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What I’m trying to say is, ’tis the season to help the least fortunate amongst us, while jabbing a thumb into the eye of the powerful and the oppressors. You know, just like Jesus used to do. 
(I hear his birthday is coming up.) To start with, it would be really nice to bring toys and other presents to some of the many children left fatherless, motherless, or otherwise bereaved by police violence in this county. Our friend Baxter writes:
“WE NEED YOUR HELP!
“Please support local children who have lost a parent to police violence this holiday season by donating an unwrapped gift to our Young Survivors Network Toy Drive before Dec 23rd.
“You can help by simply purchasing a new toy, of any value, and dropping it off at the Young Survivors donation box located front and center at Max Bloom Cafe Noir (220 N. Malden in downtown Fullerton 1pm – 10pm M-Sat) Volunteers will wrap the gift for you before it is distributed among the families of these victims.
“I know many of these kids personally. They are strong, they are beautiful, and they are hurt. To have lost a parent, in such a violent manner, at the hands of someone wearing a uniform that you have always been told to turn to when you needed help, is uniquely horrifying. Additionally, the family, and the victim, are far too often villainized in the press and by the police in a concerted effort to mitigate any civil action. Regardless of the circumstances which led up to the violence, these children are innocent, and they have been dealt a hand which is incredibly difficult to process. A simple act of kindness on your part this holiday season, will bring them a little joy, and assure them that there are members of their community, who care about them.Please be one of those member of their community.
I thank Kevin at Max Blooms for allowing us to use his establishment for this cause, and I thank all of you who plan to step up.” -Bax Baxter
What is the Young Survivors Legacy Support Network?
Young Survivors Legacy Support Network (“Young Survivors”), a California nonprofit corporation, was formed in 2013 after an unprecedented number of police shootings and killings of young Latinos, including family members and close friends of the founders. As families united in grief, it became apparent that it was important to not only address the need for better police recruitment and training, to lessen police violence, but also to have a mechanism to help the young survivors, the children, of victims of police violence.
OC’s Dirty Santa, by Tim Houchen
This is a picture of a homeless guy named Richard about a week before he passed away at the Santa Ana civic center.
I don’t think that anyone ever knew his last name. A few of us joked with him, especially during the holidays when we would nick-name him, “Dirty Santa.”
Richard didn’t seem to mind the moniker that we had labeled him with. Heck, we were just a bunch of dirty homeless guys ourselves anyway. Nobody ever cared about any of us.
Richard slept just outside the plate glass windows of the State of California building at the civic center. I slept just around the corner of the building, about ten feet away from him for two years.
We were a tight-knit crew of about a dozen guys that had protected and defended one another from violence, harm and all manners of chicanery for a long time before Richard showed up. Normally, outsiders were not allowed near our camp. But he was cool, never bothered anybody, and never complained about anything. We had his back too.
At the time, I sensed that he felt safe and secure around myself and the other guys in our camp. If that’s the case then I am happy to have provided the least bit of comfort to him during his tortured life.
I always had a pack or two of cigarettes at any given time and many of the guys begged me for smokes constantly. It was a nuisance. I never minded giving a couple to Richard. He nearly never asked me, but I knew when he wanted a smoke so I would sit with him, smoke a couple and talk with him.
Richard may have looked like a derelict, but that was not the case. We had some really great conversations. He was quiet and soft-spoken. I could tell that he was a man that had loved and had been loved sometime in his past.
Looking back it’s obvious that when the two of us smoked and spoke with one another, I was looking into the face of a broken man empty of emotion and deplete of any will to live. Now I know that the spirit and the flesh don’t necessarily die at the same time.
I woke up at the crack of dawn to freezing temperatures on December 26th. It was a day like any other for me despite the cold. I would have to gather-up my gear and move out quickly. I knew that the police would arrive there soon to issue camping citations to stragglers. No time to look out for anyone but myself in those moments.
Later that afternoon news spread across the civic center that someone had complained to police that a homeless person was sleeping where they were not supposed to. The police arrived to find a homeless man dead at the scene. Later I would discover that it had been Richard.
The county coroner estimated that his body had layed there dead for nearly twenty hours. Our homeless friend Richard, the guy that we had so affectionately nick-named “Dirty Santa” had died cold and all alone on Christmas Day in 2014.
Rest in Peace My Brother.
