A Senseless Murder in Venice Eun Kang, an Electric Avenue resident, was murdered on Dec. 8

Lighting A Candle For Eun Kang

By Krista Schwimmer

On Monday evening, December 14^th, I take Palms Avenue to Electric Avenue in search of the home of Eun Kang, a 39-year-old woman four months pregnant with twins, who had been raped and stabbed to death in her own home on December 8^th.  Tonight, at 6 pm, the Venice community is holding a candlelight vigil on her behalf, an event organized by a neighbor, Jim Hubbard.

As I turn on to Electric Avenue, I hesitate. The street before me is extremely dark. Few street lights and a balsamic moon to boot. What makes matters worse is that steel, industrial fences line the west side of the street, securing businesses like Mars Body Shop. Nobody is around. Is 5:30 pm really that early, I think? I continue anyway, soon being joined by another reporter, a man from the L.A. Times. We walk together to Eun Kang’s residence.

Outside her home, I find myself walking under a canopy of bamboo growing on both sides of the sidewalk, adding to the seclusion created by a tall fence. I walk through an open gate, noting surrounding small pools of murmuring water, as well as a serene altar before me, already lit with a few candles. There is Eun Kang’s smiling face next to a statue of a seated Buddha. She is holding either a red surf or body board. Flowers, fruit and incense fill out the rest of the altar. Later that night, I hear a woman say she brought a lemon from her tree as she heard Buddhists place fruit on their altars.

To the south of Eun’s building, a tall man with long white hair and beard, garbed in a black robe and black headdress, is speaking to another woman. He moves towards me. When I comment on the irony of such a tranquil place being where a terrible crime had so recently occurred, the man speaks up saying how he feels it was a desecration of the place, an act that has sorely tried his faith in humanity. He then says “Let’s resurrect the word evil.” For him, mental illness is not something “to fall back on” when seeking an explanation for this crime. I learn this man is Arnold Springer, friend and landlord to Eun Kang, as well as the man who called “911” when he allegedly witnessed the suspect, 22-year-old Boneetio Kentro Washington, attacking Eun inside her home. Nearby police quickly responded and apprehended Washington, later booking and charging the suspect with Murder with Special Circumstances.

People begin to file in to light their candles and place them on the shrine dedicated to Eun. One woman carries extra tea lights for other people. Three photographers stand to the left of the altar, furiously snapping photos of individuals lighting candles. Wary of the camera men, a second woman refrains from lighting her candle.

On the street in front of Kang’s home, the officials attending the vigil already are congregating, drawing an audience of well over 125 people. I move to the curb just in time to hear a man exclaim that people are calling for a Christian prayer. He then proceeds to lead the crowd in reciting a popular one.

Next, with all eyes now on him, Arnold Springer once more expresses his outrage about Eun Kang’s murder. He tells the crowd about how Kang had originally come from Korea six years ago to take care of her sick brother. He says she was a designer of fashion and clothing, and that she was honest and hard-working.

The crowd circles closer together, faces softened by candlelight or tears. We are like a single pulsating cell unified by our sense of pain and outrage. A Mexican woman cries out. She says she has lived in Venice for 40 years and that she is “more than outraged.” She calls on everyone “to be more vigilant” as well as “more hospitable” neighbors.

Councilman Bill Rosendahl then interjects to make his official comments. He starts by saying that the city is outraged at this horrible act. He then gives condolences to Arnold for having witnessed the crime. Rosendahl says he spoke earlier to Eun Kang’s cousin who could not be there, but appreciated the community’s support. He continues by saying how words cannot express the suffering the family must be going through.

Rosendahl also speaks about the investigation. The police are still investigating where the suspect, Boneetio Washington, was living. It was somewhere in Culver City. The suspect does have a rap sheet. There is no apparent relationship between Boneetio and Eun. Councilman Rosendahl then thanks the police for their quick response, an appreciation repeated by others throughout the vigil.

More Venetians begin speaking up, largely women. A curly haired, blonde woman wearing a red scarf shares in disbelief how she was home baking Christmas cookies at the time of the murder. She raises the problem of lighting here and on Crescent, asking Bill Rosendahl to walk over with her himself. She suggests hiring a private security service to walk this area, as well as not letting people follow you at night. As a tribute to Eun Kang, she says we should live our lives to the fullest.

