Growing Pains: Planning the Future of Los Angeles

Does the future of our city lie in a backwards dream impossible to reconcile with the ever growing megalopolis we are?  Can we really say that a region with 12.9 million people can "remain" a bastion of single-family dwellings?  Can such an already dense and ever growing city really expect our skyscapers to be palm trees rather than the grand buildings of a downtown core that draws much needed business to make such an urban center economically viable?  Or will we forge into the future with a plan to put us on par with, or even better than, the current great urban centers of the world?  Increasing density and traffic--both pedestrian and vehicular--CANNOT be denied.  What will our response be?  Reasoned or delusional?  Will proposals to alleviate traffic arteries and ameliorate density concerns continue to be consistently shot down with no other reasonable alternative proposed by the NIMBYs? Is it time for the delusional NIMBYs to move to town that more meets their impossible dreams?  I'll put a call into the Kansas board of tourism and chamber of commerce for them myself!
To be sure, the development of our city has been less than perfect.  From the ripping up of the rails of the largest urban light-rail transit system in the world to our lack of easily accessible green space to the straight-jacketing of our river which originally gave sustenance to our pueblo, we missed out on being a being a city prepared for the density and gridlock we encounter today.  We need bold, well-reasoned action now, to catch up to our future.  Have a read at the excellent article below from The Los Angeles Times:

Critic's Notebook: There's a growing disconnect on a better-connected L.A.

By Christopher Hawthorne, Los Angeles Times Architecture Critic

24 October 2010

We love your for your money, not for you.

Gay father of Cub Scout not allowed to be a Cub Scout Leader, but they are happy to take his money! 
Source: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-scoutleader_16met.ART.State.Edition1.33ce8ea.html

Gay father not allowed to be Scout leader

12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, October 16, 2010

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By JON NIELSEN / The Dallas Morning News
jnielsen@dallasnews.com

A University Park father learned this week that he will not be able to serve as a leader in his 9-year-old's Cub Scout pack because he's gay.

For the last two years Jon Langbert has organized a popcorn fundraiser for Pack 70 at University Park Elementary. Then at a September Scout meeting, someone complained about his homosexuality, Langbert said.

He said he was told this week that he can't wear the Scout leader shirt he was given last year and that he cannot serve in a leadership position because of his sexual orientation.

"What message does that send to my son? It says I'm a second-class citizen," Langbert said.

Robert McTaggart, the Cubmaster for Pack 70, said Langbert will be allowed to continue as a popcorn fundraiser. That position is not considered a leadership role and can be held by a volunteer.

The Boys Scouts of America has had a long-standing policy that rejects leaders who are gay or atheist. In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the organization's rules in a 5-4 decision.

"Our policy is not meant to serve as social commentary outside the Scout program," said Pat Currie of the Circle 10 Council, the umbrella organization that oversees Pack 70. "We respect people who have a different opinion from us. We just hope those same people will respect our right to have a different opinion."

The situation in University Park came to light after Park Cities Peoplereported it online Friday.

Currie said Langbert can continue to participate in the pack's activities as a parent.

"We wish him all the best in that endeavor, obviously," he said. "It's our hope and our desire that he stays in the program."

Langbert has agreed to continue raising money through the popcorn fundraiser, which ends in late November. But he said he's not going to let the Boy Scouts "brush this under the carpet."

He said he is angry the Highland Park school district allows the Boy Scouts to use its facilities in spite of their discrimination. He said he has contacted attorneys.

"My tax dollars are paying for their discrimination. And the next gay dad who wants to come along can't. I'm not going to let them," Langbert said. "My position is that the school cannot allow the use of their facilities to an organization that discriminates."

The Boy Scout organization can do whatever it wants!  It is a private organization.  I do, however, find it disturbing that the GAY father would have his son be in such a homophobic organization.  I was a Boy Scout and in an interview with my scoutmaster to achieve a higher rank, one of the questions asked was, "What do you think about the BSA policy of not allowing girls, atheists or homosexuals in to the Boy Scouts?" My reply, "This is a private organization and we can exclude who we want.  They have their own organizations and do the same."  I got my higher rank, and i still say the same thing today.  Let them be homophobic if they want.  Am i happy about it?  No.  Would i put my son into the organization?  No.  