As this blog has become notoriously Anaheim-centric over the last few years, you have heard a lot about homeless activists Lou Noble and Roussan Joshua Collins. But even before they were out there fighting for the rights and dignity of the homeless, there was Santa Ana’s Tim Houchen (right) – organizing the homeless at Santa Ana’s Civic Center into the Civic Center Roundtable, researching the rights and remedies of the homeless at the local law library, and speaking out at SA City Council meetings. He tells the whole story on my Facebook wall here. All of this is by introduction of Tim’s big upcoming event (at which I’ll be playing piano) …
The National Homeless Person’s Memorial Day
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 4:30 to 7pm, on the Santa Ana River Trail near the Big A!
Tim:
This is an event held in other places in the U.S. always during the winter solstice on Dec. 21st.
Traditionally, the event is named “The Longest Night” because Dec. 21st is the shortest day for most Americans who have a place to come home to at days end, but it is the Longest Night for those who do not have a home.
It is a valuable opportunity for communities to show compassion to those experiencing homelessness especially so close to the holidays when many homeless people struggle with the frustrations of being disconnected from friends and families due to their homeless conditions. It is also an opportunity of homeless people to honor the memories of homeless friends and their extended homeless families who struggled only to lose their lives in homelessness.
It is an event worthy of your contributions mostly of time and effort. Many volunteers in the past have reported that participating in these events inspired joyful emotions and satified their spirits.
We are looking for groups, clubs, organizations, etc. that would like to participate with us by preparing and serving food, your donated items of clothing, tents, sleeping bags, blankets and so much more. Or drop-off your donated items at the location beginning at 8:00 am on Dec. 21st. Or a cash donation can be made at our GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/homeless-memorial-day-12212016
I would be happy to answer any questions regarding the event so feel free to message me at FB send an email or make a call to me.
Tim Houchen
(714) 472-8459
gbmetro@gmail.com
And NOW you’re all – I can practically hear you – “We’ve brought presents to the Young Survivors, we’re getting involved with the Homeless Memorial Day thing, but that’s nearly two weeks from now! What is there somewhat rad that we can do THIS WEEK,” you continue, “preferably without leaving Anaheim?”
Well, get out your pen, there are three things this week in Anaheim you can’t miss:
TUESDAY, 3 pm at City Hall: The changing of the guard from the old Klepto Council to the new People’s Council! I’ll let “Lady Ward” walk you through the proceedings:
Anaheim’s new by-district election has many people watching City Hall who had not previously been interested in politics, and a lot of folks are asking how the “Swearing in” works on Tuesday. At 3 pm there is a meeting at Anaheim City Hall, in the same chambers as always, with the usual players (including the outgoing Jordan Brandman) and there is a time for Public Comments. Traditionally this has been a time for the public to come thank Jordan for his service to the community. Be nice. No business is conducted, other than to confirm the election of November 2016. The meeting is ceremonial. (I have to admit my cynical self just checked the agenda to be sure they did not cram one last deal in for their pals while they still had the majority. Can you blame me for being suspicious?)
Then at 5 pm the group moves to “The River” church, (Freedman Forum) just behind City Hall, in anticipation of a larger crowd. (no air horns or cow bells, no matter how excited you are.) This means YOU Ryan Anthony Ruelas And there the City Clerk will swear in Council members Denise Barnes (District 1) Dr. Jose Moreno (District 3) and Steve Faessel (District 5) as well as the returning incumbent, Lucille Kring (District 4) may God have mercy on us.
The City Clerk will THEN preside over the “casting of lots” in which one of the 4 just elected will be randomly identified to serve a TWO YEAR TERM until 2018, so that the Council evens out with 3 Council members elected every 2 years in each election, for 4-year terms going forward. I wondered why we didn’t just hold one more District open until 2018, and elect 3 then, but apparently, this was the result of the settlement of the lawsuit that led to the “by-district” elections, that 4 seats would be up in 2016, with one to be randomly chosen to run again in 2018 to even it up. If Lucille Kring draws the lot she will only serve until 2018 and then be “termed out” 2 years early, leaving the seat vacant to be potentially filled with someone in possession of an actual soul, as Lucille cannot run for a 4-year term with only 2 years left on her clock. Those prone to praying, you have your assignment right HERE. I’ll pay for the candles.