A slim officer with a somber expression then introduces himself as Captain Andrew Smith, Assistant Commanding Officer of Operations, South Bureau. He says “this tragic, tragic crime has affected all the officers”. He does not know of a single officer whose heart was not broken over it. He brings up the idea of neighborhood watches and urges people to call whenever they see something suspicious. He emphasizes that he would rather come out on a hundred false alarms then have people not call at all. Later that night, I overhear this same officer say that he even received calls of concern from across the country. “This is one of the scariest crimes there is,” he adds.

Lastly, I hear Linda Lucks, Vice President of the Venice Neighborhood Council, briefly speak. She suggests all attending channel their anger into something positive.

As the crowd begins to disperse, I grow nervous about walking alone down the even darker Electric Avenue. Normally, I stroll along Venice streets without hesitation. Wendy, a woman I just met, kindly offers to take me to the corner of Electric and Palms, where my journey began. Tonight, I realize that it is not a time to walk alone. It is a time to acknowledge community in the face of tragedy. So, I accept her offer. We walk into the neighboring darkness, side by side — the candle originally lit for the slain Eun Kang and her unborn twins, now revealing the way before us.

A Report From Our Correspondent at the Copenhagen Climate Conference

By Ron Ridenour

“The Nobel War Prize winner walked in and out of a secret door, and that is the way capitalism and the United States Empire will end up leaving the planet, through a secret back door.” So spoke Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez from the plenary podium on the last afternoon, December 18, of the 12-day long Copenhagen climate conference (COP15).

“While the conference was a failure, it, at least, led to more consciousness of what the problem is for all of us. Now starts a new stage of the struggle for the salvation of humanity, and this is through socialism. Our problem is not just about climate, but about poverty, misery, unnecessary child deaths, discrimination and racism—all related to capitalism,” Chavez said at the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of Latin America (ALBA) press conference held at the Bella Centre immediately following Chavez’ last remarks at the plenary.

Bolivia’s President Evo Morales followed Chavez’ remarks by saying: Barack Obama said a while ago – the only delegate to walk in and out of the stage from a concealed door – that he came here not for more words but for action. Well, then you should act by using the money you are spending for wars against the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq, for militarizing Colombia with seven military bases to save lives, to save the planet, our Mother Earth.

Both presidents, the only heads of state representing eight of the nine ALBA countries present at COP15, denounced the failure of the Copenhagen conference in both form and content.

Chavez: “There are no documents presented for consultation by all. The responsibility is a lack of political will by a few rich countries, including the host Denmark, headed by the U.S. Empire.”

Morales: “There is profound difference between their document (26 rich countries drew up a so-called `Copenhagen Accord’) and the peoples fighting for humanity and the planet. This group of friends led by Obama accept that temperatures can increase by 2 degrees Celsius by 2020. This will end the existence of many island states; it will end our snow-capped mountains. And Obama only seeks to reduce gas emissions by 50% in 2050. But we want and need 90 to 100% reduction, in order to save the planet. Then they speak of spending crumbs for mitigation and adaptation. The third theme, which they are only just now debating, is how to set up a system of controls for monitoring agreements and what sanctions there will be if this is not done. That is why we want an International Climate Justice Tribunal that can sanction failure to comply with agreements, so that we can govern based on balance and achieve real solutions.”

President Morales was referring to one of the five questions — to be answered yes or no– that he proposes for a global referendum on climate change. The other four are:

1. Do you agree with re-establishing harmony with nature, recognising the rights of Mother Earth?

2. Do you agree with changing this model of over-consumption and waste that the capitalist system represents?

3. Do you agree that developed countries reduce and re-absorb their domestic greenhouse gas emissions so that the temperature does not rise more than 1 degree Celsius?

4. Do you agree with transferring all that is spent on wars to protecting the planet and allocate a budget for climate change that is bigger than what is used for defense?

At the press conference, and on various other occasions during the three days of his attendance, Morales posed the problem and the solution to it thus: “The rich countries seek to divide the rest of us … by offering crumbs of money. Mother Earth can’t be preserved with money alone. Europe’s food almost entirely depends upon petrol. What happens when there is no petrol? This dependency on fossil fuel is a threat to humanity, so we have to change the structures of food. It is a structural problem of two forms of life: one way of living is the way of over-consumption and waste, the way of luxury, of egoism and individualism-capitalism. The other way is vivir bien — living well — food enough for all and living in harmony with others and our Mother Earth, in solidarity and complementarily.”

