I just realized yesterday: LA, aka the second largest Mexican city, is actually a divided city.

Max offered me a ride home two weeks ago after the cornfield event and he and Sabrina were concerned about my bike I left on the street at a downtown bar. I went back the day after, Saturday, to pick it up. As I arrived in downtown I noticed a crowed of people. First I was thinking about an event at the convention center, but as closer I moved towards the bar where I left the bike as more packed were the streets, with Latinos, obviously on a rally against some immigration issues as it seemed when you read all there panels, flags, shirt-imprints etc. I was concerned about the bike. I didn’t expect anything like that and I was just hoping that the bike was still there, should I finally find my way…It was. Later I learned that the crowed was a 500’000 people strong demonstration against restrictive immigration laws just passed the house and about to be on the senate’s schedule. It was the strongest manifestation since the black movement in the 50-ies. I was surprised I didn’t know anything about it in advance. Normally when there is another anti-war or anti-bush or the like protest, you would know. Ads, comments, reports in newspapers, announcements through radio, internet, wallpapers – you would just see or hear something, sometimes, somewhere. Not this time. As far as I can tell: nothing. I didn’t see or hear anything at all. And then, suddenly, 500’000 (officially) demonstrating, the massive rally since generations. The only conclusion: Latinos are socialized in a world completely apart from mine, although they live next door. Obviously they have recourses of information and are organized totally separated from my connections. A world not accessible for me – at least to a fully comprehensive extend. I thought that was the most remarkable effect of this demonstration. How is it possible that the one ethnic group does know only so little about the other, event though they live in a dense environment of a 20mio metropolitan city? Divided.