By Tony Street Santa Monica
What the hell is Ron Scott Smith’s problem with being a white, middle-aged, home owning male living in Santa Monica? Sounds like there’s some serious self-loathing going on there.
Based on what he has written in the past, he supports a never-ending supply of homeless people flooding our city. He hates anyone who enjoys working hard, making a good living, owning a nice home, driving a nice car, and who (God-forbid) wants to live in a nice, safe, clean place.
It seems that for Mr. Smith, wealthy people equal evil people. Here’s my guess: He comes from a wealthy family. Dad worked hard and was never home so he learned to hate his father and what he represented all the while hating himself because he secretly enjoyed the lifestyle he was privileged to have. When he was old enough to go to college he decided to make a statement to Mommy, Daddy, and most importantly himself, by choosing the most liberal college he could attend (Berkeley?).
He sold the BMW Daddy bought for him and got a 1967 VW Bug. He watched old tapes of the ’60s protests and civil rights marches. He stopped shaving and chose a nice liberal arts major like Black Studies, Chicano Studies, Women Studies, so that he would insure two things: One, he would piss-off Daddy and two, he would guarantee that he would never get a real job.
After college he made one concession that haunts him to this day — he let his “family money” pay for his “little abode” in Santa Monica.
And now he fancies himself the defender of the poor, downtrodden, helpless, hopeless masses from his lofty perch while heaping scorn upon ANYONE who dares to be successful.
Or, I could be wrong.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on December 7, 2002. Read the original PDF.