Due to some complaints by OB residents, channeled by 10NEWS, San Diego Police have begun to crack down on wayward youth, rampaging across our community.
Here, four officers, two on bikes, are seen handing out citations to a half-dozen young people on the seawall.
Is this the response the community wants?
The photographer thought:
SDPD has responded to the concerns of the people in Ocean Beach who are concerned with the homeless population loitering, selling goods on the sidewalk, letting dogs run wild, unlicensed dogs, aggressive panhandling, drug use and drug sales etc…
Or is this police harassment of an easy target?
{ 84 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m feeling so relieved! OMG, now I can sleep at night.
Molly do you live in OB ?
2 cents – I was living in OB when your but was still being wiped. I’ve seen these “crack-downs” so many times now that I’m quite cynical when it takes 4 cops to issue citations to 6 unemployed tourists. I thought the PD was suffering from budget cuts.
WOW, just a simple question. Simmer down.
Reason I ask is I do not. I live in La Playa do you know where that is…it is pretty close 3 miles or so.
I have friends who live in OB and truth is they all get fed up with people sleeping in the courtyard or alley…they also tire of people digging in their trash and having cars and truck broken into and bikes disappearing from patios you get the picture….
They also are bored with trash being left on the wall on the beach and total disrespect for public property….thats all.
If SDPD can help this I know locals will be happy.
PS : you must be pretty old if that is the case …lol….
Okay, two cents. Read annagrace’s comment about the tale of 2 crimes / cities. her point is that in neighborhood like City Heights, the police won’t even respond to gunshots and killings for 12 hours, but here in gentrified OB, they show up in mass for a naked swimmer and then crack down on loiterers. I’m getting real fed up with the attitude of zeroing in on the easy target of homeless youth , who come to OB ’cause it’s a cool place. What about unemployment rates, and people without medical coverage? Where’s the outrage about those issues? You need to calm up, and get excited about real issues.
Sure, blame the poor for every problem OB has. Well, maybe La Playa is safe because it has no poor. But I’m getting real tired of this piss poor attitude of callous observers.
Ok thats crap…I assume when you say ” cool place ” you really mean accepting of “got a dollar” for a stoner lifestyle like the signs they make ?? Yeah I knew thats what you meant. They come to OB to do what the hell ever they want to …sleep where ever they want…sell drugs …use drugs and be low lifes…Get out go to a few places in OB get the real feel for what the person who has lived in OB for 30 ,40 , 50 years thinks about the crew that hangs out at the wall….your not in touch one little bit …sorry to bust your bubble…go to South Beach which has a full ocean view and a view of the seawall. Go talk to locals who go there and have a 30-50 year history in OB they will give you the other side of the story. Head down anyday around 4-5 pm…..you will get an earfull about the wall……..and about ob being cool…which it is but only if you are cool……begging, stealing, using and dealing ain’t cool just so you know.
Lets keep OB a cool place for all those business interests, the developers, the ones trying to sell you something, who relentlessly panhandle our local government for tax breaks and variances and publicly subsidized infrastructure benefits and giveaways, and let those cool people sleep wherever they want, certainly by giving them access to the best views and the beaches because by god they paid for it- although often with our money. Yes, let’s keep OB a cool place, for the right kind of cool people. If you want to be a pusher, a panhandler, to do it your way… for god’s sake don’t wear tie-dye.
I just re read this ” 6 unemployed tourists” gezz if you were to sling that BS to real people who see the actions of these pier dwellers ..they would laugh you off the street…….
Is that girl telling the photographer he is the NUMBER ONE photographer in her life ??? Oh wait its the middle finger….whats up with that… What happened to love n peace ?? The photographer might be documenting police actions in OB after all….
