OB Rag

Editor: The following open letter to the San Diego City Charter Committee was accompanied by this urgent call for action from Martha Sullivan:

This Wednesday, April 20th, at 9am is our last chance to convince the City Council Charter Review Committee to recommend our CRB Reform Ballot Proposal be put on the November Ballot. It’s Item 1 on the agenda – come to the 12th Floor Council Committee Room in City Hall. Allow time for parking and to get through the ground floor security screening.

See our latest letter to the Charter Review Committee following — and come on Wednesday morning to support more independence, transparency and accountability for civilian police review:

By Steven Rosenfeld / Alternet

Thousands of protesters from across America descended on the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court on Monday, where hundreds of pro-democracy activists were arrested for blocking Congress’ doorstep and loud crowds of young people, undocumented familes, and immigration advocates rallied at the Court.

The action was a stunning display of a growing and vibrant progressive spectrum, reflecting a determination to work together on a range of justice issues that define much of what’s wrong with America’s political system.

The day began together, with thousands filling a nearby park for early morning speeches, prayers and pledges to protest non-violently.

By Ernie McCray

Scrolling down my facebook timeline
I found that someone had written words in line
with the idea
that Hillary’s lengthy experience
in foreign policy
makes her a better choice than Bernie
for the presidency.
The words went thusly:
“Consider… North Korea hits South Korea
and Tokyo simultaneously
with ballistic nukes.
I think Hillary could deal with it.
Bernie is unproven.”
And all I could think was: “Whuuuut?”

By Jim Miller

Thomas Frank has written the most important political book of 2016, and one that should disturb and hopefully influence progressives for years to come. If you have ever found yourself not just horrified by the lunatic right but also frustrated by the hapless and compromised “left,” Frank is your man.

If you want to feel good about “your side” but are still troubled by the fact that economic inequality remains at historically high levels despite the last eight years of Democratic Presidential rule, Frank has some uncomfortable truths for you to ponder.

And it’s not just about those damn Republicans.

Egan Has Brought Laughs to OB for 16 Years

By South OB Girl

Long time OBcean, Jesse Egan, can be found these days hosting the late night talk show, “Tonight in San Diego”. If you attend a taping, or if you watch the show on-line – you are guaranteed a night filled with a ton of laughs!

You may remember Jesse from running stand up comedy at Winstons. Or as the host of “Think and Drink” trivia night at Winstons. He has been bringing laughs to OB for 16 years. And now via the YouTube based show, those laughs will be coming from people city wide, nation wide, and world wide.

Currently on YouTube, the show has potential to become huge. The excellent quality of material, the writing, the production team — this show is going places. And the show is definitely taking Jesse’s career to the next level.

By Jeeni Criscenzo

Is it all coming together,
or all falling apart?
I can’t tell anymore.
I came with love,
but can’t find your heart.

I tried to explain how we could help get people off their streets,
by providing basic shelter in supportive communities.
We’d carefully thought out the plan,
Laid it out for them in ways they could understand,
how this would make life better for everyone.

But they came armed with one practiced phrase:
“Not in my backyard!”

Can it all come together?
Or is it already falling apart?
It’s impossible to tell
When we say we want peace,
but we’re fighting an uphill battle from the start.

This is directed at the Creative OB and San Diego Arts Community:

According to Stu Schreiber, the sublease on the beautiful Ocean Beach Playhouse ends May 31st. Due to many personal challenges, he and his were really never able to get it off the ground as they had intended, and are now actively looking for serious contenders to purchase (the equipment and furnishings), the theatre, and start a new lease for the space with the landlords on June 1st.

If they do not find those people this month, they will need to begin the unfortunate process of dismantling on May 1st, Stu told the OB Rag.

Today- Saturday, April 16th, there will be a meeting held at the OB Playhouse from 4-6 pm …

Originally published April 15, 2016

The Ocean Beach Planning Board, like other neighborhood planning groups around San Diego, is often plagued by low turnouts at its annual Board elections. It’s not uncommon for candidates to receive votes that total in the single digits. This year was no different.

The low audience numbers at the Board’s monthly meetings say something. Plus the fact that the OB Board currently has a 36% vacancy rate – there’s 5 seats vacant on a 14-member Board.

So, I have a few friendly suggestions to make for the OB Planning Board – a good chunk of them aimed at increasing the community’s participation at and with the Board. In addition, My background quickly: 3 years on the OB Board, one year as Chair.

“We’re here to comfort those who are disturbed and disturb those who are comfortable.”

By Barbara Zaragoza

The Sister’s of Perpetual Indulgence, San Diego Chapter came into existence in April 2005. Fourteen San Diegans went up to Los Angeles and talked to their SPI about starting an order. Thereafter, the San Diego Sisters established their SPI chapter and called it the “Asylum of the Tortured Heart, Inc.,” devoting themselves to outreach for those on the edges.

Eleven years later, the Sisters still use humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry and complacency.

Thousands of OB Residents, Property and Business Owners Took Part in Historic Election of May 4, 1976

There are a lot of important anniversaries these days, it seems, like the 50th anniversary of the Ocean Beach Pier, and like the 50th Re-Union of the Point Loma High School Class of 1966.

But there’s one significant anniversary for Ocean Beach that has as of yet been highlighted for its deserved respect and celebration.

And that’s the 40th Anniversary of the popular vote on March 4, 1976 that established both the Ocean Beach Planning Board and the first OB Community Plan (then called the “Precise Plan”).

By Herman Baca

If the so-called U.S. immigration issue is a historical labor issue as Chicano/Mexicanos activists, historians, scholars & academicians claim, what then has been the historical role of the U.S. Border Patrol (BP)?

To answer that question one has to study the U.S.’s historical addiction to free and cheap labor. That started when white supremacists created the Afro-American slave labor system in Jamestown, West Virginia in 1619. A town named after King James I of England who organized the slave trade in America, and translated the King James Bible?

Today, those white supremacists are represented by Republican party presidential candidate, Donald Trump, and his Know-Nothing let’s make America great again supporters.

There are currently 5 vacancies on the Ocean Beach Planning Board, a Board made up of 14 members, two each from OB’s 7 planning districts. The recent annual election in early March only seated one new board member, and at the same time, 3 members left the board. Two were termed out and 1 is moving out of OB.

Which means that there are vacancies in District 1, District 2, District 3, District 5 and District 7.

It is anticipated that the 2 termed out members will be applying to be appointed to vacant seats in the near future. In fact, one has already collected his signatures, and expects to be appointed at the May board meeting.

Often in situations like this, the Board makes appointments of eligible members to the vacant seats, even though those appointed do not live or own property or a business in the districts they are appointed to.