In the late 60's, the Chicano movement was initiated and carried out by the youth across America. I will be focusing particularly on the East L.A. chicano movement in the years of 1967-71.
In this photo, several signs are on display, all centering around anti-war sentiments, further inflamed by the police murder of reporter Reuben Salazar, who died from being hit by a tear gas canister during the Chicano Moratorium, which was an anti-war protest held on August 29th, 1970.
The largest banner States "Remember Reuben Salazar, Our Fight is at HOME, not in Vietnam! Chicano Power, Viva La Causa, Raza Primero." The phrase "Our Fight is at Home, not in Vietnam" reflects the sentiment of many Chicanos, who believed that they were disproportionality dying overseas, in a war they felt no attachment to. Many Chicanos felt extremely alienated, and neglected by the U.S. government, feeling lost fighting a war against brown people who more closely resembled them in appearance than white Americans. Chicanos felt that the only war important to the freedom and liberation of their people was that in which they were fighting into the streets against the police and the systematic oppression of their people.
Surrounding the main sign, are other smaller posters with phrases like "¡BASTA! (we've had enough) NO MORE WAR","MI RAZA PRIMERO", and "¡RAZA SI!, GUERRA NO!".
"¡BASTA! (we've had enough) NO MORE WAR" expresses the fatigue chicanos felt in losing thousands of their young men fighting in a war, seemingly for no reason, and with no progress. The Vietnam war was one that was poorly "justified" and had very little, if anything at all, to do with the interests of Mexican Americans, who were facing much more oppression at the hands of white supremacist America than any potential threat from the Vietnamese.
In the statement, "¡RAZA SI!, GUERRA NO!" (saying yes to Chicanos and no to war), is an obvious example of the black and white fallacy, introducing the dichotomy that either you are an ally with the movement, or you support the war, leaving no middle ground to be inhabited.
"Remember Rueben Salazar" is an attempt to use emotional appeal to garner support for the movement, as Salazar was murdered during a protest against the Vietnam war, and was thrust unto martyrdom for the movement to use to rally the anti-war support of those outraged.
The Image of this massive, unified crowd of Chicanos, protesting in the middle of the street was likely used in an attempt to create a sort of bandwagon appeal, shaming pro-war Chicanos, and assuring that the movement was fundamentally anti-war.
Finally, the banner "Our Fight is at HOME, not in Vietnam!" makes use of a paraprosdokian pun in order to make the reader thing about its implications. In the late 60's, many who were not in the circle of initial protesters would likely be somewhat confused at the Chicano movements issues and goals. but the highlighting of the word "home" causes the reader to take into account the conditions that they were living in, in an attempt to make the reader think that police violence and systemic racism is a more pressing matter to the lives of Chicanos than the Vietnam War.
In the statement, "¡RAZA SI!, GUERRA NO!" (saying yes to Chicanos and no to war), is an obvious example of the black and white fallacy, introducing the dichotomy that either you are an ally with the movement, or you support the war, leaving no middle ground to be inhabited.
"Remember Rueben Salazar" is an attempt to use emotional appeal to garner support for the movement, as Salazar was murdered during a protest against the Vietnam war, and was thrust unto martyrdom for the movement to use to rally the anti-war support of those outraged.
The Image of this massive, unified crowd of Chicanos, protesting in the middle of the street was likely used in an attempt to create a sort of bandwagon appeal, shaming pro-war Chicanos, and assuring that the movement was fundamentally anti-war.
Finally, the banner "Our Fight is at HOME, not in Vietnam!" makes use of a paraprosdokian pun in order to make the reader thing about its implications. In the late 60's, many who were not in the circle of initial protesters would likely be somewhat confused at the Chicano movements issues and goals. but the highlighting of the word "home" causes the reader to take into account the conditions that they were living in, in an attempt to make the reader think that police violence and systemic racism is a more pressing matter to the lives of Chicanos than the Vietnam War.
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