Central City East : Downtown Los Angeles

The Union Rescue Mission had their Friday Barbecue today. WOW! I didn't head out there because I assumed that since it was raining that no one would be barbecuing. Boy! Was I wrong!!! At Facebook a photo was posted to showcase these barbecue grilling crazies... gotta love it..I guess feeding the homeless and their families doesn't end with the rain..

 I honestly believe in the singularity. The reason is a personal one. AS someone who has seen his type II diabetes cured by the Gastric Bypass Surgery it occurrs to me that many cures are out there to be found for many illnesses that affect the human condition.

The philosophical considerations have always played a role in how we think about these things. If there was a cure for alcoholism and drug abuse , if there was a cure for schizophrenia or bipolar illness , wouldn't someone try and get that cure to alleviate the suffering from pain? There are so many issues when it comes to philosophy as to what constitutes illness because of our sense of self-determination vs. genetic causation..

It is my firm belief that homosapien was gifted with the white matter in the brain as a part of the overall immune system. It basically is a part of the immune system that allows us to think ways to preserve ourselves instead of just counting on genetic immunity , we find ways to manipulate those things around us to preserve ourselves by even having learned the differences between , humoral and genetic immunity...

We have been gifted as one huge immune system cell and I wonder sometimes why we see the brain and body amd al systems of the body as separate  We even have the ability to override the brain-stem to actually curtail it's effects that would not help us to preserve ourselves in situations we can gauge with our white matter. We can put aside instinctual and primitive responses :  an ability which in many instance can help us to preserve ourselves.

Sociopaths thrive off of making people afraid. They thrive of of destroying people's lives. I have been assured that my friends will stand with me through all of this...

SO far no one cares what is happening and don't give a rat's about what others are trying to do and say.... I can continue this blog because I am protected under the 1st amendment an other laws that protect journalists....

I have chosen not to continue with the past postings on this blog because I have a new life , but if forced to bring this blog forward , I will...

 Friends , non-profits, politicians, police officers were all amused at the antics of what had happened and have assured me that they have not lost faith in me...they understand that the criminal element will do anything do hide their crimes like  threatening those who would expose them in the public realm in these sorts of publications...

I am exhausted and am in constant pain and will soon be going to a east coast university to undergo more treatment for my physical ailments.. my attorneys have counseled me to wait and we will be ready...but I have also been counseled that people who choose to threaten the press and bring forth frivolous claims is also a crime ... esp. if what has been written in the publication is the truth. Intimidating the press and bloggers has been documented before and there is precedent to protect those of us who have undergone this.. Law Enforcement has also counseled me that what is on record is on record....so anyone who would choose to go and find out for themselves can do so.

Other publications , after having done their due diligence and their own investigations , have aggregated past articles from this blog and I have no control over what they have chosen to publish....

The truth is always our best defense.... But if the constant fear mongering tactics continue, I will have no choice but to bring back this blog's past articles .

It was an emotional week. But I have been assured that all defenses are in place and friends ready to stand behind me and are standing behind me,,, tactics that are used by the unethical are just that ; nothing to fear.
With what has happened in Haiti I can understand my deep depression . I for some reason can feel a large loss of life in a very deep way.... it is sad others use these tragedies to continue to be demagogues, this has been going on for thousands of years and I am sure it will continue....

Fitness continues to be y number one priority this year, but the nerve damage is getting in the way ; I will not let that stop me.... It is amazing that I am motivated to push through this....

Providence has seen fit to allow this to happen.. I ain''t going out like a punk and must man up and move forrward.. I am sure I am on my last stretch , thus the enemy will throw whatever it can at me, providence has shielded me from the bad and providence will continue to do so..Providence has allowed this for me and I must not let others dictate whether I deserve it or not..

IN this life jealousy ,insecurity , greed , will drive others to throw things hard at me... I will ignore it and move forward...truth will be my shield..

This is why physically I must regain my strength so that emotionally I can handle what is going to be thrown at me... All of my friends have said they know the truth and have been diligent in verifying what has been sent to them... they will stand by me...those who were never my friends to begin with can run away...don't need you....

Let us move forward in peace and love this year....to whom much is given much is required and I must rely on Providence to balance out all of the equations...

Don Garza - Downtown Los Angeles




General Jeff was interviewed on CNN about his role in Skid Row Downtown-- now he is LAs only homeless public official..whereas we thought he was the Mayor of Skid Row...