The Boy Scouts of America is a great organization, EXCEPT for that homophobic thing.  It was great fun making friends, male-bonding, learning useful skills, learning how to serve our community, but because it endorses a homophobic viewpoint, i as a gay father, could not allow my son to be part of such an organization.  As an atheist i felt uncomfortable being sponsored by a Christian churches and having meetings on church property.  It is a shame that such a great organization excludes homosexuals and atheists, but this is America and as a private organization they can make such exclusions.  

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Who's a tonto?!!

Mexican Americans don't like to just get into gang fights,
they like flowers and music and white girls named Debbie too.

Mexican Americans are named Chata and Chela and chema
and have a son in law named jeff.

Mexican Americans don't like to get up early in the morning
but they have to so they do it real slow.

Mexican Americans love education so they go to night school
and take spanish and get a B.

Mexican Americans love their Nana's and their Nono's and their
Nina's and their Nino's........ Nano Nano Nina Nono!

Mexican Americans don't like to go to the movies where the
dude has to wear contact lenses to make his blue eyes brown
cause don't it make my brown eyes blue.....

"And thats all i got, how do ya like it?"

*phone rings*

Mexican Americans like to answer telephone calls and say hello 
to whoever's on the other end 

Come To Find

As i look into your lost eyes
I have to tell you
Need you to hear all of my cries
What have we come to


Stop causing all this agony
You're not the person
That i had really hoped you'd be
Thoughts of you worsen


     Yet you continually say
     He's beyond measure
     And so you really feel this way
     That he's a treasure


I know deep down you realize
Don't know why you try
To still believe all of the lies
And logic defy


And all of the signs you can see
Writing's on the wall
Why will you not just let him be
Or further you'll fall


     Know you fell really hard for him
     Don't want to let go
     But i don't think you're gonna win
     I know it hurts so


Your behavior reprehensive
Start making some sense
And your heart is too sensitive
Too great an expense


But all of this time

I have been calling you an ass

Now i come to find

Been staring at a looking glass

Ryan J. Nelson ©2010




I wielded something mightier than a sword and ended up cutting myself.  Yeah, i use pen and paper before i type it out.  I'm old-school like that!  


x

Injustice Cannot Defeat Injustice

"Can Muslims Be Good Americans?" - An exchange.

My friend sent me this email conversation and i just had to post it here (names withheld). Read till the end to see one Palestinian-American man's response to the points on why Muslims "cannot" be good Americans.

First, the following message was sent by Ms. "A" to a number of others, including Mr "B."

CAN MUSLIMS BE GOOD AMERICANS?       

This is certainly 'food-for-thought'.

This is very interesting and we all need to read it from start to finish.  And send it on to everyone.  Maybe this is why our American Muslims are so quiet and not speaking out about any atrocities. 

Can a good Muslim be a good American?

This question was forwarded to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years.

The following is his reply:

Theologically - no. . . . Because his allegiance is to Allah, The moon god of Arabia .

Religiously - no.. . . Because no other religion is accepted by His Allah except Islam .  (Quran, 2:256)(Koran)

Scripturally - no. . . Because his allegiance is to the five Pillars of Islam and the Quran.

Geographically - no . Because his allegiance is to Mecca , to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially - no. . . Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews .

Politically - no.. . . Because he must submit to the mullahs (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America , the great Satan.

Domestically - no. .. . Because he is instructed to marry four Women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34 ).

Intellectually - no. . Because he cannot accept the American

Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically - no. . . . Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran does not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually - no.. . . Because when we declare 'one nation under God,' The Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as Heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.

Therefore, after much study and deliberation.... Perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. - - - They obviously cannot be both 'good' Muslims and good Americans.  Call it what you wish it's still the truth. You had better believe it. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future.

