Dear Editor – Social Media Secret Society

lightbulbIt has come to my attention that there is a closed-secret-society Facebook Bulletin Board facilitated by Dan O’Brien, an outspoken Grace Church member and supporter. Some Secret Society members are full of vitriolic-incendiary and sometimes defamatory rhetoric directed toward Farragut Drive residents. Some incite others to damage the residents’ property, without considering their personal liability for doing so and creating a conspiracy where each is legally liable for all the others’ acts.

City Council Member Jeffrey Cooper is a member in good standing of the Secret Society. Dan’s ravings informed us of his tight relationship with Cooper. Dan hosted Cooper’s campaign kick-off party at his home and other matters. Dan admits, “The council would have to recuse themselves (sic) from every vote if it were based upon relationships with citizens.” That’s how incestuous and corrupt it is. Culver City’s solution is a code of silence that benefits the connected and harms the unconnected.
In September 2014, Council Member Cooper heard Grace Church’s appeal from the City Engineer’s refusal to modify the Farragut Parking Restrictions. Cooper failed to disclose his relationship with Dan when he was publically and specifically asked if any existed. Sound familiar, e.g., Andrew Weissman and Kenneth Smith? This City Council seems to be replete with undisclosed relationships, which benefit the few at the expense of the many.
15 residents of Farragut spoke when the Grace Church’s appeal was heard by the City Council. Cooper dismissed the residents’ first-hand knowledge as just “anecdotal.” There was no reason to give any weight to our testimony as, on average, we have only lived in Culver City 40 years.
At last week’s Council Meeting (continued from September 2014), Dan testified on behalf of Grace Church without revealing his relationship with Cooper. Cooper continued his silence. Cooper said he was basing his decision in favor of Grace Church on “social media.” Due to Cooper’s close ties to Dan and his membership in the Secret Society, we believe that Cooper meant the Secret Society when he referred to “social media.”
The City Council’s rampant failure to disclose conflicts of interest gives new meaning to “love thy neighbor” and “justice for all.”
Paulette Greenberg

The Actors' Gang

37 Comments

  1. WHAT? A secret social media society on FACEBOOK with over 2500 members which membership increases each day? A secret group of 2500 Culver City people who share posts to their own facebook pages, which posts are further shared throughout the community? Utter rubbish. This entire letter to the editor is a slanderous, delusional piece of garbage. I wonder why any “newspaper” would even print it.

  2. How about you and your fellow travelers opening up Dan O’Brien’s, restricted to like-minded complainers, FaceBook page. We know what you are saying; so, just let the rest of the world know.

    Also, one notes how you failed to respond to the undisclosed-conflict-of-interest allegations. Again, that assumes you can comprehend the importance of the issue.

  3. By “secret society” do you mean a Facebook group that literally anyone can join? Well allow me to let you in on a secret: I’m a member. The CCFB page is a great resource for residents – maybe not for those on the “I live on the street so I must own it” fringes of our beautiful little burg — but for those of us who actually go out and dine in its restaurants, frequent its businesses, worship in its worshippy places, send our brats to its educational and recreational facilities, and socialize with people who live beyond a 10 foot radius of our homes, it’s a great way to find out what is happening, where it’s happening and most importantly, who are neighbors are.

    Rest assured, Dan does not “rant.” Mostly he just posts helpful links free of commentary. The Farragut Drive controversy did make for some amusing threads, and there were definitely some heated opinions coming from community members, but you can’t blame Dan for that. At the end of the day, this is a community. If you really want to escape the judgment of your neighbors – not just the ones who live next door, I mean the people of Culver City – act neighborly. And you can start by not playing the victim, or showing an upstanding member of our community in a bad light.

  4. Hey Les and Paulette, I would be happy to show you how Facebook works. The group is not secret and has a lot of positive things happening and being shared. While I understand the conflict that you are currently going through, I don’t think you understand the actual purpose of the group, nor how to use it. Let me know!

