Strange Rumblings in Aztlan by Hunter S. Thompson

Strange Rumblings in Aztlan. “Aztlan – the “conquered territories” that came under the yoke of Gringo occupation troops more than 100 years ago, when vendito politicians in Mexico City sold out to the US in order to call off the invasion that Gringo history books refer to as the Mexican American War.”

Hunter S. Thompson’s article, Strange Rumblings in Aztlan, describes the reaction of the Chicano community in Los Angeles to the controversial death of journalist Rubén Salazar on August 29, 1970, the day of the National Chicano Moratorium protest against the Vietnam War.

Police attempted to shut down the rally, and Salazar was fatally struck by a tear gas shell fired by a sheriff’s deputy. Thompson interviewed attorney Oscar Zeta Acosta for the article, and together they drove to Las Vegas to discuss the case more freely. Acosta (pictured above with Thompson) was the inspiration for “Dr. Gonzo” in Thompson’s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Hunter S. Thompson,”Strange Rumblings in Aztlan,” Rolling Stone #81, April 29, 1971.

“Strange Rumblings in Aztlan” is a long article about many things. HST touches every front he possibly can while reporting the death of Ruben Salazar, a nationally known Mexican American reporter for the LA Times. “Aztlan”, in style, is similar to HST’s South American reporting, however it teeters at gonzo in some parts. The story was important enough to be included in The Rolling Stone Reader (1974) and the Modern Library version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Other American Stories. In fact, it was this article that touched off Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

Enjoy…

Morning comes hard to the Hotel Ashmun; this is not a place
where the guests spring eagerly out of bed to greet the fresh
new day. But on this particular morning everybody in the place
is awake at the crack of dawn: There is a terrible pounding and
shrieking in the hallway, near room No. 267. Some junkie has
ripped the doorknob off the communal bathroom, and now the
others can’t get in-so they are trying to kick the door down.
The voice of the manager wavers hysterically above the din:
“Come on now, fellas-do I have to call the sheriff?” The reply
comes hard and fast: “You filthy gabacho pig! You call the fuckin
sheriff and I’ll cut your fuckin throat.” And now the sound of…

Read the whole story…

Thanks!

Hunter S.Thompson was an American journalist and author, and the founder of the gonzo journalism movement. Born and raised in Louisville, Ky, his books include Hell’s Angels, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, among others.