Harassment? Hardly…. These are not just homeless people. They are young “gypsys” and drug addicts. What we used to call “Losers”. Homeless people do not care about “gypsy fashion” or where where funky jewelry. Most homeless people, unless mentally deranged DO NOT hassle people or cause these problems… Face facts! There is always losers and riff-raff in our population.. When will we return to personal responsibility when we make judgements…
Steve – careful of whom you call”Gypsys” – Gypsys are an ethnic minority in many countries of eastern Europe and have been discriminated against for centuries. Our language even has discriminatory words in it, like “gyp” as in “He gyped me out of a full bag of weed.”
Frank. Here is a key point right here from you. We gotta stop with the semantics and fake offensiveness garbage…. The difference between the gypsys you refer to and these punk kids? The real gypsys do what they have to do to make a living. these punks do not! Most rational objective people knew exactly what my point was…
Am I mistaken Steve, but aren’t these your very first comments on this blog? Then, what’s with the “we gotta stop…” stuff? I’m in agreement here with OBSteven, Molly, and annagrace. There’s way too much hypocrisy being displayed.
Steve…I agree 100%. Call em gypsies, homeless or trolls, they are all the same.
Linda, please watch your biases. “Gypsies” are an ethnic minority in much of Europe, heavily discriminated against and persecuted. So calling someone a gypsie is an ethnic slur. The word “troll” is also a slur – unless it is meant for someone who comes on blogs and makes comments just to incite people. Otherwise, it is used to describe someone as less than human and is derogatory.
Rampaging? Are you serious? Steve- Who are you to judge? Do you know any of them? My guess is that you don’t. How are all of your glass houses holding up? I can’t believe that I am actually neighbors with some of you. I’m having serious doubts about the community that I thought that I live in. I also am finding that I have less in common than I initially thought with the readers and staff of the O.B. Rag. This is the same type of propaganda that I’ve always been against in the past. Beware of the drug crazed rampaging youth! Whatever. I’m more afraid of neighbors like you.
Boo Hoo….
Gee,Steve, is that how an objective rational person responds? Just wonderin….
Steve- Brilliant! You are quite the wordsmith. If you ever need help loading a U-Haul with all of your belongings please let me know. My friends and I will get you moved out of your glass house really fast. We wont even charge you. Make sure to wrap up your swastikas very carefully.
OBSteven – please, the title “rampaging” was an attempt to be snarky and sarcastic. tongue -n-check thingy. I agree with you other comments, but take a second look and come back ….
I love Sarcasm!
Ah, sarcasm. The wit of the uncultured.
is this sarcasm?
A TALE OF TWO CRIMES:
I just finished reading a SignonSD account about the investigation of a murder-suicide in my neighborhood. A neighbor called 911 to report the sound of multiple gunshots in an adjacent apartment. He stayed awake for a few hours and never heard the police arrive. He called the non-emergency number the next day to express his concern. The police arrived later that afternoon to investigate. By all accounts so far, the police presence was about 12 hours later than the incident.
At the end of the article was the usual ravings by the U-T’s loyal readership- Sanders has cut the PD budget, so this is what happens. People will get shot, so City Heights just suck it up.
Right. The PD budget is now stretched so thin that our police cannot respond to every call. They have priorities….
Like naked swimmers in OB with how many cop cars responding? Like a bunch of kids hanging out on an OB seawall- loitering. LOITERING!!!!! Bring on the cops.
This is not only a tale of two crimes- it is also a tale of two cities. City Heights is a largely poor and often violent neighborhood, so who gives a shit? It is unknown and I don’t know if it will ever be determined when each of these men died. That’s a rather stomach churning thought too, to think that the victim might have gone on with life and the shooter could have received justice if they didn’t die immediately.
OB on the other hand is gentrified enough, with all that implies, to justify the police response and media coverage we’ve been reading about for the past week now in the OBrag. And yes, it is all about gentrification when the police are called out in excessive numbers to respond to what are largely victimless crimes. It is not my idea of what it means to be protected and served. And it is not my idea of justice. Thanks to the OBrag for hanging on to this issue.
Here’s the article about the City Height murder-suicide: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/05/two-bodies-found-in-sdaposs-cherokee-point-area/
Let the 2nd guessing begin !!