At the final press conference — for which I was one of two media consultants during this two weeks, along with Nick Buxton — for the ALBA countries, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela attended. Cuba’s vice-president Esteben Lazo said that socialism offers greater protection for the Earth than does capitalism: “Before our revolution, capitalism had nearly depleted all our forests. We have focused on replanting and now 20 percent of the land is covered by forests. We also educate our school children about ecology, and about the ALBA network. We are founded on principles of solidarity, of human rights and nature’s rights.”

Democracy anecdotes

Nick and I had rushed to put out a media advisory announcing the above press conference, about which we were informed only 90 minutes beforehand that Morales would be attending rather than leaving Copenhagen earlier that day as he had planned. We wrote it in a blink and passed out 200 fliers. At the appointed time, the press room began to fill with media and delegates from several countries. Bolivia was the only state, as far as I know, that insisted on allowing anyone to attend our press conferences, in accordance with Morales’ practice of inclusiveness and transparency. The time allotted was 30 minutes. Morales did not arrive on time, which he usually does. We heard from a top Bolivian delegate inside the plenary that Evo had just gotten an opportunity to respond from the floor to the rich countries’ secret document, now leaked. Fifteen minutes ticked by and he did not arrive. Another phone call informed us that Chavez would be following Evo and then they were both coming to the media hall. Oh, no! Chavez never talks briefly. We would lose the conference time and 100 people present would be disappointed.

Use the “dead” time, my experience told me. I asked two indigenous social movement delegates if they would take the podium and speak, perhaps about their movements and the five-point referendum. They agreed. I translated for them. They spoke of how this very act of taking the podium before their president’s arrival illustrated how democratic the new Plurinational State of Bolivia actually is. Social movements work hand in glove with the government and their president — reelected less than two weeks before with a 64% majority.

As the activists were speaking, about their movement and the referendum, in walked presidents Morales and Chavez followed by the Cuban, Ecuadorian and Nicaraguan leaders. The activists and I calmly walked off the stage and the leaders took our seats as we nodded to one another.

Morales’ entourage of ministers and ambassadors took their seats. They are known to us as Eugenio, Pablo, Roberto, Ivan, Angélica, David, Rene and not Your Honorable, Excellency, Minister, Ambassador. When speaking with or about their presidents, most common people call them Evo and Chavez.

On other occasions — such as before 3000 persons at the ALBA People’s Meeting held in a sports stadium on December 17, where Morales and Chavez spoke alongside top leaders from Cuba, Ecuador and Nicaragua — the leaders of the Bolivian and Venezuelan governments thoughtfully thanked their teams of paid workers and volunteers, and the organisers of political events. They also praised the activists inside and outside the Bella Centre conference.

They applauded the 100,000 plus demonstrators who mobilised on December 12 — twice the size of the hitherto largest demonstration ever held in the Banana Republic of Denmark — and the 1500 activists arrested preventatively, nearly none of whom had performed an illegal act. Only two handfuls were eventually charged with any violation. Several hundreds had their hands handcuffed behind their backs and were forced to sit on the cold ground and asphalt for up to five hours before being bussed to makeshift cage cells. No water, no toilet. This is the treatment a “democratic” police state can render potential “terrorists” under their new terror laws, which they deem to be necessary to accompany their imperialist wars.

In addition to these demonstrations, there were smaller ones attended by hundreds or thousand in several parts of the city everyday. Some were decidedly opposed to capitalism and its wars. I participated in one in front of the Yankee Embassy of Murder the day before its president was to receive the so-called Nobel Peace Prize.

Evo Morales

Evo Morales, 50, comes from the people’s struggles. He was an amateur soccer player, a musician, a coco farmer and a union organiser and leader before entering politics. He is a man of dialogue with his people. I note one illustration. When he came out of a news conference, the Indian Youth Climate Network, a group of youth from India, wanted him to hear a song one of them had written about Bolivia. He stopped to listen to “I wish I was Bolivian,” sung to the tune of “Homeward Bound” by Simon and Garfunkel.

