 Edward "Ed" Garren, MFT is a Family Therapist, justice activist, former West Hollywood City Council candidate, writer and sojourner. By Ryan Gierach. |
I had quite a few letters about my column last week regarding the Democratic Party, particularly in West Hollywood.
I refer you to those letters, which are in the "Letters" section of this week's edition of WeHoNews. The actual response, or non response from any of the persons I mentioned in the article is both interesting and expected.
The whole point of the article was that the local leadership has gone out of it's way to exclude any dissent. The most recent manifestation of this appears to be the elimination of the Assembly District Committees in the party. It was the local A.D. committee that bucked Stonewall and West Hollywood Democratic club by not endorsing Abbe Land for Assembly, now the party has decided to eliminate the committees.
One more example of desperate people, feeding on their own, refusing to consider that they may not have all the answers, killing off any ideas that are not from their own ever shrinking ranks.
The rumor that made my week was the one that my comments had actually been "ghost written" by a local community leader, and published as mine.
 The two gentlemen flanking former LA city council member Mike Feuer (c), Assembly members Paul Koretz (l) and Lloyd Levine (r) teamed to make Mr. Feuer the Democratic candidate for assembly instead of West Hollywood’s Abbe Land. By Ryan Gierach. |
I guess they haven't been reading my column for the past year. Perhaps they don't think I am capable of intelligent expression.
What I do know is that these so called "public servants" continue to ignore swelling ranks of people who are very disappointed with their work. Lots of us have been trying to engage them in dialogue for years. One at a time, they chase us off, wondering why fewer and fewer people are interested in working with the party.
They just keep pretending we aren't here, we don't vote and that no one is listening to us.
They are so out of touch with the larger body of residents and citizens that one has to wonder, what medication are they on? Moreover, what planet are they on?
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So in the interest of brevity for this week's column, I want to clarify a few things with the folks that I mentioned last week.
No one "ghost writes" anything for me. I am currently averaging about 5,000 hits a month on this online newspaper and about the same on my own personal web site, www.edgarren.us.
 This former Historic Preservation Commissioner, George Credle, a candidate for a master’s degree at USC in Historic Preservation, was relieved of his commission duties by the council after for City Council. By Ryan Gierach. |
So even if you're not listening, a lot of other people are. Lots of people are fed up with "Politics as Usual" and your continued refusal to listen to those in the party who have opinions other than your own. Among your ranks of hacks and "yes" people, most have a position to lose, or the illusion of power to maintain.
As I've repeatedly stated, anyone in West Hollywood who disagrees with the power structure gets summarily ostracized, which is why so many toe the line and keep their mouth shut. Just ask all the people who have been fired from commission posts for breaking ranks with the "Troica" at city hall. This mentality appears to permeate too much of Democratic Party dealings in Los Angeles County.
It is a sad state of affairs when the only way one can have a voice in the Democratic Party is to have to leave, and stand outside shouting, but that's what has evolved.
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As I said in my last column, it would be different if we were winning elections, but we aren't. Worse, it's not just about winning elections, it's about the future of this country and the planet.
 West Hollywood City Council member Abbe Land. By Ryan Gierach. |
In the words of Bob Dylan, "Admit that the waters around you have grown and accept it that soon you'll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you is worth savin' then you better start swimmin' or you'll sink like a stone. For the times they are a changin'. --- Come senators, congressmen. Please heed the call. Don't stand in the doorway. Don't block up the hall. For he that gets hurt. Will be he that has stalled. There's a battle outside. And it's ragin'. It'll soon shake your windows. And rattle your walls. For the times they are a-changin'.
Lots of people are fed up with your refusal to listen to them. That's why the party has lost the faith of the people.
It's why Abbe lost her election, I contend, not because of "dirty tricks" or bad politics, but because she lied to too many people and word got around.
What part of that don't you understand?
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There are times when regular politics will not do,
and this is one of those times. -- Molly Ivins
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Edward "Ed" Garren, MFT is a Family Therapist, justice activist, former West Hollywood City Council candidate, writer and sojourner.
 Advertise With WeHoNews - Reach 55,000 pairs of eyes each month while supporting WeHo’s ONLY COMMUNITY ONLINE NEWSPAPER |
He is originally from the Tampa Bay area of central Florida. Ed has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Frontiers news magazine, and other books, including "Out of My Mind", a pictorial memoir by Kris Nelson. He is currently working on a book about Addiction in America.
Ed Garren can be reached, even in the North Western haunts, at