“Inhumanity Has Found A Home on Skid Row”

The above is L.A. Times columnist, Steve Lopez’s, title for his “Points West” column today. His piece is the closest viewpoint to mine, regarding the recent homeless beatings. >Click here to read article.

Lopez quotes Chief Bratton, “These dehumanizing crimes will not be tolerated.”

And then Lopez states the following, “What is tolerated, however, isn’t much prettier.” He is referring to Skid Row, a row of blocks in downtown Los Angeles where the worst homeless conditions in the country exist.

“Downtown Los Angeles’ skid row is a spectacle that practically defies description,” states Lopez. Skid row’s Firestation No. 9 averages more than 60 runs per day to deal with human emergencies.

“Police and paramedics can barely keep up with the nightly violence and medical emergencies, and the fire station is not just the busiest in Los Angeles but last year was the busiest in the entire nation.”

LAPD Captain Andrew Smith of the Central Bureau says that murders, assaults, drugs, and major health crises overwhelm them. “You’ll see someone who’s got an infection with worms or maggots growing out of it,” Smith is quoted.

Lopez thinks Proposition 63, California’s 1% tax on million-dollar incomes that will be used for additional mental health services could be the answer.

Whatever the funding source, we (our community) need to stop tolerating such conditions on our street.

To quote Lopez’s last sentence:

“That (homeless on skid row) might not be as dehumanizing as attacks with baseball bats, but it’s close."