Life and Arts. Contact the Glendale News-Press. March 20, 12 AM PT. Share via Close extra sharing options. I am depressed beyond measure. I have never been in a gathering where the narrowness of the views, ideas and solutions offered regarding any subject was so claustrophobic. I am sure the hosts, the Chamber of Commerce, had some effect, but where do these candidates come from? Or more to the point, where have they been? The naively accurate answer of course is: mostly in Glendale. Thirteen candidates, each having seven or eight one- or two-minute opportunities to speak about the city.
Some 70 to 80 statements all told. And these are some of the facts: Public transport was not mentioned at all although traffic and parking problems were. Schools were mentioned in the context of taking land from them for parks. Services to youth were mentioned. And business? Ah, business. The word business was spoken more than a few hundred, possibly more than 1, times literally.
Everyone was convinced that if more business came to Glendale this will be an even better city than it already is. There were other goodies. On the other hand, some wanted stricter code enforcement. These were mainly Bob Yousefian, the St. George of zoning, and Frank Quintero, who in fairness, together with Mary Boger and I think one other , did show concern for the conditions in southern Glendale.
Of course, there was no ability or inclination and very little time for anyone to acknowledge the irony of forcing landlords and business owners to enforce safety rules, effect repairs and make improvements required by law code in a forum where everyone applauded throwing the rule books into the trash can. There is no art and there certainly is no culture in Glendale as understood in the rest of the civilized and uncivilized world , except a culture of narrow-mindedness, and a naked and unabashed craving by businessmen to own and control everything, to dictate their wretched worldview and dull taste to all those who do not aspire to entrepreneurship.
Am I being unfair? But that was unfair. Would you prefer to go on a stroll in downtown Glendale, or Old Town Pasadena? Or even the shopping and restaurant section of San Fernando Road in Burbank? Or even Honolulu Avenue in Montrose? I find Glendale, quite simply, utterly boring and completely characterless.