    -Heather

  5. Paulette,

    This is not an episode of One Life to Live. This Facebook page is not a Secret Society where people are plotting to destroy your street. In fact, it’s funny you should mention that since parking on your street has led to people getting their tires slashed. Must be a coincidence.

    I definitely love the idea of “love thy neighbor” and “justice for all”! In fact I love it so much that I believe a small group of neighbors shouldn’t dictate what happens on a public street. You are arguing that since you own a house on a street that you should be able to say who can and can’t park in front of it and when. Do you know how crazy that is?! I am so happy that you and your husband have decided to come after wonderful citizen’s like Dan O’Brien because it exposes you for the selfish and vitriolic people you are. Grow up.

  6. Hmmmm …. Dan spent the weekend with his Boy Scout troop the teaching them how to be strong, resilient men and pillars of the community. What has the Farragut Drive clan done lately in this regard (insert cricket noises). Shame on you people … You have gone after the wrong guy in a pathetic attempt to bolster your position. Desperatate? Yes. But more shameful on the part of Crossroads for even publishing such trash.

  7. I think the Greenbergs are on to something here. Lots of malicious attacks on the neighbors of Grace Lutheran transmitted in secret to card-carrying chat-buddies by members of the Church. The central issue for me is why a non-residential entity has not tried to solve its parking problems before using its muscle to intrude on surrounding residential streets. I guess I might be more considerate of Grace Lutheran if it had just once conducted a parking study aimed at resolving its problems other than encroaching on its up-to-now peaceful neighbors. Calling the neighbors names and demeaning their character is just so hypocritical, especially when done by the self-described devout.

  8. Laura,

    The membership increases each day — with people Dan O’Brien lets in. It makes for a nice forum for like-minded people to spew vitriol. I can’t believe we haven’t all spontaneously combusted. I still don’t get how people who spout an association with “a church” can have no compassion or empathy. You don’t live here, but your group has decided to pursue what can only be called a witch hunt — rally your UPCC core to key our cars? Make accusations of slashing tires? Take up all the parking on the street and let non-neighborhood people park there? Good freaking god. If you have the time for this and deep seeded anger, go for it.

    Yikes. And this is a letter to the editor. It’s Paulette’s opinion — it’s free speech. Just like it’s free speech for you, and Dan and Doug and Brendon and Jeannine and Clausine (and look at me, calling you by your first names, like we’re friends) to be so indignant and call the residents of Farragut names.

    Repeatedly, you stroke each other by saying how Farragut is so nasty (and that’s a NICE word for us), and you guys are so not — you’re even and unbiased. Tell yourself that, Laura ,as people continue to call Les an “ass,” (Doug) the residents’ “assholes” (Brendon), “moronic and icky” (Clausine), etc. etc.
    You have no idea of what a double standard is, apparently.

    You’re not nice and compassion — at least, not to us. But that’s okay, right? We deserve it?

    There is a BRILLIANT bit of writing from a non-resident: https://claudiavizcarrablog.wordpress.com — will you share it on your super secret pitchfork gathering page? I’ll be really impressed if you do.

  9. To the person who continues to drop off unwanted flyers on doorsteps denouncing two of the city council candidates: please cease and desist. More flyers were dropped off on Monday March 21. If you would like to make your thoughts known, please do so on your own property. Perhaps a sign. I do not appreciate getting an inflammatory piece of paper on my doorstep or shoved into my gate as in years past.

    You may make your thoughts known, but do not impinge on my rights and exercise of democratic principles. Papering the neighborhood with your evaluations and conclusions is a type of political speech that I do not want to be a party too. The overwhelming majority of people I have talked to do not appreciate unfounded allegations being left on their doorsteps.

    As a “card” carrying member of Dan’s Secret Society and an avowed walker of precincts for several city council and school board candidates I will make my potential conflicts of interest known: I have personally talked to every single city council candidate. I have also had conversations, some lengthy with every single current city council and school board member.

    Please stop killing trees and wasting ink printing your missives.

  10. By the way, I’d love to park on Farragut to go to the coffee shop or the nail salon. I guess I will now have a chance to,
    for at least a little while. In the interests of full disclosure, the only times I have been in Grace Lutheran was for pre-school meetings 10 years ago and dropping off food for the homeless in recent years.

