Student Groups Remember L.A. Riots

On a day that marked the anniversary of last year's L.A. riots, leaders of student groups spoke last night to address the racial prejudices and the economic problems that afflict all Americans.

Leaders from Asian, Black and Latino groups joined officers from Christian Impact, Harvard-Radcliffe Hillel and the Undergraduate Council to speak to more than 100 students in Sever Hall.

Alvin L. Bragg Jr. '95, president of the Black Students Association (BSA), said he was disturbed that people recognize the effects of the L.A. riots without trying to resolve the causes.

"I'm definitely disatisfied," Bragg said. "The causes of the L.A. riots still exist. Inner city decay, the pervasiveness of police brutality and the inadequacies of our judicial system--none of these problems have been cured."

Although riots did not break out after the second Rodney King verdict, student leaders said they still felt disturbed that prejudices remained.

"That's kind of a cheap peace. The only thing that's different is that nobody's fighting. But how many people's attitudes have actually changed?" said Spencer J. Lee '95, the vice-president of the Asian American Association.

Estella Torres '94, co-chair of Latinas Unidas, criticized the national media for ignoring the poor economic conditions of Latinos.

"We have named ourselves the invisible people because we are invisible," she said.

Torres said the L.A. riots were not a race issue as much as a poverty issue.

"Most of the looters were Latinos," she said. "It was a poverty thing."

Linda T. Kang '95, who is the president of the Korean Students Association, said students must remember the L.A. riots and now do what they can to stop racial prejudices.

"We gathered today to vent our frustrations and to address racial and economic injustices in our inner cities. But racial injustices are not limited to our inner cities," Kang said.

"On Monday we will be marching to the Japanese consulate to protest Japan's treatment of Koreans," Kang said.

The discussion was followed by a candlelight march that proceeded through Harvard Yard.

Austin W. So '96, who organized the event, said he wanted all students to remember the "tragic moment in history."

"There were people looking out there from windows and watching us from the streets," So said. "The candlelight march will make sure that those people who did not participate don't quickly and easily forget this tragedy."