 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
11/07/00
We had a talk with the police regarding the status of our fight to save the drum circle. Not so good news. Sergeant Fogerty informed us that there is a lawyer resident who is making a lot of trouble harassing the city officials and the police to comply with the noise ordinance and demanding them to arrest and/or enforce the ordinance. The Sergeant said they have no choice, even though he said the police have better things to worry about - like rape, murder, drug dealers, and theft, than arresting drummers. He also mentioned confiscating drums. Can you believe it folks, arresting fun-loving positive law-abiding musicians (most of which are professional people like airline pilots, architects, cpa's, business people - all of whom are taxpayers, for playing drums! Folks - DRUMMING IS NOT A CRIME FOR CHRIST'S SAKES! THE DRUM IS NOT A WEAPON!!!!
Here is a copy of the complainers petition:
To the Los Angeles Police Department: the residents of Venice request that you immediately enforce Los Angeles Municipal Code Section 116.01 (Loud, Unnecessary, and Unusual Noise), and any other applicable noise ordinances, to completely stop the noise from the Venice Beach Drum Circle. Every weekend, from mid-afternoon to late at night, the "drum circle" creates intolerable noise for the residents who live near the beach. The drum circle should be moved to a location where its noise does not impact the residents. we will also be needing the disturbed residents to email a letter explaining how the noise is disturbing their peace. this is just the beginning. the residents intend to pursue this until the noise subsides. we are not going to be ignored by the lapd or ruth galanter any more. thanks for your support!"
On the subject of confiscating drums, may I have a suggestion. If it ever comes to that, leave your drums at home and make some real noise with plastic Sparklets water bottles! Or anything disposable that can make a lot more noise than a drum and let them confiscate those. We have contacted several agencies regarding this injustice and the Argonaut is already on the beat and writing a story about our cause. We are also contacting the Boardwalk Shop Vendors - who are supporting the right of the drum circle to exists! Network television people said they are interested. LA Weekly and The New Times are being contacted. Write to you local newspapers and organizations as this is very relevant news topic they will want to cover. Again I stress that the police have their hands tied in this manner. But do they really need this bad publicity? We are on the side of the law and appreciate the danger and hard work that the police undergo. But is this an example of being in touch with their community? We hope it doesn't come to arresting drummers and confiscating drums - but in reality - it will not solve the problem, but only aggravate it ten-fold. You cannot stop drummers from doing what they love - it is a god-given right and the passion of drumming does not die - it has been a part of humanity since the very beginning of human existence! The people will fight. We are looking into organizing a protest parade with picket signs "DRUMMING IS NOT A CRIME!" and "THE DRUM IS NOT A WEAPON". We will get legal help to establish an official protest march up and down the boardwalk and network television will be there and the whole world can see what some communities regard as a crime. What is that guy who is threatening the city officials thinking - "Oh never mind the rapes and murders and robberies and drug deals that happen in the city - I'm going to complain and rant and rave about people who play drums!" Priorities gone awry...
Please email Ruth Galanter's office and let them know how you feel. Their website address for sending email is http://www.cityofla.org/COUNCIL/cd6/intouch.htm
10/19/00
THERE IS NOW CONFIRMATION THAT SOME RESIDENTS ARE PRESSURING THE CITY/POLICE TO ENFORCE A NOISE ORDINANCE AGAINST THE RIGHT OF ASSEMBLY - TO GATHER AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH - FREEDOM TO PLAY MUSIC - FREEDOM TO PARTICIPATE IN SOMETHING AS WONDERFUL/POSITIVE/BEAUTIFUL AS MUSIC ON THE BOARDWALK/VENICE BEACH!!!
There is a threat that the drum circle may be BANNED! SHUT DOWN BY THE POLICE/CITY OFFICIALS!!!!! PLEASE GET INVOLVED - WE NEED YOUR HELP. LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT THIS CAN HAVE REPERCUSSIONS WELL BEYOND JUST THE DRUM CIRCLE. IT WILL AFFECT THE WHOLE CHARACTER OF VENICE BEACH IN THE LONG RUN!!!!! We will start a letter writing campaign soon. Call Ruth Galanther's office and let them know the community will fight this if it happens!
