Parking Woes Cloud Happy Summer Days

By Carol Fondiller

I’m not going to defend or attack those who live in their vehicles because this is irrelevant to the parking. From what I’ve observed in the forty something years I’ve lived in Venice, there have been people living in many variations of homes from tepees (yes!! really!) to tree houses (honest to Goddess) to converted garages – still around – check it out – your quaint cute studio at $1800 a month + uts only blocks 2 bch started out as a garage that due to the magick of Venetian soil, and miasmic air, morphed from a granny unit to your very hip ground level loft, no parking.

Or, maybe you’re the proud owner of recently (or not) renovated craftsman cottage or sleek modern contemporary living space with garage that can be converted to a den or studio, plans available, street parking.

Or, maybe you might be living in one of the apartment buildings and that line Pacific Avenue (called the Venice Chinese Wall by long time locals.) These erections were built by speculators and contractors who funded speculators and contractors and who fudged on the truth about how many units they were really putting in, so they didn’t have to allow space for parking.

The California Coastal Commission requires a certain number of parking spaces per unit, a certain number of parking spaces per commercial restaurants, etc.

I know that this comes as a complete surprise to many readers of the Beachhead, but sometimes city departments, misread or (I’m sure) misunder-estimated the parking.

As a result of the corruption and or stupidity and short-sightedness of City officials and agencies, parking was as they say, put out on the streets.

Venice was built when the Los Angeles area had one of the best mass transit systems in the country (take a gawk at some of the old low budget late 30s early 40s pictures that were shot on location). Trolleys, red cars and buses were the mainstay of travel to work and shopping. When I moved to Venice, parking was a problem, and in the late fifties the average person had one car per household – now, it’s more and in those apartments supposedly built for one person – well, those apartments are now usually shared by more than one person. These people usually have at least one car per person, as do the homeowners.

I have never been against turning a garage into a living unit if that unit is used to house low-moderate income folks. I’ve always thought that it’s more important to house people than cars.

Some of the people who live in vehicles are deeply unpleasant and intrusive. And, because they live right next to other people their habits can be annoying and threatening.

But these people, and I’m talking about a sliver of the vehicle dwelling residents, are not nearly the threat to Venice’s vivacity and diversity as the sociopaths who use the parking problem as an excuse to rid the Community of “undesirables” i.e. low – no income people, by any means necessary. I’ve had the experience of being threatened by some of the vehicle dwellers when I’ve politely asked them to turn down their music, their generators, or please keep their dogs from lunging at me as I go up to my apt. building. I’ve also been threatened by homeowners who have disagreed with me regarding my right to live in Venice or fight for my right to live in this Community because I’m low-income, and I am a second class citizen anyway, because I am a renter. Renters after all, do not pay property taxes, and never pay their fair share, and landlords never charge them rent, and what are low income people doing living by the beach anyway?

But I’m writing about overnight parking permits. What overnight parking will do is charge people for a license to hunt for a parking space. A parking space is not guaranteed if a fee is paid one just has permission to hunt for a space – just like a permit to hunt bear or ducks. Maybe it could turn into a sport: Mr. SUV nabbed three parking spaces in ten days.

But the sociopaths who proposed this ordinance are combining two problems – one is homelessness, and the other parking. Their objective is to turn Venice into a gated community, just like the proposed gated community that was defeated by Venetians. Remember Rose and Main Street?

The owner of a newly opened diner called the Flake Café complained about the live-in vehicles that lined Rose Avenue. The owner claimed these vehicle dwellers were bad for her business.

Now obviously the name Flake was meant to attract semi-affluent people who fancied themselves as hip withit Bohos who lived in the nearby art bunkers.

But they don’t know or want anything to do with the real flakes. By the way, people who patronized the Flake Café were sitting on chairs and tables set out on the narrow sidewalk of Rose Avenue. Does she have a revocable permit from the City that allows tables and chairs on that narrow sidewalk? Suppose some crazed meth head skater zoomed into an innocent affluhip who was bicycling on the sidewalk to avoid the SUV’s barreling down Rose Avenue to the Rose Avenue parking lot? Perhaps City officials might spend their time and discretionary funds to figure out ways to improve mass transit, making it more attractive, safe and reliable.

The officials might also look into the in-lieu parking fees fund that developers pay into instead of putting in their required parking spaces, and whether those funds are used to seek out and create more parking spaces in the Venice area. Already existing laws regarding street parking should be enforced to clear out the vehicles on the streets that are parked there by businesses and residents because they have no parking.

And lest we forget, many parking spaces are taken up by beach visitors who are entitled to beach access. They pay taxes towards the maintenance of the Beach. Don’t let the sociopaths fool you with their shell game. Protest at Marina del Rey Hotel, near Burton Chase Park, M.D.R., June 11.

By Carol Fondiller

I’m not going to defend or attack those who live in their vehicles because this is irrelevant to the parking. From what I’ve observed in the forty something years I’ve lived in Venice, there have been people living in many variations of homes from tepees (yes!! really!) to tree houses (honest to Goddess) to converted garages – still around – check it out – your quaint cute studio at $1800 a month + uts only blocks 2 bch started out as a garage that due to the magick of Venetian soil, and miasmic air, morphed from a granny unit to your very hip ground level loft, no parking.

Or, maybe you’re the proud owner of recently (or not) renovated craftsman cottage or sleek modern contemporary living space with garage that can be converted to a den or studio, plans available, street parking.

Or, maybe you might be living in one of the apartment buildings and that line Pacific Avenue (called the Venice Chinese Wall by long time locals.) These erections were built by speculators and contractors who funded speculators and contractors and who fudged on the truth about how many units they were really putting in, so they didn’t have to allow space for parking.

The California Coastal Commission requires a certain number of parking spaces per unit, a certain number of parking spaces per commercial restaurants, etc.

I know that this comes as a complete surprise to many readers of the Beachhead, but sometimes city departments, misread or (I’m sure) misunder-estimated the parking.

As a result of the corruption and or stupidity and short-sightedness of City officials and agencies, parking was as they say, put out on the streets.

Venice was built when the Los Angeles area had one of the best mass transit systems in the country (take a gawk at some of the old low budget late 30s early 40s pictures that were shot on location). Trolleys, red cars and buses were the mainstay of travel to work and shopping. When I moved to Venice, parking was a problem, and in the late fifties the average person had one car per household – now, it’s more and in those apartments supposedly built for one person – well, those apartments are now usually shared by more than one person. These people usually have at least one car per person, as do the homeowners.

I have never been against turning a garage into a living unit if that unit is used to house low-moderate income folks. I’ve always thought that it’s more important to house people than cars.

Some of the people who live in vehicles are deeply unpleasant and intrusive. And, because they live right next to other people their habits can be annoying and threatening.

But these people, and I’m talking about a sliver of the vehicle dwelling residents, are not nearly the threat to Venice’s vivacity and diversity as the sociopaths who use the parking problem as an excuse to rid the Community of “undesirables” i.e. low – no income people, by any means necessary. I’ve had the experience of being threatened by some of the vehicle dwellers when I’ve politely asked them to turn down their music, their generators, or please keep their dogs from lunging at me as I go up to my apt. building. I’ve also been threatened by homeowners who have disagreed with me regarding my right to live in Venice or fight for my right to live in this Community because I’m low-income, and I am a second class citizen anyway, because I am a renter. Renters after all, do not pay property taxes, and never pay their fair share, and landlords never charge them rent, and what are low income people doing living by the beach anyway?

But I’m writing about overnight parking permits. What overnight parking will do is charge people for a license to hunt for a parking space. A parking space is not guaranteed if a fee is paid one just has permission to hunt for a space – just like a permit to hunt bear or ducks. Maybe it could turn into a sport: Mr. SUV nabbed three parking spaces in ten days.

But the sociopaths who proposed this ordinance are combining two problems – one is homelessness, and the other parking. Their objective is to turn Venice into a gated community, just like the proposed gated community that was defeated by Venetians. Remember Rose and Main Street?

The owner of a newly opened diner called the Flake Café complained about the live-in vehicles that lined Rose Avenue. The owner claimed these vehicle dwellers were bad for her business.

Now obviously the name Flake was meant to attract semi-affluent people who fancied themselves as hip withit Bohos who lived in the nearby art bunkers.

But they don’t know or want anything to do with the real flakes. By the way, people who patronized the Flake Café were sitting on chairs and tables set out on the narrow sidewalk of Rose Avenue. Does she have a revocable permit from the City that allows tables and chairs on that narrow sidewalk? Suppose some crazed meth head skater zoomed into an innocent affluhip who was bicycling on the sidewalk to avoid the SUV’s barreling down Rose Avenue to the Rose Avenue parking lot? Perhaps City officials might spend their time and discretionary funds to figure out ways to improve mass transit, making it more attractive, safe and reliable.

The officials might also look into the in-lieu parking fees fund that developers pay into instead of putting in their required parking spaces, and whether those funds are used to seek out and create more parking spaces in the Venice area. Already existing laws regarding street parking should be enforced to clear out the vehicles on the streets that are parked there by businesses and residents because they have no parking.

And lest we forget, many parking spaces are taken up by beach visitors who are entitled to beach access. They pay taxes towards the maintenance of the Beach. Don’t let the sociopaths fool you with their shell game. Protest at Marina del Rey Hotel, near Burton Chase Park, M.D.R., June 11.

