Fear in the Streets, Hateful Rhetoric and Common Sense

March 6, 2003

Dear Editor,

Fear is in the streets North of Montana. The area is in the grip of a cunningly orchestrated paranoia. As a Santa Monica homeowner for almost fifty years, I have heard that the Landmarks Commission is coming to get me. Should Proposition A be defeated I won't be able to change a light bulb or flush the toilets without the approval of the dreaded Landmarks Commission.

Evidently many of my neighbors have bought this fantasy for the lawns around here are so thick with tacky Prop A signs that the area looks like Lincoln Blvd.

As my house has no historical or architectural distinction the Commission wouldn't take it as a gift. Alas, for that might cut my taxes up to fifty percent. And it's pure con to float the threat that as my house is more than forty years old, I could not so much as fix termite damage without a note from the Commission.

The rumor is equally absurd that the Landmark people intend to plant their flag like Conquistadors north of Montana and take over. The paperwork alone would chew up centuries of time.

A monster mansion has gone up beside me and another two doors away. As I write this there is the sound of a bulldozer knocking down an older house across the alley. And that is the sound of Proposition A for if it becomes law there will be nothing left in the code to stop the bulldozers from leveling and grinding under our few museum pieces.

No wonder real estate interests put this selfish, greedy and utterly destructive proposition on the ballots turning up in our mailboxes. If you haven't already voted, I hope you will send the scalawags fleeing with a NO vote in this historic all mail election.

Sid Fleischman
Santa Monica

March 5, 2003

Dear Editor,

Alan Toy's letter suggesting that Prop A supporters are warmongers is offensive and plain silly. ("LETTERS: Signs and Hypocrites," March 5)

I am one of the biggest supporters of Prop A, and I have spent many evenings protesting the war in front of the Federal Building. How many evenings has Mr. Toy spent out there?

Whatever your position on A, this kind of hateful rhetoric is ugly and beneath the people of Santa Monica. Mr. Toy should be ashamed of himself.

Gregory Poirier
Santa Monica

March 6, 2003

Dear Editor,

It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense. This makes me forever ineligible for local public office. I mourn the passing a constant friend, by the name of Common Sense, with the City Council's creation of a foreign policy on Iraqi.

Common Sense lived a long life, but died with that Council vote. I really don't know how old she was, since her birth records were long ago lost in the City's bureaucratic red tape and boondoggling.

Common Sense selflessly devoted her life to service in our local schools and churches. She helped establish Care Centers, attended Community Service Club meetings, Women's Clubs and helped folks by delivering warm meals without fanfare or foolishness.

For a decade, petty rules, silly laws, and frivolous lawsuits held no power over Common Sense. She was credited with cultivating such valued lessons as to know when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, and that life isn't always fair.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies such as enlightening the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Board not to spend more money than they receive. That momentary gifts raised by local PTA's should remain with the school that it was donated to. In fact, I last saw Common Sense arguing in favor of the playing fields that the Malibu Bay Company Agreement would bring at a town meeting.

Common Sense fashioned an unswerving parenting strategy -- the adults are in charge, not the kids and it's okay to come in second. A veteran of failed social and financial strategies, Common Sense survived cultural and educational trends including collegiate panty raids, sight-reading and the illustrious educational experiment identified as New Math.

I really think that Common Sense lost her desire to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses, criminals received better treatment than victims, federal judges stuck their noses in everything and city councilpersons embarked on establishing National Foreign Policies.

Common Sense has been preceded in death by Truth and Trust, Discretion, and Answerability. Not many of us attended her funeral because so few realized Common Sense was still alive.

Obligate the Mayor to open each council meeting with this statement of understanding. "We are here to conduct only the business of the city."

And that is all I have to say (sure).