The religious war is bigger than we know or understand. ....

Footnote: The Muslims have said they will destroy us from within.   SO FREEDOM IS NOT FREE.

THE MARINES WANT THIS TO ROLL ALL OVER THE U.S.

Please don't delete this until you send it on.

Mr "B's" response:

i went to an Anaheim Angel baseball game the other night and while I was waiting in line to go through security (no, not the ticket turnsile) I got to thinking about how we had got to this point.  I remember going to baseball games years ago and never would have thought we would have lines to stand in to go through security.  I also just got back from a trip where I stood in long lines to go through airline security where I had to almost undress.  Do you remember when flying was a real “treat” and was something you looked forward to and it was a real enjoyment.  But, now it

is just one big hassle….ask anyone if they enjoy flying today.  

Well, the reason we now all have to do is because of one thing….MUSLIMS…. no one other group, religion, country, nationality has done this to us…only the MUSLIMS…..they have created the terror that we concern ourselves with…and not only here, but all over the world.  Ask yourself….who else do you fear?  And we are to become even more tolerant of their religious rights and  want us to become sharia compliant, which means they have their laws and we have ours????  Unbelieveable……..AND THEN …..the final blow, to build a mosque right where THEY attacked us?  (build it, but not their which is their way of showing the world what they accomplished.

I hear people say that is not fair to the people who died there and I agree, but I go further…it is not fair to all of us that now have to go through

all the crap that we now go through to be concerned about another MUSLIM ATTACK on us.   And what makes it even more of a mockery, is that they check us Americans closer than they do the MUSLIMS as not to hurt their feelings and to be POLITICAL CORRECT……like we are going to attack ourselves…give me a break….BE TOLERANT????....WE ARE….AND IT HAS GONE TO FAR…..these people are not TOLERANT of our way of life which was here long before they came here…..EVERY HEAR ONE MUSLIM SAY HE WAS SORRY FOR WHAT HIS RELIGION HAS DONE TO US?   I HAVEN’T


BELOW IS SOMETHING YOU MUST READ ABOUT MUSLIMS


[Mr "C" attached the original message from Ms "A" and forwarded it on]

Mr "C's" response to Mr "B."

Hey [Mr "B!"]

Nice to hear from you again!

I want to start out by saying im sorry you had to stand in line at the Angels game, i totally understand, it's like a bad traffic jam on friday night. And yea, no one is going to deny that flying can get annoying these days. To blame this on one sixth of the world population...now that's where I'm a bit lost. I mean come on, Timothy Mcvae, the guy who tried to blow up the IRS building last year because he was fed up with the economy, and hard core christian fanatics who have murdered doctors who work at abortion clinics create "terror" too. To blame a whole group of people on the acts of a few evil individuals is totally not fair, and it is not the "religion" which has done "this to us. Ever think that American Muslims also have to deal with the fact that their entire religion is labelled as violent because of what a few idiots did? I must say that i'm glad you sent this my way; sometimes it really helps to talk to someone who is actually Muslim about these issues :) If you take the time to read the quran and study islam you will find that in the quran it says in 5:32 that if someone murders one person it's as if he murdered all of mankind and if somone saves someone it's as if he saved all mankind. The Quran considers human life to be sacred and preaches tolerance and love of others. On a side note, if you'd like one i can get you an english copy of the quran and some more info on islam if you'd like. Or you can check out www.whyislam.org for more info. As for muslims and muslim leaders speaking out against this kind of stuff, check out the video below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IofpsHOosE

Below i have typed out a response to the email you forwarded me. Enjoy!

____________________________________________________________________________________________

[CAN MUSLIMS BE GOOD AMERICANS?]

Theologically - no. . . . Because his allegiance is to Allah, The moon god of Arabia .

Last time i checked the constitution states very clearly

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". Our country is founded on the fact that you don't have to follow a specific belief to be a good American citizen. Also as a side note, Allah is simply the Arabic term for "God" and is also used by Arab Christians; Muslims don't believe in a moon god and believe in the same god as the Jews and the Christians.