How To Beat The Summertime Blues

By Amy Dewhurst

To live in a 60 degree & sunny city means the coming of summer can be quite

quiet. So to remind us of the significance of Solstice (June 21) here are the top rated activities for Sunshine Daydreams and Summer Fun (offered up by your fellow Venetians):

* Skateboarding

* Concerts at the pier

* Hitting the breakwater at night

* Beach volleyball

* Late night concerts on my roof

* Fourth of July Mayhem

* First Fridays

* Practicing on the rings

* Watching the skate park be built

* Dancing with those skate guys

* Big Deans

* Fireworks

* Hula Hooping

* Dancing to Peace Frog

* Playing my guitar on the beach

* Third Fridays (at Westminster)

* Watching the sunset

* Making out under the pier

* Paddleball

* Pub crawls down Main Street

* Graffiti Walls

* Daybeers & burgers at Hinanos

* Walking along the ocean from pier to pier

* Fishing

* Kite surfing

* Puffing with my friends

* The climbing wall on the boardwalk

* Getting slimed

* Basketball at the courts

* Stargazing

* The grunion run

* Just Venice, I love being in Venice

By Amy Dewhurst

To live in a 60 degree & sunny city means the coming of summer can be quite quiet. So to remind us of the significance of Solstice (June 21) here are the top rated activities for Sunshine Daydreams and Summer Fun (offered up by your fellow Venetians):

* Skateboarding

* Concerts at the pier

* Hitting the breakwater at night

* Beach volleyball

* Late night concerts on my roof

* Fourth of July Mayhem

* First Fridays

* Practicing on the rings

* Watching the skate park be built

* Dancing with those skate guys

* Big Deans

* Fireworks

* Hula Hooping

* Dancing to Peace Frog

* Playing my guitar on the beach

* Third Fridays (at Westminster)

* Watching the sunset

* Making out under the pier

* Paddleball

* Pub crawls down Main Street

* Graffiti Walls

* Daybeers & burgers at Hinanos

* Walking along the ocean from pier to pier

* Fishing

* Kite surfing

* Puffing with my friends

* The climbing wall on the boardwalk

* Getting slimed

* Basketball at the courts

* Stargazing

* The grunion run

* Just Venice, I love being in Venice

Gale Goldman, Jazz Musician & Street Artist of the Venice Boardwalk, 1980 – 1996; Partner with Sonny Zorro

She just passed on into the ethers –

A lover of life

A life of lovers

A lover of art

An Artist of the Streets of Venice Beach

We remember you Gail & Sonny & David

Your unicorn horses & gypsy images

Thank you for supporting all the

Venice Boardwalk ______ — the

Musician, Peter Demian, Portrait Artist

Susan Sainer, Hungarian Artist, Tibor

Jankay, Suzy Coyle, Harlan Steinberger, Senjen,

Tina Catalina, the Lafayette Café, Gil Borges,

Theresa Daniels, Ray Packard, Regina Barton,

A lover of life – like me.

Gale is survived by David Philp, her partner of 25 years, her daughter Dylan, and extended family and friends.

–Regina Barton

She just passed on into the ethers –

A lover of life

A life of lovers

A lover of art

An Artist of the Streets of Venice Beach

We remember you Gail & Sonny & David

Your unicorn horses & gypsy images

Thank you for supporting all the

Venice Boardwalk ______ — the

Musician, Peter Demian, Portrait Artist

Susan Sainer, Hungarian Artist, Tibor

Jankay, Suzy Coyle, Harlan Steinberger, Senjen,

Tina Catalina, the Lafayette Café, Gil Borges,

Theresa Daniels, Ray Packard, Regina Barton,

A lover of life – like me.

Gale is survived by David Philp, her partner of 25 years, her daughter Dylan, and extended family and friends.

–Regina Barton

Letters

Trouble on Ocean Front Walk

Dear Beachhead,

Last weekend, May 23-24, some of the fellow artists on Venice Beach got ticketed for playing music on the west side of the beach. The LAPD claimed the sound exceeded the Lmax levels yet reports indicate no one could confirm the officers had the sound machine on site.

The artists are all professional musicians that respect the noise ordinance and play between the hours of noon to 4 pm. Coincidently, the only artists that were ticketed in the band were African American.

One of the band leaders, Ibrahim Butler, has been a figure on Venice Beach for decades. He’s a civil rights activist and has been targeted, ticketed and arrested for standing his ground there. So there is a long history.

The LAPD brought 15 officers on Saturday to ticket and warn about a dozen musicians. The crowd on Venice Boardwalk along with the restaurant onlookers directly across from the band’s regular spot joined together to stand in support of the band.

On Sunday, An LAPD officer warned Ibrahim that the police would return. The officer also told Ibrahim they had been investigating him for 90 days (because he’s at the beach in the Rose parking lot everyday with his RVs). The officer said if he gets 3 tickets he will be arrested.

I’ve noticed LAPD helicopters each day for the last two weeks flying over. It’s no surprise that a rookie blurted out that the orders to shut down the music came from “high at the top.”

Venice Beach is under attack by the moral majority, right wing, conservatives. I attended the Venice Neighborhood Council and watched them vote to remove my rights to vote in their election as a stakeholder along with other artists, and the homeless that live on Venice Beach. The city and part of the Venice community are trying to police the free-thinking community out.

Can someone recommend attorneys and civil rights activists that we can contact to get some assistance? This is escalating into something that needs organizing right now.

Venice Beach has been the place for free thinkers for decades and a refuge for those people that are pushed out of the system or rebel against it.

I suggest we form a coalition. I’m an artist on Venice Boardwalk and a recent addition to a Venice that is under attack by developers and displaced residents. I used to participate in the lottery but see it’s violating my 1st Amendment rights and my civil liberties as an artist. In addition to that ordinance, the police and the Neighborhood Council, along with developers are policing Venice Beach and removing our rights. We have a right to be there and to unite. Please join us.

If anyone can blast to your own networks I would greatly appreciate it. My friends are under attack. These are wonderful, caring people. They feed the homeless population in Venice everyday. They nurse baby crows that fall out of their nests until strong enough to fly back to the nest and they clean up the beach.

Lisa Green

Gale Goldman

Gale always filled me with encouragement. To her, if you were an artist you were great no matter your craft.

I will miss her deeply,

Harlan Steinberger – Hen House Studios

• Trouble on Ocean Front Walk – Lisa Green
• Gale Gordon - Harlan Steinberger

• Dogtown – Ian Dean

Trouble on Ocean Front Walk

Dear Beachhead,

Last weekend, May 23-24, some of the fellow artists on Venice Beach got ticketed for playing music on the west side of the beach. The LAPD claimed the sound exceeded the Lmax levels yet reports indicate no one could confirm the officers had the sound machine on site.

The artists are all professional musicians that respect the noise ordinance and play between the hours of noon to 4 pm. Coincidently, the only artists that were ticketed in the band were African American.

One of the band leaders, Ibrahim Butler, has been a figure on Venice Beach for decades. He’s a civil rights activist and has been targeted, ticketed and arrested for standing his ground there. So there is a long history.

The LAPD brought 15 officers on Saturday to ticket and warn about a dozen musicians. The crowd on Venice Boardwalk along with the restaurant onlookers directly across from the band’s regular spot joined together to stand in support of the band.

On Sunday, An LAPD officer warned Ibrahim that the police would return. The officer also told Ibrahim they had been investigating him for 90 days (because he’s at the beach in the Rose parking lot everyday with his RVs). The officer said if he gets 3 tickets he will be arrested.

I’ve noticed LAPD helicopters each day for the last two weeks flying over. It’s no surprise that a rookie blurted out that the orders to shut down the music came from “high at the top.”

Venice Beach is under attack by the moral majority, right wing, conservatives. I attended the Venice Neighborhood Council and watched them vote to remove my rights to vote in their election as a stakeholder along with other artists, and the homeless that live on Venice Beach. The city and part of the Venice community are trying to police the free-thinking community out.

Can someone recommend attorneys and civil rights activists that we can contact to get some assistance? This is escalating into something that needs organizing right now.

Venice Beach has been the place for free thinkers for decades and a refuge for those people that are pushed out of the system or rebel against it.

I suggest we form a coalition. I’m an artist on Venice Boardwalk and a recent addition to a Venice that is under attack by developers and displaced residents. I used to participate in the lottery but see it’s violating my 1st Amendment rights and my civil liberties as an artist. In addition to that ordinance, the police and the Neighborhood Council, along with developers are policing Venice Beach and removing our rights. We have a right to be there and to unite. Please join us.

If anyone can blast to your own networks I would greatly appreciate it. My friends are under attack. These are wonderful, caring people. They feed the homeless population in Venice everyday. They nurse baby crows that fall out of their nests until strong enough to fly back to the nest and they clean up the beach.

Lisa Green

––––––––––––

Gale Goldman

Gale always filled me with encouragement. To her, if you were an artist you were great no matter your craft.

I will miss her deeply,

Harlan Steinberger – Hen House Studios

___________

Dogtown

Dear Beachhead,

I am a native born of Hollywood, but that has never effected how much Venice is my home. Even as a young child my family frequented the area despite living further east. My God Mother and mother’s best friend lived over by Mark Twain Middle School during the early 80’s and up and we were constantly over there. In fact, when my folks divorced my siblings and I were sent to stay there for a bit.

We always went to Venice Beach and Santa Monica pier (another town that has been rebuilt with the upper class solely in mind). I will admit my pre teen days were spent in Venice and Santa Monica being a hooligan of sorts and partaking in mischief with local squatters and street performers and so forth, I even WAS a squatter for some time.

Venice is properly nicknamed Dogtown, we are known for skate boards, pit bulls playing with pugs, graffiti, beautiful sunsets, drum circles, and cheap pizza by the slice. But recently over the past several years I have noticed things changing. I noticed how people who had lived here for years were being pushed out for ‘bigger and better things” I doubt I have to remind ANYONE about the Penmore Apartments that were evicted, boarded up and then left to stand empty while many families were forced to leave.

Or the Pioneer baking company on Rose and 5th. It used to make the whole street smell of fresh baked goods, torn down to make way for condos that as far as I can tell the plans for were tossed and the land is now for sale. The Hari Krishna People no longer frequent the giant pink house down the street and Jim’s blue house on the boardwalk has been a whore house to such brands as Nike and so on.

Street side performers and vendors who used to get along now fight among each other over the spot lottery and people just trying to make a few bucks while offering goods or provide entertainment on a lazy sunday are now treated with such hostility by the police one would think they were running a sex slave ring, four cops harass one vendor. Don’t get me started on how many cops the department seems to think it needs to harass traveling kids who might be a bit obnoxious but are not causing any harm. They ticket people for having dogs on the beach but ride horses up and down disregarding the droppings from their mount, they drive cars down the boardwalk full with people which is a very big danger potential… far more then a dog off a leash or some public drunk bum.

Newcomers to the area both tourists and people who have made Venice their home do little to learn the social taboos and quirks. I can’t tell you how many times I have been hit by a car while skating down Speedway only for the driver to yell at me for dinging his precious hummer or BMW. No affordable apartments will accept dogs and the ones that do want extra in security deposits even though I have seen unruly children do more damage to an apartment then a dog. I could go on and on and on as to what I see but here is the basic run down.

Venice is a Mecca for all of us, not just the rich. It is a little slice of heaven with grit and grime that takes care of itself if left to it’s own devices. I have seen much more policing and social justice done from the homeless, locals and even gang members than I have from the police. This town is for all of us.

Lower, middle AND upper class. But recently many things that make Dog Town what it is are dissolving in to what only the wealthy want and not what we all want.

Ian Dean

In Brief:

• Coastal Commission Meets June 11 on Permit Parking in Venice
•  Air Force Buzzes Venice
•  Lincoln Blvd. Standards Approved
•  Lincoln Place Settlement Nearer?
•  Plan to Restore Windward Columns

____________

Coastal Commission Meets June 11 on Permit Parking in Venice

A showdown on Overnight Parking Districts (pay parking) in Venice is scheduled for the morning of June 11 at the Marina del Rey Hotel, which is adjacent to Venice.

