Rand Conference on Homelessness is Clueless About the Reality on the Streets of Santa Monica

Dear Council,

This article reporting on the Rand conference on "homelessness" is revealing. Round-and-round we go, as criminals prey on us, threaten us when we step out to walk the dogs, trespass, and senselessly steal anything and everything (below, this addict, holding either a weapon or a butane lighter for his drugs, steals our dog's ball in broad daylight. Why, my dog Bonnie asks? Because he's here. Sorry, Bonnie!). Not as bad as breaking into our garage and stealing electric bikes (not covered by insurance), but still, not somebody you want your kids or wife to discover in your yard.

Meanwhile, we get these feel-good secretions from the Rand conference:

Lindsay Horvath (LA County Supervisor): From Article: "Working with the LA County Department of Mental Health, she stated that a behavioral health van will have an 'imminent' arrival in Santa Monica after the hiring of a dedicated clinician to increase direct mental health contact."

Oh, it's imminent alright, and has been for over a year! Apparently, we have the van but can't find somebody to staff and drive it. Darn! If only there was a solution to this intractable problem! Anyone? ... Too bad Lindsay, the youngest supervisor elected, isn't the chair of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Oh, wait, she is!! (You can't make this stuff up).

Gleam Davis (Santa Monica Mayor): "We believe that everyone, regardless of where you come from, who you love, what you look like, what your level of education is ... you are welcome in Santa Monica ... we want to build a Santa Monica for all."

Gleam, all that sounds great, and you've said it ad nauseum, how anybody who rolls up and sleeps on our streets is a "Santa Monican," but it's completely out of touch with what residents are dealing with every day. Your desire for social justice comes at the expense of people who actually live here, pay taxes, and contribute to society. Here's a crazy idea: Santa Monica shouldn't welcome homeless transient addicts with free housing and endless support because the sad truth is they will never be productive citizens. And we will forever be their victims. But this resident said it best: Ill-Conceived City Ideology Victimized the Community. Worth a quick read lest you think I'm the only one who sees it this way.

Matt Horton (Milken Institute Senior Advisor!): From article: Horton noted that safety is also connected to the struggle with affordable housing, pointing to low housing development rates, as well as the demographic disparities in homelessness that negatively impact the area's African-American population.

Well, Matt, if this is what you have to say during the "safety" portion of the discussion, then welcome! You fit right in. Also, sorry because you're going to hate this and I hope you don't get canceled, but it's vaguely racist; insinuating the black population was more responsible for our crime when they are most likely to be victims it. Just so you know, the guy who attacked me with a pipe last year had red hair. If only he had housing, all his addiction, chronic violence (three assaults with a deadly weapon), and Mental illness would be solved!

Matt Horton Again! Direct quote: "When we think about safety, and about accountability, governance, I want us also to really think about this from our city's public health kind of dynamic, that can give us more accountability (and) gives the community more input."

Congratulations Matt! In a field of stiff competition, you are the winner in saying absolutely nothing to Santa Monica's suffering residents (while toeing the party line that housing will solve everything). Orwell would be proud, and for that, you get TWO QUOTES in this email.

I could go on, but I've reached the conclusion that this can only be solved with an election. And it's coming. Even your brethren up in San Francisco has smelled the coffee, and (wow!), has suddenly seen the light that this isn't a housing issue at all. This is an addiction and mental health crisis that for political and ideological reasons some of you on the council-here's looking at you, Jesse, Gleam, Caroline-are refusing to adjust to. But Mayor Breed has finally hit the endgame of this braindead ideology. (Breed Wants Mandatory Drug screening, Treatment for SF Welfare Recipients). Soon, Santa Monica will be completely alone in its insanity of doing the same thing over and over.

Why did Mayor Breed change? Because a hit of Fentanyl is two bucks and 70 people are dying a MONTH in San Francisco (on track to 850 for 2023). This is four times the number from 2017. This renders "Care in place" as a cruel joke, because addicts die before any care can take hold (news flash, we're not in the time of Heroin, we're in the time of Fentanyl). Call it whatever you want but don't con yourself that you're being compassionate. It's not compassionate to allow incapacitated people who are unable to make a good decision to kill themselves on our streets. But hey, it is getting rid of the addicts in an expeditious way! Creative problems solving at its best!

Joking in the face of tragedy aside, the enraging part is deep down you know you don't really care. You just like to virtue signal to your tribe, reveling in luxury beliefs while we, and those you purportedly want to help, suffer. Just once, step out of that tribe, like Mayor Breed did, and show me a sign that you're capable of a whiff of heterodox thinking. Remember, the ability to change one's mind is a sign of intelligence.

So just once, act in a way that shows me you have a clue about the only and major concern of the residents of Santa Monica: crime and disorder. Of course, that would take remembering your titles instead of indulging your delusions.

Arthur Jeon

PS - If you don't know what I mean by luxury beliefs, they are beliefs espoused from a privileged perch that's immune to their repercussions. Think "defund the police" which 80% of the black community is against because they are the actual victims of the crime, but championed by the far left outliers removed from reality. Here's a good article about the topic in The Free Press: (Two murders-and the Cost of Luxury Beliefs).

Meanwhile: Santa Monica! Everybody welcome!