One Last Cruise Through the Hood

9/11 Was an Inside Job, acrylic on illustration board, 2007, 8x10in
I did this for a Dia de los Muertos show in 2007. I once believed the towers collapsed from the airplanes hitting the towers. One thing I didn't understand was why did the tower that got hit second, fall first? and why did they implode? Common sense would make you think that the towers would have toppled. The pancake collapse seems like the oddest way for a asymetrical disaster to happen. I'm no expert, but I listened to some over the internet and I got to agree with the people that say this was an inside job. 9/11 itself is a symbol, or sign in our minds of emergency. Dial 911 for emergency. They engineered this to be as psychologically devastating as they could. For weeks, months and years, they been conditioning us to remember, recall the horrific events of 9/11.

I was niave and believed terrorists did this. Are terrorists real? How can you fight a war against a bunch of ghosts? The videos I see of the war in Iraq is just our troops shooting at nothing. And how do these terrorists stay well equipped with a never ending supply of ammo? Shouldn't they have run out by now? I mean they were supposedly so cheap to steal a airplanes and use it as missles. These guys can't have stockpiles of explosives. Somebody is giving them their supplies, or somebody is blaming terrorists for these bombings, like car bombs, IEDs, roadside bombs, etc. WTF? How come nobody can catch these people? If they are putting stuff out there it must take time to setup. Why in the hell do we have to patrol those dangerous streets? Shouldn't you just wait around until they come out? They are only coming out because we are coming out after them.

I'm not into policing the world. The USA has no business going around and sticking their nose where it doesn't belong. Its like if you here a baby crying a couple of blocks away, do you go to that home to see why that baby is crying? No, you don't worry about it, because they got a family to take care of that baby. We are not the parents of other countries. We should show respect to peoples privacy.
One Last Cruise Through the Hood
acrylic on panel, 2007, 9x12in
This was also done for a Dia de los Muertos show. This honors my uncle Cuchie. I mostly new him as a neighborhood street runner. At one point in his life he was in prison. The bits and pieces of knowledge he bestowed upon me, and the people he knew, or that knew him have been invaluable. I guess what he put in perspective for me is the simplicity, the basic necessity of living. I seen this man grab live roaches with his fingers! This man has slept in shacks, on cots under a tree. He told me that chuck taylors are the best shoes in prison.

I don't totally blame him for getting hooked on heroin. Its a bad addiction. I never messed with this stuff. I've seen first hand what it does to people.
Besides the addictions and life of crime this man has had, he was a funny character, he would sings raunchy songs about girls while walking down the street, he would snap and clap and sing like a old school tejano singer. He was funny to talk to because he was up front and clear about his desires, he wasn't afraid to be himself, whether that was drug induced or not, I appreciate what I saw. Rest in Piece! This is for you!

I came up with the title while driving in the escort of his casket from the funeral home to the church, we drove down the street he lived on. It was the best way to go, reassuring, that you are home. I told my cousin sitting next to me, as we were all surprised to drive down Crotez street, "one last cruise throught the hood."

Uncle Cuchie loved women, heroin, hated the police squaked like a chicken in heat and always had a quarter in his ear. His other nickname was, "Speeeeeediiiiiiiieeeee", he liked to dance too.