In a sleight of hand movement, the city of L.A. has tossed out its OPD proposal that was the subject of hearings and numerous appeals, and substituted another proposal which has not been reviewed by the public.

The new proposal, which has the Coastal Commission staff’s backing, would add the Ocean Front Walk residents to the OPD, change the hours when a permit is needed to 2 – 5 am, and open the beach parking lots at night. However, individual vehicles could only be parked there for four hours on any given night.

It is not possible to say exactly when the Venice item will come up on the agenda. It is item number 9. However, since the meeting place is only a few minutes from Venice by bike or car, it will not be necessary to sit through the meeting from its beginning at 8 am. There is a live webcast on June 11 which will give advance warning that number 9 is coming up. The website is http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html

Air Force Buzzes Venice

On Memorial Day, a giant Air Force plane flew over Venice at an attitude designed to cause mental anguish to any visiting New Yorker.

The C-17, a four-engine cargo place, flew at only 1,000 feet over our community. The World Trade Center in New York stood at more than 1,300 feet.

The stunt was apparently approved by the L.A. Council District office, which put out an email notice to some Venetians the day before. Calls to the Council office to find out who ordered the overflight and who is going to pay for the colossal waste of fuel went unanswered. The flight was to and from March Air Force Base, which is east of Riverside.

Lincoln Blvd. Standards Approved

The Los Angeles City Council finally passed the Community Design Overlay for Lincoln Boulevard in May. The vote was unanimously.

This means that future projects and remodels of buildings on Lincoln Boulevard in Venice will have to follow the design guidelines, says Laura Silagi of the Venice Community Coalition. In time this will create a more pedestrian friendly boulevard with landscaping and interesting design.

Silagi urges contacting Councilmember Bill Rosendahl to ask him to pressure the Department of Building and Safely to remove all the illegal billboards on Lincoln Blvd as he has expressed an interest in doing.

Lincoln Place Settlement Nearer?

An impeccable source says that a Lincoln Place settlement is near that includes 80 evicted people returning to their homes, 80 people being paid off, and the building 99 new condos. Any new construction would have to include the involvement of the community.

Plan to Restore Windward Columns

The Venice Historical Society has plans to raise money to restore the history columns on Windward Avenue. A celebration fundraising event will be announced shortly.

Some of the columns were allegedly destroyed by artist and resident Robert Graham when he built an art studio on the street. Other columns are in a state of disrepair. The Historical Society can be reached at 967-5170 or info@veniceofamerica.org.

Coastal Commission Meets June 11 on Permit Parking in Venice

A showdown on Overnight Parking Districts (pay parking) in Venice is scheduled for the morning of June 11 at the Marina del Rey Hotel, which is adjacent to Venice.

In a sleight of hand movement, the city of L.A. has tossed out its OPD proposal that was the subject of hearings and numerous appeals, and substituted another proposal which has not been reviewed by the public.

The new proposal, which has the Coastal Commission staff’s backing, would add the Ocean Front Walk residents to the OPD, change the hours when a permit is needed to 2 – 5 am, and open the beach parking lots at night. However, individual vehicles could only be parked there for four hours on any given night.

It is not possible to say exactly when the Venice item will come up on the agenda. It is item number 9. However, since the meeting place is only a few minutes from Venice by bike or car, it will not be necessary to sit through the meeting from its beginning at 8 am. There is a live webcast on June 11 which will give advance warning that number 9 is coming up. The website is http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html

__________

Air Force Buzzes Venice

On Memorial Day, a giant Air Force plane flew over Venice at an attitude designed to cause mental anguish to any visiting New Yorker.

The C-17, a four-engine cargo place, flew at only 1,000 feet over our community. The World Trade Center in New York stood at more than 1,300 feet.

The stunt was apparently approved by the L.A. Council District office, which put out an email notice to some Venetians the day before. Calls to the Council office to find out who ordered the overflight and who is going to pay for the colossal waste of fuel went unanswered. The flight was to and from March Air Force Base, which is east of Riverside.

___________

Lincoln Blvd. Standards Approved

The Los Angeles City Council finally passed the Community Design Overlay for Lincoln Boulevard in May. The vote was unanimously.

This means that future projects and remodels of buildings on Lincoln Boulevard in Venice will have to follow the design guidelines, says Laura Silagi of the Venice Community Coalition. In time this will create a more pedestrian friendly boulevard with landscaping and interesting design.

Silagi urges contacting Councilmember Bill Rosendahl to ask him to pressure the Department of Building and Safely to remove all the illegal billboards on Lincoln Blvd as he has expressed an interest in doing.

___________

Lincoln Place Settlement Nearer?

An impeccable source says that a Lincoln Place settlement is near that includes 80 evicted people returning to their homes, 80 people being paid off, and the building 99 new condos. Any new construction would have to include the involvement of the community.

Plan to Restore Windward Columns

The Venice Historical Society has plans to raise money to restore the history columns on Windward Avenue. A celebration fundraising event will be announced shortly.

Some of the columns were allegedly destroyed by artist and resident Robert Graham when he built an art studio on the street. Other columns are in a state of disrepair. The Historical Society can be reached at 967-5170 or info@veniceofamerica.org.

L.A. Times Distorts Homeless/RV Issues – Again

By Peggy Lee Kennedy

The Los Angeles Times ran a story dated May 27 by Martha Groves with a picture of a group of RVs parked on 7th Street in Venice. Except the RVs were cleared off 7th on Memorial Day, May 25, by LAPD Officers Theresa Skinner and Peggy Thusing along with the tow trucks from the Valley.

The next evening after Memorial Day, a vigilante broke out the back window of an RV belonging to a disabled woman, who happens to be the widow of a recently deceased veteran. She claims that she is the victim of a hate crime.

The LA Times keeps quoting people who are calling the RVs a nuisance and telling nasty stories about people like this woman. This, along with anti-vagrant laws such as the OPD law, and law enforcement may be helping to inspire the hate behind this kind of vigilante activity. (see Southern Poverty Law Center: Hating The Homeless <http://tinyurl.com/mt88tk&gt;.

According to the May 27 L.A. Times article, Rosendahl is “studying programs in Santa Barbara and Eugene, Ore., that have designated overnight parking lots for RV dwellers.” It looks more like the city is busy relocating homeless people in RVs via tow trucks and police impound, which is a costly road that can lead many people straight to the sidewalk. The so-called proposed solutions for RV dwellers are a ruse if there is nowhere reasonable for them to park and their dwellings are getting towed away – especially if they cannot come up with the impound ransom to get their homes back.

Venice still has progressive people that oppose criminalization and Venice still has low-income people living here that will be disproportionally affected by the pending OPD permit parking being heard at the Coastal Commission meeting June 11. Too bad the mainstream press or the local government does not represent them/us. It is not only homeless people living in vehicles that will get hurt by the OPDs. But they will be hurt. We are home to the Venice Family (Free) Clinic, which is one of the largest free clinics in the country and 16 percent of their clients are local homeless people. We have food providers every day of the week such as St Joseph’s, our Peace with Justice Pantry, the Mildred Cursh Foundation, and others. There are critical, life essential reasons poor and homeless people are in Venice.

The L.A. Times and Martha Groves are only helping the pro-OPD people who are working to remove poor people and socially-economically cleanse our beach town. See the Free Venice Beachhead May article “What’s Behind The Push For OPDs for some history on the people and the OPDs. Furthermore, by continually quoting the people who say nasty things about homeless people in her articles, Groves may be helping to inspire and spread more hate, which is known to lead to hate activity. Hate is not what the world needs now.

Swami X Speaks

When you get to be 83, the big thing in what’s left of this life is total spiritual freedom. That’s what I’ve been going for, since I was 12. At that time, through a personal experience, I wanted to be a comedian. And I made it, on the streets and police stations of America and Britain. Making people laugh from a park bench is especially rewarding, satisfying and fulfilling from the inside of oneself. I thank God for everything, and especially for such a rare opportunity of spiritual realization.

And so, what I do now is write. I write what comes into my heart and mind. I write for my own pleasure, amusement and enlightenment. Enlightening thoughts come to me more these days, as the body approaches the Grinning Sweeper. Any thought that is kind, true, grateful, loving and positively creative is enlightening. Enlightenment takes over us gradually and casually, and then again, it may strike suddenly and dramatically. In any event, it’s much more pleasant to be conscious, creative and blissful than mean, surly and unconscious. Of course, meditation is introduction to God 101. And meditation may be performed a million ways. You always need something to see and something to say, along with a substantial sum of devotion and determination.

I really do believe soul felt laughter is a gift from, and to, god. God is a Cosmic Blissful Spirit that lives in everything, and everything is alive, forever. It’s a stretch if one isn’t used to these ideas, concepts and truths. Truth always reveals light and points to a positive goal.

We’ve missed contact with our inner compass of clarity and compassion. God is Love and only if you are expressing that love are you Godly. And we’re all Godly, because we all love ourselves; our family, friends, the neighbor down the street, the mail person, our dog, our pussy cat, our gold fish, our tank of piranhas, the old goat in the garage, the metermaid who is sadistically doing her job.

Go with God, that’s all There is.

Venice High Students Push For Memorial For Japanese

For the past several years, the Beachhead has been advocating a memorial marker or other remembrance at the corner of Venice Blvd. and Lincoln Blvd. where local Japanese families were gathered together and shipped to concentration camps in 1942.

Many were U.S. citizens and many were small children. None had been accused of any disloyalty during World War II. Their only crime was that they were of Japanese ancestry.

Now, at long last, some recognition of the terrible wrong that was done to our neighbors may be forthcoming.

Below are some of the letters that Venice students have written to Councilmember Bill Rosendahl and to the Beachhead. If all goes right, a ever-present reminder that human dignity and civil rights need constant vigilance if we are to have the right to call ourselves a civilized country and city.

In particular, the Beachhead would like to thank Phyllis Hayashibara, a teacher at Venice High for getting the ball rolling.

You can express your support by emailing Bill Rosendahl at councilman.rosendahl@lacity.org and the Beachhead at Beachhead@freevenice.org.

___________

My name is Athena, and I am a Junior enrolled in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class at Venice High School. Please give your support towards the building of a monument in the Venice community.

In April of 1942, hundreds of Venetians of Japanese ancestry were assembled at the northwest corner of Lincoln and Venice Boulevards. From this historic intersection, Japanese Americans were bused to assembly centers and then internment camps all over the U.S. Under the Executive Order 9066, military officials were given the power to limit the civil rights of Japanese Americans. Because of this order, Japanese Americans had curfews and were even forced to leave their homes and be shipped to internment camps without any due process. The Venice community would like to commemorate the Japanese Americans who lost their homes and their rights. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of Executive Order 9066.

