Thread: Comment from paper about "Independance day" parade

Promoting an outcome


I am beginning to question what country the city of Waukegan truly exists in.
Over the Sept. 16-17 weekend, the roads were filled with vehicles flying Mexican flags for their Mexican Independence day celebrations. I am a Mexican American and I think some of this is absolutely ridiculous.

My brother has an American flag flying from his truck all year long. He was driving down by the lake to meet some friends on Sept. 17 and was attacked by mobs of people continuing to celebrate the Independence Day. An ice cream cone was thrown at his truck and landed on the interior leaving stains.

One person pulled a knife out and started to threaten him. Then, while trying to get away, he was chased all the way to the Beach Park border by carloads of people.

What country are we in? Why is Waukegan promoting these types of events if this is the outcome? Why aren't police patrolling these areas? What is going to happen when this continues?

If I don't get any answers I will have to take this issue farther. My opinion of the Mexican population in Waukegan is incredibly low now. And remember, that's coming from a Mexican American.


Jaclyn Ochoa




09/20/06
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S10920.htm

I hope more start saying something like this person. The situation sounds famaliar to the one W's friend went through, because he was an American citizen of hispanic decent. They will injure anyone who isn't anti-American. This mob rule mentality is out of hand when you can't even leave a situation without being run down and having weapons pulled.

The Waukegan Mex. Independence parade is angering a lot of residents -just as the May 1st marches did. I drove down the route -it's a MESS. Here's some more commentary;

http://www.waukegan.org/Forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=4

http://www.waukegan.org/Forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=62



http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/news ... S10921.htm

Parade snafu angers Waukegan officials

By Dan Moran DMORAN@SCN1.COM

WAUKEGAN — A scheduling conflict between a league football game and the annual Mexican Independence Day parade Sunday forced the organizers to move the parade's starting point from the Weiss Field parking lot to residential streets near the field.

The result, according to 3rd Ward Ald. Gregory Moisio, was "a thousand people in people's yards up and down Monroe Street," and a volley of complaints by area residents affected by the route change.

"You had a thousand people, some of them drinking and playing their music as loud as they can," Moisio said. "That's how (residents) had to spend an hour and a half of their Sunday morning. Why would we start a parade on a residential street?"

Moisio added, "I have nothing wrong with parades, I have nothing wrong with ethnic parades. We should promote our diversity. But we need to think about where we start and end a parade. You cannot disrespect people like that."

Fourth Ward Ald. A.J. "Tony" Figueroa, who said he helped organize the parade, offered a public apology for the logistical troubles.

"I would like to personally and publicly apologize to people who were inconvenienced by that parade," Figueroa said, explaining how the assembly area had to be moved from Weiss Field. "I promise you, it will never happen again ... Drinking is totally not tolerated. Those people who were drinking will not be allowed back."

Figueroa added that he would like future Mexican Independence parades to take a north-south route, much like the Fourth of July parade down Sheridan Road, to avoid conflicts with busy intersections.

"I guess people were affected on Lewis (Avenue), Butrick (Street), Jackson (Street), West (Street)," Figueroa said. Waukegan police officials estimated that 1,000 people marched along the parade route, with another 5,000 watching along the curbs.

Mayor Richard Hyde said that one report he fielded was that "Washington Street and Genesee Street were a mess. There was litter all over the place." But he added that this has also been the case after the Fourth of July parades, due primarily to candy being thrown and left in the street.

Figueroa acknowledged that the streets needed to be cleaned after the parade, but he added that "it rained at 5 o'clock and everything was wet and very difficult to clean up."

Seventh Ward Ald. Patrick Needham said aldermen should be part of the review process before any parade can step off on city streets, especially if public services are involved.

"I don't want to pick on this parade," Needham said. "I'm looking at the bigger picture, not one event. We need to look at these things more closely."

Despite the problems, Figueroa said he felt that "it was a fantastic parade (that) never had so many participants."