At the heart of the protest is the controversial plan to move an iconic memorial dedicated to men and women of Mexican descent who gave their lives in service to their country.
Community members, veterans and politicians gathered Monday for a 75th anniversary celebration near the 30-foot-high marble monolithBut the relocation plan isn’t the only controversy around the monument. Even its nameVietnam War veteran Eddie Morin, 79, says the monument, inscribed with a dedication to veterans of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars, is known as the Americans of Mexican Descent Memorial.
“It’s always been about venerating the efforts of Mexican Americans since World War II,” Morin said of the monolith and Morin Square. “But it’s not just attached to the war, but also to our segregation during the war years and our efforts. It’s a rebuttal to all the racist stereotypes against us.” Marine Cpl. Jessie Gonzalez takes part in the 75th annual Memorial Day celebration at Cinco Puntos Mexican American War Memorial on Monday. He served 22 years in the Marine Corps.
Tony Zapata, 77, another Vietnam veteran and organizer of the city memorial, disagrees with the name and said he and other veterans and friends have called the monument the Mexican American All Wars Memorial for as long as he can remember. “We’re both saying it’s a monument to honor Mexican Americans,” Zapata said. “I just don’t understand why there’s a dispute with the official name.”Preliminary plans for the relocation released by Council Member Kevin de León’s office identify the structure as the Mexican American All Wars Memorial. Under the plan, the monument would be moved about 50 feet from its current position into a newly created roundabout at the intersection of Cesar Chavez Avenue and Lorena and Indiana streets.
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