Sincerely,

Athena Padilla

–––––

I’m proud to say I support the actions needed to erect a monument, or sculpture on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevards to commemorate the relocation of thousands of Japanese Americans, definitely an enormous decision in U.S. history.

This monument will clearly show the people of Venice, and every citizen who passes at this monument, how easy it is to loose our precious democratic rights. Besides, the monument’s symbolic meaning, it marks the historical setting where Japanese Americans gathered, to be relocated. My name is Scott Pine, and I’m a junior at Venice High School in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class.

I found out about this tremendous idea in an article in the Free Venice Beachhead. I believe the best way to reach out to individuals about the building of this structure is to spread awareness about this preposterous and shameful, yet important event in Venice History. I hope the purpose and meaning behind a monument is enough to the city of Venice and its citizens to allow it to be erected.

Sincerely, Scott Pine

_____

Hello, my name is Edwin Santiago and I am a student at Venice High School. I am currently in Ms. Hayashibara’s class and I have heard about the commemorative marker the Venice Beachhead, the free newspaper, wants to put on the corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevard. This is a tremendous action of all who are involved, and I applaud this. I have learned about the Japanese American Internment Camps at Venice High School.

The relocation of 120,000 Japanese Americans in 1942 was a violation of habeas corpus, due process, and constitutional rights. Even though it was deemed a “military necessity,” it was not right to relocate them. I also know that if people of Japanese ancestry refused to be relocated to the camp, they would be imprisoned and/or fined. The area of containment included Washington, Oregon and California.

Please support a memorial in recognition of the thousands of Japanese Americans will allow me to never forget about the past wrongdoings of the United States.

Sincerely, Edwin Santiago

______

Hello, my name is Tara Gruchalski, and I attend Venice High School. I would like you to support a commemorate marker or monument on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. It would be a marker to remember the Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps because of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, and the locals of Japanese descent assembled on Venice and Lincoln to get on buses to their next destination, an assembly center at fair grounds or race tracks.

Removing the Japanese Americans from their homes without due process was unconstitutional, and should be remembered so it will not occur once again. The Venice Beachhead has begun a campaign to support a commemorative marker. Having the marker on the corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd will bring awareness to the locals the history of the Japanese American internment during World War II.

Sincerely, Tara Gruchalski

–––––

My name is Mallory Roque, and I am a junior attending Venice Senior High School. I am also a proud member of the New Media Academy, a program that teaches students about filmmaking, web designing, animation, and photography. I am writing to help in the commemoration of the Japanese American experience during World War II.

The Free Venice Beachhead and I believe that there should be a monument on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd, where people of Japanese ancestry were forced to gather so they could be put on buses. This marker would remind others how easy it is to lose our democratic rights.

The relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese American clearly violated their constitutional rights. President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, apologizing for the internment and paid $20,000 to each surviving internee. Although President Reagan did pay $20,000, the money will not make up for all the time lost in the camps. A monument should be that reminder of the Japanese Americans went through, and it should not happen again..

Sincerely, Mallory Roque

_____

Hello, my name is Ashley Roque. I am seventeen years old, and I attend Venice HIgh School. I am also a part of the New Media Academy at Venice High School. I would like you to support a memorial marker or sculpture at the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. I believe that this marker would help people remember the roundup of the Japanese Americans, which took place at that corner on April 25, 1942. This monument would also spread awareness of the constitutional rights that were denied to the Japanese Americans that were relocated. This kind of event should never happen again, and I believe that this monumental marker would help be a reminder, so it won’t happen again to another minority group. I think this commemorative maker, and whoever supports it, is doing a civic duty to the community. This monument will show the United States’ apology to all the Japanese Americans that experienced this unconstitutional event. I would like your support in the construction of this monument. Thank you.

Sincerely, Ashley Roque

______

My name is Alonso Ordaz and I attend Venice High school.Recently in my honors U.S. History class we were studying the Japanese American relocation internment during World War 2. Executive order 9066 enabled the relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese”Aliens and non Aliens” from Washington, Oregon, and California. These actions must be understood in terms of the violation of their constitutional rights and suspension of writ of habeas corpus and due process. On April 25, 1942 hundreds of Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to assemble at the corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds, where they were put on buses and taken to camps in the interior of the U.S. I would like you to support the building of a memorial or a monument on the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds.This would commemorate the Japanese Americans gathering at that corner on April 25,1942 and remind us how easy it is to lose our constitutional rights in the face of Social prejudice.

Sincerely, Alonso Ordaz

–––––

My name is Jimmy, and I am a junior at Venice High School in the New Media Academy, in Ms.Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class. I am writing you this letter to gain your support towards a monument on the northeast corner of Lincoln and Venice blvd.

Under Executive Order 90066, Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to line up at the intersection of Venice and Lincoln blvds on April 24, 1942. They were then shipped to internment camps throughout the U.S. Japanese Americans had curfews and were forced to leave behind their homes and some of their possessions to go start a new life in an internment camp. Many had nowhere to go once released from the camps, and had to start totally new lives. Japanese Americans were stripped of their constitutional rights and deserve some sort of monument for their struggle. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of the Japanese American internment.

Sincerely, Jimmy Solis

–––––

I’m Ulysses from Venice High. I’m part of Ms. Hayashibara’s New Media Academy (NMA) Honors U.S History Class. The NMA teaches us how to use video cameras and computer programs. I’ve been informed that we might get to visit City Council. If we do, maybe we can record our visit and give you a copy.

I understand that on April 25,1942 Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to gather at Lincoln and Venice, to leave the area and were put in interment camps. Then in 1944 Gordon Hirabayashi stood up on behalf of every one against the curfew and the isolation of the Japanese Americans. Now Venice Beach head is trying to gather support for a monument in commemoration of this tragedy. Please consider lending your support to this commemorative marker in Venice.

Sincerely, Ulysses Fletes

_____

My name is Ivan Peña-Lelesque. I am sixteen years old, and I am a junior at Venice High School. In my U.S. History class, we started learning about the Japanese American Internment Camps, and I found out that many Japanese assembled at Venice and Lincoln Blvds in 1942, and were put on buses and taken to assembly centers and War Relocation camps in violation of their civil rights.

I think it will be a great idea to do something to commemorate this event, such as erecting a sculpture or a monument so people who do not know about this event, will get a chance to learn about it. I realized many of these Japanese people lost all their belongings, and their descendants will be please to see a commemoration to their ancestors. There are very few monuments throughout the whole united states about Japanese American Internment, and this would be a great local place to build a monument. My dad,mom, and sister are all supporting this idea. I thank you for reading this letter, and I really hope this idea will become a reality to everybody.

Sincerely, Ivan Peña-Lelesque

–––––

I am Rodrigo Garcia, and I am currently a junior at Venice high School. Recently, my U.S. History class has been discussing the Japanese American relocation and internment. I learned that executive order 90066 violated the rights of the Japanese Americans in 1942. Americans of Japanese ancestry had to be gathered up and sent to War Relocation Authority Camps under armed guard. One of the locations where the Japanese Americans gathered happens to be the northwest corner at Lincoln and Venice Blvds.

I hope that you, Mr. Rosendahl, will support a proposal to build a marker at this location in order to commemorate this event. Personally, I strongly support this proposal because it is an important issue regarding civil liberties and a lesson on how easily rights can be denied. I want to thank you for bringing the issue up at the City Council because this helps inform all types of people of what is going on in this city.

Sincerely, Rodrigo Garcia

–––––

My name is David Del Valle, and I am a student from Venice High School in Mrs. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S History class. We are studying World War II and the Japanese American internment. I write this e-mail to support the act of putting a marker on the corner of Lincoln and Venice to remember the Japanese American who were interned after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. That was the corner that the Japanese Americans stood on before they boarded the buses that took them to the assembly centers and war Relocated Authority camps.

The marker would help people know what had happened there and even bring back memories. It also reminds us that powerless citizens have suffered and have their rights stripped away by the government. That marker would be another way we could say you matter, and we are sorry. This marker would be educational because it would teach tourists and other people who pass by. I hope that you would take into consideration this marker.

Sincerely, David Del Valle

_____

Hello, my name is Daniel Lopez, and I attend Venice High School. I would like to ask you if you can help put up a marker on Lincoln and Venice Blvd. On December 7, 1941, the U.S was attacked by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor. Many lives were lost, and as a result the U.S Government launched an order called Executive Order 9066. This order forced 120,000 Japanese-American citizens on the West coast into internment camps.

In the Venice area many Japanese-Americans had to line up on the Lincoln and Venice Boulevards then were driven off to an assembly center, then a war relocation camp. I think it would be a really good idea to commemorate such an event that happened here in Venice with a statue or marker of some sort. Thank you for reading this and hopefully this and other letters will help us remember this event in history.

Sincerely, Daniel Lopez

_____

My name is Felix Barron, and I am in Ms. Hayashibara’s U.S. History class at Venice High School. I am sending you this email on behalf of a possible monument at the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds to remember the Japanese-American Internment. I think that putting a marker or monument here in Venice would be a great idea because the Japanese-American Internment was such an important part of our nation’s history. On April 25, 1942, all persons of Japanese ancestry in the Venice area were forced to report to Venice and Lincoln to be put on buses and taken to camps.

In these concentration camps, Japanese-Americans were mistreated by guards, given very little food, and given no rights due to Executive Order 9066 signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It wasn’t until 1976 that E.O. 9066 was appealed. In 1988, President Reagan signed legislation that apologized for the internment and appropriated over one billion dollars in reparations to surviving internees. After this, however, the history of the Japanese-American Internment slowly began to fade, which is why we need the monument here in Venice. Only with this monument can the legacy of the Japanese-American Internment be remembered, so please support putting up a monument here in Venice so that we won’t make the same mistakes again.

Sincerely, Felix Barron

_____

My name is William J. Quinteros, I am in the 11th grade, and I am a student at Venice High School. Right now, I am taking U.S. History, and my teacher is Ms. Hayashibara. Recently, I learned about World War II and what happened after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The U.S. government decided to take the Japanese-American people living on the west coast to concentration camps. I also learned that Japanese-American people in Venice had to gather at the corner of Venice and Lincoln on April 12, 1942, before being taken to concentration camps.

I know that the U.S. government later apologized for this act, but I know that this incident must not be forgotten. I support the making of a monument at the intersection of Venice and Lincoln to remember this sad, but important incident. I just want to thank you for reading this, and I hope you will think about it.

