I’ve liked the L.A. group Quetzal for awhile now pero now I may love them a little mas.

To Whom It May Concern:

Quetzal will not be performing at the Fiesta Shalom on May 17th. When first presented with this performance, it was presented as “an opportunity to improve Jewish and Chicano relations”, which we are certainly in accordance with. When we received the contract, we noticed it was sponsored by the Israeli Consulate. For Quetzal to perform for the Israeli Consulate would mean that we ignore the following:

• Decades of zionist occupation of Palestinian lands and the historically ironic holocaustic genocide of the Palestinian people

• The Israeli/US relationship that has permitted the creation of “permanent” war against people throughout the world.

• Decades of Chican@ solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for Self-determination.

• Decades of solidarity with the non-zionist, non-imperialist peace-loving Jewish community.

• Over 500 years of genocide, enslavement, and abandonment of all people of color as well as poor whites including all the victims of the Jewish holocaust.

Quetzal is but a small part of a massive community of artists that is committed to using art as a tool to redefine and reconstruct our neighborhoods. We hope that elected officials (barrio pimps) such as Jose Huizar begin to see the light of accountability.

Attached to the letter were lyrics to their song, Intifada:

Intifada like my mother

Intifada like my brother

Blue Stars come crashing down

Refugees martyr bound

Zionist Marauders move in for the slaughter

Savage Holocaust of a starving Shanti-Gaza

Voices from below billow

Through clouds and desert echoes

Chorus

Palestine

We refuse to be blind

Memory will not let us

Savage Holocaust only strengthens Intifada

People ‘round the world gonna join this peace armada

Singing freedom’s song

Rise, Rise, Rise

Below and to the left

Chorus