I don’t know all the details in either of the incidents, but I’m thinking that if there is a key feature that distinguishes one from the other, it might be whether or not one was a call for “backup” while the other was just a “routine” 911 call. I’m guessing a call for backup even in City Heights would typically result in an immediate multiplication of police cars on scene. I’m not claiming that this justifies how the situations were ultimately handled, but it might explain some of the disparity in the response.
RAK- so police who need police get police, and a lot of them. Citizens who need police don’t necessarily get them. And if you suspect that police aren’t going to respond, you don’t bother to call….
RAK ….your not Ray Allen Kroc are you ??
You are 100% correct in your assumption !!
City Heights is also predominantly non-white, hence the difference in police responses. And so it has ever been in my country.
I understood the Gypsy comment and the Rampaging remark…..I think some of you are pretty tightly wound. You cant really have a conversation or dialog if you pick every word apart…
Or if you are smug and play “I know so much more than you do….”
Everybody can learn something from Anybody at an given point in time.
I agree completely.
Perhaps OB needs a town hall meeting to air some of these issues – there’s lots of emotion out there.
workin on it!
That is the voice of reason….i agree. We can post notices at the wall and invite everyone ….I would love to hear responses from the ……uuhh eeerrr…..” vistors at the pier”
At least you’re keeping your sense of humor, appreciate that.
What are they getting a ticket for?
Speaking of giving a shit….today I ran into a long time resident OB activist now unemployed from Oasis Pre-school that closed in our community and is being taken over by another church (OB Rag ran a short story on this). Anyhow, the reason for my post is to say that Marilyn needs a job REALLY badly. Here is a lady that loves kids, community activist, worked at Oasis 17 years and now can’t get unemployment because of a big run around. So we can keep one of our off the streets if we can help find her a job. She WANTS to work! Frank, anyplace on this website we could post jobs? Or done anyone have a position open for which she could be considered? If so, I am happy to pass the message along.
Debbie – this is not the first request for a jobs page on the blog. We’re moving on this, so look for a short post soon on being able to post “wanted” comments on a jobs page. good idea.
They were warned about…smoking, drinking and vagrancy/loitering…they ignored the warning and were given tickets.
Aha! Vagrancy and loitering! These are two of the most class-based “crimes” in the book. When rich people hang out, it’s not called “loitering” – it’s called “sight-seeing” or girl watching or something else. Please be aware of your class-bias that is showing right now. Class, economics, culture-wars. Be aware and remember the Bill of Rights – Congress shall make no law prohibiting people’s right to assemble. Memorize it. Be an advocate for your people, the poor people, the homeless, the underprivileged…. don’t be an advocate for the rich, the powerful, and the people who do their work.
Amen. In a non- denominational way.
Class based in general. Does that mean they never apply?
Class based refers to that body of law going back to the Enclosure Acts which threw you white boys off the land and into the cities or the indentured servitude of the colonies
Marilyn roxxx!!! She’s one of the 1st people I met when I moved back here and one of the last people that needs more grief!
Just my 2 cents, AFAIK you’re a troll and you’ve lost your sense. Please get off of the “get off my lawn” (another troll) way of thinking and get more of a O Beatitude or at least get a shred of enlightenment!
As far as God-Mart moving in and taking peoples jobs, they should be ashamed of themselves, there’s nothing Christian about taking the food out of working peoples mouths!
I’m not trolling… the name used here was tongue-in-cheek, as I feel like an elderly old man even talking about this, but I suppose it is regrettable if it lends the impression that I want the seawall crowd rounded up and deported to Portland. All I am saying is that I have had personal experiences over the last few months that left me wondering if this crowd was getting a little rougher around the edges, and that I have lived in other places where large numbers of street kids have served to detract from the local community, while sending many of them on a fast track towards homelessness. If your experiences vary, that’s cool. I was really just interested to hear what other people thought on this. Obvious by now that there are a wide range of opinions here on the subject.