  11. Ron Davis are you the same Ron who is delivering malicious flyers to the doorsteps of innocent homeowners?

  12. Wow! I had no idea I was a card carrying member of a secret society. How exciting! And all I had to do was “like” the group on Facebook.

  13. Les Greenburg and Ron Davis, membership in Dan’s not so secret society requires both decency and civility. Therefore, because of your actions and accusations you do not qualify for membership. The special privilege that your block has enjoyed at the expense of your neighbors is finally coming to an end. If you don’t like your public street being reopened for two hour increments like the rest of Vet’s Park to the unwashed masses whose property taxes help keep your street in good repair, by all means sell your homes and move to a private, gated community since you have tons of equity in those old homes. The parking restriction was only put in place because of an entity that no longer exists and should have been eliminated decades ago.

  14. Laura,

    The membership increases each day — with people Dan O’Brien lets in. It makes for a nice forum for like-minded people to spew vitriol. I can’t believe we haven’t all spontaneously combusted. I still don’t get how people who spout an association with “a church” can have no compassion or empathy. You don’t live here, but your group has decided to pursue what can only be called a witch hunt — rally your UPCC core to key our cars? Make accusations of slashing tires? Take up all the parking on the street and let non-neighborhood people park there? Good freaking god. If you have the time for this and deep seeded anger, go for it.

    Yikes. And this is a letter to the editor. It’s Paulette’s opinion — it’s free speech. Just like it’s free speech for you, and Dan and Doug and Brendon and Jeannine and Clausine (and look at me, calling you by your first names, like we’re friends) to be so indignant and call the residents of Farragut names.

    Repeatedly, you stroke each other by saying how Farragut is so nasty (and that’s a NICE word for us), and you guys are so not — you’re even and unbiased. Tell yourself that, Laura ,as people continue to call Les an “ass,” (Doug) the residents’ “assholes” (Brendon), “moronic and icky” (Clausine), etc. etc.
    You have no idea of what a double standard is, apparently.

    You’re not nice and compassionate — at least, not to us. But that’s okay, right? We deserve it?

  15. This letter is absolutely ridiculous and I am also wondering why it was published. After leaving service last Sunday from Grace Church, I saw cars parked strategically, on both sides of Farragut, to take up at least 2 spaces (so no other cars would be able to park next to it) and in front of Meghan Sahli-Wells campaign signs. It was very disturbing. I couldn’t believe it. My two oldest children had their first communion on a beautiful Sunday morning and we see hostility as we walk to our car.

    Can the homeowners of Farragut (that participated) explain themselves and not hide behind a made up story about some “Secret Society”???

    I took photos.

  16. Brooke, you could have at least spelled my name correctly. First, not all of Vet’s Park has two-hour parking. Both Coombs and Barman (west of Coombs to Overland) are much more restricted than Farragut. Second, the bigger issue–which you might not be able to understand–is whether the City Council can change the law without public notice. Before, only residents and City Engineer decided whether restrictions in a parking district could be modified. Now, a non-resident can skip the process and petition directly to the business-loving politicos on the City Council without presenting any facts. I bet that many would have protested if they knew what City Council wanted to do. Also, it is a violation of the open-government Brown Act to slip through law changes without notice.

    Third, what is astounding is that you do not understand that we are protecting your (the unwashed masses’) rights, too.

    Fourth, you were not here in 1982 when the initial restrictions were enacted? We were. We had to jump through may hoops to get the restrictions. If you were here, you would know that the “entity that no longer exists” argument is bogus.

  17. Hi Paulette,
    I don’t know you. I don’t know Dan O’Brien. I don’t know Jeff Cooper. I don’t attend Grace Lutheran. I don’t live on Farragut.

    But I do belong to Culver City Facebook group.

    I’d say that writing a letter-to-the-editor that accuses 2,000+ of your neighbors as being “members in good-standing” of a “vitriol-filled” “Secret Society” is not the best way to build grassroots community-support for your cause.

