Gang
Injunctions,
Racism
and the Fight for Youth Rights
by Anne W.
November 20, 2009
In Orange County, amidst the blue skies and warm climate, a cold chill
is separating those who think they are in charge from those who have to
struggle to survive.
Gang injunctions are used to prevent young people from talking, to
prevent Latinos and Blacks from having a sense of community and the
innocent from feeling safe. The gang injunction does
not related to any criminal activity, except the crime of minorities
associating with minorities or teenagers associating with
teenagers. The crime is guilt by association with someone who is
associated with someone who is associated with someone who might be
thinking of criminal activity. The current victims of the gang
injunction are law-abiding folks, whose only crime is being Latino or
Black and wanting to speak with other Latinos or Blacks. One
speaker against the injunction pointed out that an injunction like this
could have derailed Martin Luther King, Jr., and the 1960's civil
rights movement.
This year, two young people worked tirelessly to educate the
public on the racist nature of the gangs. Toni Elizondo, the
daughter of Yvonne Elizondo, the lead civil rights organizer against
the injunction, was targeted by police for riding
with her
brother
in a car with a supposed burned-out taillight. There is evidence
that the taillight was not burned out. At 15, Toni became one of
the top spokespersons against the injunction.
The ACLU has acted, but so far racism has triumphed.
Another leader spoke out against the gang injunction. This leader
is
Natasha Hull-Richter, the President of the National Youth Rights
Association of Orange County. This year, Natasha went away to
college and the NYRA-OC, who felt her leadership had been essential to
the success of the organization, asked her to remain its remote leader
until the next NYRA-OC election. The National Youth Rights
Association has been spreading the word among high school and college
students that racism and gang injunctions are not acceptable.
Racism is alive and well in Orange County. Sheriff's deputies
have no difficulty in beating young Black kids whenever they have an
excuse, and too often crowds of white supporters cheer on the beatings,
particularly in Aliso Viejo, one of the southern cities of Orange
County.
Attempts to stop the youth from organizing and having a say in the
future of America has not deterred the NYRA-OC from continuing its
struggle for youth equality. In addition to demanding the
lowering of the voting and drinking age, the NYRA-OC has called for
full
equal rights for individuals of all ages. The NYRA-OC opposes all
ageism, including discrimination against the elderly.
In a society that is heading more and more towards control and lack of
freedom, individuals like Toni Elizondo and Natasha Hull-Richter are
true heroes of individuals who want to retain their freedom.