(4/8/2009, Los Alamitos, by Dave Emerson) Driving back from my office at lunchtime today I noticed Channel 7′s TV truck parked in the Los Alamitos City Hall’s lot.
Thinking “What now?” I pulled into the lot to ask KABC’s Gene Gleason what brought him to our fair town today.
“Hate crime.” With a possible gang connection, unfortunately.
Turns out a long time Los Alamitos resident in Apartment Row woke up early this morning to find racist graffitti covering all four sides of her Honda Odyssey. (You can catch it on Channel 7 at 4:30 today, or in the Register tomorrow.)
“Spring break,” I told Mr. Gleason. “Probably kids.” After 30 years of monitoring vandalism on my “for sale” signs and vacant homes, I know for a fact it increases when the kids are out of school. Of course, that doesn’t excuse it.
Interestingly, the lady’s white. Her husband & kids, however, aren’t.
“I moved here so my kids would have a safe place to live!” she told me, recounting many years in the local schools with hardly an incident. That’s the Los Alamitos I know and love, but by now we all know that’s not the whole story.
In this case, our Apartment Row neighbor suspected the family of some kids who loiter in a nearby pocket park that she’d complained about. Of course, that doesn’t excuse it either.
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North West Orange Skins
NWOC: North West Orange Skins
Unfortunately, there is a darker connection which our police are investigating: A recently resurgent local skinhead gang, whose letters were painted across the driver’s side of the mini van.
According to the Anti Defamation League’s “Racist Skinhead Project,” “NWOC” is the favored abbreviation for the Northwest Orange Skins, apparently short for Northwest Orange County:
Northwest Orange Skins (NWOC)
The Northwest Orange Skins is primarily based in Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, and Cypress. The group was active in the 90′s, at which time many of their members were sent to jail or prison. Activity has recently increased, as many members have finished probation and parole periods. They also seem to be growing in size. The group has been associated with a high level of criminal activity.
When I spoke with Captain McAlpine of the Los Alamitos Police Department this afternoon, he indicated that detectives will be following up on both the gang and neighborhood connection. I vaguely remember the NWOC for leaving graffiti around town around ten years ago. Some high schoolers I knew felt the NWOC was more a group of taggers than serious criminals, but a lot could change after 5 – 10 years in prison.
According to the Register’s report on the incident, one neighbor indicated the area has a bit of a skinhead problem.
I’m guessing there’s some connection between the kids loitering at the park and the NWOC, but how serious a connection remains to be seen. In any case, it’s bringing our town more negative publicity.
O.C. Register photo by Joshua Sudock. So sad. . .
For the Register’s on-line article, click here. For their 5 photos, click here.
As for the victim and her family, one of the kids is pulling A’s in college right now. She has some younger kids as well. As I spoke with her today, two of them were at home, while the car sat parked right outside their apartment. No mother or her kids should have to be subjected to that.
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If you have concrete information regarding this case, please call Sgt. Sharon Kerbow at 562-431-2255, Ext. 405. We need to work together to rid our town of this blight.
I’ve received information back from all but one of the Council nominees, and was planning on getting that up now. Hopefully later today. One of the very well qualified candidates happens to be a minority.
Maybe it’s time. . .
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Words can not describe what I am feeling, this is a shame and my heart goes out to this family. This is a wake up call to all parents (myself included) we need to be diligent in raising our children. What a sad day.
I know Teri. She’s a great lady and does not deserve to have this happen to her and her family. I used to see this all the time when I was a kid but I thought we were so muc farther now.
To Dave: Thank you for posting this on the blog. This is a great way to get the story out to the community. It doesn’t always have to be about politics.
I am very sad for this family and if there is a need for help with getting the car painted just let us know an address to send a donation. Maybe a good place would be city hall or the police department.
I wish these skinheads and their parents are caught and thrown in jail. Some parents should never be parents!!
Lisa, Michelle & Resident,
Well said.