    How about instead, a letter-to-the-editor that spells out WHY your street has different parking restrictions than neighboring streets, why they were grandfathered in, and why they shouldn’t be changed. Fill the community in on your side of the debate. I’m sure you have a reasonable point-of-view here. And yes, the facts are probably already out there, but we don’t all go to City Council meetings and read the minutes.

    As for that “Secret Society”: I’ve lived in Culver City for 15 years–I hope to be here for 40 like you!–and joined the group a few months back mostly to see old historic photos and keep up on community news. It’s not a hate-filled secret society. It’s not a secret. It’s a neat group with some very knowledgeable people in it. Yes, sometimes there are postings on hotly debated topics (the crazy parking signs near Lin Howe a couple years ago; pedestrians using the Ballona Bike path; parking restrictions on Farragut) that lead to heated exchanges and some vitriol. Unfortunately, that’s the nature of the Internet. I’d say Dan O’Brien (whom I don’t know) has done a great job at keeping that sort of stuff to a minimum.

    Also, your letter refers to our City Council members as corrupt and incestuous. They’re not. City Council members having ties to the community comes with the territory. Andrew Weissman is my lawyer. Meghan Sahli-Wells is a parent at my kids’ school. Jeff Cooper organizes the annual car show I like to go to. Mehaul O’Leary owns a restaurant I’ve been to. (Note to self: get to know Jim Clarke.) These are good, decent, fair people. They are neighbors, friends, and community-minded folks.

    I don’t know the answer to this parking topic. I hope all sides are able to sort it out and find a solution that works for all of the stakeholders. And I am empathetic to your frustration as a home-owner. But when the debate veers into accusations of hate-filled secret societies and rampant corruption among City Council members, it stops being a rational discussion, and you are going to alienate potential sympathetic neighbors. Stay on track!

    Best regards,
    Tom Mott
    Carlson Park resident and member of the Culver City Facebook group

  18. Les Greenberg’s response above (time-stamped March 22, 2016 at 5:38 pm) is much-more productive and informative than the initial letter-to-the-editor. Les, thank you for the providing additional information.
    – Tom

  19. Tom…Don’t you think Les Greenberg reviewed and approved of his wife Paulette’s post b4 she posted it?

  20. I think Paulette must be talking about the secret society made up of residents of Culver City who take part in volunteering their time to organizations that feed the hungry, help the poor, do extra work for schools, clean up La Ballona creek, become active and involved in the various commissions that are appointed by the city council, run for the City Council, sell Girl Scout cookies, are active in their church, synagogue or mosque and therefore see each other at various places around town such the YMCA, or go to movies and dinner together in our marvelous downtown area. Are those the people you are talking about? Those who love this city and everything about it and are out and about having a good time while they are helping others. Or is it the secret society who sits at home all day figuring out ways to write derogatory comments about the first group?

  21. For me, the fact that the Chamber of Commerce has not endorsed some candidates running for City Council while those whom the Chamber has not endorsed have been endorsed by dozens of progressive agencies, such as the Culver City democratic Club and the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, says it all. And re the distribution of flyers—yes, the flyers may be unwanted irritants because they offer strong opinions, but that is what makes our nation a democracy, and that’s why those supporting the Chamber and its candidates fear and resent these opinions being expressed.

  22. Hmmmm …. Dan spent the weekend with his Boy Scout troop teaching them how to be strong, resilient men and pillars of the community. Please educate me on what the Farragut Drive clan has done lately in this regard. Shame on you … You have definitely gone after the wrong guy in a sad attempt to bolster your position. Desperatate? Yes. But more shameful on the part of Crossroads for even publishing such nonsense.

  23. Mrs & Mr Greenberg,

    The reason why people outside of your area are so full of “vitriol” is because of how adamant you are against granting Culver City residents the opportunity to park on the very streets their taxes pay for. I am a parent and have watched you videotaping me as I tried to get my kid out of the car to go to school while parked in front of your home. I have heard tales of your cheering each time the poor parking attendant gives some elderly woman a ticket because she didn’t realize yours is one of the only streets in our city that has your restrictions. Your behavior is the cause of this vitriol. If you were civil and took one moment to understand the needs our collective community you would probably have more people supporting you or at least taking a minute to hear your points. Repeatedly insulting our City Council or a Facebook group is not helping.

