEZ GRANTED ASYLUM

Yesterday, federal immigration judge ruled in favor of Los Angeles gang peace organizer Alex Sanchez’s request for asylum. Alex now may remain in the U.S. and will be eligible to apply for legal residency. Alex’s lawyer Allen Diamante was also able to get a previous felony charge vacated.

In early 2000, the INS detained Alex for deportation, after being aided by the LAPD in a blatant violation of a city ordinance. Alex and Homies had been organizing gang members to stop the violence in the backyard of the notorious Rampart Division. (See my story here for details.) Supporters feared that his deportation would mean certain death at the hands of Salvadoran gangs opposed to the truce movement or by right-wing Salvadoran death squads.

Folks at Homies Unidos, the organization which Alex works for, said they were thrilled and a bit shocked. It’s been a long ordeal. More details to come…

posted by Jeff Chang @ 11:04 pm | 0 Comments

Wednesday, July 10th, 2002

Here we go again. Dirty cops beating folks on videotape, this time in Inglewood. Reports say that the boy was developmentally disabled. Check the story and the video here.

posted by Jeff Chang @ 5:07 am | 0 Comments

Tuesday, July 9th, 2002

Think COINTELPRO is over? Check – The Village Voice’s special “The Attack on Civil Liberties”, a good overview of how Ashcroft and friends have been plunging you from behind.

posted by Jeff Chang @ 5:20 am | 0 Comments

Friday, June 14th, 2002

RELEASE!

Inaugurating a cultural autonomous zone from which to wage low-intensity peace.

posted by Jeff Chang @ 9:14 pm | 0 Comments

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