Sure doesn’t look like much was happening there to warrant citations that will never be paid. Then again, I wasn’t actually there. I’m curious how many OBecians actually called the police, or if the 10News piece just gave that impression. I mean, if the community is requesting action in enough numbers, it’s hard to fault the police for providing it. I dunno… I am not a fan of involving police for dumb stuff, and I don’t like the idea of people being harassed for just chilling out, but if the end result is to just convey the message that the street crowd should tone it down a few notches and respect the community a bit more… I am OK with that part of it, at least.
I’m sure once the news piece ran there were more phone calls. It’s an easy piece to write and produce for the local news. It’s about as ground breaking as busting Willie Nelson with weed. It fills time, gets hits on their website and produces buzz and gives the police another excuse to feed their egotistical need for control while appearing to clean up our streets. I pray that I never become homeless. I met a homeless guy once that was a DR. and then his wife died and he lost the will to work or even live. He was homeless. I have to ask myself am I smarter than a fucking Dr.? Doesn’t matter I suppose. I just hope that I’m luckier than one.
I take it from this you don’t like the SDPD ?
Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t; what’s your point? … From my perspective it appears to be irrelevant to what I perceive to be the overarching issue in this post, actually; have the police responses to these OB incidents been appropriate? are there inequities in the way police respond to incidents in other parts of the city? Whether one likes or dislikes the SDPD may color how one comes to explain SDPD actions, but an explanation is not a justification.
Your statement suggests to me that you’re proposing that obsteven (and anyone else posting here?) is critical of the police responses because he doesn’t “like the SDPD” (and presumably then, the people who post here that do support the police responses do so simply because they “like the SDPD”?) and for that reason his criticism can be dismissed. Even if it is true that obsteven doesn’t “like the SDPD” (and I don’t claim to know) we need to look beyond that to decide whether or not the police responses are justified and whether or not the criticisms are valid.
I guess you missed the simple point: If you have an inherit chip on your sholder for law enforctment you will never be happy with ANYTHING they do.
If it were you or your family on the receiving end of police help I think you might feel different. If that police action last week with the naked guy had esclated into a brawl like the one in PB several years you would be thanking the police now for making the call for back up instead of second guessing them. Yeah lots of ” if” kind of the way life goes right….what if
‘s are part of it.
No, “just my 2 cents”, I didn’t miss your point, if your point was, as you say, that if you have a chip on your shoulder for law enforcement, you will never be happy with anything they do. But I don’t think I made my point as well as I could have. My point was that your point is beside the point. (Lotta pointin’ goin’ on here; yikes!)
The message I’m hearing from you is that if someone “doesn’t like” the police, they will *always* be critical of their actions so pay no attention to what they say; which suggests conversely, that if someone “does like” the police they will *never* be critical of their actions so pay no attention to what they say. I’m not satisfied with having “likeability” be the only measure for judging police behavior. And BTW I have been on the “receiving end” of police help and do appreciate their service.
But if the issue here is whether or not the police force is appropriately responding, or being appropriately directed to respond to situations such as youth loitering on a seawall, or 911 reports of hearing shots being fired, judgements should not be justified on the basis of whether or not someone likes or dislikes the police. And I don’t see the police force as an army of clones; there isn’t a generic police officer to like or dislike, it’s not all or nothing.
“Get off my lawn” raised the issue of whether or not the police had independently initiating the ticketing or whether they were responding to complaints from the community; that’s an issue that I think merits consideration and discussion. “obsteven” suggested that media coverage may have increased the number of complaints, and I think that’s also a tangential factor in the appropriateness of a response. I take his comment about an “egotistical need for control” as beside the point and I can only conjecture how he came to believe that this is a key motivating force for all police; I would dispute that. But his opinion on that doesn’t alter the issue of whether or not media coverage exacerbated the police response. And making his like or dislike of the police an issue doesn’t further the discussion, and thus my comment “what’s the point?”
