[rrpjr]

I was witness to a protest this morning on Highland and Melrose. First warning was a hovering LAPD helicopter. Then, a swarm of squad cars. Finally, a riff-raffish wave of angry young Latinos carrying banners and shouting “La Raza!” For those not in the know, “La Raza” is the term for a Mexican Zionist movement which seeks the “re-conquest” of California and the entire Southwest in the name of Mexico. I noticed these youths were all dressed in hip fashion, looked very well nourished, and, to a glowering boy and girl, flashed cell phones. I was watching this from a tire store with two fellow customers, an Asian and a black, and the Middle-Eastern store manager. Each of us reacted with similar disgust to the spectacle of audacious insult. The black man tried to engage some of the kids, but none was interested. As we watched, two of the kids casually stole the tire store's balloons. The offended manager gave chase but when he caught the two kids, they let go the balloons, laughing in his face. “La Raza”!