“Every day they are stalling and they are saying the same old things again, But one bright country stands apart, They’re saying things close to my heart, They’ve got a plan with hope in hand, They’re saying c’mon, let’s just start… Bolivia, I wish I was Bolivian… Just one degree temperature rise, 300 ppm in the skies, 100 per cent emissions down by two thousand forty, Does anyone know the price of waiting? Fighting, hating, procrastinating, My future stands in front of me, While people here make history, I hope and pray that it will be, What the world’s children wish to see, Bolivia, We’ve got to take the boldest steps, There’s work to do; clean up the mess, Bolivia”

The evening before, Morales attended one of the hundreds of side events organised by people’s movements and NGOs. This one was about the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. He spoke briefly giving plenty of time for questions and comments from the floor. Anyone could speak and there was no formality or nervousness before the president.

At one point, Evo Morales said that he couldn’t always set in motion all that we wanted but it would be easier now, given that the Movement Towards Socialism, the president’s party, had won so overwhelming in the presidential electoral campaign and also now controls both parliament houses. “Politics is a science of serving the people. I live to serve the people. Participating in politics is part of assuring our dignity, our traditional way of life. It is my duty to take your message to the heads of state here. If I make a mistake, let me know so that I can rectify it.

“I don’t think we’ll make progress here. We must organise and mobilise all the more. Not just climate justice activists, but all of us: workers, farmers, media people, academics, everybody. That is the answer.” Following this meeting, several Indigenous people told me that those are not empty words. “We always speak out in meetings with the president and we offer criticisms and make demands. He listens.” Niels Boel, a writer for the daily Danish newspaper Information had one of two dozen bilateral interviews with Evo Morales. He wrote: As the police fought against demonstrators … the world’s greatest activist, Bolivia’s President Evo Morales, got off with being chased by the press.

While he did not go to jail this time, the world’s first Indigenous president knows what prison and torture are all about. He was so treated under previous Bolivian presidents doing capitalism’s bidding. As Boel wrote: Solutions for Morales come only from people’s organizations, which can overcome capitalism.

That is why I say this conference was a smashing success. Especially because of Morales and Chavez’ anti-capitalist dialogue in those few days, and the many thousands carrying picket signs displayed during the massive march that damned the greedy economic system (“Change the system, not the climate”), capitalism is now on the agenda of many more people than in a long time. Even some of the mass media could not avoid headlining this message from the two “bad boys.”

“I have heard many debates in the UN where presidents condemn climate change but they never say — cowardly enough — what causes it. We say clearly that it is caused by capitalism”, Morales said in closing.

Ron Ridenour worked with the ALBA countries’ delegation at the Copenhagen climate talks. He has written widely on Latin America and other political developments.

Ridenour, is a former Venice resident, now living in Copenhagen. He used to write for the L.A. Free Press, and contributes to the Beachhead.

Letters

• Gasoline-powered Leaf Blowers – C.V. Beck
• Born in Venice – April Newman
• Parking in Venice – Cynthia Fenton
• Another pedestrian hit on Lincoln Blvd. – Rebecca Alber
• Remembering Steve Richmond – Linda Schram-Williams

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Gasoline-powered Leaf Blowers

Dear Beachhead,

The other day, as I was heading south on Walgrove, close to Venice Boulevard, at rush hour, I observed a person using the illegal gasoline-powered blower, which is unlawful if used within 500 feet of a residence. He was standing in the driveway of a residence, walking around a vehicle, blowing dust and particulate everywhere, clouds of blueish, shiny, metallic visible fumes were present.

Seems like people are either not aware of the law in this matter or else they just don’t care. As I was stuck in traffic, I had to close my window as I was choking and my eyes were burning. I couldn’t help but think that this pollution is probably giving people cancer. Doesn’t anyone care?

C.V. Beck

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Born in Venice

Dear Beachhead,

I am responding to the Venice Quiz 12-09. My brother (Dale Newman) was born in the now Sidewalk Café in 1961.

My father (Earl Newman) had a gallery in front. My family lived in the back.

I think my brother is one of very few that was born in Venice.

April Newman

P.S. The photo of the Venice West Café (Dec., pg. 11) has a poster that my Dad printed hanging in the window.

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Parking in Venice

Dear Beachhead,

I really enjoy reading this little newspaper. I find out what is really going on in the community. I would like to pose a few questions to those that voted against overnight parking.

1. Do you know your neighbor that just parked his motor, bus, van, boat, or car in front of your home?

2. Are you happy having to park a block away when you come home from work, school, shopping, or just out for the evening?

3. Do you get your street cleaned when that motorhome, bus, van, boat, or car can’t move for the sweeper, and stay there for another week.