Clerk Linda Andal has not yet announced what form the “casting of lots” will take, but there are a number of legally accepted forms that City Clerks are permitted to use for this. She has ruled out the drawing of straws but otherwise has not shared her thoughts. Knowing Linda I can only say it will be fair and honest. That’s all we ask for. But I will give her bonus points for making the new electeds sing or dance or perform in some fashion to score points, in some bizarre version of “Anaheim City Council’s Got Talent.” Come on, you would SO TOTALLY watch that one!
It does not appear we have a chance for Public Comments at the second portion of the meeting, only the 3 pm portion will be open for comments, so greeting the incoming members will need to wait until the December 20th meeting. But the new Council members will get a chance to speak. To those new members I will say, “Keep it short, people!” By then we will want the cookies waiting in the lobby. Seriously, Kris Murray droned on freaking forever in 2014, keep it short. Thank the God of your choosing, your parents, spouse, 3rd grade teacher who inspired you, tell a short but actually funny joke, promise to do a good job, and don’t make any promises you don’t want us to hold you accountable for once you get into office and realize policy/funding/actual law won’t let you do the thing you vowed to do in your first 100 days and you are just embarrassing yourselves. Keep it short. [VERN note – this is also where our new and returning Council members will be agendizing items for the next meeting, on the 20th – that’s what I’m really looking forward to!]
And then there is a reception right afterward in the lobby of the River Church, with some bites of dessert type things. And of course, the REAL parties afterward, with champagne being sprayed on each other and various forms of undignified behavior…oh we aren’t doing that this year? OK, I guess some folks are having a quiet dinner in a civilized setting.
OK–I have to share. In 2014, Dennis Fitzgerald, blowhard master of ignorance, griped his head off about spending public funds for cookies and coffee after the swearing in. Fitzie then loaded up with all the dessert he could shovel in and/or shove into his suit pockets. Welcome to Anaheim. See you Tuesday.
THURSDAY, 6pm, ACROSS ANAHEIM BLVD at the ten-story “City Hall West,” 2nd Floor, Gordon Hoyt Meeting Room – the FINAL “Pilot Public Safety Board Meeting.” Come see the rarest of animals, only glimpsed four times a year, and now on the verge of extinction: Anaheim’s feeble attempt at police oversight, barely pushed through over the squeals of the Police Association in the wake of the long hot murderous summer of 2012. No, seriously, we need a crowd there Thursday night, coming as it does right after this year’s FOURTH questionable APD-caused fatality (I don’t say “fatal shooting” because poor innocent Vincent Valenzuela was TASED to death.” Make the police, the City Manager, and the new Council know that you CARE and you’re WATCHING!
And the next night, FRIDAY, 3:30 pm, we are taking to the streets. In front of the Anaheim Police Station. Here’s Renee, an organizer:
We will be gathering on this Friday in memory of all the lives taken unjustly by the Anaheim Police . There has been NO accountability to any of the many officers who are guilty of shooting unarmed men in the back. Some are repeat offending killers. These officers are a LIABILITY for the city of anaheim. WE will not stop gathering to inform and warn the public of the MURDERS these officers have committed. Adalid Flores was killed by Anaheim police – an unarmed father of 4. WE NEED THE NAMES OF THE OFFICERS WHO TOOK HIS LIFE!!!!! We will Never Forget………
Julian Alexander ~ Caesar Cruz ~ David Raya ~ MarcelCeja ~ RoscoeCambridge ~ JoeWhitehouse ~ Justin Hertl ~ Brian Drummond ~ Danny Rendon ~ Anthony Sanchez ~ Martin Hernandez ~ Barry Koensberg ~ Monique Deckard ~ Gustavo Najera ~ Rene Garcia ~Joey Acevedo ~ Manuel Diaz ~ Vincent Valenzuela ~ Bernie Villegas ~ Robert Moreno
Anaheim police continue to act as Judge Jury and executioners with no accountability for their actions.
Well! Apart from all that, this is your WEEKEND OPEN THREAD, and what’s that Greg says? Discuss this, that, or whatever you like, within broad bounds of decency and decorum.
GO!!!