    This is simply an argument between a homeowner who feels that her street should be private to park on and a community who disagrees since they believe streets are open to the public. That’s it. Quibbling about Council procedure, secret societies, grammar of the arguments, nepotism, etc. does nothing to advance your side of the argument. It only makes everyone thing that you are doing this because you hate and are paranoid of everyone outside of your street.

  24. I hear that the best, the very BEST way to show that you are a member of this Sinister Social Media Secret Society is to…. request a Wyant4Council Lawn Sign for your front yard. Comes with a free secret handshake tutorial. But hurry — they’re flying off the shelves — I had 9 calls today, alone. Thanks to the “Committee for CC Residents First” for the help. Get yours while they last — limited edition, and there will be NO more printed up when these are all gone!!!!

  25. Tom,

    You are right that the legal and factual position of the Farragut residents is “already out there.” I suggest that you go to TheFrontPageOnline.com and search “Greenberg.” I’ll give you the very short version from my first-hand experience.

    In 1982, due to the parking incursions in our neighborhood—schools, businesses, apartment houses and the church—Paulette Greenberg and Kathleen O’Flynn jumped through the numerous hoops and tests of the Traffic Committee and the City Council to obtain permit-only-parking restrictions. Ted Cook, the then Chief of Police, voted against 2-hour parking restrictions as they are unenforceable. Throughout the years, Farragut residents purchased and improved their homes relying upon the parking restrictions. Even with the restrictions, the police issue $30,000 per year in citations.

    I’ll skip over the City Council’s long-ago recommendation that an 8-story building be constructed behind our homes. Thanks, Jozelle. We had to fight that, too.

    After enhancements to the restrictions and repeated grandfathering by City Councils, we come to November 2013, when THIS Council (including Andrew Weissman) enacted the parking Procedures. The Procedures took politics out of the equation for established parking districts, e.g. Farragut. Only the City Engineer and residents of a parking district were permitted to modify parking restrictions in an established parking district, not the City Council. The City Engineer (Traffic Engineer) publicly stated that, due to the special characteristic of Farragut and his past analysis, he (the non-politico-expert) would not recommend any modification to the Farragut Parking Restrictions. The Church made its pitch then, but THIS City Council rejected it and adopted the Procedures.

    Then the Church repeatedly applied to the City Engineer to modify our parking restrictions, but the City Engineer repeatedly rejected the requests as the Church (non-resident) has no standing to request a modification under the Procedures.

    Then the Church appealed the City Engineer’s rejections to the City Council. But the Procedures specifically hold that there is no such right of appeal. Then we come to the August 11, 2014, where Weissman states on the record whether the Church has a right of appeal, discusses the matter and the Council votes to put the appeal on the September 8, 2014 agenda. But that discussion and action was not on the agenda, and we had no knowledge of what occurred until sometime later.

    At the September 8, 2014 council meeting, we asked whether any Council Member has or had a relationship with any member of Grace Church. One mentioned a slight relationship. The other Council Members, including Weissman, remained silent. I am sure that it is obvious, we wanted to know whether would get a fair hearing.

    Later, we made some discoveries.

    We learned of the August 11, 2014 discussion and action. We served the Council with a “cease and desist” letter as we believe the Council violated the open-government Brown Act on that date. We personally appeared before the Council to render some legal advice—sign the letter, without admitting any violation, and promise not to violate in the future. That would have put an end to the matter without any legal expense to the City. Instead, the City told us to take a hike, and we hiked to the courthouse. The trial court ruled against us and the matter is on appeal. The judge said, “[I] recognize that Mr. Greenberg is a skilled lawyer, and he certainly appears to be familiar with many of the arcane provisions of the Brown Act, and he has parsed through the [cease and desist] letter in a very careful way….” It is very hurtful to hear otherwise from vitriol-filled critics who have no knowledge of the facts. Culver City has unnecessarily expended over $140,000 on its own legal fees and will incur more. The City Council has exposed itself to paying my fees when we prevail.

