Resident differ on Fourth of July celebration This past week, Q-line asked: “Is it important for Santa Monica to have a Fourth of July celebration? Would you help pay for it?”
Here are your responses: ■ “Personally I am indifferent to a Fourth of July celebration in this city. This city is already horribly overcrowded and it always draws a large majority of the undesired element of which we are already teaming. As far as giving them money, that is the biggest laugh of the year. They have already squandered and mismanaged millions. Witness all the unnecessary street and sidewalk ‘repair.’ Absolutely unbelievable. Do they think we are all blind and nuts?” ■ “No, I would not pay a cent for the $50,000 event that they want for the fireworks. If people want to watch fireworks that bad they can drive to Marina del Rey or Culver City. They should use that $50,000 for something better than the fireworks. Thirty seconds after they are up in the air you don’t see them any-more. It’s a waste of money! I think that the City Council has marbles for brains and they sit on them.” ■ “I have been a Santa Monica citizen for 50 years. Once people take over the past duties of the city there is no stopping. Get rid of the three F’s — fat, fraud and favors. Then there will be plenty of money for schools and so forth. Next the City Council will be asking the children to bring their piggy banks to school. I’m sure that’s next.” ■ “Over the years Santa Monica has had the most wonderful fireworks shows and I have never had a problem finding those generous people willing to give money to fund the display. Unfortunately the display was so popular that it created a horrific traffic jam and some antisocial behavior. Viewers filtered into the city slowly. After the display, everyone wanted to leave at once creating a medley of car horns into the late evening. The Santa Monica Police Department did an excellent job of directing traffic but it was not an easy job.” ■ “Why is SMC providing fireworks, the performing arts theater, and more programs and opportunities for the community than the city? Answer: Because the city is too incompetent to do these things themselves. We could have prevented this problem if we didn’t have SMRR sycophants running the city.” ■ “I strongly agree and want to know about fund-raising efforts and how they are underway. I hope you keep printing things in the paper. It is very important to Santa Monica to have a Fourth of July celebration. It’s important as a psychological tool to help weave the fabric of our community. Especially after this war, which scarred the psyche of children and all people. It has divided many people and questioned the leadership of this country. We all need to come together and feel connected again because there is a lot of bad feelings.” ■ “Absolutely not. I would not contribute a cent to a Fourth of July celebration. In a city where so much money is wasted on needless projects, it’s a sad commentary that our citizens are asked to pay for fireworks. A letter to the editor earlier this week by a lady named Jan, hit the nail right on the head when she spoke of all the crap going on in our town. Where the “H” are the council members’ heads? Or should I say their hands? A major corporation’s pockets? I’d like to believe not but they are no different than our big brothers in government.” ■ “For the Santa Monica City Council to first release huge funding to grandly celebrate Cinco De Mayo at the pier and about town, essentially stuffing its and other foreign countries’ celebration down our throats. Santa Monica College on regular basis when it puts on any other odd celebration like Cuba Fest and other un-American and essentially single ethnic celebrations in favor of not celebrating OUR most treasured American Independence Day otherwise known as the Fourth of July is a direct insult, a slap in the face to Americans, especially our distinguished war veterans. Would I pay to have the fireworks celebration at Santa Monica College? I certainly would if the Mexican- American administrators who were there would have the Mexicans and other Latinos who enjoy their exclusive Cinco De Mayo celebrations at the pier and college and odd celebrations like the month-long Cuba Fest. Cinco de May next year? Hell no.” ■ “Cast against the Fourth of July fireworks extravaganza. With teachers being laid off and people becoming unemployed, it’s sheer folly to spend money on fireworks. That money could be better allocated.” ■ “I think it’s vitally important that Santa Monica College has the fireworks. I’m telling my daughter one more time that there is going to be another cancellation. It’s important for the kids to feel a sense of community. This is one of the few times they can. We are talking about the budget cuts in education, my daughter is about to start SMC. I don’t know if I can send her there because of all the restrictions. This is one time that kids should have a good time. Let them have some fun and let them see it’s not always about the money.” ■ “I think the Santa Monica fireworks are very important to the spirit of the community. I think it would be a shame to cancel them because the president spent too much money going to war. Now nobody has any money at the local level. I would suggest that people maybe contribute 50 cents or $1 to get in. If you don’t have 50 cents for a nice fireworks show, that’s pretty pitiful, maybe there is something we can do for them. That would probably raise half the money right there, heck maybe all of it!” ■ “Personally I am indifferent to a Fourth of July celebration in this city. This city is already horribly overcrowded and it always draws a large majority of the undesired element of which we are already teaming. As far as giving them money, that is the biggest laugh of the year. They have already squandered and mismanaged millions. Witness all the unnecessary street and sidewalk ‘repair.’ Absolutely unbelievable. Do they think we are all blind and nuts?” ■ “I don’t think it’s necessary for the City of Santa Monica to acquire more expenses. Everyone can celebrate together in their homes or go to the beach. It is not important for SMC to have fireworks.” ■ “The fireworks are pretty but now is a good time to grow up and express patriotism in some way that is not shooting things off into the sky. Especially when the money is so badly needed for other things.” ■ “I thinks it’s a nice family affair. I believe it’s free as I recall. Charge admission. It’s as simple as that.” ■ “I believe Santa Monica should pay for the Fourth of July celebration with the fireworks on the beach like they’ve done every year for the past 40 years. Instead of continuing to beautify the city with islands that you can’t drive past and tall flowers that you can’t see traffic beyond. I think they should start putting their resources where they could best be used. Like paving the street and making our little Fourth of July celebration.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 23, 2003. Read the original PDF.