By Stan Smith Santa Monica
Having just received and read Kevin Herrera’s “Rude deli patrons irk neighbor” (Nov. 13), I am driven to reply. First, I have patronized Izzy’s for over 25 years and have yet to see “rude deli patrons.”
Second, (the article) makes no case for Izzy’s having “rude” patrons, but you use it in your headline. Poor journalism and poor jurisprudence?
“schmucks” — We need fewer in this world
Third, while I feel badly for Nathan Crowe and his disabled and medical conditions, he lives in a semi-mixed commercial-residential zone, and all that that implies. If the deliveries are “illegal”... Crowe has the ability to call the city and complain.
Now, as for drunks and other obnoxious people: I’ll bet Izzy’s doesn’t want late-night drunks around any more than Crowe. Obnoxious people and drunks would drive business away from Izzy’s. I’ll bet Izzy’s would call the SM police to handle the drunk or obnoxious. Some of the problem of the late-night drunks and hood sexists may be caused by SM’s lax policies regarding street people and the various nuisances they perpetrate, but that is the subject of another Kevin Herrera article in future, I would hope.
Fist-fighters and car-hood sex should be reported by Crowe to the SM police, not blamed on Izzy’s! I fail to see the connection between people getting drunk elsewhere in SM or LA or WLA or Van Nuys or Cucamonga, driving DUI to Izzy’s for late-night service — hopefully coffee or rejection! — and blaming Izzy for the drunkenness, the fist-fighting or the hood sex. Oy vez mir!
My guess is Crowe should be directing his ire toward the sports bar “The Parlor” up Wilshire from Izzy’s. My further guess is Crowe should be asking the SM City Council and PD and the ABC to patrol and watch and just generally supervise the rowdies at The Parlor who may be taking in too much alcohol and testosterone, then taking their rivalries or ardor outside for either a fisticuff match or car-hood adorning session! After all, SM’s Planning Commission and city general plan and zoning ordinance and use permits all allow for boys to be boys, girls to be girls, some to be whatever, and noise happens regardless of zoning, especially when you cram too many people in too small a space, expect them to recreate and work and sleep and eat bagels alongside each other, and endure the side-effects and awful human offal.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 27, 2007. Read the original PDF.