SJWB+massacre

**An Investigation Proposal** **on the Mexican City Massacre ** **for the Improvement of ** **Activos & CYIC** **By:** **Jose Alvarez** **Valentin Solis** **March 20, 2009** **Rudy Lozano Leadership Academy** **Social Justice 101**

INTRODUCTION TO THE PICTURE I am here to explain how and what they students did to fight for every bit of social justice for their country. I am here o tell you what happen during the process and what troubles they had in their way. Students of Mexico had to come together and let their voice be heard. Of course it wasn’t just an easy road to go down on. They had lost many lives that fought along with them. It was one of Mexico’s most powerful stands, but also a tragedy to see violence of a corrupt government to almost win. Good thing the power of the students brought Mexico come together and overcome the unjust wrath of the Mexican government. I want you to see how fighting for just in the world your living can cost a lot more that just money. 1968 it was the time the businesses were at the top priority. The country was hosting the 68’ Olympics in Mexico. Mexico was the first and last third world country to host the Olympics. The students organized a protest against the president; at the time it was president Echeverria who the students protested against. They wanted change. They demanded democracy for the country. They protested to end corruption. Each time they protest they motivated other students along with teachers to protest. Each time they were more and more people who came together. They spoke to the people about the conflicts going on, the people agreed to make change for them and the people. The students now had the popular power. You could also make a change just like the student from Mexico they didn’t wait for change you could also motivate people to fight for their rights and for what you believe in. They wanted a better president

STUDENTS PROTEST HISTORY Summer, July 26, 1968 students set off a protest against the injustice of the government. During the protest the police started getting violent and ended up killing two protesters and locking up the main protest leaders. The student movement did not stop though. With in the next month, 70 schools including universities came and gave themselves the popular power for a short time. August 13th there was over 200,000 students, teachers, and parents who came to fight for the freedom of their political leaders and democracy. August 28th double the people were protesting that day. In September 13th over 250,000 people, and on September 18th was the first time the government took dramatic action by sending 5,000 soldiers into the protest. Over 2,000 students, teachers, and parents were arrested that day. A couple days later the protests on September 20th-23rd large protests turned into riots when police tried to start to arrest people again. Streets were barricaded and tear gas was used against the protesters. Hundreds were battered, and 20 students were killed. October 2nd the Tlatelcolco apartment complex was filled. 10,000 people, mostly students, were protesting outside. Military had another thought in mind. An ambush was planned on the protest. Thousands of soldiers and 300 tanks surrounded the plaza. Along with the soldiers was the Olympic battalion, an elite force that was the security for the Olympics. Machine guns, pistols, and rifles, going off at every direction of the plaza for about 90 minutes. Even though the protest was in the plaza, police hunted down people who tried to hide in apartments and in far down streets. At the end of the horrific massacre, thousands were killed. Thousands more were injured, and hundreds were arrested. The ones who were arrested suffered harassment and torture in jail. That night was the end to the student movement. Till this day no body knows how many people were exactly killed or injured. The media never talked about it. No information was ever released to the public of Mexico but everyone will remember the cries of those who fought for their right to have a voice in what their government does. FIGHTING FOR WHAT? The students fought for more than just democracy in their lives. They wanted to bring an end to the systemic oppression on the Mexican people. Many people turned homeless after the government put a plan to oppress and brutally control Mexico City. They had to fight many times for their social justice. When their political leaders were arrested they had to go forward and overcome any situation without their leaders. These students lost lives, classmates, friends, teachers, and family. They knew what the cost was, but they kept going. They had a mission to bring back justice to Mexico City. More then 150 students die fighting on what they believe they knew they were fighting against some one really powerful but they didn’t got intimidated by that <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">GRASSROOT ORGANIZATION <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The students made their form of being heard by protesting. They joined together between dozens of schools. They fought to change the whole system. The need to make a systemic change that was badly needed. Too much corruption was going on. The students took action and planed out many protests in Mexico to make sure their voices weren’t just murmurs. They made them stronger than a lions roar. Some strategies that they had been planning to get together and protest. Many had banners to show what they wanted to say. High schools and universities made them selves be seen and heard in the most noticeable places in Mexico City. <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">STUDENT BELIEFS <span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">I think ACTIVOS and students anywhere can see that if you fight for something that you believe is wrong, you can make a difference. You need to see above all dilemmas in your face and just charge forward with out being scared of being rejected. Life isn’t fair and we all know that. We must learn how to be strong and not give up on our beliefs. It will take time to change a whole system. But if you organize your group with all the right words in their head than you can make a whole change you never thought you could. They took time to get together and plan out every protest. They had to be very organized and had set up some ground rules, and with no violence. If you want to change something you will fight for it until you make a change even if it takes a long time to get what u want and never give up just because something’s go wrong their always going to be obstacles but you have to overcome those obstacles in order to get what you want.

> DECLASSIFIED U.S. DOCUMENTS ON MEXICO AND THE EVENTS OF 1968 By [|__Kate Doyle__]<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> > Director, Mexico Documentation Project || __[]__ <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Mexico's 1968 Massacre: What Really Happened? __[]__
 * * || <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">WORK SITED PAGE
 * <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">TLATELOLCO MASSACRE:
 * [|'Radio Diaries']


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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">http://www.mexconnect.com/en/articles/239-october-2-is-not-forgotten-upsurge-and-massacre-in-mexico-1968-part-1-the-youth-revolt
 * October 2 is not forgotten - upsurge and massacre In Mexico, 1968 part 1: the youth revolt //Revolutionary Worker #975, September 27, 1998//