(Rico emailed this info out to supporters of the family today)
Anthony Soltero and Palm Sunday - the service for the 14 y.o. activist
by Rico
Tue Apr 11, 2006 at 05:48:25 PM PDT
The scene at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church reminded me of when my folks used to take me to church in East L.A. when I was really small - I could see myself as one of the five or six year-olds running around the guy selling paletas and raspadas (ice cream and sno-cones) as my folks picked up beautiful pieces of art made from palm fronds for the priest to bless.
After a beautiful mass where a priest came out to bless the palms, the family and representatives for Anthony Soltero had a big news conference. Civil Rights attorney Samuel Paz spoke to the crowd and talked about what they knew about the incident - apparently, Anthony Soltero was one of a few students who joined a state-wide student walkout on March 28th. When he came back to school, the vice principal told him that he was going to prison for three years, forbade Anthony from attending graduation activities and threatened to fine his mother for Anthony's truancy and participation in the student protests.
Anthony phoned his mother with the news, and she, like many parents would be, was concerned that he wasn't in school, and in essence said, `I'm coming home. We have to talk about this.' By the time she got home, he had shot himself.
He had left a note. He died three days later after being on life support. His heart was also donated to a 20-year-old girl in Washington who was dying, and luckily, she now lives because of him.
Anthony's mother, Louise Corales, tried to make a statement, but it was so hard for her to speak between sobs. She wanted to let parents know that that they have to listen to their children, to believe their children, to support their children. ``Anthony Soltero was a good boy", she said. She also mentioned that Anthony was "A great son. He was just fighting for our rights. He would be proud that we are here today," she said just before she began to cry uncontrollably.
Also speaking was Moctezuma Esparza, the director of the HBO film Walkout, a movie about the 1968 student walkouts. He was very moved as well, and wanted to let students know that there is support for those who are being challenged by school authorities - the National Lawyers Guild has put together a site designed to let kids know about their rights to assemble and to address grievances to their government.
Mr. Paz also thanked the many people around the country who talked to him and the folks at the church, and he read a statement from the Rev. Barry Lynn of Americans United for Separation of Church and State conveying his condolences.
It was a somber conference - for the most part, the press was very respectful towards the family. I think that Samuel Paz summed it up well when he said "It's stupid to think that these people would want to punish these kids for doing exactly what they're being taught in their civics classes."
As an aside, Anthony was a US-born citizen - he wasn't going to be directly affected by the immigration bills, he just saw the issue as one of fairness and compassion.
This tragic event has started to make its way through the mainstream press - the AP covered the press conference, and Amy Goodman had Mr. Paz on Democracy Now this morning.
I think the representatives are talking to the family about how to handle messages of condolence - I'll relay information as I receive it. I'm sure the family is still tremendously overwhelmed since they just buried Anthony on Monday.
Mr. Paz wanted to convey thanks to the Daily Kos community for the support that you all have shown, and ask that you keep Anthony and his family in your thoughts and prayers.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/4/11/204825/960
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