4. Are you happy with the over building in Venice and less parking?

I am not against the homeless, or the less fortunate.

This is not the safest neighborhood to have to walk an extra block to get home, as we are all aware of the recent rape and murder on Electric Ave. I hear people walking at all hours of the night, those that live behind the tall, illegal fences are not any safer; if someone follows you in they too can hide. Remember we are asking only to restrict parking between the hours of 2- 6am that would force those who don’t live on your block to find parking elsewhere, and those who only move their vehicles once a week to move.

Thank You Beachhead for keeping us informed

Cynthia Fenton

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Another pedestrian hit on Lincoln Blvd.

Dear Beachhead,

On December 29 a man was struck by a car in the crosswalk at Lincoln Blvd/Palms Blvd.

One year ago a woman was killed in this crosswalk.

My partner and I started an email campaign the day after, since I was really affected by the incident Tuesday (I stayed with the man until the ambulance came.) According to police who I spoke with on Thursday, he is still in intensive care.

The pedestrian sign on the west side of the street is upside down and has graffiti all over it. There are no reflectors or blinking lights as on other crosswalks.

How many more people need to have their lives destroyed by this neglected crosswalk?

Thank you, Rebecca Alber

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Response from Yunus Ghausi, L.A. Dept. of Transportation Senior Transportation Engineer:

…We are saddened to hear about the traffic accident that occurred at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and palms Boulevard. We have completed a comprehensive traffic engineering study at the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Palms Boulevard in response to community concerns over pedestrian safety.

As result of this study, we recommended to repaint the crosswalk and install diagonal (Ladder) pavement markings in the crosswalk to provide sufficient warning for both motorists and pedestrian of the approaching of this marked crosswalk.

Further, we have recommended to upgrade the pedestrian warning signs on both northbound and southbound approaches. We anticipate these improvements to be completed in two months. We are now in the process of securing additional traffic accident data at this intersection in order to update our records. It will take us one month to receive these records and update our analysis…

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Comment by the Beachhead:

We consider this response from the LADOT to be wholly inadequate. In Santa Monica, crosswalks are equipped with flashing lights in the pavement. This is what is needed on a high volume street like Lincoln Blvd.

The LADOT seems to be biased in favor of cars and against pedestrians. The new crosswalk at Palms Blvd. and Abbot Kinney Blvd. is a case in point. After years of complaints and injuries to pedestrians, we finally got an upgraded crosswalk which just makes crossing the street more dangerous. It has flashing lights to warn drivers that pedestrians want to cross the street. The problem is that the pedestrians can’t see if the lights are flashing or not, and are likely to attempt the crossing when the lights are not flashing. Is this what is contemplated for Lincoln Blvd?

Why can Santa Monica do a good job of protecting its pedestrians, and Venice cannot?

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Remembering Steve Richmond

Dear Beachhead,

Richmond’s first bookstore was called “Earth Books Gallery”, located in a small non-existent-today block on Ocean Park between 2nd and 3rd Streets.  This block was demolished when Ocean Park Blvd. was widened and the Fourth Street overpass created.  It was at that location that the SMPD busted and closed down EarthBooks for Steve’s FUCK HATE window display – and Steve never reopened the space after that.  Instead, months later, he opened Earth Rose (at OFW), reviving the old bookstore and adding a candle shop, renting space to Rick the sandal maker and featuring local artists’ work on the walls.  RIP, old poet, you will always be missed.

Linda Schram-Williams

Preparations Begin For The Venice Neighborhood Council Elections

By Marc Saltzberg

April 11 is still four months off, but candidates seeking election to the Venice Neighborhood Council are already lining up.  To help candidates understand the Los Angeles city election process and the Venice Neighborhood Council campaign rules, the VNC will hold an open meeting at 5pm, January 17, at the Electric Lodge, 1416 Electric Avenue for all those interested in running for a council position.

L.A. City Council Member Bill Rosendahl has been invited to speak at the meeting, describing his relationship with the Neighborhood Council and its role in city government. Current VNC board members will be on hand to talk about the responsibilities of their positions. The election process will be reviewed so potential candidates can find out what they need to do to run for office. Questions and answers will round out the agenda; the rest of the evening will be dedicated to mixing with board members in an informal atmosphere so potential candidates can learn more about the VNC from the current officers.

More information about the event and the election and meeting can be found on the internet at VeniceNC.org/BoardElections.

