#Zoot Suit Riots

[indelicateink]

"On 3 June 1943, the Zoot Suit Riots began when some fifty white sailors in the U.S. Navy left their Armory headed to Alpine Street in Los Angeles and attacked young Mexican American children wearing zoot suits. They began by clubbing a group of twelve to thirteen year old boys, stripping them of their clothes and burning them in a pile. The mob was soon detained by the local Shore Patrol but after the arrival of a senior naval officer, they were released without charge.

"The following day, young Chicano men drove in front of the Armory hurling abuse at guards. Come nightfall, white sailors again headed out, this time to the Mexican American area of East Los Angeles, attacking people in the streets and in bars and theaters. Over the next few days, many other servicemen joined the attacks.

"The vigilantes were praised by the press, while police arrested the victims of the attacks rather than the perpetrators. LA city council even tried to ban the wearing of the suits.

"Meanwhile, Black and Mexican zoot suit-wearers, including groups of women known as Pachucas, like the Slick Chicks and Black Widows, organized themselves and fought back. As clashes in Los Angeles faded, they began to break out in New York, Philadelphia and Detroit, the latter after attacks on Black zoot suiters. Within weeks Detroit exploded in its worst ever race riots to date.

"At the time, zoot suits that were a symbol of Black and Mexican working class pride, defiance and rebellion. This is a history of the riots: https://libcom.org/history/zoot-suit-rebellion "

[historydailyfrancischappellblack]

The Zoot Suit Riots, a series of violent confrontations between Latino and Black youths and members of the U.S. military, began on June 3, 1943, in Los Angeles, California.

Subscriber Content Add content here that will only be visible to your subscribers. Payment Image: Victims of the Zoot Suit Riots, where groups of servicemen scoured the streets in Los Angeles looking for and attacking individuals wearing zoot suits (June 1943). The servicemen blamed the Mexican American pachucos for numerous unprovoked assaults on their colleagues. (Public Domain) On this day…

[phoenixyfriend]

Just misheard a song

What they said: sailors What I heard: Seders

What they said: and they’re on leave What I heard: in a tree

The line: It's two sailors and they're on leave.

What I imagined: Two Seders' worth of of Orthodox Jews in the branches of a large apple tree.

[versus-weird-al]

Please listen to both songs before you vote!

"Zoot Suit Riot"

"Grapefruit Diet"

[unchartedmusings]

I’ve heard people say ska is annoying or weird and I can perhaps understand and appreciate that not everyone has the same taste in music or can help the things they find irritating.

Personally, I think it is some of the greatest music in the world. Take it as an exaggeration or as my wholehearted view on the matter, it’s probably both.

As far as the music itself, it combines the cathartic expression for views on politics, small towns, anarchy, and all the things that unite people of all backgrounds in a pit. Combine that release of emotion with the rhythms of reggae and skas island origins, rhythms that tap into some primordial part of your system that relaxes you into a hypnotic sway to a familiar beat. If you weren’t a dancer before you are now shocked at your body’s ability to dance a solid two step.

What I’m saying is with ska it is scientifically possible to dance away the depression and aggression. This listener will never turn a blind eye to music that makes my hips move and curses the current state of the world.

Then you have the people it attracts, like the older guys in shorts, flip flops tattoos with a beer in the back of the room bobbing their heads up and down to the riddims of their youth and the soundtracks they’ve lived their lives to. You have the the ska fashionistas. There is the zoot suiters, the riot girls in mod skirts, piercings, and blunt bangs, the skinny tie fedora crowd, the folks that just came from their day jobs and look like every day unsuspecting skankers. Punkers of all ages, and some little punks starting out their vests and finding their final evolution. This pit of people will shove you, elbow you, man handle you, and will pick you up if you fall, dance with you, sing your favorite lyrics so hard you end up with a shot voice that makes everyone obnoxiously go “Someone had a good time last night.” It’s like fuck off, but yes I did thanks for asking.

Ska hold some of my favorite memories.

The first time I played pro skater and NEEDED to know the entire soundtrack and base my personality off if it. Being slightly bummed by the realization that I wasn’t even riding the 3rd wave of ska but more like its last ripples.

The time I listed to mighty mighty bosstones (rip) in my headphones while I rode the swings at the county fair as the sun was setting. The combination of posicore lyrics and Birds Eye view of the small town I needed escaping from altering my brain forever.

