ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Oscar Zeta Acosta, a volatile Mexican-American writer who was the real-life inspiration for Hunter S. Thompson’s Dr. Gonzo in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” is the focus of a new VOCES/PBS documentary. Unlike better-known Chicano activists like Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, Rodriguez said everyone knew that Acosta was not a saint because of his public battles with addiction and mental illness. Vaquera-Vasquez said Acosta’s books are even more relevant today because they cover the world of activism in a racist society — something many students can recognize. Vaquera-Vasquez said the “in-your-face” advocacy of Acosta helped give rise to Mexican-American cartoonists like Lalo Alcaraz and others. The documentary airs on most PBS stations March 23 (check local listings).

Source: National Post March 20, 2018 15:07 UTC