I’m not saying a person’s motivations and beliefs should never be considered when making claims, just that in this case, I don’t see it as relevant. I’m not as interested in second-guessing as I am in trying to change the future (is that possible?).
There seems to be two sides to this issue. Passion on both sides no doubt.I would say if those who feel the SDPD are being unfair and that these travlers/pier dwellers are having their rights trampled on I am sure a civil rights attorney would jump all over this. I beleive the photographer would gladly supply his photos as evidence. Why not step up and defend them, have at it. I think it might be kind of hard to do without coming out of your room and from behind the keybored. Nobody wants to go THAT far just blog about it.
nuff said on this…
Not sure who you are addressing here, just my 2 cents, but I am a lawyer – although not a civil rights lawyer, a criminal defense lawyer. I would defend these young people, but right now, 2 cents, my leg is full of blood clots and I’m on my ASS. You know, I defended the fire hooper performers successfully, so at least I have left my room and keyboard in the not too distant past. But thanks for asking.
On the issue of blogging and doing something about it, you may be aware – or maybe not – of how often OB Rag bloggers have left their keyboards and done something: graffiti paint-outs, Veteran’s Memorial clean-up after the July 4th mess that all those fine-upstanding citizens left after the marshmallow fight, the clean-up of Dr Bob’s house in Point Loma, the attending healthcare reform town hall meetings this past summer, and now we’re talking about sponsoring a townhall meeting here in OB to discuss the issues that this particular post has raised. Hopefully, you can step up as well.
I step up when I feel it is right . In this case I dont support kids who run to a place in the Country where they can do what ( legal or illegal)they want without anyone giving them shit. It’s weak it’s wrong and it encourages the conduct. They will be 50 before they know it and still wanting to smoke out under the pier. It is a fast time frame from 19 to 49 time flies get real. And all of us paying taxes will be paying for it in some fashion. I will tell you this take a survey of buisness owners or long time OB residents the VAST majority think ” the trolls” are a pain in the ass. Ocean Beach does a fantastic job of ” stepping up” I just think its counter productive to support kids who can work and do something.
There seems to be two sides to this issue. So far so good! Did you really intend for the rest of your comment to be dismissive of the Obrag as a meaningful forum for discussing and addressing community issues and this issue in particular? to be dismissive of the people who read it- you might be surprised! But most of all do you really want to present yourself as clairvoyant? Who the hell are you to assume what we are or are not doing on this issue? That’s aggressive behavior cloaked in anonymity. BTW my name is Anna Grace Daniels, and I’m saying goodbye….
Annagrace,
Say goodbye for now if you must (I know how volitile and button-pushing these blog discussions can become), just don’t stay gone for long. We need your strong, centered voice.
Om Peace
can anybody tell me the difference between City Heights (where the cops don’t respond to gunshot reports) and OB (where the cops have time to write citations to street peeps)?
waiting for it….waiting for it….. oh, yeah, there are white people in OB calling the cops.
I can tell you the difference pretty easily. OB is served by SDPD western division. Western Division serves a population of 175,985 people and encompasses 25.9 square miles.
City heights is serves by SDPD Mid City division. Mid City Division serves a population of 157,316 people and encompasses 15.7 square miles.
More people + more area = more officers.
I heard the sirens last week….thought the President had come to town, as this is what it sounds like in DC, when his motorcade comes through.
You can imagine my amusement when I heard that 26 police cars had responded to a naked surfer and his pals. In DC, the murder rate is very high. Here, well….naked surfers provides me with comic relief, and a great line to send to all my friends back East.
I am thrilled to be here, and plan to stay for the rest of my life. Get real, OB complainers. This place is paradise!
Incorrect on the police cars….I was there 13 and 3 SUV from lifeguard service. I counted fom high on a deck over looking the event.