Thanks to all who attended the meeting in support of the drum circle. The meeting (which took place on Wed, Oct 18 at Westminster Park) was initiated by a few residents who complain that the drum circle is too loud and would like to limit the time and/or move the drum circle away from it's present location.
Firstly, the number of residents who are pro-drum circle far outweighed the number of residents who are anti-drum circle. Even though the meeting was to be held by the anti-drum people and did not invite any drummers to the meeting, we took it upon ourselves to put out a flyer of our own and handed them out to the drummers, dancers, and supporters. This was to the surprise and disappointment of the anti-drum circle residents who thought they were going have a field day influencing and persuading the police and city officials to hear their complaints alone. Instead, they got an earful from the majority of the residents who truly belong to Venice Beach and support and love all music and art of the Boardwalk. These are the lifeblood of the true essence of the Venice Beach Community. They have a sense of being one with the city and the community, and not living in a shell in their apartment and could care less about the community around them. Look around you in Venice, and listen, see, and feel what this community is all about. It is about art, music, self-expression, freedom, and harmony, love, and coexistence.
Secondly, we would like to thank Detective Brent Honore' and District Deputy Viet Tran who lent an objective ear to both parties. They were very professional and fair in their conduct and politeness, and were truly concerned for outlining resolutions to appease both parties. Detective Brent Honore' opened the meeting by stressing the fact that the police was in no way in any shape or form, in the business of banning the drum circle. This is a relief in that the police and the city officials do realize the significance of the drum circle's cultural and communal contribution to the city of Venice. They don't want it to go away, but they do have to appease the complaints somehow. Please realize that the police are not the enemy, and that the anti-drum residents are not the enemy either. The only enemy of the drum circle is narrow-mindedness, unyielding, unforgiving, selfish, and uncompromising attitude that some of the anti-drum residents exhibited. When resolutions were put forth by some of the pro-drum people, some quickly shot it down without even considering it. This gives the impression that some of these people would like to ban the drum circle all together. This just isn't going to happen, never did happen before, and never will happen in the future. The drum circle is a permanent part of the culture of Venice Beach. If it is taken away, it would take away the wonderful character of Venice and pave the way for sterilization and mediocrity of the city. So, although we believe that it will never happen, there are those who will try and we must band together and fight for what we love and believe in. Our self-image, individuality, and the essence of our being is defined by our convictions and integrity of our character. Please fight for what you love and hold dear.
The meeting quickly escalated into a shouting match and some name-calling, but was quickly curbed by the officials. As this is an issue regarding people's rights, emotions will run high. One comment we made was that even though there is a noise ordinance regarding disturbing the peace, it is an issue that goes well beyond the confines of the law. It is an issue of what is the true character of Venice, what do the majority of the residents find important to their community, and what do the tourist and the rest of the world think of when they hear of Venice Beach? Laws are not made to be broken, but they are not idealistic scripture, and are subject to just interpretation, based on the context and relevant conditions that it applies to. In this case, the essence of the community and what it holds dear is of utmost importance, and not the selfish narrow-minded dogma of a few individuals who want to take that away from not just the people, but from the city, or from the world. Imagine, tourist and from all over the world coming to Venice to see the World Famous (yes known clear across the globe by word of mouth) Drum Circle only to hear that drumming is banned on the boardwalk and that drumming is considered a crime.
Another good point brought forth by another person was that why complain about drums? Why are these people not complaining about robberies, murders, and rape occurring throughout the city? Complaining about music? Where are these people's priorities???
And yet another point was that these people want to censor musical expression. They should be ashamed of themselves. What do these people feel about themselves? How can one go about life hating music? Hating those who have a passion for something wonderful?
