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Long Beach, two days after
Since New Year's Eve, I have remained close to Las Vegas, only making a brief trip to my hometown of Los Angeles, where my mother still resides. She had previously insisted on no visitors to avoid catching the Corona Virus, but it seems that she grew weary of isolation, just as I did. Ultimately, she lifted her restrictions and invited me to visit, which I did recently.
Perhaps my visit wasn’t perfectly timed, as it coincided with significant civil unrest and widespread lawlessness in Los Angeles, the worst seen since the Rodney King riots of 1992 . From the news reports, it appeared that Santa Monica bore the brunt of the upheaval, with Long Beach coming in a close second. Having grown up just a couple of miles from Long Beach and having lived there for a year in 1989/90, I feel a personal bond to that area.
On the day I arrived, Sunday, May 31, the downtown area of Long Beach, particularly near Pine Street, experienced severe looting and rioting. On Tuesday morning, June 2, I rode my bike to observe the aftermath. The photos I captured show that every shop, eatery, and bar in that commercial district had been boarded up. Pine Street was blocked off and secured by military personnel, though pedestrians could still pass through.
The atmosphere was hauntingly similar to biking along the Las Vegas Strip after its closures in mid-March – it was clean, silent, and deserted. While that was an expectation, I was surprised to find the area tidier than ever. The walls had been freshly painted, and not a single shard of broken glass could be found. Previous news reports hinted at volunteers helping with the cleanup, and it was clear that this was true; what had been a disaster zone just two days earlier was now immaculate, with armed soldiers providing a strong sense of security.
This area is known as Belmont Shores in Long Beach, which I passed through on my way downtown. Although it wasn’t directly impacted by the riots, it was still under military protection.
This is a normally bustling intersection of Ocean and Pine, where a military blockade had been established.
Continuing down Pine Avenue, it has likely never been as quiet and pristine as it was during my visit.
Scenes like this were common. Here’s a rare instance of graffiti that remained, likely due to the unavailability of that specific shade of blue for the Subway.
All businesses at street level were boarded up.
Amen.
In conclusion, I feel that those who worked diligently to restore Long Beach after its trying times deserve immense appreciation and recognition. They received little coverage in the media and likely won’t receive the acknowledgment they truly merit. I hope this newsletter serves as a small tribute to their integrity and honor. Thank you.
"When I was a child, and I saw frightening things in the news, my mother would tell me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'\" - Fred Rogers
"Educating a man in intellect without instilling morals is essentially nurturing a threat to society.\" - Theodore Roosevelt