By Steve Barry Santa Monica
So I attended the city-sponsored rave on Saturday night, also known as Glow. I actually looked forward to this public art event that went from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday. After all, I wanted to see how $300,000 was spent, of which the city of Santa Monica ponied up $100,000.
One hundred thousand dollars of taxpayers’ money … that could have been allocated to a more permanent piece of art, or fixing potholes? Speaking of potholes, I observed a lot of young people smoking pot and doing other drugs, not to mention scores of presumably underage kids sipping from Gatorade bottles that must have had more than Gatorade, based on the way they were acting.
I saw quite a bit of paramedics activity carting away people who appeared intoxicated or on narcotics. Not to mention all the traffic congestion, people speeding past traffic enforcement officers, jaywalkers galore. I even witnessed two police officers commenting on all the marijuana smoke in the air.
Don’t get me wrong. I like art. My wife is an artist. I support the Santa Monica Museum of Art as well as several other art museums and organizations. Art is subjective, I know that. But, if anything, this was like a rave.
It’s just that so many young people (I am in my 30s so I am talking about teens and those in their 20s) were there for the partying, drinking and tripping. While I am not suggesting that despite the art exhibit in the senior center’ windows displaying the word “ecstasy,” which is a popular narcotic among young people, it seemed that the vast majority of the attendees weren’t there to appreciate or even experience art.
Rather they were there to get high or drunk. If the parents don’t mind or care, then neither do I.
But next time let’s not do it on the city (and ultimately) our dime.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 23, 2008. Read the original PDF.