The time I got punched really hard at Warped Tour skanking my little heart out in a bikini top, the shortest shorts I could find and my favorite vans. A first nose bleed in a pit with street light manifestos horns going off in the background was a bittersweet accomplishment.

Finding such humor or joy in the lyrics of some of the silliest songs when I couldn’t find it in other places. Especially when I needed that joy to just get out of bed that day or to make my life tolerable for 2:15 seconds more.

Anyways, more ska in the world, please. ❤️

[lady-assnali]

I was tagged by @roxy206 to post 5 songs I actually listen to. I’m a high energy music person but I threw in She because it’s one of my most favorite songs of all time.

Now! I tag @jinkx-monswoon @sexynetra and @thecollectionsof if you want to!

[baguetttes]

Noe Vasquez (left) and Joe Vasquez, June 10th 1943

taken at the Los Angeles police station, after they’d been attacked and had their ‘zoot suits’ shredded by sailors, during the Zoot Suit Riots 

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

""Zoot Suit" Tailor Fined $200, Costs," Montreal Star. August 24, 1943. Page 3. --- PLEADING guilty to manufacturing 47 "zoot suits" in contravention of the regulations of the Wartime Prices and Trade Board, David Croft, operating "Alexandre Le Tailleur", 311 St. Catherine street east, was fined $200 and costs or one month in jail today by Judge E. Archambault.

Croft pleaded guilty through his lawyer, who sought to have the fine fixed at $100, pointing out that this had been the penalty paid by others on similar charges. Judge Archambault, however, said that it was time that tailors knew that the manufacturing of "zoot" suits is prohibited.

[scriobh-an-iontas]

And now, for your Pride enjoyment, I present to you:

"Stonewall Riot"

<Sung to the tune of "Zoot Suit Riot">

+++++

[Verse 1]

Who’s that senator standin’ tall,

It’s Joe McCarthy and he hates us all,

Commies, anarchists, leftists, and queers,

Our rights were stripped, we lived in fear.

[Pre-Chorus 1]

A ma-fi-a owned dance hall,

Is where we went to play

The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich,

They didn’t care if we were gay.

[Chorus 1]

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

Throw back a brick and a beer!

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

My civil rights started ri-i-ight here!

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

Throw back a brick and a beer!

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

My civil rights started ri-i-ight here!

Blow daddy!

[Verse 2]

A-raid gone wrong's where it began,

The N Y P D didn't understand,

We weren't just sheep, merely in a haze,

But once we came to we quickly got enraged

[Pre-Chorus 2]

The ri-ots last-ed days,

Our community unfurled,

Later, queers would say it was

“The brick thrown round the world”

[Chorus 2]

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

Throw back a brick and a beer!

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

My civil rights started ri-i-ight here!

[Bridge]

You're in a Stonewall Riot!

You're in a Stonewall Riot!

You're in a Stonewall Riot!

<Skat-like>

Here at Pri-ide now,

Leather daddy’s ok,

Trans folk and a-specs,

Non-binary display!

Get your kink on

Lesbians, Bi’s, and Gays,

Intersex is welcome,

But cops stay away!

[Pre-Chorus 3]

Oh, the fight, it still ain't done

But we're-through hidin' behind-closed-doors

Cause-we've stood all we can stands

And we just can't stands no more!

[Chorus 1]

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

Throw back a brick and a beer!

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

My civil rights started ri-i-ight here!

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

Throw back a brick and a beer!

Stonewall Riot (Riot!)

My civil rights started ri-i-ight here!

[Outro]

You're in a Stonewall Riot!

You're in a Stonewall Riot!

You're in a Stonewall Riot!

(I think I'm about ready for Pride now)

[cpluscomics]

A villain in Teen Justice Academy! She summons stylish mannequins to do her bidding.

Art by @mishaweha

[valen-dreth]

STOPPP i havent even listened obsessively to total eclipse of the heart on this machine yet

[moooooorning]

Actually yeah I’d definitely become gay if I saw a lesbian in a suit singing Zoot Suit Riot

[the-navistar-carol]

Just saw a store advertising zoot suits ???

What century-

[feeling-kinda-sad-ngl]

whats the term when they just point out how crazy it is that you dont know something (they make it sound like its something evrryone should know) but dont elaborate on it? is it still mansplaining? genuinely wondering