Sincerely, William J. Quinteros

_____

My name is Juan Perez, and I am a Junior at Venice High School. This past month I heard about the monument that is being proposed for the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. I am writing this letter to show my support for such a marker, and hope you will support it too. Over 120,000 Japanese Americans were evacuated from California, Oregon and Washington, some at the corner of Venice and Lincoln and relocated to the interior of the United States.

I don’t want to forget about the relocated Japanese Americans, and I don’t want other people to forget either. People should remember this event so we do not make the same mistake again with another ethnic or religious group of people. If this monument is put up, the children and grandchildren of the Japanese Americans who were sent to this camp will have something to remember their ancestors. Once again I would like to state that I support the monument being built.

Sincerely, Juan Perez

_____

My name is Athena, and I am a Junior enrolled in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class at Venice High School. Please give your support towards the building of a monument in the Venice community.

In April of 1942, hundreds of Venetians of Japanese ancestry were assembled at the northwest corner of Lincoln and Venice Boulevards. From this historic intersection, Japanese Americans were bused to assembly centers and then internment camps all over the U.S. Under the Executive Order 9066, military officials were given the power to limit the civil rights of Japanese Americans. Because of this order, Japanese Americans had curfews and were even forced to leave their homes and be shipped to internment camps without any due process. The Venice community would like to commemorate the Japanese Americans who lost their homes and their rights. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of Executive Order 9066.

Sincerely,

Athena Padilla

–––––

I’m proud to say I support the actions needed to erect a monument, or sculpture on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevards to commemorate the relocation of thousands of Japanese Americans, definitely an enormous decision in U.S. history.

This monument will clearly show the people of Venice, and every citizen who passes at this monument, how easy it is to loose our precious democratic rights. Besides, the monument’s symbolic meaning, it marks the historical setting where Japanese Americans gathered, to be relocated. My name is Scott Pine, and I’m a junior at Venice High School in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class.

I found out about this tremendous idea in an article in the Free Venice Beachhead. I believe the best way to reach out to individuals about the building of this structure is to spread awareness about this preposterous and shameful, yet important event in Venice History. I hope the purpose and meaning behind a monument is enough to the city of Venice and its citizens to allow it to be erected.

Sincerely, Scott Pine

_____

Hello, my name is Edwin Santiago and I am a student at Venice High School. I am currently in Ms. Hayashibara’s class and I have heard about the commemorative marker the Venice Beachhead, the free newspaper, wants to put on the corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevard. This is a tremendous action of all who are involved, and I applaud this. I have learned about the Japanese American Internment Camps at Venice High School.

The relocation of 120,000 Japanese Americans in 1942 was a violation of habeas corpus, due process, and constitutional rights. Even though it was deemed a “military necessity,” it was not right to relocate them. I also know that if people of Japanese ancestry refused to be relocated to the camp, they would be imprisoned and/or fined. The area of containment included Washington, Oregon and California.

Please support a memorial in recognition of the thousands of Japanese Americans will allow me to never forget about the past wrongdoings of the United States.

Sincerely, Edwin Santiago

______

Hello, my name is Tara Gruchalski, and I attend Venice High School. I would like you to support a commemorate marker or monument on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. It would be a marker to remember the Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps because of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, and the locals of Japanese descent assembled on Venice and Lincoln to get on buses to their next destination, an assembly center at fair grounds or race tracks.

Removing the Japanese Americans from their homes without due process was unconstitutional, and should be remembered so it will not occur once again. The Venice Beachhead has begun a campaign to support a commemorative marker. Having the marker on the corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd will bring awareness to the locals the history of the Japanese American internment during World War II.

Sincerely, Tara Gruchalski

–––––

My name is Mallory Roque, and I am a junior attending Venice Senior High School. I am also a proud member of the New Media Academy, a program that teaches students about filmmaking, web designing, animation, and photography. I am writing to help in the commemoration of the Japanese American experience during World War II.

The Free Venice Beachhead and I believe that there should be a monument on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd, where people of Japanese ancestry were forced to gather so they could be put on buses. This marker would remind others how easy it is to lose our democratic rights.

The relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese American clearly violated their constitutional rights. President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, apologizing for the internment and paid $20,000 to each surviving internee. Although President Reagan did pay $20,000, the money will not make up for all the time lost in the camps. A monument should be that reminder of the Japanese Americans went through, and it should not happen again..

Sincerely, Mallory Roque

_____

Hello, my name is Ashley Roque. I am seventeen years old, and I attend Venice HIgh School. I am also a part of the New Media Academy at Venice High School. I would like you to support a memorial marker or sculpture at the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. I believe that this marker would help people remember the roundup of the Japanese Americans, which took place at that corner on April 25, 1942. This monument would also spread awareness of the constitutional rights that were denied to the Japanese Americans that were relocated. This kind of event should never happen again, and I believe that this monumental marker would help be a reminder, so it won’t happen again to another minority group. I think this commemorative maker, and whoever supports it, is doing a civic duty to the community. This monument will show the United States’ apology to all the Japanese Americans that experienced this unconstitutional event. I would like your support in the construction of this monument. Thank you.

Sincerely, Ashley Roque

______

My name is Alonso Ordaz and I attend Venice High school.Recently in my honors U.S. History class we were studying the Japanese American relocation internment during World War 2. Executive order 9066 enabled the relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese”Aliens and non Aliens” from Washington, Oregon, and California. These actions must be understood in terms of the violation of their constitutional rights and suspension of writ of habeas corpus and due process. On April 25, 1942 hundreds of Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to assemble at the corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds, where they were put on buses and taken to camps in the interior of the U.S. I would like you to support the building of a memorial or a monument on the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds.This would commemorate the Japanese Americans gathering at that corner on April 25,1942 and remind us how easy it is to lose our constitutional rights in the face of Social prejudice.

Sincerely, Alonso Ordaz

–––––

My name is Jimmy, and I am a junior at Venice High School in the New Media Academy, in Ms.Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class. I am writing you this letter to gain your support towards a monument on the northeast corner of Lincoln and Venice blvd.

Under Executive Order 90066, Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to line up at the intersection of Venice and Lincoln blvds on April 24, 1942. They were then shipped to internment camps throughout the U.S. Japanese Americans had curfews and were forced to leave behind their homes and some of their possessions to go start a new life in an internment camp. Many had nowhere to go once released from the camps, and had to start totally new lives. Japanese Americans were stripped of their constitutional rights and deserve some sort of monument for their struggle. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of the Japanese American internment.

Sincerely, Jimmy Solis

–––––

I’m Ulysses from Venice High. I’m part of Ms. Hayashibara’s New Media Academy (NMA) Honors U.S History Class. The NMA teaches us how to use video cameras and computer programs. I’ve been informed that we might get to visit City Council. If we do, maybe we can record our visit and give you a copy.

I understand that on April 25,1942 Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to gather at Lincoln and Venice, to leave the area and were put in interment camps. Then in 1944 Gordon Hirabayashi stood up on behalf of every one against the curfew and the isolation of the Japanese Americans. Now Venice Beach head is trying to gather support for a monument in commemoration of this tragedy. Please consider lending your support to this commemorative marker in Venice.

Sincerely, Ulysses Fletes

_____

My name is Ivan Peña-Lelesque. I am sixteen years old, and I am a junior at Venice High School. In my U.S. History class, we started learning about the Japanese American Internment Camps, and I found out that many Japanese assembled at Venice and Lincoln Blvds in 1942, and were put on buses and taken to assembly centers and War Relocation camps in violation of their civil rights.

I think it will be a great idea to do something to commemorate this event, such as erecting a sculpture or a monument so people who do not know about this event, will get a chance to learn about it. I realized many of these Japanese people lost all their belongings, and their descendants will be please to see a commemoration to their ancestors. There are very few monuments throughout the whole united states about Japanese American Internment, and this would be a great local place to build a monument. My dad,mom, and sister are all supporting this idea. I thank you for reading this letter, and I really hope this idea will become a reality to everybody.

Sincerely, Ivan Peña-Lelesque

–––––

I am Rodrigo Garcia, and I am currently a junior at Venice high School. Recently, my U.S. History class has been discussing the Japanese American relocation and internment. I learned that executive order 90066 violated the rights of the Japanese Americans in 1942. Americans of Japanese ancestry had to be gathered up and sent to War Relocation Authority Camps under armed guard. One of the locations where the Japanese Americans gathered happens to be the northwest corner at Lincoln and Venice Blvds.

I hope that you, Mr. Rosendahl, will support a proposal to build a marker at this location in order to commemorate this event. Personally, I strongly support this proposal because it is an important issue regarding civil liberties and a lesson on how easily rights can be denied. I want to thank you for bringing the issue up at the City Council because this helps inform all types of people of what is going on in this city.

Sincerely, Rodrigo Garcia

–––––

My name is David Del Valle, and I am a student from Venice High School in Mrs. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S History class. We are studying World War II and the Japanese American internment. I write this e-mail to support the act of putting a marker on the corner of Lincoln and Venice to remember the Japanese American who were interned after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. That was the corner that the Japanese Americans stood on before they boarded the buses that took them to the assembly centers and war Relocated Authority camps.

The marker would help people know what had happened there and even bring back memories. It also reminds us that powerless citizens have suffered and have their rights stripped away by the government. That marker would be another way we could say you matter, and we are sorry. This marker would be educational because it would teach tourists and other people who pass by. I hope that you would take into consideration this marker.

Sincerely, David Del Valle

_____

Hello, my name is Daniel Lopez, and I attend Venice High School. I would like to ask you if you can help put up a marker on Lincoln and Venice Blvd. On December 7, 1941, the U.S was attacked by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor. Many lives were lost, and as a result the U.S Government launched an order called Executive Order 9066. This order forced 120,000 Japanese-American citizens on the West coast into internment camps.

In the Venice area many Japanese-Americans had to line up on the Lincoln and Venice Boulevards then were driven off to an assembly center, then a war relocation camp. I think it would be a really good idea to commemorate such an event that happened here in Venice with a statue or marker of some sort. Thank you for reading this and hopefully this and other letters will help us remember this event in history.

Sincerely, Daniel Lopez

_____

My name is Felix Barron, and I am in Ms. Hayashibara’s U.S. History class at Venice High School. I am sending you this email on behalf of a possible monument at the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds to remember the Japanese-American Internment. I think that putting a marker or monument here in Venice would be a great idea because the Japanese-American Internment was such an important part of our nation’s history. On April 25, 1942, all persons of Japanese ancestry in the Venice area were forced to report to Venice and Lincoln to be put on buses and taken to camps.

