I visited the Fiesta Patrias parade and street festival in Santa Ana today. Here are my observations:
- Al Amezcua was there, riding in the back of a stake bed truck with a bunch of other folks. He looked funny in a suit. He eventually got out and walked behind a bunch of young ladies. I was really tempted to yell out “Who is Al Amezcua?” but I restrained myself.
- Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido was there too, perched on top of a big fire truck. I guess he did not want to get too close to the immigrants! He had two little girls up there with him. I don’t know if they were his kids or not. But they were both blonds.
- Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez got the biggest ovation. She was in one of her trademark red outfits. And she was smart enough to walk alongside the car with her banner. She shook a lot of hands.
- State Senator Lou Correa was there too. He was running around in a nice guayabera shirt. He had his kids with him too.
- Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez rode in a convertible. She proudly yelled “Viva Mexico!” over and over.
- Councilman David Benavides also rode in a convertible. Like Pulido, he did not get out and shake hands.
- And then there was Councilman Carlos Bustamante. Perched atop a Wells Fargo stagecoach. Nice way to show solidarity with the Mexicans at the festival.
- And Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez was there…in a black B&W convertible. Nice of her to show up to see the little people. She did not, of course, leave her vehicle.
- Speaking of Alvarez, the politician she wants to take out next year, O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen, was there too, in a convertible. I wish she had got out and shook a few hands, but at least she was there. The audience quited when she passed by. I guess they were surprised. I like that she is not conceding any ground to Alvarez.
- Assemblyman Jose Solorio was there too, in a white convertible.
- I also saw Cecilia Aguinaga in a convertible. She is running for the SAUSD Board of Education again.
- And there were A LOT of Santa Ana police officers there – no doubt racking up the overtime. Many of them were on horses, others rode motorcycles with scary shotguns on them.
The food at the festival was expensive. I had a few tacos, for $1.50 each. My eleven year old had a hot dog that was wrapped in bacon. I think that one cost $4. I also had a tamarindo beverage for $3.
The carnival rides were expensive and they looked rickety.
There were a ton of people there. You could barely find parking and make your way around the downtown area. I did not see any twenty five year old artists on skateboards.
It was nice to see the people of Santa Ana celebrating their culture and their nationality with pride. If only I could let them know what most of the politicians they clapped for are all about.
If they knew that Claudia Alvarez and Miguel Pulido just raised their water rates so that we pay more than just about any other city in Orange County, they might not be so eager to applaud them.
Art Wasn’t supervisor Nguyen there. I saw her in a Pontiac convertible.
Poster 1,
D’oh! I meant to write about her too, but forgot to. Thanks for the reminder. I just added that info to my post.
Thanks Art for this post! I go every year to Fiestas Patrias and it just gets bigger and better! This must be how the Irish in Boston feel on St. Patrick
“This must be how the Irish in Boston feel on St. Patrick
It is great when a city commits to having an event year after year and the event grows and just gets better and richer each year.
Irvine had the harvest festival which was discontinued, but has so many other events and organizations that just improve each year and give its citizens something to look forward to.
Taste of Newport was last weekend and that is just one of many events that the city makes sure happens. Tustin and Orange and Mission Viejo all have their events.
Santa Ana should be proud of the tradtion of celebrating the independence of Mexico of where so many of its residents have come from.
Any time a city commits to a tradtion that is positive and delights the citizens can be seen as a very poitive commitment.
Thanks for the coverage, Art.
Poster #4 – It’s “immigrants” not “emigrants”. Emigrants are people leaving the country; immigrants are people coming in. I find your grouping an entire culture into one sweeping assumption to be rather juvenile and ignorant though.
DID ANY OF THE DEVOTED HISPANIC POLITICIANS WHO ATTEND THEIR MEXICAN HOLIDAY EVER PARTICIPATED IN A 4TH OF JULY PARADE?
[It’s “immigrants” not “emigrants”. Emigrants are people leaving the country; immigrants are people coming in.]
#6 In order to come to USA you must first leave the Mexico!… I mean for good.
That was my point!… you talking walking socialist.
You should also point out that immigrants do not need visa.
A very long parade indeed.
Many many horses. Time-warner was there filming.
Janet was walking and greeting the crowds, and so was Lou and Loretta.
“Santa Ana Councilwoman Michele Martinez rode in a convertible. She proudly yelled “Viva Mexico!” over and over.”
Wait til the gabachos north of 17th hear about this. All those folks Michele has been playing up to won’t be happy.
“Viva Mexico”? Who is she kidding? She didn’t even know who Cesar Chavez was until a few months ago.
#10
What does Cesar Chavez have to do with Councilmember Martinez’s display of ethnic pride?
Your post lends the impression that you are oblivious to the fact that Chavez was an American citizen. His place of birth was Yuma, Arizona; that makes him a great American who championed for the rights of the Mexican working class. Sounds down right mom and apple pie to me. Si?
Just so you also know, Cesar Chavez was AGAINST illegal immigration as it lowered the wages of the Mexican workers who were here legally.
#12,
Illegal Immigrants didn’t decide the wages they earned then and don’t decide the wages they earn now.I am sure they would accept a higher wage.They are not responsible for lowering the wages, their employers are.Complain and demand employers pay fair wages and your argument is solved.
art, you have nothing but anger towards everyone, your comment on Pulido’s kids was just about as rasist as anyone can get. Do you know how many kids in this new gereration are of mixed races, I for one think this is great, this hopefully brings unity. And how may of our peeps were taking pictures with the police quite a few, you choose to overlook the good and consentrate on the bad. If you ever run for politics, we are in big trouble. Its poeople like you who make all other races hate us, all you do is show ignorance and play on the poor peoples ignorance as well.