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Opinion, stories, events, and people that shape Santa Barbara
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Living With Gangs – View From The Street: Part I by Sharon Byrne
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he gang injunction came into public focus beginning in late 2010. I’ve had a lot of conversations with a lot of people about it since then. Some are concerned for youth and their civil rights, some for safety, halting gang proliferation, diversion, prevention, intervention, schools, families, the justice system and so on. But one voice seems to be consistently missing from public discourse: that of the neighbors in areas profoundly afflicted by gangs. Only Chief Sanchez tries to advocate for these neighbors. Given the political winds in this town, he’s having a hard time, though it’s clear he recognizes that voice is presently going unheard. And he knows why. In the denser neighborhoods, where most gang activity occurs, people live at close quarters, so visibility between neighbors is high. Thus the threat of retaliation against those who speak up is quite real. Ied’s and Simpson’s murders show us that violence is not restricted to gang members. If a regular citizen crosses the gang’s path, violates ‘the rules,’ or fails to show proper respect, they rapidly discover some whole other social order is in place in these neighborhoods. Violence silences neighbors living close to it, for fear they will be attacked, which is precisely what gangs want. What follows is a look into life on some streets in our fair city. I don’t reveal names for safety reasons. But their stories are real and need to be heard. Caveat emptor: contrary to popular belief, there are no clear scapegoats or easy answers here. Gang member who returned to pick up his wallet after stabbing on Cottage Grove Ave. Police were still processing the scene. They (the rival gang) are a bunch of pussies. They brought knives. (This was apparently supposed to be a fistfight of 20 or so gang members.)
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Sharon Byrne
Sharon Byrne is executive director for the Milpas Community Association, and currently serves on the Advisory Boards for the Salvation Army Hospitality House and Santa Barbara County Alcohol and Drug Problems.
sbview.com Raquel, Eastside. We started the watch, and the cops camped here for a couple weeks. It seemed like it was working. I called in about a fight on the corner, and the cops came real fast. That was good. A couple days later, I saw a car cruising the Eastside park with some gang types in it. They were maddogging people in the park, so I pulled over and called 911. The next day, my tires were slashed. In my driveway. My daughter told me to stand down on the watch. It’s not worth it, Mom, she said. You could get killed. Joel, witness to a gang-related homicide on the Westside. My boss (who lives in the area) said I have to tell the police what I saw. Two weeks later, they jumped me, in a restaurant nearby. People called the cops, and they came fast. But now I am scared to come pick up my paycheck at my boss’s house. I don’t want any more trouble. Tom, after a stabbing on his street on the Westside. Let me get this right. They start a fight on the street, and the gang members who get stabbed are “victims”? What about us? We have to repeatedly put up with this s***. How would you like to wake up at night hearing shouts, cop cars clustered on your street, flashing lights, on a loudspeaker yelling “Stop! Put your hands up! Get face down on the ground! Now!” Like they’d put up with this for a minute in Montecito. The city would be all over that. But if you live downtown, it’s all good? Rosa, Westside. I knew my son was going bad. We fixed up the shed out back for him. I didn’t think it was good for him to be in the house with the little ones. They didn’t need to see that stuff he was doing. He had a mental problem. He took the medical marijuana for it. He had
a prescription, but I didn’t want him smoking it in the house. So we moved him outside. I ate one of his brownies. I didn’t know there was marijuana in it. Had to go to the hospital because I couldn’t even move. I thought it was a stroke. The hospital told me it was the brownie. I never thought a brownie could paralyze you, but it sure messed me up! I’ve never talked to anyone about this. He was into some bad s***. If I said something to him, like why do you gotta’ do that, he’d get real angry, yell at me, and throw stuff. But sometimes he’d be sweet and say ‘don’t worry Mama, I’m ok.’ It was just better not to mess with him in case he went all crazy. He scared me. But he’s my son. What was I supposed to do? After he was gone (to prison), I woke up to breaking glass in the middle of the night. His babies were sleeping where they broke the window in our house. Man, that was really scary! The police came and took a report. They know he used to live here. I see them (gang members) watching us. Every time they move my son (in prison), they come by and stare at our house. I don’t want him in there, but it’s probably safer than being back here. Sarah, Westside. I woke up to what sounded like firecrackers going off at midnight. Really loud and close. Turns out he (gang member two houses over) shot some guy on the corner. The cops got him, thank God. He was terrorizing all of us. Those shots were fired 20 feet away from where I was sleeping. Fernando, West Downtown. He (gang member living next door) parked his car in my driveway. I went over and his mom was all hostile, and like “what do you want me to do?!” I said get him to move the damned car. I took out the trash later. He jumped me, beat me up in my driveway. Said you got a problem with me, man up. You deal with me. I just want to park in my driveway. I got beat for that. His kid (toddler) got out and wandered up the street. A neighbor found him. She returned him, worried he could have gotten run over. They slapped her across the face! “Don’t get up in our business, bitch.” That’s what they told her. Just keep your head down and your mouth shut. You didn’t see nothing. You
don’t know nothing. It’s not worth it with these knuckleheads. Tony (reformed gang member from LA). Why do they freak here over a gang injunction? Shoot, I was named (in LA’s injunction). I just came off it. Took me three years of living straight. I knew I could go down for serious time if I stayed in. I wanted to be there for my kid. Had to move up here to get out. They (SBPD) gotta’ know I am here. At least they don’t carry guns here (prior to the Olive Street shooting). They’re just wannabes. Knives and baseball bats… but you don’t stop that, it gives ‘em permission. They get bolder. Then they start shooting. Why don’t they get that here?
Business Beat by Ray Estrada
More Summer Comings & Goings on State Street
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link on State Street these days and you might miss something. Such is the case with Howard Lamar’s art studio, which as of this month is occupying the large space where the Territory Ahead retail store at 515 State Street was located. By appointment only, Lamar displays his paintings and sculptures as well as hand-blown and architectural glass. He plans a grand opening next month. Meanwhile, across the street at 530 State Street, Adam Shipley abruptly pulled up stakes at his Fueled Sports Performance gym for aspiring professional athletes. A few years ago, local entrepreneur Shipley filled some 9,000 square feet of space with a weight room, running machines and artificial turf with a 25-foothigh ceiling in the rear. A video system sent evaluations of athletes to potential college and professional recruiters. All gone now.
It’s Almost Lemon Fest Time in Goleta A launch party for the 22nd annual Goleta Lemon Festival is planned for 5 to 7pm September 18 at Glenn Annie Golf Course, 405 Glenn Annie Road, sponsored by the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce. The Lemon Festival is from 10am to 6pm September 28 and from 10am to 5pm September 29 at Girsh Park, 7050 Phelps Road, Goleta. Admission is free. Cost to attend the September 18 launch party is $10 for Goleta Chamber members and $15 for nonmembers. The event is one of the top Goleta business networking events of the year. Tickets sell quickly, but may be available at the door. The festival features food, a family atmosphere, a Saturday classic car show and a variety of entertainment and activities that have made the Lemon