The L.A. City Council decided in 2008 to consolidate all neighborhood council elections every two years and conduct them according to a common set of rules. In 2010, the City Clerk will conduct elections for 89 neighborhood council boards between March and June.

Having a single entity responsible for conducting all the elections and having all the elections occur within a 3 month time-frame has never been tried before.

While the rules governing the elections have been standardized, the bylaws governing neighborhood councils vary. The City Clerk’s job is complicated by important differences between the 89 councils, such as the definition “stakeholders” (qualified voters) and the composition of governing boards.

In Venice, stakeholders will vote for one “Community Officer” (with the 14 top vote-getters elected) and 7 executive officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications Officer, Community Outreach Officer and Land Use and Planning Chair). All positions are elected “at-large.”

Other councils may have a different number of board officers with different responsibilities and duties; many councils also mix at-large voting for officers with representative voting by geographic areas.

What would Saint Joseph do?

By Susie Snakebite

Saint Joseph’s Thrift Store has closed in Venice and will reopen in Feb. in Santa Monica.  Norma, one of the staff there, approached me on the street a few weeks ago, very upset.  The whole staff of 5 had been laid off with one extra month of salary.  She asked me to call her boss of only one year, Dr. Velena Adams (310 306-6468 (#304)), to vouch for her character, to help her get rehired.  Norma has been there for over 20 years.  Another laid-off staffer has worked there fore over 30 years.  Their prospects of getting rehired don’t look good; they’ll be competing with the new crew that’s been working there over a month.  Dr. Adams told me on the phone that she is looking to hire people with multiskills, not like most of the old staff.

It’s true this old staff wasn’t unionized, and it’s true that St. Joe’s was losing money at this new (but bad) location on Lincoln just north of Washington Blvd.  But for an organization that is dedicated to helping people, it does not seem to me to be the right way to deal with its own people who have been with St. Joe’s so long.

I’m sorry I didn’t get Norma’s phone when she asked me to help.  She lives in Venice; occasionally I see her driving her aging van around.  I hope she sees this info in the Beachhead and gets in touch to fill in more of the story.   I’ve been shopping there for 30 years myself, and I did tell Dr. Adams what a sweet and helpful person Norma is.   But the new crew that Dr. Adams brought in looks like it is hot to trot.  And hey, not a lot of jobs out there.

The Venice Beat

Women have a right to live free of violence

Another woman has been murdered in Venice. Eun Kang, a 39-year-old Korean resident of Electric Avenue, who was pregnant with twins, was brutally raped and stabbed on Dec. 8. In October, 25-year-old Devin Petelski suffered a brutal death when two tons of a silent running police cruiser on Venice Blvd. plowed into her car at high speed. Petelski’s death was a tragedy that could have been avoided by practicing safe police procedures.

Kang’s death, likewise, should anger all of us. The Beachhead reported last month on a recent series of rapes on the beach. They may have been done by Kang’s murderer. It would be nice to think that women are safe because one possibly mentally ill man is behind bars. Yet according to the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division, which includes Venice, there were 31 rapes in 2009 and 41 the year before.

News reports state that Kang screamed loud and long but only one person came to investigate. He was unable to confront the rapist and went away to call police. Where were all the other neighbors? Is this a repeat of the Kitty Genovese incident? In 1964, she was stabbed to death as at least a dozen neighbors heard her screams and did nothing. Could Eun Kang’s neighbors have prevented her death and that of her unborn twins if they had rushed to her defense? A friend tells me that in the old days, if a woman screamed on her block, everyone would rush out of their homes, some armed with baseball bats. If we want to have a real community, we have to look out for each other.

I would also like to know why there are scores of yoga classes in Venice but no classes teaching women’s self-defense. Women of Venice, if the men aren’t going to defend you, demand self-defense training from the city, from nonprofits and from expert volunteers. It’s time for women, together with supportive men, to get together to end this violence!

Goodbye to two thrift stores

Venice has been favored with having a number of quite good thrift stores. Here’s how it works: the cheapest shopping is in your own alley where you can find incredible things discarded by yuppies; next up the economic ladder are the thrift stores where clothes, appliances, furniture, books and knick-knacks can be had; then for the upscale shopper there’s Ross Dress for less with a senior discount every Tuesday. Some people know even more expensive places to shop, but I have no idea where they are.

