🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <robinmCtyzGy.DC1@netcom.com> robinm@netcom.com (Marshall Robin) writes:
>BALDEROL (balderol@aol.com) wrote:
>> If you're interested in getting a law passed that would make it easier for
>> neighborhoods to install gates and limit access to their streets, please
>> e-mail me.  I'm compiling a list of people in favor of the idea.  
>
>> A bill was introduced last year but went nowhere, largely because gating
>> streets was perceived (falsely) as a measure to protect rich white people
>> from minorities (which is a false perception because the people most in
>> need of getting control of their streets are not rich white people, who
>> already have the resources to protect themselves from crime).  
>
>Like poor minorities have the resources to install and maintain security
>gates on their streets. Right.
>
>Bel Air has archways that are just begging for gates to be installed in them.
>If these aren't the true beneficiaries of such a bill, I don't know who would
>be.

It has long been a misconception that Bel Air is a private community. It is
nothing of the sort. It is a regular part of the City of Los Angeles. The
pretty ceremonial arch at the Sunset Blvd. end of Bellagio Road is just
that - ceremonial. Bel Air has many routes into it, but admittedly, most
of the traffic comes off of Bellagio at the bottom, and Roscomare at the
top (off of Mulholland). The Bel Air Patrol is a private security company
that predates Westech and other similar private outfits.

This silly idea that Bel Air is gated has spawned a number of efforts
around the City of L.A. to gate neighborhoods. In my neighborhood in the
Baldwin Hills area (above Crenshaw), I have been repeatedly amused by
these pretentious strivers saying, at community meetings, "Well, they
have gates in Bel Air, don't they?" "If they can gate Bel Air, why can't
we do it too". Ad nauseum.

If the L.A.P.D. wasn't such a worthless appendage, there wouldn't be
such a push to gate communities. In case no one has noticed, Beverly
Hills doesn't have any gates keeping out the vandals and visigoths.

Further, gates don't stop determined criminals. If you want to know how
effective gates are, ask March Fong Eu (the outgoing Secretary of State
of California), who had the crap beaten out her a couple of years back.
Some creep got into Fremont Place, a gated enclave off of Wilshire
at Rossmore, sneaked into her house, and beat her up while her husband
was taking a bath. (He didn't hear anything).