Thurs. afternoon update on financial assistance: I’ve been advised that the Anti Defamation League has received donations to cover the victim’s expenses, so there’s no need to send me checks to forward at this time. If I receive any checks I will return them unless you notify me otherwise. The “contact us” button in the masthead is an easy way to communicate with me.
Dave,
In regards the the posts from Lisa and Los Al Citizen. You can teach old dogs new tricks. I guess they really do have hearts.
Good job. Maybe they will start to see the light on other issues in town that require us all to work together.
Another,
We all have our strengths or weaknesses (just ask my wife!)
I felt Lisa was right on the money with the watermelon e-mail controversy. As I recall, she knew a resignation was the appropriate action. She understands the evils of racism and has always responded with integrity.
The real goal isn’t to flip people’s positions on the various issues confronting our town, but to find ways to work together. There are elements of truth in the positions taken by the CPLA and by Fred Freeman, for example, but there are also excesses.
Not that different from a husband and wife. If we put our egos aside and try to understand the other’s viewpoint we come up with better solutions that are mutually beneficial.
What was her position concerning the e-mail? I don’t remember any positive posts from her about it. If she had posted in a positive way maybe she would be more respected on this site.
I thought Dean should resign which he did. I have faced antisemitism since I was a child. Nothing makes me angrier than racism.
It’s so unfortunate what happened to this family…unbelievable! Live and let live…if these people don’t like it they need to look the other way…
It’s too bad that this ridiculous “gang” or whatever they call themselves are getting publicity for this completely horrible and unconsible act. God help them…they need it!
Bless this poor family. I hope they will be ok. Sorry the poor kids have to encounter such ignorance and hate.
Another,
It may be that I read Lisa’s posts about Dean resigning on the Register site rather than here, but she was quite clear that he needed to resign, as she indicated above.
Lisa,
I had asked for your help on an earlier post it was listed under “Nominees listed to fill Dean Grose’s Los Alamitos City Council seat announced”. I have the questions listed on my post listed on April 3 at 11:16 PM. Could you please help me with them and get back to me.
Thank you,
Scott
Scott,
I hope Lisa addresses your questions, but you might also want to check out some of the posts I’ve put up on the CPLA, mostly back during the election.
Both the CPLA and their “political” arm list Chuck Sylvia as their leader. A significant portion of the support appears to come from George Briggeman Jr.
You can use the “search” option at the top of the left column to search “CPLA” or scroll down to Categories and click on “CPLA & LATA.”
I include specific documentation on their support as well as specific examples of what I felt was inappropriate and deceptive campaign material and practices. They had some complaints they felt were legitimate–some were–but ended up funding the most expensive, devisive, and deceptive campaign in Los Al history.
Unacceptable. In a word, this behavior is unacceptable. It doesn’t mater what the “message” was, you can not go around destroying other peoples property. It doesn’t matter of it is spray painting a car, putting poop on their lawn, or ripping down their signs. The behavior is unacceptable.
I remember reading about neo-nazi activities at LAHS some time ago. I remember how angry it made me then. The bile still rises up from that. And this is no different.
While many in this town may have massive differences on the future for the town and the best way to get there, I believe we can all agree that there is no place for hate.
Los Al Resident indicates that some people shouldn’t be parents. I couldn’t agree more. We require a person to get a license to drive a car, but any yahoo can bring a child into this world. Not every person is right to be a parent, to be responsible for another life, to be a teacher, and mentor, to provide the grounding to help a child grow to responsible adulthood. Yet, in the name of freedom we allow so many without the tools or capabilities to do so, and then act surprised when we get left with the baggage as a society to clean up their mess.
This week a man-child in PN lay in wait and ambushed three police officers. A neo-nazi who was raised on hate and fed from the far right with reasons to find such objectionable and heinous acts as permitted and justified. Intolerance acted out.
Today in Los Alamitos with a spray can, but as more people are fed lies and propaganda that plays into their paranoia and insecurities, what of tomorrow? Parents are the control, and they must be held responsible for their failure to their children and to society.