In the next month, we’ll be losing both the Boys and Girls Thrift Shop, on Washington, and the St. Joseph’s Thrift Shop on Lincoln. I’ve been purchasing fine furnishings and clothing from B&G since they were on Lincoln Blvd. where their corporate-looking headquarters now looms. St. Joseph’s reportedly fired its entire staff at the thrift shop around Dec. 1. Sources say they will be reopening in Santa Monica, but the old staff will have to reapply for their old jobs. A strange policy for an organization whose purpose is helping the poor.

This is one more example why you should have a union regardless who your employer happens to be. Register your concern: St. Joseph’s - 396-6468; Boys & Girls Club - 390-4477.

Ralphs Market

Who would have thought that this money-grubbing chain store would be a place to meet old Venetian friends. I rejoice every time I go there to see the face of Venice in all its glory. It’s always full of Black people, Brown people, long hairs, long beards. No pretensions here, just Venice as it always has been.

However, Ralphs or Kroger or whoever you are, you need to get rid of those plastic bags. Ralphie boy, you’re too near the ocean to push those dreaded non-degradable polluters and fish killers on unsuspecting shoppers. And why are you out of paper bags half the time? Bill Rosendahl, can’t we ban plastic bags this close to the ocean, if not everywhere?

Medical Marijuana regulations

How about a little democracy here? The city council of Los Angeles is attempting (unsuccessfully so far) to regulate medical marijuana for widely differing communities. Venice and parts of the San Fernando Valley may have different attitudes on the subject. This is where we could use our long-lost cityhood. Meanwhile, how about allowing Venice to be a special zone, a la Amsterdam, where this medical herb is tolerated and embraced? Let Venice set up a medical marijuana district and let us decide how much is too much in our community.

What’s up with Ocean Front Walk?

The city council is once more sticking its nose into daily life on our front porch. This is another issue where Venetians should be able to decide what we want, not a bunch of suits downtown who have never laid eyes on the place. I’d like to see it return to its free speech status as it was before L.A. started meddling in it. That’s right, no selling, no suggested donations, lots of benches and strolling. Let anyone set up, as long as they don’t think it’s a place to make money. Let’s have community, not commercialism, on the walk. Let’s get rid of the lottery, which is a lawsuit waiting to happen.

As to the noise, tell the stores to stop blasting recorded sound at us. The drum circle, which is far out on the sand, should stay, as should great acoustic musicians like Peter Demian. The current ordinance already regulates noise after sunset: “Amplified sound is permitted only in the designated spaces in the P-Zones in the locations specified in Section 42.15 between 9:00 a.m. and sunset, and is prohibited after sunset and before 9:00 a.m…No noise, whether from amplified or non-amplified, sound may exceed the Lmax levels of: a) 75 dBA, when measured at a minimum distance of 25 feet from the source of the noise; or,b) 96 dBA, when measured at a minimum distance of one foot from the source of the noise.” (http://bit.ly/7acspv) Obviously, the current ordinance is not being enforced.

–Jim Smith

Beachhead Celebrates 41st Anniversary

By Greta Cobar

The Best Paper in the world just turned 41, and we surely had the Best Party ever to match the Glorious occasion. We all got together and had an Orgy at the old City Hall.

Extremely awesome poets took the stage and passionately spoke while the audience did not listen, but Begged for the next word to be spoken. A strong sense of Oneness encompassed us all as our brains danced to the rhythm of the same poem.

The times were so good and the wine was so pouring that we screamed and moaned, smirked and laughed until we became part of the poem, or the poem became part of us. The line between the audience and the poets was definitely blurry, as extreme enthusiasm encompassed and overtook us all.

The event took place on December 6 at Beyond Baroque with Jim Smith, Hillary Kaye and Krista Schwimmer delighting our ears with original poems. Karl Abrams also drew cheers when he read Stuart Perkoff, who founded the Venice West Café Expresso and, among others, defined the beat experience in Venice in the 1950s and 60s. During open mic Jacob Meza, Roger Houston, Daniel Scarpa and Matt Sedillo also stimulated us with the Greatness of the spoken word.

Our beloved Suzy Williams, the one and only Venice Songbird, honored us as the evening’s MC. She also performed a song just-composed for the occasion by her and Carol Fondiller.

Overall, it was definitely one of those I’m-glad-I-didn’t-miss-it events that made our ears and brains Orgasm time and time again.

