I Yap, Therefore I Yam

Once again Nick, you've hit the nail on the head with this one. I've long looked at the OpEd pages of the News Supress for my comical releif, having given up the funny pages years ago...

Nick, I love your comment "more vendetta than newspaper".

For analytically- factually-challenged Travis, "mephitic vapors" and baby rattlesnake venom make for a frightening combo. Thanks for this sharp set of observations; on the money.

Gotta chuckle when the "angry poodle" accuses Travis Armstrong of being and "ill-tempered columnist"

I don't believe for a minute that Mayor Blum would resign from a job that flatters her ego so much, but Travis was dead on when saying "large numbers of Santa Barbarans have been calling for Blum’s resignation". Count me as one. She has been trying to brush aside and suppress the facts about this festering gang problem for too long, until it has become too ugly to hide any more. Where is that long overdue gang injunction and 287(g) agreement? How long until the gangs run this City by intimidation of a Police Force whose hands she likes to keep tied? Don't laugh, it has already happened in Mexico.

Since -- in my opinion -- it's the lure of tourism that keeps the city from seriously addressing our gang problem, why don't we increase the "bed tax" our hotels charge tourists? Use the extra money on anti-gang programs and law enforcement.

PS - see the trial for the 14 now 15 yr old on trial for stabbing last March

1 > Gangs will be on trial
2 > The police will be on trial - seems like we can't trust them either?
3 > oh yea and the kid thanks to Prop 21 will be tried as an adult

We have gangs. We need to admit it, fix this and create real solutions (including more incarceration) for those that offend. Join a gang - plan to pay the price - if we don't get that message out - we are kidding ourselves.

Next step you see a law enforcement officer - remind him/her how important this is to you.

I am all for eliminating gangs and believe those who commit crimes should pay. I don't like gangs in any way, shape, or form. What surprises me is that people are advocating activities that violate the constitution. There are laws here that have nothing to do with the police, mayor, or gangs. You cannot arrest someone or harass someone without just cause. Wearing gang banger clothing is not just cause. LIke it or not, it is also a fashion thing and not everyone who wears those awful clothes are gang bangers. You can't discriminate against someone because they are gay, black ,or brown, or may have gang affiliation. Remember, like it or not the laws are for EVERYONE. This is what makes gangs so frustrating. You can assume the person is probably conducting illegal activities, but unless you have some evidence that they are doing it, our laws provide a measure of protection.

Larger cities than SB are struggling with this issue. They have far more resources and still cannot get rid of the gangs. The authorities also have to deal with drug dealing, theft, murder and the rest, besides gangs. It is a cop out to blame the mayor and police for not solving gang problem.

Personally, I would run them out of town but I prefer to live in a democratic society. This is not the only country dealing with such issues. Are you willing to give up some of your freedoms to remedy the gag situation like you did for 9/11? What other rights are you willing to give away? These are difficult questions and not easily answered if you take the time to really think about it.

"You can't discriminate against someone because they are gay, black ,or brown, or may have gang affiliation."

Yes you can.. when they are a public nuisance and a threat to the public. That's what gang injunctions are for. The only problem is, we don't have one. Marty the Mayor thinks if we are nice to them, and treat them with respect and compassion, they will just stop it. I can't wait to see what happens after she is "enlightened" by the Swamis visit.

http://www.independent.com/news/2008/jul...

I wonder what Das Williams, the self-proclaimed Christian will think about the Swami, I'm sure he will follow wherever Marty goes.

I realize you don't want actual facts or careful distinctions to get in the way as you steam-roll your neo-Minuteman anti-immigrant tirades thoughout this site, RForsyth, but please be aware:

The type of law enforcement you advocate, including your precious Section 287(g), are not vehicles with which the government discriminates, rather they exist to enforce laws and provide cooperation to catch criminals; actual passed legislation and code. I think you will be hard pressed to find advocates endorsing and protecting observable law breakers (as opposed to those who 'just don't look right.')

Thus far it is not illegal to dress funny or have a skin color other than white bred.

And you seem to use Das William's self-identification as Christian as if it were unique and suspect: aren't all religious followers defined in the self-same way? Otherwise how would you know?

Unless you possess the same soul-searching powers President Bush claims..

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...