So many judges. So easy to be hard. A town hall meeting? What problem will you try to solve? What problem can people in OB solve, in OB? In economic hard times people are on the move, especially those in their 20’s. I walk the pier once a week or more. I’m familiar with the crowd. It’s larger has more of an edge and more diverse; a piece of society. Estranged, dispossessed, unemployed, and clearly unwanted by many, OB, being the end of I-8 has been home to the homeless for decades. This crowd is just more so. Those with heart will act, because, for the health and well-being of everyone the situation needs to be managed. Those without heart will react, promoting conflict and adding more heat to the fire. Belligerence breeds belligerence.
Perhaps that could be the question for a town hall – since OB must live with being at the end of I-8 and under the airplanes, how can (should?) OB manage the situation?
I 8 runs out…People are either out of gas …out of money …out of ambition ..looking to find themselves or lose themselves…..or looking for a place to crash.
Smoking on the beach and park areas is by far the most common ticket. Several citizen generated complaints about unlicensed dogs too. A lot of these outsiders have warrants for their arrests from their “home” states that won’t extradite them back. Washington state is the worst for making their felony warrants non-extraditable from Calif. They save money on jails by forcing their criminals to come here.
My reaction is “What can I do to help?” Obviously, a lot of these kids are on the edge; on the fringe. Some are on the take. Is there anything legitimate happening to better the lot of the kids who need help; who wash up here?” I may find out. Then again, I may be like my son was…he gave anyone with a hand out a dollar. No questions asked. Perhaps I will follow his example.
wow. im amazed at the quick response – based on a news story that ran on a local news station. i know a lot of people around here and ACTUALLY live in the community, and it is definitely a small group of people who actually think this kind of overcompensation is a good thing.
a town hall would benefit our community by taking these conversations to people who dont read this blog and including ALL stakeholders in airing concerns directly to those who are responsible for setting up an action plan. that means politicians, police, social service, and local activists. unfortunately there seems to be a whole bunch of assumption here: those of us who assumed Obecians were compassionate people seem to have assumed wrong about many of our neighbors, and those who assume this problem was exploding and overtaking our neighborhood assumed that ticketing and harrassing young,wayward, homeless kids is a solution to the issue.
i am really disappointed in my community right now.
As a european living in OB several years now……I like the fact that certain businesses don’t jive with the low tolerance gig….. I am all into the tolerance …of wall(ies)…..I am often sitting there myself and could be somewhat mistaken a houseless chap but there are really no other places for the wanders around here….most of the transcient types….if the are obnoxious get in line in OB pretty quick…..although I have got into a few moments dodgy interchanges…and see a few case that belong to the the loony bin walking about…chatting to themselves..if i felt overtly threaten I would have no hesitation calling the Fuzz..AND I get the business angle…..but hell …..Interest groups have their interests and I see that….if I owned a business in OB I’d want certain changes if it affected my business, BUT…..The freedom of personal travel must be respected……PERIOD. If a kid gets out of hand call the Fuzz, but otherwise I don’t think its right to push them on…
OBcelt, if I may interject here, I find your choice of words “loony bin” quite unnecessary. In this day and age these facilities are called Rehabilitation Centers and they actually help those with mental health issue recover and find wellness within their lives. 3 hots, a cot, and free therapy and medication….what more could you ask for?
Oh, look, they are writing tickets that will most likely go unpaid. And a few nights in jail for these kids equates to free shelter. *yawn*
Hey, here’s a novel approach: STOP GIVING HANDOUTS. There’s resources available through the community that are geared to help; the problem is that there are rules to abide by, and these kids don’t want any part of anyone’s rules.
Some of these kids supposedly have some sort of talent, or at least they like to claim they do. It’s too bad they can’t seem to tap into that talent and move forward. The next 20 years for them will be rough for them, if not fatal…
Sunshine…you are welcome to parle about the semantics of term..’ looney bin’, but I think its a minor issue ……
Are terms such as “undesireables,” “low lifes,” “scum,” and “retarted” are still in your vocabulary? Terms such as these only serve to raise you up on the Increased-My-Self-Esteem-by-Putting-You-Down Teetertotter. Where is your tolerance for all, my good man? Last I checked, all were created equal.