    Before September 8, 2014, Weissman tried to bully the City Engineer into saying that no study had been done before the City Council enacted the 1982 restrictions. The City Engineer would not do it. Weissman said that he would go out on limb and say it. (We’ve got their email traffic!)

    Also, we learned of the business and political ties between Weissman and Kenneth Smith of Grace Church. We presented documentary evidence to the City Council. Neither Weissman nor Smith denies the relationships, but Weissman refuses to recuse himself or tell why he won’t. Weissman is your attorney. Ask him why he did not reveal and hid his conflicts of interest. Also, despite the City’s apparent lack of understanding of the law, a conflict of interest is not limited to a financial interest.

    Then, we come to the March 14, 2016 City Council Meeting. Nothing on the agenda suggested that the Council intended to change the Provisions to allow any non-resident of a restricted parking district to petition the City Council for modifications. Recall, under the Procedures, the City Council has no such authority. We waited 5 hours before we were allowed our 2-minute presentations. Jeffrey Cooper was persuaded by what he heard on “social media.” How would you feel if someone, who is supposed to be impartial, decides your dispute by relying on some “social media” of what you say, has “heated exchanges and some vitriol”? The mayor thought we had a lot of nerve to claim that Weissman should recuse himself. By a 4-1 vote, the City Council changed the Procedures.

    But the Brown Act requires such item to be placed on the agenda. We have served our “cure or correct” letter.

    This sneaky or ill-advised Council failed to give notice that it intended to change the law. Do you think that the “unwashed masses” would have had something to say to the Council on whether a non-resident business can request a modification to their residential-parking restrictions? Would they have liked to comment on whether the City should spent $35,000 on each such non-resident’s request or whether the business should first present facts to justify the request?

    You and I have apparently had different experiences with the City Council and its members, and, accordingly, have a different understanding of the word “fair.”

    When some eye-ball witness of the Church details the alleged impact that the Farragut Parking Restrictions have had upon its business activities and why it does not have access to sufficient parking, I’ll respond to your WHY. Plain and simple, it is just a matter of Kenneth Smith (of the Church) coveting something he will never get.

    You admit that there is “heated exchanges and some vitriol” directed against the Farragut residents. How does that differ from being “hate filled”? What have you done to suppress it? Dan O’Brien has the ability to stop it, not just “keep[] that sort of stuff to a minimum.” He spoke before the City Council on behalf of Grace Church. So, what do you think are his priorities?

    Let’s do the math: loss of $30,000 per year in citation income, with cost of $35,000 for a bogus “parking study,” and perhaps $1 million in litigation costs. Is all this taxpayer expense to repay a political debt to Ken Smith? And you still think the City Council decision-making and the advice it receives reflect competence?

    We do not seek support from a bunch of bad-mouthers and those who condone the bad-mouthing, but only an impartial hearing before competent persons who know and respect the law. You have my permission to try to re-publish this letter. My bet is that Dan O’Brien will not allow you to do it. Then, you’ll know that thought-control is alive and well in Culver City. To be continued….

  26. Doug Gregory, whoever you are:
    On the secret society’s FaceBook page, you claimed you had a history with me. I don’t you. What’s our history? Time to fess-up.

  27. Well Les…since you like to correct people’s grammar…I don’t understand what “I don’t you” means.
    Our history has nothing to do w/ Culver City so there’s no point in boring people with it here on a CC publication…Contact me direct and I’ll refresh your memory (Does the SEC, Governance, Arbitration, Luby’s, Yahoo Spamming ring a bell?)…Thank You…Doug

  28. Sorry, Doug, I’ll do it right this time–I still don’t know you, and I’m pretty good at remembering names. You were willing to bad-mouth me on your closed-secret-society page, so put on your big-boy pants and do it here where I can refute any alleged negatives. Consider this as me contacting you, so you can refresh my memory. Otherwise, I have no idea how to contact you.