This SHOULD be good news on the death of Poseidon, and thenceforward of most other planned desal plants up and down the coast — IF we have agencies that do their job and enforce their regulations. It comes down to Poseidon’s proposed water intakes – our laws require them to use the much more expensive subsurface intakes “if feasible” (whatever that means) — they complain that they are NOT feasible because they’re too expensive, and will force them to charge too much for their water, more than anyone would want to pay! Any decent Commission would conclude, “Well, tough cookies then, no desal plant!” They better or there will be crippling lawsuits from the people. Read all about it:
https://www.newsdeeply.com/water/articles/2016/12/07/why-one-decision-could-decide-the-future-of-desalination-in-california
Our own glorious Dana Rohrabacher (R – Costa Mesa), on Trump’s short list for Secretary of State (!) disqualifies himself in this interview.
“During an interview with Yahoo! News Finance Anchor Bianna Golodryga, Rohrabacher repeatedly praised Russia and Vladimir Putin, batted down any suggestion that Russia had committed human rights violations, including murdering journalists. When Rohrabacher mentioned China’s human rights abuses, Golodryga brought up Russia’s well-known abuses and Rohrabacher blurted out “Oh, baloney!” before demanding to know where anchor Bianna Golodryga is from. Watch a snippet of the spectacular (and utterly uncomfortable) exchange. The full interview, where Rohrabacher later went on to defend Russia’s interference in the American election, can be seen here…” http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/8/1608700/-Trump-candidate-for-Secretary-of-State-goes-on-bizarre-dangerous-rant-in-defense-of-Russia?detail=facebook
“Are you comparing Gorbachev to Vladimir Putin?”
“ABSOLUTELY I am.”
What the hell – “William Hagen?” We know this guy – this “exalted Grand Dragon of the KKK” – his name is Quigg, and he got his ribs kicked in when he came to Pearson Park last February! I guess he goes by different names but I can’t forget that stupid face:
A little later he got himself into the news by claiming he was going to vote for Hillary because she “has a secret agenda nobody else knows about” – he obviously thought that was some kinda clever jiu jitsu since he knows how unpopular the Klan is. Well, once again, out in North Carolina, he’s not looking so good:
“The California Ku Klux Klan leader who led a “white lives matter” rally that erupted in violence in Anaheim this year was arrested last week in connection with a North Carolina stabbing hours before a Klan parade celebrating Donald Trump’s election, authorities said Tuesday.”
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-klan-leader-arrest-20161206-story.html
*The Road to Perdition is loaded with misintended consequences. We will all look back on these days….and say surely: “What were they thinking?” Just a couple of early New Years Resolutions might be reasonable these 21 days from 2017, and 41 days from Hell on Earth….. “Into the valley of death rode the 500…….”…..Charge of the Light Brigade starred one of our favorite film stars….Errol Flynn. Errol was not without his detractors, and he was even up on morals charges because of some underage teenage girl on his boat. Was that just a mom trying a little extortion technique or a disappointment that Errol didn’t want to keep the girl? How about Roman Polanski? Gave his 13 year old some drugs and alcohol and wound up having to leave the country. We have no clue as to how our new President Elect will do in the future. Maybe he will be “Priceless”. Maybe as he says: “I will be the greatest President in history!” One thing is sure: If interest rates go up….energy prices will rise and war is not far behind. Inflation is coming and those making less than $165K a year are going to have some trouble keeping up with Homeless.
We have a great country….where immigrants have fueled the rise in housing costs, transportation costs, medical costs and Pension Costs. This of course all started in 1776 when we had less than a few million folks to look after. Plenty of farming land, water and natural resources. The biggest rush hour experience occurred on Sunday’s going and coming from Church. Those that wanted French Cheese had to do so when they traveled to France. When they wanted good pasta….they had to go to Italy. When they wanted good beer….they had to go to Germany. Today, we can get Kumquats from Ecuador…..but who cares about Kumquats?
At any rate, our days ahead will require “a gathering of eagles” that seemingly will be “surrounded by turkeys”. Well, let’s hope it won’t be like that 24/7…..but do we really want to go to war with North Korea? Do we really need to start a trade war with Japan? Do we really not want to take care of our Homeless populations? Do we really not want to look after our environment and not demand more non fossil fuel autos, trucks and transportation vehicles of all kinds? Heck, we can only hope!
We will soon see if Mark Twain was right: “If voting made a difference….they would never let us do it!” Will our President Elect declare himself “Grand Poobah” or “Emperor for Life”? Who knows? In the meantime, we send our condolences to those who came very close in this last election. You probably won, but then you would have to ask the Russians for the real results – and that just isn’t worth it.
