By Marie Scott Santa Monica
As a resident in Santa Monica, I feel as though my health and safety are at risk with the type of people who are taking over the Promenade and our community. There are homeless people who are down on their luck and need help physically, mentally and also emotionally. And there are also those who hang out and come to Santa Monica for a FREE RIDE. The people who have taken over the Promenade are the ones looking for the FREE RIDE or should I say THE FREE HIGH. They hang out all day and night, day after day, week after week. They don’t try to work or help themselves; they only aggressively panhandle and verbally ask for money to get high or for heroin or crack. There is no shame to their game. They will tell you in a minute they are not homeless, they just want to get high. I feel as though my rights are being violated having to tolerate this day after day. The police say it is FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Well, while they are verbalizing their freedom of speech, my freedom to enjoy my community has all gone to the pits. I say Santa Monicans WAKE UP and let’s take back our beautiful community that we used to be so proud of being a resident of. There should be ZERO tolerance of this behavior, and we need our mayor and chief of police as well as our city attorney to do something NOW, NOT LATER. When you get ready to vote this year, watch out who you vote for as it does affect YOUR community. Maybe we should all go to the Promenade and hold our own signs to tell tourists and visitors not to give money to the panhandlers. And start voicing your opinions and giving your support at the city council meetings. Next one on Sept. 10 at City Hall.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 6, 2002. Read the original PDF.