ojai news at The Ojai Post :: blog, newspaper, events in Ojai, California

No it will not. Yes we are. If you are among those who have been here ten years or longer, you had the privilege of experiencing a very special place, which no longer exists. Onward and upward.

In most good towns, at their peaks, maybe 5% of the people qualified as "characters", and it was they who made the town. Here in Ojai, we've been better, no doubt, but there is still a core of perhaps 500, maybe a few more, who make this town what it is. Of those, few would count as rich. As we drive the prices up, we push out everyone who's not rich. And that makes for a poor town.

Top Ten Reasons Too Many Rich People Are Bad for Small Towns:

1. Talking about real estate is boring. There has to be something else to talk about.
2. Talking about money is boring. Ditto above.
3. Rich people drink red wine and talk about the bouquet and provenance; real people drink red wine and enjoy the buzz. Buzzed people make for a more lively downtown.
4. Rich people can and do insulate themselves from reality with their money; but real towns need less insulation from each other, not more.
5. In America, wealth is wasted on the wealthy; hanging out with rich people inevitably becomes a culturally paltry experience. Small towns need people who make art. put on shows and events, play music. (Then there is a purpose for the rich people - to pay for them.)
6. In America, the least meritorious make the most money; all things being equal, small towns will thrive with more meritorious people, not fewer.
7. Supersize houses are neither cozy nor cheery.
8. Rich people are stingy with what matters; poor people are more generous, and generosity is more fun.
9. When poor people have garish taste, its confined to their small lawn, door knocker or living room - which is charming. When rich people have garish taste, its in your face every time you walk out the door.
10. Rich people don't have enough children. (Check the stats.) Children are good for small towns.

i'm not down on rich people or anyone else for that matter. but i do believe that artists are becoming an endangered species here in ojai as they are in many other "artists communities".
the powers that be seem to want to make their tourist dollars off of the uniqueness of character that an artistic community brings and yet their actions (or lack of) only make it harder and harder for artists to afford to live in that community.

we were happy in our valley. life was simple and there was
plenty for all of us. But the spirit spoke to me in a vision
and told me to be watchful. I crawled on my belly to the top of the hill and peaked over. There I saw many others coming
towards our place. They spoke in many tongues and I could hear the voices saying, "if we go to this peacful valley we
will find happiness like those who live there." The faces of those who climbed toward our place were full of hope, for they longed for our way of life. I crawled back down the hill and ran back to the village. There I told the others what I had seen and heard. We all felt great understanding for those
who were coming but knew that our valley could not stay the same. We offered up our gratitude to the great spirit for
the old ways and this place that had nurtured us for many moons.
We began to pack our tee-pees and our belongings so that we could move to another place where the old ways remained.

Ojai always coexisted with many income levels-
folks intermingled into a larger whole in this
special place. Some were richer, some were poorer.
Some had disposable incomes but no place they can
really call home. Some owned their a home but had
little disposable income. But all gladly
attempted the thankless work in local politics with
a strong common bond- they were compelled to believe that
decency can overcome mere politics. Now there seems to be a new redevelopment dictionary coming out-the term "building moratorium" means full tilt buildout of the city. It may very well be that fighting progress and projects is a lost cause-but isn't that the only cause worth fighting for? Not from the lessor, not from the higher, but from the people. Remember that phrase? Of, By, and For the People?

If that parade is any indicator, this town's over. Militaristic, religious and overly patriotic despite our failed foreign policy and that abortion of Justice by our dear leader. There wasn't even an attempt to shake people out of their fugue. It looks like even the rebel artists have left. Just the OPC accomplishing nothing with their mindless march for peace. Protesting for Peace in the absence of real action is the same as fighting terror. Ridicules.

Heil,

"Militaristic, religious and overly patriotic despite our failed foreign policy and that abortion of Justice..."
Indeed, friend! therein lies the disgust that many people feel about our nation's holy-day.

i'm sorry you're feeling so hopeless about it all, and i'm especially sorry that your expectations and interpretations of the day were not satisfied. as director of the OPC and coordinator of our parade entry, i'd like to address your accusations of "accomplishing nothing", "mindless march[ing]", and the "absence of real action":

the reason that we participate in the parade at ALL is because we believe in being the change we want to see, in creating change from participating and being engaged, not from hiding or dropping out. three years ago (when the OPC was formed, and our first time in the parade), i was feeling the overly militaristic, religious, mindlessly patriotic leanings that can so easily characterize our Independence Day celebrations. i wanted for the values of peaceful patriots to be present in the total picture of things, to equate peaceful living with freedom and Americanism, to celebrate PEACE on my nation's birthday!
so there we are, often the lone voice and image for peaceful America in the entire parade. and you know what? people CHEER for us, they get up off their sweaty asses and join us from the sidewalk, they give us peace signs and connect with us in ways that are refreshing for all. they shout "thank you" and they grip our hands tightly as we reach out to them. last year we were delighted to get support from a couple of other organizations and businesses, this year that support increased again. there are connections being made there, and people are finding a way to participate in something that brings only pain for so many (including yourself).
i dont know that Independence Day is a day for disruptive direct action, although that case could be made easily enough. participation in the parade isnt the time or place for that to me either. for clarity, we weren't "protesting for peace" either (if that term makes any sense). we were celebrating peace and freedom together, connecting the two. if you had actually read our signs, listened to our music, watched our faces and bodies, you would have seen no protest energy. we were not against anything. we were and are FOR peace, for children, for our planet, for the future.
i wonder whether you know of ANY of the actions that the Ojai Peace Coalition does the rest of the year while you're not watching from the sidewalk. sincerely, i'd like your suggestions for direct actions that you'd find valuable and might be willing to participate in. Email 'em to me.

oh, and the word is "ridiculous".