Talk:Oscar Zeta Acosta

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WikiProject Mexican-Americans Oscar Zeta Acosta falls under the scope of WikiProject Mexican-Americans, an effort to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to Mexican-Americans on the Wikipedia. This includes but is not limited to Mexican-Americans as well as those not so affiliated, country and region-specific topics, and anything else related to Mexican-Americans. If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.
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Contents

[edit] DISBARMENT

Acosta was never disbarred, but suspended twice for failure to pay bar dues. The final suspension overlaps with his disappearance.

California Bar: Oscar Acosta

[edit] LSD

It seems doubtful that he would be addicted to lysergic acid. Lysergic acid is not, to my knowledge, used as a recreational drug. It *is* a precursor to [LSD], which is an extremely powerful hallucinogen, but not addictive. I'm not going to change the article, because I know nothing about Acosta, but somebody who can find out more probably should. 213.84.239.37 13:26, 30 November 2005 (UTC)

When the author wrote "lysergic acid", he or she probably meant "lysergic acid diethylamide", which actually is LSD. (It's an abbreviation but not an acronym). LSD is used as a recreational drug, and, while not physically addictive, it can be quite psychologically addictive. I'm not sure whether or not Acosta was addicted, but I'll look into it.--Rockero 16:19, 30 November 2005 (UTC)

LSD is not psychologically addictive. This can be said only of a few drugs, and that's one of them. For the simple reason that if you take LSD regurlarly for 10 years, you'll end up too messed up to know who you are. --DragonFly31 09:09, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

Careful, man. Anything one finds pleasurable can become a psychological addiction. Someone rather close to me took acid several times a week for a few years. I would say it definitely messed him up, but that did not stop him, not soon enough at least. 24.151.68.94 03:39, 5 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Conflicting Hunter T. quotes

at one point, the article cites hunter as reporting that Acosta was stabbed and thrown overboard. immediately after that paragraph is a quote where hunter claims that Acosta was shot, and even gives the gun's caliber, citing this quote as "what hunter actually said." Its pretty poor form for an encyclopedia to contradict itself. Sources for both statements, particularly the former, need to be identified. Shaggorama 10:41, 2 January 2006 (UTC)

From the page history, I tracked the addition of the original thompson reference to Bk0 on 1 March 2005. I contacted Bk0 who did not take credit for the addition, even though it was new to his version of the article. Since I have no other leads on who may have added it, I have no one else to harass for a source. So, I will be removing the text from the article and using the other "what hunter actually said" reference, even though it was uncited as well (and posted by an unregistered user, so I have no one to contact); at least the newer version claims to be in Hunter's own words.
Removed text: "In an interview Hunter Thompson is quoted as saying Acosta was stabbed and thrown overboard somewhere off the coast of Mexico. There are rumours in reference to what precipitated the murder."
If anyone can find a source for either claim, please add it to the article. Shaggorama 00:36, 19 January 2006 (UTC)
Just a quick note, Shaggorama, if you look closely at the diff you linked to above (my edit from 22 Feb 2005), the disputed text was not a new addition, I just moved it down into its own paragraph after I inserted the quote by Acosta's son. --Bk0 (Talk) 02:20, 19 January 2006 (UTC)

Not sure how to add the source, but he states that he was shot in the stomach several times and thrown overboard during a public interview captured on the documentary "Breakfast with Hunter" by Wayne Ewing.... Hope that helps. AGS —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.244.112.105 (talk) 16:29, 18 March 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Chicano template

What is this template doing on this page? Acosta is not listed on it, and his career seems inconsequential to Chicano culture or even politics. As it is it seems a paternalistic pigeonholing of the man. May as well add "Template:Legal topics" or "Template:Drug abuse topics" ... --Dhartung | Talk 14:54, 1 April 2006 (UTC)

Actually, Acosta was a self-described "Chicano lawyer" (Thompson describs him as such, too), one of the first, and he defended high profile Chicano movement clients such as the Brown Berets. In the films about Thompson, the characters based on him have a UFW flag hanging in his office (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) and help organize armed Chicano rebellion (Where the Buffalo Roam).
But perhaps most important are his writings. His Revolt of the Cockroach People is usually required reading in Chicano Studies 101 and is about the Chicano Moratorium and his Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo is a classic of Chicano literature and discusses his life as a Mexican American lawyer and activist.
Acosta is not listed on the template because if we were to list every Mexican American and Chicano, there would be far too many. But he was important in the movement and remains an important and interesting mainstream Chicano.--Rockero 21:17, 1 April 2006 (UTC)
Interesting points which the article shouuld more clearly establish, then. --Dhartung | Talk 01:45, 2 April 2006 (UTC)
You are correct. His autobiography is probably available at your local library. Please expand the article as you see fit.--Rockero 03:14, 2 April 2006 (UTC)
As I'm not well versed in this area, I put a request on Wikipedia:WikiProject Mexican-Americans/Chicanos for someone who is to help out. --Dhartung | Talk 13:15, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

Deleted "quotes about oscar zeta acosta," since there were two identical sections.

[edit] Date of Death

If he went missing in '74, then why is his year of death listed as '77?

[edit] Fear and Loathing

Fear and Loathing is almost pure fiction. It's inspired a bit by real life event, but most of it is made up, and they weren't on drugs when it was written either for that matter. In addition, Acosta ended up demanding significant payment for his appearance in the story, believing (incorrectly) that the movie rights had been sold. This caused formerly interested parties to back off when rumors of disputed ownership got around, and ended up ruining Mr. Acosta's friendship with Hunter Thompson. Some of this can be found in Fear and Loathing in America, a collection of letters from Hunter Thompson's life circa 1968-1976. I'll add some myself when I get the time to go through that monstrous, confusing book, and filter out all that doesn't involve Oscar Acosta. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Tarkitten (talk • contribs) 07:49, 4 November 2007 (UTC)