SM Babylon

I live in Santa Monica, Ca. We have a long stretch of beautiful Pacific coastline and it is impossible to park anywhere along the coast after 10 pm. Why? It is a strange development since when I was a teenager in this city it was quite legal to take your girlfriend out and enjoy the stars, waves and a little intimate companionship. Not today. We have regressed in our social mores. What is the problem? Terrorists prefer to park at the beach to made their insidious plans? Or perhaps burglers plan their cappers where police are not investigating? No, I have got it kids may smoke an herb that is the lowest priority crime in the city and then drive home?

How can it further public safety to not allow legal, law abiding citizens to park on THEIR beach in the evening? When will we wake up and realize that our freedoms are being greatly eroded in the name of an irrational bogeyman called "public safety?" Is it perhaps more rational to address criminal activity that actually harms someone? I think it may be an unholy cabal of paranoid anti-freedomist (fascists!) and the so-called liberal do-gooders who want to make money (with parking tickets) for their mommy state social programs. Ever seen the horde of people waiting for the hand-out at OPCC. I am not against kindness and charity to those on hard times or disabled but check that crowd some time. Maybe a few of them would be willing to work for a meal???? Anyway, I digress:

Who said that the beach is only fit for enjoyment during daylight hours? What is the risk to the public in my parking there at midnight? Wake up the sand crabs? By the way, this police state control has permeated many areas of the metro area. I recently cruised through another old stomp, Mulholland Dr. and yep again it is not possible to park after 9 pm. Why? Oh, I get it I might park there and plan a caper on a near by property owner's home. Forget about the fact that the majority have major security systems, gates and dogs. No, let's get real. They simply don't want the lumpen riff-raff enjoying their beautiful view. They paid for it goddammit and they elected the city council and they want their privacy. Funny, I can't pull this trick on my street in Santa Monica. There are RVs posted for weeks on end in my area. No police harassment there.

Back in '68 we were foolishly optimistic in our youthful idealism. We dreamed that society would be freer and love would rule. Fortunately, a cadre of us still hold to this dream and live this reality. Around us is the paranoid, anti-freedom fascists who pit each of us against the other in the name of the right to work long hours in order to purchase the latest gadget. Don't get me wrong, I am not a anti-technology fanatic, I have a fun MP-3 player, an LCD flat-screen TV and laptop computer but what is really important. Joy, love, community, music, freedom and family. Please get my "government" off my back so I can enjoy the full moon at Will Rogers beach.