For those who may not be aware, Jeff Page , also known as General Jeff, will be appearing on CNN sometime early this year on a story that was done specifically about General Jeff and his role as the Skid Row Resident Representative on the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. In the short amount of time he has been living in skid row General Jeff has accomplished much to make the neighborhood a better place.


Just a short note for those out there who are projecting their own feelings onto me and how I should feel about all of this because you may operate that way... I am not jealous nor envious nor resentful. You see , I had my opportunity to run for that seat that I helped to create during the foundation process of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. At that time skid row residents were not participating in the larger arena of community building within Downtown. I felt it was important that I work with the larger Downtown Community to create a venue where the disenfranchised of skid row could hash out the issues and solve the problems plaguing the community and the only people capable of handling those issues would be those who actually reside in skid row. Leslie Taplin , Micheal Gagan , Michael Pfeifffer , Quathryn Brehm, and myself were called idealists at that time. I am always going to participate in the democratic process no matter what , thus it was important that we create a place and a seat that would allow someone and others in skid row to participate ...that is what that was created for. I did not help create the seat for myself. I was accused by a local newspaper editor of being crazy because he felt that most people do things in their own self-interest. I suppose not running for the seat which could have handily become mine ;to him was somehow acting not within the bounds of human nature. What he and many others fail to realize is that any decisions made about the skid row community are a matter of life and death and self-aggrandizement can not play a role in representing the community and working with the community. The other dilemma was that as there are many people in skid row who have drug and alcohol problems , felonies and misdemeanors and I had none of these , there was no way I could identify with many in the skid row community, many people there resent those of us who do not have those problems and the non-profits , for the most part, don't like you because they can not use these types of things against you to destroy your credibility , thus it was important that naturally the community would eventually find the right person for the job..


We now have this with General Jeff and, it is becoming quite stimulating as I have watched this community become so energized from within and realizing that no one can empower them, but are reminded that all they have to do is grab on to the autonomy that already resides within themselves. The problem for a long time was the message that was sent to the residents by the huge non-profits that they were helpless , hopeless etc,every pamphlet indicates this and this was where my agitation became a problem.


Before General Jeff it was up to me to agitate and that meant telling it like it was . It was about publicly attacking stereotypes put out by local Downtown Newspapers , publicly chastising the non-profit entities and shining a light onto all the dirt..It was me and that was it. The non-profits did everything that they could to hold on to their efforts at claiming to be the voice of those they claimed had no voice...thus I have pretty much alienated many...Many in the non-profit sector listened to me and knew that I wasn't there to harm them but expose those things they could not...and I have been thanked many times by them , shocking me whenever it indeed happened. So many who have taken it in the shins from Don Garza during the breaking the stereotyping phase , the Central City East Blogger , now have moved on to a new way of thinking, there has been a paradigm shift in the way that residents and homeless people are treated.. To be honest the Internet helped a lot in these endeavors...


Back to those who would wish to project their petty personality traits onto myself...you wish....what has transpired is exactly what community building is all about and I am happier everyday that I feel useless and not needed...why? because that is what I aspired to do....a community with power and not having Don Garza speaking for them... I have always believed that we can speak for ourselves and we know what we want..Bud Hayes, one of the previous Executive Directors of SRO Housing Corporation , confirmed this for me when he said to be a good case manager you need to know that the client knows what they need and want more than you do. This is true for the residents of skid row... To be free is what we all strive for...but freedom comes with choices . General Jeff came with his gifts, skills , talents , and his abilities , he did the work in the community , the seat was there. We as a community convinced him to run and Jeff Page has leveraged that seat in such a way that has made many founders of the neighborhood council very happy....not jealous and not resentful...happy..... (I personally think they are jealous of me because I choose to actually do the selfless behavior and they only claim to while raking in 6 figure salaries or are just doing things in skid row to exploit the situation for their own self-aggrandizement. So they project their pettiness onto me...) I have won...The same people who pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America hypocritically simply do not understand it and would never understand my statement about winning. The constitution and it's belief in the 1st amendment is what I based all of this effort on The Universe in all it's glory does and has rewarded me with no longer having diabetes and able to exercise vigorously now. God in his infinite wisdom always balances out the equation, in physics we understand this very well...those in recovery circles understand that miracles happen..