Sorry to rant, but this really pisses me off.
There are probably people reading this post who know (or at least are pretty sure) who did this. Or at least their kids know.
I hope they call Sgt. Sharon Kerbow at 562-431-2255, Ext. 405. There’s also We Tip at 800-78-CRIME.
Talk to your kids. Show them the photos. Help them understand how wrong this is. Listen. Make sure they know the above numbers.
Somewhere in our town some kids are bragging about what they did.
I agree with the above post Dave it should not be too difficult to find these unruly, poorly raised children. I was able to use this incident to speak to one of my children yesterday on the way home from his baseball practice. He indicated that there is a pretty big group of “skinheads” that hang out at the donut shop near the high school, he and the other child I was driving home seemed pretty upset about the vandalism and the feel I got from him was that this group of “skinheads” are very violent and a pose a threat. I don’t know what the solution is but we need to start working on one.
Dave,
Thanks for the info. I wanted to ask Lisa directly as she seems to be the spokeswoman for the CPLA.
Lisa,
Can you answer ANY of the questions I posed? You defend and speak for them. I hope you can answer for them. I’m just trying to further educate myself.
Thanks,
Scott
I realize what you are trying to do, however, as I am not the spokesman for the group the one you need to speak to is Mr.Sylvia. Again, his phone number is clearly listed in the phone book.
Lisa,
Good answer.
Scott,
You might want to offer to meet Mr. Sylvia for coffee. He has a lot of experience, and there are things I agree with him on. Plan on doing a lot of listening.
Call Chuck Sylvia, why on earth would anyone want to do that? I’d rather poke my eye out with a stick.
The man is a cartoon of his former self. He should have stopped while he was ahead.
It’s so sad to watch a person go down that road. I would have preferred to remember him for what he was, not what he has become.
Another slur against someone who has done more good for this town than the person (Los Al Resident) will ever try to do. I wish Mr. Emerson you would delete this type of slur.
Lisa,
Censorship and deletion is my weapon of last resort. I prefer letting our little community self police. Besides, slurs tend to be self destructive and non productive. Diplomacy, respect, and courteous discussion eventually win out.
We can all try to lead by example.
“Let him who is without fault cast the first stone.”
Dave, I don’t see where letting anonymous comments slur someone who has earned his respect in this town is the right answer. You are letting your website incite people, I do not see the diplomacy and respect that you seem to expect on this website. Namecalling is wrong especially to people who have volunteered more hours for this community then some of the people on this site have lived. I see no purpose for a website that is allowing this type of behavior. That said I will make my comments elsewhere as you don’t get that what you are doing or in this case not doing is wrong.
To Lisa:
Every word you wrote in your post on April 9 @ 10:42 PM could have been written by me about the CPLA.
Do you think that the CPLA web site did not incite people?
Did the CPLA, especially you, use respect and diplomacy when you came to a city council meeting and waved a dollar bill and a toothbrush?
Did you not name call two people who have given more time and done more for this city than you have ever given?
Do you not see yourself in your very own post?
Isn’t it funny when the shoe is on the other foot…..it can feel a little uncomfortable?
You need to take a good long look at yourself before you ask Dave to throw anybody off this web site.
They said NWOC was active in the 90s. That may well be, but they were certainly around in the 80s. A few of them went to Los Al HS when I was in middle school. I knew the younger brother of one guy who was supposedly in the “gang”. I never considered them much of an organized gang. They seems to be (at that time at least) a group of friends that tagged NWOC in places they liked to hang out. I always just thought of them as a bunch of drug using juvenile delinquents. Yeah, some of them probably “grew up” and committed bigger crimes.
Gad, this is really old, where have you been. Did someone just roll the rock off your head?
It was proubably a sick joke. Making someone drive that around would be kind of funny. Think of the way people would look at who ever was driving it and its their car its not like they would have much choice if they were going to work in the morning. I would say that a “hate crime” is kind of over doing it.