Negative Cartoon of Street Vendor

This street vendor cartoon appeared in this weeks Downtown News (May 7, 2007). This hateful cartoon makes fun of the Latino street vendor, by using words like illegal, pest, pirated and many other negative associations. Street vendors add value and fill a need on the streets of downtown LA. They get people out of their cars because they target pedestrians, they are doing the American thing and creating economic opportunity, and lastly they add human activity to the streets.

Downtown boosters want to ride the streets of Latinos to make way for the new yuppies moving in. Its OK for Latinos to clean toilets, change diapers, serve food at minimum wage but don't create your own business opportunities. This is double speak by the Downtown News and does not create a inclusive city.