Introduction
The history of crime in Los Angeles (L.A.) is not a matter of class or race alone; instead, it connects both issues. Rodriguez holds this true in his account of La Vida Loca. In America, Los Angeles is considered one of the most culturally diverse states, with a large population of Latinos, Asians, and black (Rodriguez, 1993). Nevertheless, the history of this state has been tarnished by frequent occurrences of violent racism—a brief look at the current history of L.A city shows that it is a place where particular minority classes are under attack. Looking at the previous history of L.A shows that a city has particular minority groups under attack.
Discussion
Beginning with the 1965 and 1992 uprisings of Watts and Rodney King, respectively, Luis did not refer to these incidents as riots as he perceived them to be a word used for oversimplifying and insulting. However, minorities in L.A reacted to the incidents as an act of systemic racism in their city (Rodriguez, 1993). In cases like those of black and Latino residents of L.A staging protests and those involving violent uprisings after four policemen were innocent with the use of extreme force, despite video footage showing them brutally beating Rodney King. Rodrigues made it known that the brutal beatings of Rodney King were not an anomaly. Instead, nearly every case involving police ruthlessness for years had concluded in an acquittal for the officers involved.
In the memoir, Rodriquez describe to have experienced racism and other forms of segregation in his life severally while in L.A city. As a teenager, he was arrested for no apparent reason. During the apprehension, a white policeman bragged that the Los Angeles police department (LAPD) enjoyed arresting black and Latino youths to impose them with a permanent criminal record (Buntin, 2009). Once the youths had previous criminal records, it became easier to convict them in the future. In another incident, Rodriquez is apprehended for drinking while on the beach, a wrong he strongly implied would have gotten a white youth nothing more than a warning (Rodriguez,1993). In addition, the white police officers that arrested him called him a beaner and used other racial slurs to refer to him, which implied that the arrest was partly motivated by racial distrust and dislike of Latinos and blacks. His experiences with racial segregation did not end with the police officer.
At school, Rodriquez experienced racism when his teacher annoyed him for being a Mexican immigrant and not knowing how to speak fluent English. The teacher told him to play with blocks while his counterpart English-speaking kids learned, and the majority of his friends were punished if they dared speak Spanish in class (‘‘Segregation in the United States,’’ n.d.). Across the memoir, it shows that L.A has had a long pattern of organized racial segregation, ranging from insolence for marginalized cultures to ruthless violence against minorities (Buntin, 2009). Rodriquez referred to himself and other characters in his memoir as responding to racial segregation of the L.A city in several ways.
Concerning the memoir, it could be claimed that the increase in gang groups in the 1970s was a response to police officers’ racial discrimination. The gangs that constituted Latinos organized violent crimes and drug trafficking and, in other occurrences seen to protect the lives of the communities and culture of Latinos (Buntin, 2009). The gangs also perpetuated their forms of racism against other groups. The gang that Rodriquez belonged to encouraged violence towards persons of other races without considering whether they had good intentions. Sometimes the gangs were violent to innocent Asian students for no apparent reason, just because they are angry with feelings of hurting those that are not like them. However, at that time, Rodriquez was uncomfortable with these organized violent groups as he knew that Asians were just like Latinos, who often were victims of racial segregation. In the memoir, the act of gang groups and Rodriquez cannot be compared to those of the LAPD despite behaving in a manner that harm others (‘‘Segregation in the United States,’’ n.d.). Their actions resulted from the violent experiences and unfair bigotry they encountered at the hands of the police officers.
Rodriquez found ways of dealing with racial discrimination without engaging in hatred and violence once he distanced himself from gang groups. He walks out and stages protests in high school to force the principal to start Chicano classes. To ensure that the mascot commands respect instead of cheap humor, Rodriquez performs auditions in the school, showing that it is probable to celebrate their cultural heritage and race without harming other persons that are not like them (Rodriguez, 1993). These conclusions resulted in Rodriquez experiencing a wider perspective of racial segregation. He became inspired by the writings of significant political activists and his mentor of that time. Rodriquez realized and believed that those oppressed must start to perceive that those issues of class and race are inextricably interrelated because they are encounters of persecution of persons of diverse races.
Despite being proud of their Latino heritage, Rodriquez recognized sharing a heritage with African Americans, homeless persons, and victims of organized violence. Rodriquez perceived that Latinos were required to work with other races to fight most forms of injustice in the city of L.A (Rodriguez, 1993). It was made known that racial injustice against Latinos was a form of injustice manifestation that all victimized persons experienced. As a result, Rodriquez continued to fight against racism in L.A. while speaking out on other issues that people faced, such as rape, corruption, and the housing crisis. He considered the uprising of 1992 as a perfect example of how exploited minority groups, including the homeless, Latinos, and blacks, came together to defend a common cause to show their strength in unity.
In the memoir, Rodriquez shows his journey in life and the hardships he encountered while growing up. The memoir portrays discrimination, racism, segregation, and how small choices can impact the life of someone instantly. The people that Rodriquez met influenced him to belong to a gang group to create a structured life and find a sense of belonging. His choices pushed the family away and made him home to start losing hope. The increase in individuals joining the gang group due to segregation in L.A was primarily influenced by police brutality, lack of education, and loss of home and family. Gang groups were a major way of finding a purpose to live without hatred or violence. According to the memoir, schools expelled learners instead of attempting to assist them in breaking out destructive characters or assist them in reforming to better behaviors. Schools formed an organized environment for propagating class differences showing discrimination, racism, and segregation to children before they even became adults. Teachers felt burdened helping students of color as a result; in the eyes of Rodriquez, this had to change to cultivate an environment that accommodates every race for a better common goal.
Gangs of L.A was appealing because individuals perceived it as respectful, protected, and where thy attain a sense of belonging. However, Rodriquez perceived this was not the right course to take and would change only if the people were enlightened to understand how useful each culture can be appreciated without harming or fighting others. Constant brutality from police officers was a major cause of children growing with anger and desiring to engage in violence. Ending this institutionalized system of brutal officers was one way to reduce this anger in children and have a rational community. In the memoir, the police did not have a reason to stop marginalized people; they felt a sense of hatred towards people of other races and took advantage of them using their power.
Conclusion
In conclusion, in the memoir police were supported by the justice system, which continuously exonerated them whenever the wronged claimed justice. Therefore, in L.A city, racial segregation was propagated by an organized system of the police department and justice system. People of the race were unlawfully searched and attacked, making them angry and live with the desire of engaging in violent behavior as a way of protecting themselves and survival. Gang violence was created to help individuals cope with racism situation. In the eyes of Rodriquez, these actions were the main cause of the continued uprising in the fight for racial segregation in L.A.
References
Buntin, J. (2009). L.A. Noirnoir: The struggle for the soul of America’s most seductive city. Broadway Books.
Rodriguez, L. J. (1993). Always running: La vida loca: Gang days in LA. Simon and Schuster.
Segregation in the United States. (n.d.). History. Web.