In these concentration camps, Japanese-Americans were mistreated by guards, given very little food, and given no rights due to Executive Order 9066 signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It wasn’t until 1976 that E.O. 9066 was appealed. In 1988, President Reagan signed legislation that apologized for the internment and appropriated over one billion dollars in reparations to surviving internees. After this, however, the history of the Japanese-American Internment slowly began to fade, which is why we need the monument here in Venice. Only with this monument can the legacy of the Japanese-American Internment be remembered, so please support putting up a monument here in Venice so that we won’t make the same mistakes again.

Sincerely, Felix Barron

_____

My name is William J. Quinteros, I am in the 11th grade, and I am a student at Venice High School. Right now, I am taking U.S. History, and my teacher is Ms. Hayashibara. Recently, I learned about World War II and what happened after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The U.S. government decided to take the Japanese-American people living on the west coast to concentration camps. I also learned that Japanese-American people in Venice had to gather at the corner of Venice and Lincoln on April 12, 1942, before being taken to concentration camps.

I know that the U.S. government later apologized for this act, but I know that this incident must not be forgotten. I support the making of a monument at the intersection of Venice and Lincoln to remember this sad, but important incident. I just want to thank you for reading this, and I hope you will think about it.

Sincerely, William J. Quinteros

_____

My name is Juan Perez, and I am a Junior at Venice High School. This past month I heard about the monument that is being proposed for the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. I am writing this letter to show my support for such a marker, and hope you will support it too. Over 120,000 Japanese Americans were evacuated from California, Oregon and Washington, some at the corner of Venice and Lincoln and relocated to the interior of the United States.

I don’t want to forget about the relocated Japanese Americans, and I don’t want other people to forget either. People should remember this event so we do not make the same mistake again with another ethnic or religious group of people. If this monument is put up, the children and grandchildren of the Japanese Americans who were sent to this camp will have something to remember their ancestors. Once again I would like to state that I support the monument being built.

Sincerely, Juan Perez

_____My name is Athena, and I am a Junior enrolled in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class at Venice High School. Please give your support towards the building of a monument in the Venice community.

In April of 1942, hundreds of Venetians of Japanese ancestry were assembled at the northwest corner of Lincoln and Venice Boulevards. From this historic intersection, Japanese Americans were bused to assembly centers and then internment camps all over the U.S. Under the Executive Order 9066, military officials were given the power to limit the civil rights of Japanese Americans. Because of this order, Japanese Americans had curfews and were even forced to leave their homes and be shipped to internment camps without any due process. The Venice community would like to commemorate the Japanese Americans who lost their homes and their rights. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of Executive Order 9066.

Sincerely,

Athena Padilla

–––––

I’m proud to say I support the actions needed to erect a monument, or sculpture on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevards to commemorate the relocation of thousands of Japanese Americans, definitely an enormous decision in U.S. history.

This monument will clearly show the people of Venice, and every citizen who passes at this monument, how easy it is to loose our precious democratic rights. Besides, the monument’s symbolic meaning, it marks the historical setting where Japanese Americans gathered, to be relocated. My name is Scott Pine, and I’m a junior at Venice High School in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class.

I found out about this tremendous idea in an article in the Free Venice Beachhead. I believe the best way to reach out to individuals about the building of this structure is to spread awareness about this preposterous and shameful, yet important event in Venice History. I hope the purpose and meaning behind a monument is enough to the city of Venice and its citizens to allow it to be erected.

Sincerely, Scott Pine

_____

Hello, my name is Edwin Santiago and I am a student at Venice High School. I am currently in Ms. Hayashibara’s class and I have heard about the commemorative marker the Venice Beachhead, the free newspaper, wants to put on the corner of Venice and Lincoln Boulevard. This is a tremendous action of all who are involved, and I applaud this. I have learned about the Japanese American Internment Camps at Venice High School.

The relocation of 120,000 Japanese Americans in 1942 was a violation of habeas corpus, due process, and constitutional rights. Even though it was deemed a “military necessity,” it was not right to relocate them. I also know that if people of Japanese ancestry refused to be relocated to the camp, they would be imprisoned and/or fined. The area of containment included Washington, Oregon and California.

Please support a memorial in recognition of the thousands of Japanese Americans will allow me to never forget about the past wrongdoings of the United States.

Sincerely, Edwin Santiago

______

Hello, my name is Tara Gruchalski, and I attend Venice High School. I would like you to support a commemorate marker or monument on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. It would be a marker to remember the Japanese Americans who were sent to internment camps because of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066, and the locals of Japanese descent assembled on Venice and Lincoln to get on buses to their next destination, an assembly center at fair grounds or race tracks.

Removing the Japanese Americans from their homes without due process was unconstitutional, and should be remembered so it will not occur once again. The Venice Beachhead has begun a campaign to support a commemorative marker. Having the marker on the corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd will bring awareness to the locals the history of the Japanese American internment during World War II.

Sincerely, Tara Gruchalski

–––––

My name is Mallory Roque, and I am a junior attending Venice Senior High School. I am also a proud member of the New Media Academy, a program that teaches students about filmmaking, web designing, animation, and photography. I am writing to help in the commemoration of the Japanese American experience during World War II.

The Free Venice Beachhead and I believe that there should be a monument on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd, where people of Japanese ancestry were forced to gather so they could be put on buses. This marker would remind others how easy it is to lose our democratic rights.

The relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese American clearly violated their constitutional rights. President Reagan signed the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, apologizing for the internment and paid $20,000 to each surviving internee. Although President Reagan did pay $20,000, the money will not make up for all the time lost in the camps. A monument should be that reminder of the Japanese Americans went through, and it should not happen again..

Sincerely, Mallory Roque

_____

Hello, my name is Ashley Roque. I am seventeen years old, and I attend Venice HIgh School. I am also a part of the New Media Academy at Venice High School. I would like you to support a memorial marker or sculpture at the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. I believe that this marker would help people remember the roundup of the Japanese Americans, which took place at that corner on April 25, 1942. This monument would also spread awareness of the constitutional rights that were denied to the Japanese Americans that were relocated. This kind of event should never happen again, and I believe that this monumental marker would help be a reminder, so it won’t happen again to another minority group. I think this commemorative maker, and whoever supports it, is doing a civic duty to the community. This monument will show the United States’ apology to all the Japanese Americans that experienced this unconstitutional event. I would like your support in the construction of this monument. Thank you.

Sincerely, Ashley Roque

______

My name is Alonso Ordaz and I attend Venice High school.Recently in my honors U.S. History class we were studying the Japanese American relocation internment during World War 2. Executive order 9066 enabled the relocation and internment of 120,000 Japanese”Aliens and non Aliens” from Washington, Oregon, and California. These actions must be understood in terms of the violation of their constitutional rights and suspension of writ of habeas corpus and due process. On April 25, 1942 hundreds of Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to assemble at the corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds, where they were put on buses and taken to camps in the interior of the U.S. I would like you to support the building of a memorial or a monument on the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds.This would commemorate the Japanese Americans gathering at that corner on April 25,1942 and remind us how easy it is to lose our constitutional rights in the face of Social prejudice.

Sincerely, Alonso Ordaz

–––––

My name is Jimmy, and I am a junior at Venice High School in the New Media Academy, in Ms.Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class. I am writing you this letter to gain your support towards a monument on the northeast corner of Lincoln and Venice blvd.

Under Executive Order 90066, Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to line up at the intersection of Venice and Lincoln blvds on April 24, 1942. They were then shipped to internment camps throughout the U.S. Japanese Americans had curfews and were forced to leave behind their homes and some of their possessions to go start a new life in an internment camp. Many had nowhere to go once released from the camps, and had to start totally new lives. Japanese Americans were stripped of their constitutional rights and deserve some sort of monument for their struggle. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of the Japanese American internment.

Sincerely, Jimmy Solis

–––––

I’m Ulysses from Venice High. I’m part of Ms. Hayashibara’s New Media Academy (NMA) Honors U.S History Class. The NMA teaches us how to use video cameras and computer programs. I’ve been informed that we might get to visit City Council. If we do, maybe we can record our visit and give you a copy.

I understand that on April 25,1942 Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to gather at Lincoln and Venice, to leave the area and were put in interment camps. Then in 1944 Gordon Hirabayashi stood up on behalf of every one against the curfew and the isolation of the Japanese Americans. Now Venice Beach head is trying to gather support for a monument in commemoration of this tragedy. Please consider lending your support to this commemorative marker in Venice.

Sincerely, Ulysses Fletes

_____

My name is Ivan Peña-Lelesque. I am sixteen years old, and I am a junior at Venice High School. In my U.S. History class, we started learning about the Japanese American Internment Camps, and I found out that many Japanese assembled at Venice and Lincoln Blvds in 1942, and were put on buses and taken to assembly centers and War Relocation camps in violation of their civil rights.

I think it will be a great idea to do something to commemorate this event, such as erecting a sculpture or a monument so people who do not know about this event, will get a chance to learn about it. I realized many of these Japanese people lost all their belongings, and their descendants will be please to see a commemoration to their ancestors. There are very few monuments throughout the whole united states about Japanese American Internment, and this would be a great local place to build a monument. My dad,mom, and sister are all supporting this idea. I thank you for reading this letter, and I really hope this idea will become a reality to everybody.

Sincerely, Ivan Peña-Lelesque

–––––

I am Rodrigo Garcia, and I am currently a junior at Venice high School. Recently, my U.S. History class has been discussing the Japanese American relocation and internment. I learned that executive order 90066 violated the rights of the Japanese Americans in 1942. Americans of Japanese ancestry had to be gathered up and sent to War Relocation Authority Camps under armed guard. One of the locations where the Japanese Americans gathered happens to be the northwest corner at Lincoln and Venice Blvds.

I hope that you, Mr. Rosendahl, will support a proposal to build a marker at this location in order to commemorate this event. Personally, I strongly support this proposal because it is an important issue regarding civil liberties and a lesson on how easily rights can be denied. I want to thank you for bringing the issue up at the City Council because this helps inform all types of people of what is going on in this city.

Sincerely, Rodrigo Garcia

–––––

My name is David Del Valle, and I am a student from Venice High School in Mrs. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S History class. We are studying World War II and the Japanese American internment. I write this e-mail to support the act of putting a marker on the corner of Lincoln and Venice to remember the Japanese American who were interned after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. That was the corner that the Japanese Americans stood on before they boarded the buses that took them to the assembly centers and war Relocated Authority camps.

The marker would help people know what had happened there and even bring back memories. It also reminds us that powerless citizens have suffered and have their rights stripped away by the government. That marker would be another way we could say you matter, and we are sorry. This marker would be educational because it would teach tourists and other people who pass by. I hope that you would take into consideration this marker.