20 Tips For Residential Security

Excerpted from “Stalked: What You Can Do About It,” by Tino Struckmann

1. Be alert of any suspicious persons.
2. Positively identify callers before opening doors. Install a wide angle viewer in all your entrance doors.
3. Install porch lights in front of your house.
4. Install dead bolts on all outside doors. If at any time you cannot account for all keys, change your door locks. Place a dowel in sliding glass doors and sliding windows.
5. Keep garage doors locked at all times. Use electric garage door opener. Be selective when buying electronic garage door openers, some use a signal easy for intruders to copy.
6. Trim shrubbery. Install locks on fence gates.
7. Keep fuse box locked. Have battery lanterns in residence. Always know where you have a flashlight. (Heavy duty flashlights can also be used as defensive weapons.)
8. Maintain an unlisted phone number. Alert all household members to unusual and wrong number calls. If such activity continues, keep a log and notify local law enforcement agency.
9. Any written or telephone threat should be investigated.
10. When away from the residence for an evening, place lights and radio on a timer.
11. For extended absences, arrange to have deliveries suspended.
12. Keep doors and windows locked. And install motion sensors connected to lights or alarms. This can be done quite easily and cheaply.
13. A family dog is one of the least expensive but most effective alarm systems.
14. When out for walks plan different routes and keep irregular walking durations.
15. Always park your cars in a secured garage when at all possible. If you don’t have access to a garage, park in a well-lit area.
16. During vacations, etc., have someone pick up mail and newspapers. Never inform too many people of your pending holidays.
17. Use a paper shredder for confidential documents such as account information and passwords.
18. Bring mace or pepper spray with you when you go out and keep a large bottle by all entrance doors and in your car. Be aware that in some countries mace and self defence implements are not legal.
19. Get a portable alarm button; these can be purchased from security companies.
20. You can buy a remote camera starting from $60 so you can watch your house from anywhere on the internet. These devices are surprisingly easy to install and can be instructed to send a text message to your cell phone if activated by a motion detector.

I awakened to a knife at my throat

When I heard and read about the rape murder of Eun Kang on December 8, pregnant with twins and a single working mother, I was besieged with anger that raised unpleasant distressing memories of my own rape experience 44 years ago.

I too was a single working mother with two little boys who slept in cribs in the same room with me. I was a waitress at a Denny’s Coffee Shop who worked the night shift. I also rented a small house in the back owned by the landlord and it happened to be my night off.

I awakened to a knife at my throat late at night. His voice was clear. “If you fight me I’ll kill you and your babies.” The rapist had torn the window screen to enter my tiny house. I was speechless, my vocal cords frozen; even if I could scream, who would hear me? If I fought him he would kill my babies and me. I believed him. The rape seemed to be hours, I felt myself leaving my body an empty shell lying on the bed as he continued to violate me. All I clung to was saving my babies, one nine months old and the other two years old. He left through the screen window, just as he had appeared. His last words, “Ill be back.”

After calling the police I was interrogated by them as if I was at fault. After all I was a waitress, did I flirt with someone at the coffee shop, did I have a boyfriend, did I wear revealing clothes when I was outside my yard? I was shaking so hard from the fear I had from my ordeal with the police asking me so many questions. My babies were crying at seeing the police officers. My head was spinning. I was unable to cry over my physical and emotional pain. The evidence was all there, footprints on the ground, torn screen. However, it was me they kept questioning. They asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I refused.

I packed a few belongings put the babies in my car and drove off never to return to the tiny, tiny house.

Hearing how Eun Kang screamed for her life and babies, I related to the fear this woman went through and I wept with profound sorrow. I was one woman who was fortunate to have survived when so many of us die under a rapist attack. I might be alive but the horror of being raped has left me with Post Traumatic Syndrome.

If I would have heard your screams Eun, I would have tried to save you or any other women being raped, no matter the consequences I’d have to face for I’ve been there before and no one was there to save me.

My Dear Sister may you, your twins rest in peace.

–Yolanda Miranda

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday – Monday, January 18

All too many of those who live in affluent America ignore those who exist in poor America; in doing so, the affluent Americans will eventually have to face themselves with the question that Eichmann chose to ignore: How responsible am I for the well-being of my fellows? To ignore evil is to become an accomplice to it.

–Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, Martin Luther King, Jr., Beacon Press, 1968, pp. 85-86.

Find out more about Dr. King:

www.thekingcenter.org