letter artEditor:

Just like the [Pico Youth & Family Center], their intentions sound great if they’d ever work (”New fund to address community violence,” June 19, page 1).

How many youth centers are needed? Oscar de la Torre’s youth center has been in operation for over 10 years at a big cost to the tax payers. I live and own income property within a block of his youth center. I see and observe the people that frequent the center.

It’s a worthless money pit/sham. The only people that benefit are the employees of the center, judging by the very nice cars they drive. When I read about a new youth program that has a policy saying “whatever it takes” it sounds like another sham. Now if it’s solely privately funded unlike Oscar’s, great have at it, just leave my tax money alone. The root of these modern day youth problems needs to be dealt with by the parents of these troubled youths. And yes, there’s mental health issues that need to be dealt with by professionals, no doubt. It’s a sad day when society depends on others to raise their kids.

Start holding the parents accountable and jail them if needed. The kids in the Pico Neighborhood run wild. I see it daily. They’re always trespassing on my property for the purpose of getting high on whatever they get their hands on. Sure the parents have to work, but when one decides to have kids they need to take that into consideration. But today’s parents around the Pico Neighborhood seem to feel that it’s society’s job to raise and mentor their kids at others’ cost.

We already have fine organizations like PAL run by the police which seem to be the only ones that really help or make a difference. Then you have organizations like Oscar’s that are always bad mouthing and butting heads with the police. They are basically indirectly teaching the kids that peace officers are your enemy or problem. How sad. Or if there’s any problems with their funding they play the race card. Woe is me. I’m under privileged because by parents decided to be irresponsible and it’s society’s obligation to pay/fund our needs. Their needs would be better served by a higher education and parents being parents.


Dave Glode

Santa Monica

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