Sincerely, David Del Valle

_____

Hello, my name is Daniel Lopez, and I attend Venice High School. I would like to ask you if you can help put up a marker on Lincoln and Venice Blvd. On December 7, 1941, the U.S was attacked by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor. Many lives were lost, and as a result the U.S Government launched an order called Executive Order 9066. This order forced 120,000 Japanese-American citizens on the West coast into internment camps.

In the Venice area many Japanese-Americans had to line up on the Lincoln and Venice Boulevards then were driven off to an assembly center, then a war relocation camp. I think it would be a really good idea to commemorate such an event that happened here in Venice with a statue or marker of some sort. Thank you for reading this and hopefully this and other letters will help us remember this event in history.

Sincerely, Daniel Lopez

_____

My name is Felix Barron, and I am in Ms. Hayashibara’s U.S. History class at Venice High School. I am sending you this email on behalf of a possible monument at the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvds to remember the Japanese-American Internment. I think that putting a marker or monument here in Venice would be a great idea because the Japanese-American Internment was such an important part of our nation’s history. On April 25, 1942, all persons of Japanese ancestry in the Venice area were forced to report to Venice and Lincoln to be put on buses and taken to camps.

In these concentration camps, Japanese-Americans were mistreated by guards, given very little food, and given no rights due to Executive Order 9066 signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It wasn’t until 1976 that E.O. 9066 was appealed. In 1988, President Reagan signed legislation that apologized for the internment and appropriated over one billion dollars in reparations to surviving internees. After this, however, the history of the Japanese-American Internment slowly began to fade, which is why we need the monument here in Venice. Only with this monument can the legacy of the Japanese-American Internment be remembered, so please support putting up a monument here in Venice so that we won’t make the same mistakes again.

Sincerely, Felix Barron

_____

My name is William J. Quinteros, I am in the 11th grade, and I am a student at Venice High School. Right now, I am taking U.S. History, and my teacher is Ms. Hayashibara. Recently, I learned about World War II and what happened after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The U.S. government decided to take the Japanese-American people living on the west coast to concentration camps. I also learned that Japanese-American people in Venice had to gather at the corner of Venice and Lincoln on April 12, 1942, before being taken to concentration camps.

I know that the U.S. government later apologized for this act, but I know that this incident must not be forgotten. I support the making of a monument at the intersection of Venice and Lincoln to remember this sad, but important incident. I just want to thank you for reading this, and I hope you will think about it.

Sincerely, William J. Quinteros

_____

My name is Juan Perez, and I am a Junior at Venice High School. This past month I heard about the monument that is being proposed for the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln Blvd. I am writing this letter to show my support for such a marker, and hope you will support it too. Over 120,000 Japanese Americans were evacuated from California, Oregon and Washington, some at the corner of Venice and Lincoln and relocated to the interior of the United States.

I don’t want to forget about the relocated Japanese Americans, and I don’t want other people to forget either. People should remember this event so we do not make the same mistake again with another ethnic or religious group of people. If this monument is put up, the children and grandchildren of the Japanese Americans who were sent to this camp will have something to remember their ancestors. Once again I would like to state that I support the monument being built.

Sincerely, Juan Perez

_____

More Letters From Students In Support of Memorial Marker at Venice and Lincoln Blvds.

Hello, my name is Wendy Santiago, and I am sixteen years old. I go to Venice High School, where I’m in the 11th grade. I’m in the New Media Academy, and I’m in Mrs. Hayashibara’s Honors U. S. History class. In Mrs. Hayashibara’s class, I have learned about the Japanese American Internment Camps, and I think that it was a travesty of justice. Now that I have learned all about the Japanese American Internment Camps, I would like you to support the Free Venice Beachhead’s memorial marker campaign for the North West corner of Venice and Lincoln, where many Japanese Americans were told to assemble in April 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, in 1941.

I think that you should support this because this will mean a lot for the Japanese American community. It will also show other people what loss of constitutional rights the Japanese American’s went through. I know that on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the Executive Order 90066. This order made the Japanese Americans leave everything behind and go to a relocation camp. We hope that you will support the construction of a memorial marker for the Japanese Americans. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Wendy Santiago

_____

My name is Bryan Barrera, and I am a junior at Venice High School, part of the New Media Academy, in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U. S. History class. I am writing you this letter to gain your support towards a monument on the northeast corner of Lincoln and Venice Blvd. Under Executive Order 9066, Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to line up at this intersection of Venice and Lincoln Blvds. on April 24, 1942. They were then shipped to internment camps throughout the U.S. Japanese Americans were forced to leave behind their homes and most of their possessions to spend their days behind barbed wire in the internment camps.

Many had nowhere to go once they were released from the camps three years later and had to start new lives. Japanese Americans were deprived of their constitutional rights and deserve some sort of a memorial for their struggle. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of the Japanese American internees.

Sincerely, Bryan Barrera

My name is Fernando Ayllon, and I am a junior enrolled at Venice High School. I am in the New Media Academy in Ms. Hayashibaras Honors U. S. history class. The purpose of this letter is to ask for your support to put up a monument or plaque on the northeast corner of Venice Blvd. and Lincoln Blvd. Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to line up at the intersections of Venice Blvd. and Lincoln Blvd. to comply with Executive Order 9066. From here, they were loaded onto buses and sent to assembly centers and internment camps all across the United States.

The Japanese Americans were forced to leave behind their homes and most of their possessions when headed to the camps. When they were released, many Japanese Americans had no place to go, and hard to begin new lives. So please support us in an effort to put up a monument for the Japanese American internees, who had lost their constitutional rights for three years.

Sincerely, Fernando Ayllon

______

My name is Carla Montes, a junior at Venice High School, enrolled in an Honors U.S. History Class. We discussed the issue of the Internment of people of Japanese ancestry after Pearl Harbor, and after President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 53, that the Japanese American residents of California, Oregon, and Washington were forced to leave their homes and go to unknown war Relocation Authority camps. With this notice, Venice Residents were told to gather at the North West corner of Venice and Lincoln, and board buses. In total, 120,000 Japanese “aliens and non-aliens” were relocated.

In support of the Free Venice Beachhead efforts to commemorate the event, I really would like for you to take notice of what the community really wishes. This truly would mean something for the Japanese American community members as well as raise awarness of this historical event. Thank you for your time and support.

Sincerely, Carla Montes-Carrillo

_____

My name is Adam Schemerhorn, and I am a part of Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors US History Class. Please consider constructing a memorial on the northwest corner of Lincoln and Venice to commemorate Japanese Americans that lined up there in 1942 in preparation for their wartime incarceration. This was the time when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which gave the military the power to evacuate the Japanese Americans in California, Oregon and Washington. The Japanese Americans were then taken to assembly centers and internment camps all over the western deserts. These internment camps were very poorly constructed, and weren’t ideal places to raise families. Some of the time inside the camps was secretly documented by Japanese Americans who still had theirs cameras. The Venice Community would like you to support the construction of a memorial for these Japanese Americans who lost much of their real property and all of their constitutional rights. I hope that you will support this cause.

Sincerely, Adam Schemerhorn

______

Hello, my name is Mike O’Dell, and I’m a junior in Ms. Hayashibara’s 4th period U.S. History class at Venice High School. I would like you to support the creation of a marker in remembrance of the Japanese Americans, who were interned during WWII. Because of executive Order 9066 Venice locals of Japanese decent were forced to assemble on the north east corner of Venice and Lincoln where they where put onto buses. From there they wore removed from the Venice community and relocated to assembly camps and then camps in the desert.

This action violated rights given to all citizens and residents by the Constitution of the United States, and nothing like it should ever happen again. In cooperation with the Venice Beachhead and perhaps the Japanese American National Museum, a memorial or marker should be placed on the north east corner of Venice and Lincoln, where people where put on busses. Such a marker would prevent people from forgetting about the events that took place in 1942 preventing Americans from repeating this kind of discriminatory action.

Sincerely, Mike O’Dell

_____

Hello, my name is Kathrin Covarrubias and I am in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class, at Venice High School. I write this letter to ask you to help support the creation of a marker on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln in remembrance of the Japanese Americans of Venice who were interned during World War II. After Japan’s December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, in 1942 all remaining Japanese Americans in Washington, Oregon and California were forced to assemble on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln to be put in buses and then sent to assembly centers, and later internment camps. These internment camps were in locations that the general American public, at the time, was oblivious to.

The Japanese Americans had to leave their homes and were only allowed to take few of their belongings. All this violated the constitutional rights of the Japanese Americans. Such actions should never be taken again, not even for national security. To commemorate this injustice to the Japanese Americans, I hope that you will support the creation of the marker on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln.

Sincerely, Kathrin Covarrubias

______

My name is Luz Napoles, and I am a junior at Venice High School. I am in Mrs. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History. I am writing you this letter to ask you to support a commemorative marker at the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln, where many Japanese Americans were rounded up, and later interned in camps out in the desert during War World II.

Many Americans were scared after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, so they rounded up all the Japanese Americans out of concern for domestic espionage or sabotage, all unfounded fears. Japanese Americans venetians were forced to assemble at the corner of Venice and Lincoln, with only whatever they could carry, and no electronics were allowed. They were told to get on a bus and later were sent to camps out far away from the cities. This whole thing violated the U.S. Constitutional rights of habeas corpus and due process.

Those actions should never have taken place, and we should never isolate people because of their race or ethnicity. I hope that you will support the creation of a marker on the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln.

Sincerely, Luz Maria Napoles

Hello, my name is Wendy Santiago, and I am sixteen years old. I go to Venice High School, where I’m in the 11th grade. I’m in the New Media Academy, and I’m in Mrs. Hayashibara’s Honors U. S. History class. In Mrs. Hayashibara’s class, I have learned about the Japanese American Internment Camps, and I think that it was a travesty of justice. Now that I have learned all about the Japanese American Internment Camps, I would like you to support the Free Venice Beachhead’s memorial marker campaign for the North West corner of Venice and Lincoln, where many Japanese Americans were told to assemble in April 1942, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, in 1941.

I think that you should support this because this will mean a lot for the Japanese American community. It will also show other people what loss of constitutional rights the Japanese American’s went through. I know that on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the Executive Order 90066. This order made the Japanese Americans leave everything behind and go to a relocation camp. We hope that you will support the construction of a memorial marker for the Japanese Americans. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Wendy Santiago

_____

My name is Bryan Barrera, and I am a junior at Venice High School, part of the New Media Academy, in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U. S. History class. I am writing you this letter to gain your support towards a monument on the northeast corner of Lincoln and Venice Blvd. Under Executive Order 9066, Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to line up at this intersection of Venice and Lincoln Blvds. on April 24, 1942. They were then shipped to internment camps throughout the U.S. Japanese Americans were forced to leave behind their homes and most of their possessions to spend their days behind barbed wire in the internment camps.

