I was thinking about the irony of the much publicized meeting in the current newsletter of the Del Rey Homeowners and Neighbors Assn.
It seemed too true to believe that the mother of all community newsletters was promoting the general spring meeting of the homeowners association.
The newsletter urged the simple-minded residents to make our voices be heard.
We should give our opinions.
We should ask questions about both communities, Culver City and Del Rey.
Portions of West Culver City are affected by the adjacent Del Rey community.
An important portion is the bike path that begins in East Culver City and runs through Culver City alongside Ballona Creek.
From young teens to adults, Culver City residents use this bike path as a form of exercise and to travel to the beach.
Along the bike path, just 2 miles before the beach, the path curves behind the Mar Vista Projectos, which the most powerful gang on the Westside, the Culver City Boyz, calls simply The Projects.
A vicious gang, the Boyz say this is their territory.
The bikeway is mere feet from innocent bedroom windows.
Night-time can turn fatal for Culver City residents choosing this route when returning home from a late summer night at the beach.
A Forum Gone Awry
Let me tell you about last night’s meeting.
There was so much bureaucratic talk, in bureaucratic lingo. I doubt even one of the 45 residents understood what they were talking about.
Know Your Audience
I looked closely at the people in attendance. Mostly, they were blue-collar retirees.
A few 30-somethings were sprinkled in. They were trying to act as if they really understood the lingo of officials.
For 2 hours, there was talk of water taxis and the great dining available in the Marina. Most of the crowd, however, looked like Hometown Buffet people.
Now About Traffic
The panel talked about how the business of entertainment will rise.
Marina City officials brought in a retired traffic engineer. They called him a traffic czar. He spent an hour on traffic engineer lingo.
I looked at the faces of frustration of the residents. The school’s old and hard metal chairs only added to their fatigue.
Round and Round
City officials from the Marina del Rey area talked in circles when they were asked questions.
Always at the end, they emphasized, though, that a tremendous victory had been accomplished.
I was reminded of Chairman Mao.
Periodically, Chairman Mao would tell the poor, starving, shoeless people of China, “You have won a tremendous victory today.”
For China.
Malsin Lauded
But something did go well last night. City Councilman Scott Malsin was heard throughout the meeting sharing wise words with the crowd.
“I am your neighbor,” he said with feeling a number of times, with the real dedication of a Zen Buddhist monk who has been given the word of enlightenment.
He was liked by the rest of the audience, too.
Must Be Duck Season
From the back row of residents sitting on those hard metal chairs came the concerned voice of a middle-aged woman.
“What about the safety of the bike path for us women who ride the bike path in this area?” she asked.
The panel may have considered her question. But they chose to pass over it.
Anyone Responsive or Responsible?
One field deputy of an elected official sounded more like a World War II era Field Marshal when he ducked responsibility.
“Not my jurisdiction,” he said. “But there are Rangers from the state out there on patrol.”
Hmmm.
I travel the bike path day and night.
I never have seen one Ranger.