  29. Hey Les and Paulette,
    Please, keep talking. You just make argument stronger that you are the biggest nuts in town!
    Richard P. Schoenbaum, D.D.S.

  30. Scott Wyant,

    Immediately before your post “Bruce Johansen” informed you that, on the secret-society Facebook page, “people outside of your (Mr. & Mrs. Greenberg)area are so full of ‘vitriol’ is because of” you. You know that “vitriol” means “something you said that is very cruel and angry against someone.” You make a joke of it, and, in effect, encourage un-American activity. Is there any wonder that flyers in opposition to your City Council candidacy have been distributed throughout in Culver City? You should retract your silliness and publicly reject vitriol against anyone, especially long-term Culver City residents.

  31. Richard P. Schoenbaum, D.D.S.

    “[Y]ou are the biggest nuts in town!” Hmmm. That is a very erudite (showing a lot of knowledge) statement. Evidently, “D.D.S.” training did not include a course in civility. You should reveal that you are not an objective observer. Years ago, when we tried to mediate with the church, your comment was that if we did not accept what the church had to offer, we could move. You have not changed.

  32. Bruce Johansen,

    Thank you for confirming the degree vitriol that Mrs. Greenberg alleged.

    You state, “I am a parent and have watched you videotaping me….” I never videotaped you or anyone else. I don’t know that I own anything that can create video.

    “I tried to get my kid out of the car to go to school while parked in front of your home.” It appears that you ignored the no-parking signage. Rules are for fools?

    “I have heard tales….” Come back when you have eye-ball information or videotape.

    “If you were civil and took one moment to understand the needs our collective community….” The City Engineer has looked into those needs for 34 years and has repeatedly rejected requests from the church. He is the expert. His word was good until the church pulled political strings with the City Council.

    “Repeatedly insulting our City Council or a Facebook group is not helping.” Everything I have said about the City Council is true. Please tell me one “insult” that was not based on fact. You tell of the vitriol on your “Facebook group” and then say that we “insult” it by exposing it to the disinfectant of sunlight.

    Bruce, you need a civics lesson. This is a bigger problem than a parking issue. You state, “Quibbling about Council procedure … does nothing to advance your side of the argument.” Have you ever heard of the concepts of open-government (Brown Act), due process and undisclosed or hidden conflicts of interest? If your government (City Council) can trample your rights, you have nothing. Evidently, it does not bother you that the City Council believes it can surreptitiously change laws on a whim to accommodate fellow-politicos at the expense of unconnected residents. If protecting our rights (and yours) means so little to you, so be it. You and your fellow-travelers should be thanking us.

  33. This has gotten to be too contentious, and I’m shutting this thread down. If anyone wants to write a letter tot the editor, you know the process.

  34. Les,
    I suggested at that meeting that you should adjust your attitude…If that means you have to move, that’s OK too.
    Richard P. Schoenbaum, D.D.S.

  35. Hi Les,
    Thank you for taking the time to write your response filling in the backstory. As a fellow Culver City resident (and former homeowner), I empathize with your battle over the parking restrictions. I will indeed talk to Andy and some of the other council members and candidates about it.

    A link to your response *has* appeared on the Facebook Culver City page. No “thought control” over there.

    You asked about the difference between “heated exchanges” and “hate filled”: Referring to our city council as incestuous and corrupt, or telling someone to put on their “big boy pants” … I would call those heated, maybe even vitriolic (as in “bitterly critical”) but would I accuse you of hate-speech? Naah. You’re frustrated, and you’re venting. I haven’t seen anything *worse* in the Facebook group than what you’re doing yourself. Folks get frustrated and they vent.

    Do I think you’re a bad person? Not at all. You’re frustrated and angry. You have a right to be. Do I think the people in the Facebook group are bad people? Not at all.

    Do I roll my eyes when you refer to the Facebook group as a “secret society”? Yeah, I do.

    Good luck in your battle over parking. I hope that in the end, regardless of the outcome, you will ultimately feel that you had a fair hearing.

    Regards, Tom

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