Recent Fire-bombings prompt Community Members (and numerous City Officials) to attend Public Meeting in Ramona Gardens

The Ramona Gardens Community, Media, Public Officials (but neither Mayor Garcetti or Councilman Huizar), turned out in mass as LAPD pledges to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the recent Fire-bombings targeting African-American Families in the Ramona Gardens Housing Project.

Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) Official Sanford Riggs (in suit, with translator on right) addresses Ramona Gardens Community Members. Photo by Scott Johnson.



Never fail to under-estimate what an ugly act of hate will do for turnout at a community meeting in Ramona Gardens.

In addition to a couple hundred community members that packed the Ramona Gardens Community Center, the visual media (KCAL/KCBS, KNBC, Telemundo), LA Times (Hector Bacerra reporting), numerous LAPD officers (including Ramona Gardens assigned CSP officers), HACLA officials (with new HACLA Commissioner Lou Calanche among her Legacy LA charges), LAFD Arson Investigators, GRYD employees (with interim General Manager Anne Tremblay working the room), City of L.A. Recreation & Parks Supervisors, some former Legacy LA employee with dual identities (Jorge/George), staffer from State Senator/ Assemblyman Kevin De Leon and Jennifer Martinez from CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar's Boyle Heights Office, added volume (and public payroll value) to the proceedings.

Even with the request that the visual media keep their cameras outside of this public meeting, community members were not in the mood to ask discerning questions (maybe this has to do with the horrible acoustics inside the Rec. Center). Thus, leaving it up to the likes of LAFD Arson Investigators, LAPD Captain Beaza, and HACLA Official Sanford Riggs to address the audience.

While audience members were not in the questioning mood, community members were not afraid to speak with the assembled media (as noted here via this link to KCAL/KCBS's Dave Bryan's Report) about their thoughts regarding the incident. Yet, missing from last night's gabfest were Mayor Eric Garcetti and CD 14 City Councilman Jose Huizar, who sent their respective staffers to visualize last evening's gathering.

For Mayor Eric Garcetti, Sunday night's Fire-bombings targeting African-American Families and his lack of a spoken response, may only reinforce the perception within the African-American Community of his supposed indifference to its concerns, especially when the violent nature of the attacks merit a Federal Investigation for Civil Rights Violations.

That said, we should be objective in noting that the Rhodes Scholar, turned Progressive Politico does have the plight of African-Nigerian Children on his mind as the photo below notes .........

..... maybe the alleged Washington D.C. -aspiring Mayor can take some time to hash tag "# Peace among the Races in Ramona Gardens?".

Your thoughts ..............

Scott Johnson in CD 14