Hummm as I read this I wonder if your statement is designed to do the same…put him down and bloat your own ego…….just a thought maybe well intentioned only you know for sure.
“True words aren’t eloquent, eloquent words aren’t true. Wise men don’t need to prove their point, men who need to prove their point aren’t wise.” ~Tao Te Ching
Can we hold the mentioned Community Meeting at the wall where it would actually reach the majority? I’m sure we could find an old soap box or two in one of the alleys to serve as a focal point. I seriously doubt we need a power point presentation to discuss the issues being raised here if we were to hold the meeting where the people actually congregate and this latest issue of contention occurs.
A face-to-face debate of the issues … hmmmmmm. Has ever worked in history? Who will decide the course of action to take once the issues have all been hashed out in the open? You? Me? Them?
The way to proceed, as I see it, is full motive disclosure and overt transparency from all concerned. There are so many ‘sides’ coming to the table here: true OBceans, new OBceans, wanna-be OBceans, passers thru, urban campers, small businesss, corporate interests, SDPD, gentrifiers, et all. What are we trying to accomplish in OB? What win-win solution could be brought to light and wholly embraced?
“Truth is by nature self-evident. As soon as you remove the cobwebs of ignorance that surrounds it, it shines clear.” Gandhi
All you pro, con, pc language police, should know this has been going on for 40 years or more in OB. I suggest you take it all with a dash of historical context, and accept it as a flowing issue that comes and goes like the tide.
That’s the impression I get, I’ve only been here a couple of years.
These kids don’t worry me very much – there are much seedier elements here in OB, but hating on teenagers is an age-old tradition I guess.
Unlike the middle-aged tweaker contingent (I’m 41 BTW), who I have had repeated unpleasant encounters with – one followed home and tried to assault my autistic neighbor last week, apparently just because he was bored, I literally had to drag him out of my courtyard – I’m not really worried about these camper kids starting a fight or trying to stab me.
Smoking pot on the wall and bumming change and cigarettes just doesn’t compare.
Oh yea, that guy hiding his face, is probably a cop.
I’m confused. There’s a whole lot of focus here on the “kids” and what to do about them. However, the videos posted on news reports were of what looked to me like 45 year old tweakers from east county (short-hairs). The guy that went for a naked romp last weekend looked like your average frat boy either high on acid or looking for fame, either way, not the sharpest tool in the shed. I’ve yet to see evidence of one of the neo-hippie kids in tie dye and dread locks doing anything other than sitting on a wall and maybe, god-forbid, smoking a joint. Yet all the chatter seems to be about how the kids are the problem. I don’t see it. I’ve lived here a little over 10 years and have never had a problem with one of these kids. I have had many problems, however, with over aggressive skinheads, bouncers, tweakers….you get the point. So, what’s everyone’s problem with these kids again?
Excellent points, jon. Let’s do a poll about that!
We just did a count of the 74 comments submitted up to now:
justmy2cents wins with 20 – we now think this commenter has had their 2 cents worth and has tried to convince everyone else of the merits of their arguments and snide comments. Gormlie came in second with 9, Annagrace with 6, Sunshine with 5. So one commenter has made an equal number as the next top 3 together.
sweet do i win a 3 days and 2 nights at the dirt motel under the pier ?? As long as it comes with a forty i down with it….
There are no easy answers to the issue.
I’m a bit confused, does the Rag have a limit to how many posts, or responses readers can do? What are the limits? (for future reference)
No, nada, non, nunca.
Anyone who is involved in UNLAWFUL activity at the beach should be cited or arrested…… nothing wrong with being a kid…… but not at the expense of other people…….this is not an issue of age/race/culture….. it is an issue of being or refusing to be LAW ABIDING….. I am an ob native…. born and raised in san diego…. these were my stomping grounds LONG before that police trailer was erected in the parking lot…..my friend and I still hang out down there….and have NEVER been hassled or panhandled aggresively….. of course….. my “619”, “1502” and “point loma” tattoos… all in old english…. probably helps.