Some years ago, already
deep in our sordid struggle to regain access to our homes over our historic,
usual route, we attended a town meeting in Agua Dulce. Norm Hickling, Deputy
for our Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, spoke about our
issue. I must apologize that I have little recollection of Norm's comments other
than my own frustration. He handed out a booklet about what Los Angeles
County could and could not do. I cannot refer to the title exactly right now
because I threw the booklet away a couple of years ago.
But let me summarize and
read between the lines:
The County of Los Angeles
cannot stop itself from causing the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Rail
Authority to close a specific crossing, while leaving other equivalent crossings
open.
The County of Los Angeles
cannot take control of a road in order to keep it open for residents who live
along it, except for the hundreds of roads it does keep open. The County does
not want to be responsible for our dirt road. Are we supposed to believe that
there are no other dirt roads in all of the County of Los Angeles?
Two questions:
Are we to believe that the
County of Los Angeles is too WEAK to
create or enforce a policy of fairness for all of its citizens? Really?! There is no way, there is no person
or committee creative enough to find a way to correct a wrong largely
perpetrated by this very County? REALLY?? Yes, I’m yelling now. REALLY??!?
Let’s get this straight.
The County of Los Angeles is more populous than forty-two of the fifty states. It
is the most populous county in the State of California, nay the entire country! Each of the County
Supervisors represents two million people. And we and you and everyone else is
supposed to believe that with all those people, and all that power, there is NO
WAY Michael Antonovich and Norm Hickling can correct a misreading of federal
railroad guidelines, NO WAY they can pick up the phone and insist on honesty
and responsible care for this community.
Bull. With a constituency
of two million people it is inconceivable that Mr. Antonovich could not re-open
our road tomorrow. We can’t help it; we just do not believe it, and as long as
we get no sensible explanation as to why we are legally cut off from the
blacktop, it is exceedingly difficult to feel we are being treated fairly or
honestly.
Maybe some are fooled into
believing that with such a large population to tend to, Mr. Antonovich has no
time to take care of a small neighborhood. Yet Mr. Antonovich has time to tweet
about adopting pets, and his deputy Norm Hickling has time to talk to members
of our community and soothe us with pap that the facts render us unable to
believe.
We are left with no choice
but to believe that the County of Los Angeles has no desire to restore our access
and property values. Speaking just for myself, if I had that kind of power and
responsibility, I would move Heaven and Earth to make sure that our roads worked
for everyone, and that all were served fairly. This episode is a blot on the
honor and integrity of Los Angeles County, and, sadly, supports the contention
of University of Illinois at Chicago Political Science Professor Dick Simpson that
Los Angeles County is the second most corrupt in the country.
So what chance do we have
against a steamroller that intends to crush us?
We believe that there are
two forces that are more powerful even than rogue agencies of the State of
California and County of Los Angeles:
·
The People of the County of Los Angeles,
the State of California, the United States of America and even the world. Our
plight is being recognized across the nation and in ten other countries. We are
confident that public opinion can overpower this injustice, just as it has in other
fights for the fair treatment of the citizens of America as well as in other
countries.
·
Dedicated, honest members of the Government
of our state and county, wherever they may be.
We await your awakening
and action.