Many had nowhere to go once they were released from the camps three years later and had to start new lives. Japanese Americans were deprived of their constitutional rights and deserve some sort of a memorial for their struggle. Please support the building of a memorial for the victims of the Japanese American internees.

Sincerely, Bryan Barrera

My name is Fernando Ayllon, and I am a junior enrolled at Venice High School. I am in the New Media Academy in Ms. Hayashibaras Honors U. S. history class. The purpose of this letter is to ask for your support to put up a monument or plaque on the northeast corner of Venice Blvd. and Lincoln Blvd. Venetians of Japanese ancestry were forced to line up at the intersections of Venice Blvd. and Lincoln Blvd. to comply with Executive Order 9066. From here, they were loaded onto buses and sent to assembly centers and internment camps all across the United States.

The Japanese Americans were forced to leave behind their homes and most of their possessions when headed to the camps. When they were released, many Japanese Americans had no place to go, and hard to begin new lives. So please support us in an effort to put up a monument for the Japanese American internees, who had lost their constitutional rights for three years.

Sincerely, Fernando Ayllon

______

My name is Carla Montes, a junior at Venice High School, enrolled in an Honors U.S. History Class. We discussed the issue of the Internment of people of Japanese ancestry after Pearl Harbor, and after President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order No. 53, that the Japanese American residents of California, Oregon, and Washington were forced to leave their homes and go to unknown war Relocation Authority camps. With this notice, Venice Residents were told to gather at the North West corner of Venice and Lincoln, and board buses. In total, 120,000 Japanese “aliens and non-aliens” were relocated.

In support of the Free Venice Beachhead efforts to commemorate the event, I really would like for you to take notice of what the community really wishes. This truly would mean something for the Japanese American community members as well as raise awarness of this historical event. Thank you for your time and support.

Sincerely, Carla Montes-Carrillo

_____

My name is Adam Schemerhorn, and I am a part of Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors US History Class. Please consider constructing a memorial on the northwest corner of Lincoln and Venice to commemorate Japanese Americans that lined up there in 1942 in preparation for their wartime incarceration. This was the time when President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which gave the military the power to evacuate the Japanese Americans in California, Oregon and Washington. The Japanese Americans were then taken to assembly centers and internment camps all over the western deserts. These internment camps were very poorly constructed, and weren’t ideal places to raise families. Some of the time inside the camps was secretly documented by Japanese Americans who still had theirs cameras. The Venice Community would like you to support the construction of a memorial for these Japanese Americans who lost much of their real property and all of their constitutional rights. I hope that you will support this cause.

Sincerely, Adam Schemerhorn

______

Hello, my name is Mike O’Dell, and I’m a junior in Ms. Hayashibara’s 4th period U.S. History class at Venice High School. I would like you to support the creation of a marker in remembrance of the Japanese Americans, who were interned during WWII. Because of executive Order 9066 Venice locals of Japanese decent were forced to assemble on the north east corner of Venice and Lincoln where they where put onto buses. From there they wore removed from the Venice community and relocated to assembly camps and then camps in the desert.

This action violated rights given to all citizens and residents by the Constitution of the United States, and nothing like it should ever happen again. In cooperation with the Venice Beachhead and perhaps the Japanese American National Museum, a memorial or marker should be placed on the north east corner of Venice and Lincoln, where people where put on busses. Such a marker would prevent people from forgetting about the events that took place in 1942 preventing Americans from repeating this kind of discriminatory action.

Sincerely, Mike O’Dell

_____

Hello, my name is Kathrin Covarrubias and I am in Ms. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History class, at Venice High School. I write this letter to ask you to help support the creation of a marker on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln in remembrance of the Japanese Americans of Venice who were interned during World War II. After Japan’s December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, in 1942 all remaining Japanese Americans in Washington, Oregon and California were forced to assemble on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln to be put in buses and then sent to assembly centers, and later internment camps. These internment camps were in locations that the general American public, at the time, was oblivious to.

The Japanese Americans had to leave their homes and were only allowed to take few of their belongings. All this violated the constitutional rights of the Japanese Americans. Such actions should never be taken again, not even for national security. To commemorate this injustice to the Japanese Americans, I hope that you will support the creation of the marker on the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln.

Sincerely, Kathrin Covarrubias

______

My name is Luz Napoles, and I am a junior at Venice High School. I am in Mrs. Hayashibara’s Honors U.S. History. I am writing you this letter to ask you to support a commemorative marker at the northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln, where many Japanese Americans were rounded up, and later interned in camps out in the desert during War World II.

Many Americans were scared after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, so they rounded up all the Japanese Americans out of concern for domestic espionage or sabotage, all unfounded fears. Japanese Americans venetians were forced to assemble at the corner of Venice and Lincoln, with only whatever they could carry, and no electronics were allowed. They were told to get on a bus and later were sent to camps out far away from the cities. This whole thing violated the U.S. Constitutional rights of habeas corpus and due process.

Those actions should never have taken place, and we should never isolate people because of their race or ethnicity. I hope that you will support the creation of a marker on the Northwest corner of Venice and Lincoln.

Sincerely, Luz Maria Napoles

Students walk out in support of teachers

By Lydia Poncé

Two hundred Venice High School students walked out of their classes in support of teachers and quality education, May 15, even as the campus sprinklers were being turned on and off.

The ‘Original Five,’ who organized the strike, called out through a small bullhorn, “We strike because our teachers can’t! We want to tell LAUSD to spend the stimulus money now and save our teachers!” This demonstration was put together via text messages only 24 hours prior.

Even so, there were some students who did not know why they walked out. They may have even seen it as an opportunity to ditch. But as they marched through the campus, the message was loud enough and clear enough- “It’s not a ditch day, it’s a demonstration! Enough is enough! Flip the war funding to education! Books not bombs; teachers not bombs! Teach peace!” Any student that listened for five or 10 minutes learned plenty and it was empowering as their voices united.

They marched to the covered cafeteria area, and produced their cell phones to call LAUSD to demand that the stimulus money be spent to save teachers and their jobs. The phone lines became jammed, but there would be other opportunities to call.

Upon returning to the front of the school, there were eight police cars arriving. Students then began chanting, “Police need a raise!” The officers’ smiles revealed as they stood by. It was a peaceful demonstration.

There was a moment of silence and students held up fingers in a ‘v’ in recognition of their brothers and sisters who went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq in a poverty draft so they could have a free education. Their peace signs were held up for those who never returned to their homes.

Students moved in front of the auditorium as a nutrition break approached. The Venice High administration offered to open the auditorium doors so the students could share dialogue and get slips to return to class. An administration staff member announced, ‘No one would be marked truant. If they got a re-admit slip and returned to class.’

After that, there was a few student announcements, ‘Create a student union!’ There was a verbal commitment by all students attending to do the hard work before them. That hard work included showing up for school, no truancies. Students must do their homework and talk to their parents about the demonstration, about the union. They all shuffled out, row by row. Everyone was safe, not one truancy ticket was written.

However, many students later were marked truant, if they were on the front lawn or did not have a note to readmit them on Monday. The newly formed VSU (Venice Student Union) is working to have the truancies removed off everyone’s records. VSU has gained support from the ACLU, the National Lawyer’s Guild and the Public Counsel of Los Angeles.

The students shared with me that they want to be as inclusive and work to do outreach. The VSU belongs to all the students who attend Venice High. The Venice Students learned quickly in their class, Demonstration 101 and it yielded something hopeful. The VSU has ratified a Constitution. We shall see how it works out.

It wasn’t that long ago when segregation was the law. Without the Birmingham students who walked out, who had to face jail time, dogs, beatings and fire hoses; the Venice students would not be able today to unite and demonstrate for their rights for a quality education.

Venice Alumni and parents who want to support the VSU as a community liaison, please check out their Facebook website.

The revolution may not be televised but it certainly will be high tech!

By Lydia Poncé

Two hundred Venice High School students walked out of their classes in support of teachers and quality education, May 15, even as the campus sprinklers were being turned on and off.

The ‘Original Five,’ who organized the strike, called out through a small bullhorn, “We strike because our teachers can’t! We want to tell LAUSD to spend the stimulus money now and save our teachers!” This demonstration was put together via text messages only 24 hours prior.

Even so, there were some students who did not know why they walked out. They may have even seen it as an opportunity to ditch. But as they marched through the campus, the message was loud enough and clear enough- “It’s not a ditch day, it’s a demonstration! Enough is enough! Flip the war funding to education! Books not bombs; teachers not bombs! Teach peace!” Any student that listened for five or 10 minutes learned plenty and it was empowering as their voices united.

They marched to the covered cafeteria area, and produced their cell phones to call LAUSD to demand that the stimulus money be spent to save teachers and their jobs. The phone lines became jammed, but there would be other opportunities to call.

Upon returning to the front of the school, there were eight police cars arriving. Students then began chanting, “Police need a raise!” The officers’ smiles revealed as they stood by. It was a peaceful demonstration.

There was a moment of silence and students held up fingers in a ‘v’ in recognition of their brothers and sisters who went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq in a poverty draft so they could have a free education. Their peace signs were held up for those who never returned to their homes.

Students moved in front of the auditorium as a nutrition break approached. The Venice High administration offered to open the auditorium doors so the students could share dialogue and get slips to return to class. An administration staff member announced, ‘No one would be marked truant. If they got a re-admit slip and returned to class.’

After that, there was a few student announcements, ‘Create a student union!’ There was a verbal commitment by all students attending to do the hard work before them. That hard work included showing up for school, no truancies. Students must do their homework and talk to their parents about the demonstration, about the union. They all shuffled out, row by row. Everyone was safe, not one truancy ticket was written.

However, many students later were marked truant, if they were on the front lawn or did not have a note to readmit them on Monday. The newly formed VSU (Venice Student Union) is working to have the truancies removed off everyone’s records. VSU has gained support from the ACLU, the National Lawyer’s Guild and the Public Counsel of Los Angeles.

The students shared with me that they want to be as inclusive and work to do outreach. The VSU belongs to all the students who attend Venice High. The Venice Students learned quickly in their class, Demonstration 101 and it yielded something hopeful. The VSU has ratified a Constitution. We shall see how it works out.

It wasn’t that long ago when segregation was the law. Without the Birmingham students who walked out, who had to face jail time, dogs, beatings and fire hoses; the Venice students would not be able today to unite and demonstrate for their rights for a quality education.

Venice Alumni and parents who want to support the VSU as a community liaison, please check out their Facebook website.

The revolution may not be televised but it certainly will be high tech!