More on Ruben

You can almost feel the sadness in the writing; Hector Tobar recounts what he read in the files the LA County Sheriff Department released 40+ years after Ruben Salazar's tragic death.

It's sad to read, as well. There is no solace in discovering that Ruben wasn't necessarily specifically targeted. What a massive waste of talent...and for what?
As Hector points out, it is equally sad to read about how the times influenced the way police did business...

"Many of the documents reek of the paranoia of the day, common to so many American institutions in the Nixon era, when law enforcement saw it as their duty to harass dissenting groups. You can understand why a lot of people suspected Salazar was assassinated.

There's clear evidence of the "us versus them" mentality in the department."

...I guess, in a way, this blog post is a follow up to that other one last week. These times we are living in can bring out the best in us or the worst.

We are coming up on the 41st anniversary, August 30th. Here's to remembering his pioneering spirit, and his unwavering belief in the people and the movement... and hoping for better days for all of us.

Here are Ruben's adult children (and grandchildren) with an image of the stamp:
photo credits: all swiped from the internet ... thanks!