All posts in the topic Marguerite Belmares - What A Great Post (Short link)

From: Jim Graham Date: Jul 08 04:18 UTC Short link

Marguerite Belmares I could kiss you for that wonderful post. Those couple of
days a year we celebrate are worth the trouble. We ALL need to come out of the
holes and from behind the locked doors and take back this country and this
City. We need to stop being afraid of the criminals and bring our children out
and then simply not allow any harm to come to them. Criminals should be afraid
and behind locked doors NOT our children and families.

I thought the "Fourth" was great. The closest thing to Small Town that I have
seen in a long time. Good people laughing and yelling to each other with joy in
their hearts. Dyna would have found her small town myth in my neighborhood on
the fourth of July. No houses burned, no anger or fights.

The worst injury was two young men with a burned thumb and finger from lighting
Legal sparklers for kids watching them light those big boomers. They laughed,
watered their burns and kept on lighting both the sparklers for the little guys
and taking their turns with the big stuff. Now I am willing to admit a couple
of cute older girls participating in sparklers with the little kids just might
have colored that situation.

A group of young men put on one hell of a fireworks show on my block this year.
You can rest assured there were NO drug dealers or gang-bangers raising their
head when that many people were outside whopping and hollering. Children from
several houses on the block were screaming with glee as the mortar rounds and
rockets burst into great stars in the evening sky.

Sure the City's sanctioned shows were great but they were distant beautiful
shows, not the nitty gritty participatory beauty of neighbors outside enjoying
each other. Sort of like the difference between watching the Vikings on T.V.
versus a great sandlot neighborhood pickup football game. I would rather catch
a ball badly and laugh about it than watch Moss do a wonderful job of it.

Really, my neighborhood owes so much to our recent Latino immigrants for
reminding us all tat the "Fourth" should be. With barbeques and kids running
around, but also for reminding us of how much fun fireworks and community kids
really are. Young men and women being supportive of community, what a concept!

This year the non-Hispanic young guys decided they were not going to be outdone
on patriotism and fireworks by the Mexican and Ecuadorian families on the
block. Of course this competition cost both parties a load, but from the
reactions of kids from Black, White, Hispanic and Native homes on the block it
was worth it. Especially the good community feelings that were created for
everyone! If you and your kids are not afraid to be out at 10:30 or 11:00 PM in
an area that once asked to be declared a National Disaster Area because of
crime and blight, then something has changed.

We just need to figure out how to get people out most evenings of the summer.
Hopefully, ways that cost less and make less noise. The funny thing is some
might think the yelling and cheering from the kids that night as a nuisance,
because it was darn loud. But it was music to my ears. I cant wait to see what
they think of next year.

Want a great neighborhood free from criminals? Just go out and join your
neighbors take yours back and make one for your children. So thank you
Marguerite, your priorities are right on the mark.

Jim Graham,
Ventura Village

Wise sayings:
We can only be what we give ourselves the power to be
 A Cherokee Feast of Days

The people are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.
- Thomas Jefferson