EDITORIAL POLITICAL AWAKENING HUGE RALLIES OVER IMMIGRATION POLICY ARE HEALTHY SIGNS, BUT KIDS BELONG IN SCHOOL.

Who knew Angelenos had it in them? Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in recent days in rallies and walkouts and marches protesting proposals to crack down on illegal immigrants.

The catalyst, of course, was the U.S. Senate taking up immigration reform, a subject so touchy that the political debate has been put off for decades, resulting in an estimated population of 12 million illegal immigrants living in the shadows.

In the week before, community activists and Spanish-radio disc jockeys whipped people into action over the tough immigration bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that focused only on border enforcement and cracking down on immigrants.

For many Angelenos, the political became very personal and they turned out to demand humane immigration reform.

Still, this is L.A, where typically only celebrity fests like the Academy Awards or a sports champion can draw a crowd.

So it was sobering to see more than half a million people marching peacefully through downtown L.A. - children, teenagers, adults, whole families - and not all of them Latino. Those watching on T.V. can be forgiven for mistaking the footage as coming from a protest in Washington, D.C., circa 1960s.

Students pouring out of school Monday and Tuesday added to this sense of deja vu, but also raised concerns: In schools with such low test scores and high dropout rates, wouldn't the students be better off in class learning about history and public policy and improving their basic skills? While the majority protested seriously, there inevitably were a few who preferred disruption and lawlessness.

Still, the size and emotion of the protests confirm a trend that has been building for a decade through charter reform, San Fernando Valley secession and other issues that energized public passions.

Something amazing is happening in Los Angeles. The seeds of democracy are taking root. Communities across the city are showing their political vitality and making gains, from Granada Hills fighting a landfill to neighborhood councils in South L.A. getting City Hall to respond to their needs.

A political awakening across the breadth of Los Angeles could transform the city. A politically alive Los Angeles would end the cycle of City Hall corruption and create healthier neighborhoods and mutual respect among people of different backgrounds who have different needs.

For something great to happen, it will take arousing the passions of everyone. All L.A.'s residents must get involved in working hard for what they believe in and being willing to accept that progress comes step by step, inch by inch.