Religiously - no.. . . Because no other religion is accepted by His Allah except Islam . (Quran, 2:256)(Koran)

Religiously, just like members of Christianity and Judaism, Muslims consider Islam to be the correct religion. However it also states very clearly in the quran: "Let there be no compulsion in religion..." 2:256. Religion is a personal choice.

Scripturally - no. . . Because his allegiance is to the five Pillars of Islam and the Quran.

Since there is no "american" scripture that "american" citizens are supposed to follow, this doesn't make much sense. American Jews follow the Torah and American Hindus follow the Vedas. There is no difference when you say that American Muslims follow the Quran. Moreover, the five pillars are simply personal spiritual duties which inclue prayer, charity, fasting, the declaration of faith, and pilgirmage; if we look closely we find that all religions have such duties and these duties don't clash with being a law-abiding, contributing american citizen.

Geographically - no . Because his allegiance is to Mecca , to which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Mecca is considered a holy location to muslims just like jerusalem is considered holy to both christians and jews. Muslims face in that direction to pray so that all muslims will be united when they pray (meaning that a chinese muslim and a danish muslim will both be praying towards the same direction when they pray). If you ask any American Muslim where their home is and what their nationality, they will tell you i'm american just like you.

Socially - no. . . Because his allegiance to Islam forbids him to make friends with Christians or Jews .

This is false. I am Muslim and i have a lot of non-muslim friends, and even non-Muslim family members. Moreover the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself historically made alliances with the Jews of madina and was close friends with the christian king of abyssinia. Check up your history! :)

Politically - no.. . . Because he must submit to the mullahs (spiritual leaders), who teach annihilation of Israel and destruction of America , the great Satan.

Currently i would say that there are no "islamic" countries which actually rule according to the true teachings of Islam. Moreover it is stated very clearly in the quran in 4:135 that muslims must stand up for justice and against injustice no matter who the one who is doing the injustice is. So actually it would be against Islam to "submit" to anyone who teaches the annhialation of innocent civilians.

Domestically - no. .. . Because he is instructed to marry four Women and beat and scourge his wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34 )

Muslim men are not instructed to marry four women. Moreover, it says in the quran in 4:19, a few verses earlier addressing Muslim men "...live with them on a footing of kindness and equity..." In another verse of the Quran it states: "And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity between your hearts: verily in that are signs for those who reflect"(Rum:26)

Intellectually - no. . Because he cannot accept the American

Constitution since it is based on Biblical principles and he believes the Bible to be corrupt.

Although the Muslim believes that the bible has been changed over time and that there are clear theological issues with the accuracy of the bible, it is considered to have originally been a respected revelation of God to mankind through prophet jesus peace be upon him. Moreover, as a Muslim who knows the quran and the constitution well, i can confidently say that the honorable principles of the consitution also mirror the principles of the Quran.

Philosophically - no. . . . Because Islam, Muhammad, and the Quran does not allow freedom of religion and expression. Democracy and Islam cannot co-exist. Every Muslim government is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Again, refer to verse 2:256 "let there be no compulsion in religion". Moreover it is historically a well known fact that the golden age of spain was actually when it was under Muslim rule because Muslim rulers were so tolerant of non-Muslims, particularly the jews. It was only with the reconquista of spain that the jews were expelled under the catholic rulers king ferdinand and queen isabella. Check it out! Really cool history btw!

Spiritually - no.. . . Because when we declare 'one nation under God,' The Christian's God is loving and kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to as Heavenly father, nor is he ever called love in the Quran's 99 excellent names.

Here are some of the 99 names of Allah:

Al-Rahman: the most compassionate

Al Raheem: the most merciful

Al Salam: the bestower of peace

Al Ghaffar: the forgiver

Al Lateef: the gentle

Al Shakur: the appreciative

Al Kareem: the generous

Al Wadud: the loving One

you're probably thinking...huh? but yea...i can go on and on :)

Sincerely, [Mr "C"] :)