There is crime, gang violence and murder in virtually every city in the U.S. , some certainly more than others. In as much as Mayor Blum doesn't preside there, who would Mr. Armstrong blame for that? Or does he really believe that one mayor vs. another can solve these problems over night. I'd be curious to see what his ideas are for solving the problem or RForsyth's for that matter. Perhaps a suspension of the Bill of Rights and the imposition of a police state would suit them. I understand China has a low crime rate, perhaps we should emulate their domestic policies? The mayor is doing a good job and her re-election confirms the confidence the people have in her. I don't beleive Mr. Armstrong could get elected to dog catcher in this town

Ahh ok binky keep demonstrating the all-too-sickenly-familiar and hopefully-soon-ineffective simple minded liberal progressive tactics against someone expressing their opinion that doesn't agree with yours:

1. Call the person names in an attempt to discredit and intimidate -racist, neo-minuteman etc (what the heck is a neo-Minuteman?)

2. Blur lines of distinction (I am anti- ILLEGAL immigrant I am not anti-immigrant. I believe in orderly immigration. That means nobody cuts in line and nobody sneaks into the country illegally. Do you have a problem with people obeying the law? These beliefs are not anti-immigrant, as much as you would like to twist them to sound that way.

3. Twist what was said - I am not suggesting discrimination against innocent people based on race or how they dress or whatever...at least I did not mean to. I am sorry I was not clear. I am suggesting legal restrictions on known gang affiliates and persons creating a public nuisance, which in this case happen to be known gang members. I am sorry that was not clear. I am suggesting a gang injunction, do you feel that is discriminatory? What is it about a legal gang injunction that you don't like?

4. Put words in people's mouths (and ideas in the reader's heads) about what was said by subtle "suggestion" like;
it SEEMS that you are saying... (suggestion)
"And you SEEM to use Das William's self-identification as Christian as if it were unique and suspect:"

Well, actually, if you must know, Christianity, along with radical Islam is unique in the fact that they both exclude other religions as not having the full truth.. like it or not. In the case of radical Islam it is "convert or die" ... but let's not get into religion its off topic, sorry I brought it up.

Back to 287(g) and gang injunctions. They are both legal so what is your problem with them exactly, since, as you say "they exist to enforce laws and provide cooperation to catch criminals". Do you not like that idea?

Yes Noletaman I do believe that one mayor over another can solve or at least reduce these problems. Didn't Juiliani do exactly that for NYC? There are strong courageous mayors and there are spineless, weak, "nice" ones. Where would you put ours on that spectrum?
It is when we throw up our hands and say "well other cities have problems so it is just a matter of course that we should too" and we begin to accept it and look the other way that the problem is allowed to escalate. The escalation did not occur until the realm of Mayor Blum. Why is it that in less than two years we have had three murders? How many in the ten or twenty years before that? None, one? to be honest I'm not sure, but I don't recall any. Look at the trend. We can be the exception we don't have to follow the trend of other cities. This City has always been unique and we are not comparable to South Central Los Angeles. My ideas? Empower law enforcement. gang injunction, 287(g) gang injunction, 287(g) gang injunction , 287(g) It's at least worth a try.

Los Angeles in my estimation has it's huge gang problem in large part due to Special Order 40. Special Order 40 prevents LAPD officers from turning illegal alien gang members and human smugglers over to the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- formerly INS) for deportation. This in theory is supposed to encourage illegals to provide information about crimes as witnesses by removing the fear of deportation. So along with lack of immigration control comes the gang drug lord culture feetering South of the Border. Los Angeles is the best example of the result of tying the hands of law enforcement. The city apparently hasn't considered the fact that they are more intimidated by the gangs than they are of being deported. There is no respect for the impotent law enforcement. So the gangs maintain control of the populace, rather than the police. But we dont want a police state do we, we would rather have a drug cartel state, right?

I think I may have not read you carefully enough the first time, but you definitely didn't read me carefully at all.

But I'm stoked you want to know my likes & dislikes! It's on, baby!

Likes:
1. Laws and the Constitution
2. Catching & prosecuting actual criminals, not people with poor fashion sense
3. Apple pie...quite a bit.
4. Sunsets.

Dislikes:
1. Manichean world-views
2. Absolutist religious types
3. Simplistic solutions to tough problems.
4. Piña coladas. And getting caught in the rain.

So, what's our next step, sweetie?

Sorry, I'm spoken for :)