Letters From OC Weekly Readers

‘Steal the Dog’

GANG’S ALL HERE
Seriously, Daffy, you’ve got to write a novel [Daffodil J. Altan’s “Uprising,” May 29]. Way to play up the drama, but are [you] sure the heroes of your story are really heroes? Do you believe everything they tell you? By the way, the horrors of the San Juan Capistrano injunction [Altan’s “South Side Story,” Jan. 30] are pure heaven to the residents, or so I’ve heard. You might want to speak to more than a few gang members before putting your stories to bed.

Anonymous, via ocweekly.com

I’ve spoken with a handful of the kids who have been arrested, and they are not gang members, not even close. So, yes, they are heroes for trying to fight for justice and clear the name of these kids whose permanent records shouldn’t be tainted by racist policies. Gang injunctions are not heaven for the neighborhoods because the people who live in the neighborhoods are part of the injunctions. The affluent people who are for the injunctions live miles away. I’d suggest some people take half as much time as Daffodil did to research/actually talk to the people who are directly involved and not just rely on hearsay from affluent communities.

Bridget, via ocweekly.com

I applaud Daffy for her non-biased, anti-crime article. Nothing makes me more upset than when communities try to fight the gang members who take their neighborhoods hostage. We need to be more like LA and see gang members as “victims,” allowing them to conduct their business like any other hard-working American. These cops must be racist because it seems that every gang member they arrest is Mexican, errr, “Latino.”

Bruno Hockalugie, Anaheim, via ocweekly.com

If these gang members are criminals, then why not just arrest them for the crimes they’ve committed? Oh, I almost forgot . . . these gang injunctions make the DA and the cops look like they’re fighting crime.

CHS, Long Beach, via ocweekly.com

It is not fair what the DA’s office tried to accomplish in the city of Orange. If they had valid proof, then why didn’t they go ahead and come forth with it? Because they knew that it was not going to hold up in court. Thankfully, things went the way they did, and most of the cases were dismissed.

Maira, Santa Ana, via ocweekly.com

I love how the sophomore in high school had previous convictions, but that was “when he was younger”. . . as if it were so long ago.

Andy Anaheim, Anaheim, via ocweekly.com

I have spoken to residents affected by the injunction in San Juan Capistrano—not gang members, but hard-working people—who have been included in the injunction for having a relative who is a gang member (just one of the many examples of how truly innocent people get caught up in this). I’ve seen cousins who can’t talk to each other, even though neither is a gang member. This injunction in SJC is a nightmare for the residents in Las Villas and other predominantly Latino neighborhoods in SJC.

Make no mistake, the more affluent (dare I say, predominantly non-Latino?) neighborhoods love the injunction. You know why? They don’t want Latinos living in “their” quaint little areas.

It’s San Juan Capistrano. Not Saint John.

Ale, via ocweekly.com

HERE COMES THE PUN KING
Oh, no, you didn’t pun on the title of a little-seen 1982 cheeseball movie [Gustavo Arellano’s This Hole-In-the-Wall Life, “Savannah Smiles,” May 29]! I’m the only one in the world who got that reference, Gustavo.

Dave, via ocweekly.com

ANIMAL ATTRACTION
Wow. First off, you’re the a-hole for being a “Peeping Tom” [Hey, You! “Fuck That Noise,” May 29]. This guy is entitled to his privacy, even if you don’t like what he does. Sure, slapping the dog around is bad, but you staring out your porch window is also in poor taste. He may be a “papi,” but you’re sick and have no room to talk. Why don’t you get a hobby and not watch him like you’re a guard in the tower? There’s a name for that in psych: voyeur. Good luck.

John Hough, Costa Mesa, via ocweekly.com

When you witness someone abusing an animal, you have a personal responsibility to confront them if it’s possible and also to notify the appropriate authorities (animal control, SPCA, animal protective league, etc). The fact that you’ve heard and watched this several times yet done nothing is reprehensible. And then you suggest you’ll steal the pup! Moron. Get some sense and use the laws we have to do good and correct fault. It’s called civilization and society. Be a part of it.