One resolution put forth was that the drum circle could be moved further out near the water. But some of the anti-drum were quick to point out that the music actually gets louder due to the wind. This is ridiculous statement pure and simple. the wind does not carry sound waves. This is scientific fact. This statement was made simply because these people don't want the compromise of lowering the music, they want zero music, not a whisper from the drum circle period. No compromise, no way no how and that's that. I can guarantee that the music from the drum circle on the water is about 80% less than if the drum circle is right on the boardwalk or on the mound. This is a fact people. No ifs, ands, or buts!
Another possible resolution put forth by the pro-drum people, was that the drum circle could be reduced in time from 2pm to one hour after sunset on both Saturday and Sunday. This actually is probably the most reasonable solution. Even a few anti-drum people actually thought this was a good idea. Some also pointed out that in the winter, the sun sets earlier at around 5:30 pm so the drumming would take place from 2pm to 6:30 pm. The current drum circle starts at around 1 - 1:30 pm to about 8 or 9pm depending on how big.
Solutions regarding moving the location of the drum circle was problematic since moving it to a different part of the boardwalk would only aggravate some of the anti-drum people living near the new location.
We also pointed out that the anti-drum residents were referring to themselves as "the residents" vs. "the drummers". Little did they realize that most of the pro-drum supporters aren't even drummers. They are residents just like them, far outnumbering them, and that most of the drummers, indeed most of the people who attend the drum circle are long long-time residents of Venice and have been drumming for years without anybody threatening to ban it. Also one anit-drum person tried to bring forth the issue of the bad elements of the drum circle, namely drug use and drinking, but was quickly ignored by everybody. Drug use and drinking is a problem anywhere, and occurs everywhere, they do occur in the drum circle, but only by very few and the drum circle police ourselves anyways, and we always frown upon, even stop drumming altogether when someone gets drunk and gets out of hand. We are a very positive group of people. Most of us are working professionals (I myself am an architect, there is a reverend who worked on the Space Shuttle, an airline pilot, computer professionals, doctors, and yes even lawyers) and that we pay taxes too, and that we are voters as well. It is just fun and the spirit of camaraderie is very prevalent. In fact, having a "common enemy" is having a positive effect on the drum circle. We are starting to get to know one another and are greeting each other by name. This is what a community is all about. Get involved. Some of you drummers, I would say shame on you for not attending the meeting, but we all know you guys were there in spirit and had other obligations to attend. This cause is for you, for us, for the community.
Any future developments will be posted here and we will again hand out flyers. Look for an article on The Argonaut sometime next week.
Also, there was a petition started by the anti-drum people stating their complaint formally and are planning on presenting it to city officials. Detective Brent Honore' pointed out that someone had ripped a part of the petition as an act of sabotage and vandalism during the meeting. But upon thinking about it, I recall that only a bottom strip of a page was ripped out. I believe this was done because someone from the pro-drum group had accidentally signed the petition and ripped out the portion with his or her name on it. I don't believe this was an act of sabotage, since an act of sabotage would have ripped out the whole page full of people's signatures. We will start our own petition in support of the drum circle soon (look for it this next weekend, and all other weekends after - we are going to get thousands of signatures I'm sure). Also there was an idea of creating a group called Friends and Supporters of Venice Beach Drum Circle and creating a logo and stickers stating "I Support the Drum Circle".
Let others know of the possible injustice that we are fighting, tell businesses around Venice and post our flyers there, other residents who would like to get involved, connections to people with other connections, lawyers and printers. I myself emailed Santana (having seen my first Santana Concert this past weekend at the Bowl - awesome!) fan club and somehow, Carlos Santana who is very much in touch with the "people" I think will greatly appreciate our efforts to fight for music for the people by the people.
Those who attended who would like to have a monthly "gathering" of sorts would greatly boost our organizing efforts. Let's party (and work) together to protect this wonderful thing we call the Venice Beach Drum Circle. Email us for comments and suggestions as we are going to implement a message board in the future posting people's comments for all to see.
Love, Peace, and Drums...