Happy Holidays – and “Keep the Faith”
“We have no clue as to how our new President Elect will do in the future.”
Oh, I think that we have some clue….
We have a clue where we THINK he is going. But too many have become outright flipped at what they are certain he will do, before he is even sworn in to do it.
Now you all KNOW how I detest Trump. And i don’t care if I lose my Ronald Reagan Fan Club Secret Decoder ring for saying for the first time in my life I did not vote a straight GOP ticket this year. BUT…Al Amezcua gave a report at Los Amigos this week, about how ICE is going through files, checking on udocumented OC residents with criminal records and confirming addresses by knocking on doors. Hey Jose, would you mind stepping out here where we can talk? No sense getting the wife and kids all worked up…and off the porch Jose goes, into the loving arms and special jewelry of ICE. Of course, Trump is being tagged with this roundup of the neighborhood. But the last I checked, Trump lacks the authority to call the shots yet. It is the OBAMA Admin’s ICE officers that is ordering these roundups, and conveniently nailing Trump. The same Obama admin that deported more immigrants than ALL prior Presidents combined. So again, I don’t like Trump, I think he is a blow-hard who will humiliate us on the world stage with his Tweet First Ask Questions Later leadership style. But can we PLEASE wait for him to actually SCREW SOMETHING UP before going into hysterics? The fear SOME are feeling is real, rooted in ugly behavior from the Deliverance crowd using Trump to legitimize their own ignorant “go back to where you came from” BS (uh…I was born here?) But to date we have not seen/heard Trump make any actual POLICY decisions to reflect his exaggerated campaign rhetoric. So far, we have people getting each other all worked up over what MAY happen. Certainly, we need to be vigilant regarding the possibilities in the future. And we need to commit to standing together in opposition to any attempts to demonize any segment of the population. But if we set aside the panic-button and carefully WATCH to see what comes next, we may be surprised. Many thought it was the end of the nation when the uncouth and wholly unpolished Andrew Jackson was elected, (I believe I saw a campaign story about him picking under his fingernails with his hunting knife at the dinner table, among other charges that made him sound completely unfit to occupy the Executive Mansion.) Today the guy is on our money. This is not the worst election in history. Not even the most contentious campaign when you see some of the vile crap hurled by both sides in past contests (those Victorians were BRUTAL.) We will live. And I want to believe we will become better Americans for the adversity we may well face together.
To those who did not vote “for” Trump in a show of racism or misogyny, but merely voted “against Hillary,” we call on all those voters to show us you really are the better person you believe yourself to be, and not merely commit to stand against any displays of bigotry but be vigilant in actively watching for those acts of bigotry we need to stand against. Whether it is a policy order in Washington or the ignorant, gap-toothed moron hassling a woman at the bus stop for wearing her hijab, those who put Trump into office in order to stop the worse of the evils are now tasked with stopping the behavior that comes with that empowerment of Trump. You don’t get to create the Executive Godzilla and then turn your back while he stomps all over Tokyo (or Phoenix) But while we need to watch very carefully and guard against decisions that don’t reflect the better nature and moral compass our nation was founded on, we need to stop being a nation of pre-teens telling ghost stories around the capfire until every sound outside the pup tent later is a hatchet murderer, and screaming at the top of one’s lungs in panic becomes justified.
Please, just stop. Both sides. Stop.
I would be very interested to learn more about where Al Amezcua gets his information. That sounds an awful lot like hysteria.
“This is not the worst election in history”
I’m afraid I am going to respectfully disagree, if we’re talking about the USA. If there’s a worse one I can’t think of it.
Why does Dana try to act so tough? Draft dodging pussy!
*As Pappy used to say: “It ain’t pessimism it’s past experience!” Dear Cynnie, the truth is: “The Boy is just not very likeable!” “Let’s be honest – would you buy a used car from this person?” “Would you buy a NEW Car you loved…..from this person?” Would you invite this person over for tea or coffee?” “Can you really trust anyone that doesn’t even drink a beer on occasion?” “Can you believe anyone that loves to lie, misrepresent or change their mind every two minutes or less?” But hey, to be fair – those are just for starters! What do they say: “We know we had a choice in President…….but then with all the hacking and lies….what did we really know?”
*Forgot one biggie…..the boy does not shake hands with anyone! Lives in a Hotel and refuses to bring his wife to his new rental.