Thread: Gangs Use Historical Symbol For Criminal Purposes/Video

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Gangs Use Historical Symbol For Criminal Purposes

The FBI says street and prison gangs are using the black eagle, used by the United Farm Workers to represent equality to many people. More Details
Gangs Use UFW Eagle

coun't get it to open

Originally Posted by Charlesoakisland

coun't get it to open

Charles,

Here's the full story ....

http://www.nbc11.com/news/4226747/detail.html

Gangs Use Historical Symbol For Criminal Purposes
UFW Uses Black Eagle To Represent Hope, Equality
Damian Trujillo
POSTED: 6:07 pm PST February 23, 2005
UPDATED: 2:57 pm PST February 24, 2005

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation says a symbol of pride and justice has been "hijacked."


Gangs Use UFW Eagle

For decades, the black eagle of the United Farm Workers Union has represented hope and equality to many people, but street and prison gangs are now using it for their own criminal activity.

The marches and the struggle for justice began in the 60s, which is also when the powerful symbol of the United Farm Workers was born.

It's a black eagle with squared indentations, instead of feathers, and the head facing its left.

"I'm proud of this symbol because my father and brother are the ones who actually designed it," said Freddy Chavez, whose uncle is the late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez.

They wanted a symbol simple enough for anyone to draw, yet powerful enough to carry the message of the union.

Cesar Chavez said: "All of us are looking for a place under the sun. By that, I mean a union that we can belong as farm workers, and it's going to be built by farm workers, and is going to be for farm workers."

To this day, Chavez family members feel the power of what's known as the "huelga bird."

Many tattoo it on their bodies.

"To my family, it means a lot of pride, having been able to break the chains of oppression," Chavez said.

Now, the FBI says street and prison gangs are using it for their own criminal purposes.

"Well, the Nuestra Familia and the Nortenos use symbols like the "huelga bird" to designate membership, to mark their territory, to communicate between members who are in prison, and those who are on the streets," said FBI agent LaRae Quy.

NBC11 has learned through other sources that some gangs use the bird to show their true loyalty, only after killing someone for the gang.

There's also word they use the indentations to represent the gang's hierarchy, with generals and lieutenants at the very top, Trujillo reported.

"It pains me when I hear there are persons, criminal elements, gang members, that are doing anti-social things, preying on our population, on our communities, that are using that symbol for that, that hurts me deeply," Chavez said.

Freddy Chavez says the news would also hurt his Uncle Cesar if he were alive.

"He would see this as a challenge, and he would try to get that eagle back," he said.

But Chavez says Cesar would also try to work with the gang members.

He would try to show them the true meaning of the "huelga bird," and encourage them to follow it.

Some people who have studied gangs say they're using the UFW eagle, because they too see it as a symbol of unity.

Originally Posted by Charlesoakisland

coun't get it to open

try:
http://www.nbc11.com/news/index.html
its right next to the picture. It worked again for me. You have to watch these idiots to get the full picture.

Cesar Chavez didn't have a patent on this symbol-he adapted (stole) it.As for the gangs-they've been using this symbol for a long long time,maybe even longer than the UFW.Here in Ca. it is associated with La Nuestra Familia (the main enemy of the Mexican Mafia).Most of these people in La Familia's parents/families came to north and cental Ca. before Senor Chavez got into the picture.More prevalent amongst them are quasi-religious tattoos,usually with a Catholic theme.

Although Nuestra Familia is a very serious gang,they are very nationalistic.They resent illegal immigration from Latin America as much as any law abiding Americans.Illegal immigrants make up the majority of Nuestra Familia's enemies:SUR 13 aka the Mexican Mafia (the largest and most dangerous Latin gang in America,comprised of the Mexican gangsters in most states across the union as well as other Latinos),MS13-which is mainly Salvadorians with a smaller percentage of other central Americans,and the fastest growing gang in Ca. and the rest of the west-the Border Brothers (comprised entirely of Mexican immigrants both legal and illegal,the latter being the majority) which answers exclusively to the drug lords of Mexico.