When we all stood together as a Downtown Community , when the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and their Commissioners wanted to remove skid row from within our boundaries and we walked out of the certification process and the famous words of Michael Gagan ..we kindly request to withdraw our application.. was rebuffed,, we all walked out as a group yelling at them , that we were not satisfied and the commissioners came back and left skid row within our boundaries on the condition that if we were disenfranchised skid row could come back as a community and petition to create their own neighborhood council....this was the first time we stood together, rich and poor , all ethnicity, homeless and housed , nonprofit and resident , stating that we wanted things to change and the only way for that to happen was together and seeing each other in the same rooms and working beyond our stereotypes of each other and breaking down barriers...it is happening...so where there are those who see that I must be jealous , I don't see where I should be jealous , I should be very satisfied at this outcome.....This CNN story is the icing on the cake... Many wondered why I stood by Mayor Hahn , knowing Antonio Villaraigosa would beat him , because Mayor James Hahn supported the Neighborhood Council Movement and I saw this as the only way to save lives in skid row...now Antonio Villaraigosa has shown his unflinching resolve to help us solve the problems in skid row and has an ally in Jeff Page and Myself....but make no mistake , my first priority will always be the lives of the weakest in society and it matters not who it is whom I will expose if they are strong and take advantage or do harm to the weakest in society , it will be said..


So now I am content , I rest , work out , work on my adonis indexed body, live diabetes free and maybe find a job or create my own business and know when I die I did not leave this earth going down like a punk or full of regrets....I was on my death bed before ,been there , done that , don't want no regrets.

Read More!

on Garza - Downtown Los Angeles

Reposted from December 2009










I spent Christmas Eve at the Los Angeles Mission today to see what was going on at the Christmas Eve Celebration. To start this post it must be said that the line is getting longer . I missed Thanksgiving this year , but others told me that the line was even longer. Suffice to say that the folks in the line were moved along through the event quickly , but what was poignant , even for a 10 Year skid row veteran such as myself ,was the long line of not bussed in families. Yes, these people were not bussed in and to me this portends that more families are suffering around this great city if they made their way to the Los Angeles Misson..I could see that many were not there to eat as a result of coming down to shop in the Toy District and the wholesale district of downtown. It was distressing to see the line now extended onto 5th street . More families with children .. not bussed in...hmmmm..on Christmas Eve? Something is up.. The ten years I was living on 5th street and witnessed the Thanksgiving and Christmas events of the Los Angeles Mission , I had never seen this many families and people in that line.

Commander Andy Smith



One thing happening was the coat giveaway...nice coats...


The usual suspects were all there to serve the meal ,and the councilrazzi , myself, was ready to catch the politicos photos who showed up.

You can see who was there below in the photos
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa with Corbin Blue



Dennis Zine with Stephanie Pratt


Tom Labonge



As usual those living in skid row just can't get enough of the Mayor... they love him...it is always quite interesting to see this . There are movie stars all over the place , celebrities , media personalities , yet the people fall all over themselves to want to get the attention of the Mayor of the City of Los Angeles..




We are all blessed , those of us who live in our homes and in our safe places. We are eating. Many of us are still working. This year I give my thanks for my new found health and opportunity to live a dignified life . I also give thanks for those of you who contribute to these organizations in such hard times...after witnessing these families in that line , those many who made their way to skid row this day , tears welled in my eyes because I know things are tough out there for many...and wonder if it will get better anytime soon...

Don Garza-Downtown Los Angeles


For those who may not be aware, Jeff Page , also known as General Jeff, will be appearing on CNN sometime early this year on a story that was done specifically about General Jeff and his role as the Skid Row Resident Representative on the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. In the short amount of time he has been living in skid row General Jeff has accomplished much to make the neighborhood a better place.


Just a short note for those out there who are projecting their own feelings onto me and how I should feel about all of this because you may operate that way... I am not jealous nor envious nor resentful. You see , I had my opportunity to run for that seat that I helped to create during the foundation process of the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. At that time skid row residents were not participating in the larger arena of community building within Downtown. I felt it was important that I work with the larger Downtown Community to create a venue where the disenfranchised of skid row could hash out the issues and solve the problems plaguing the community and the only people capable of handling those issues would be those who actually reside in skid row. Leslie Taplin , Micheal Gagan , Michael Pfeifffer , Quathryn Brehm, and myself were called idealists at that time. I am always going to participate in the democratic process no matter what , thus it was important that we create a place and a seat that would allow someone and others in skid row to participate ...that is what that was created for. I did not help create the seat for myself. I was accused by a local newspaper editor of being crazy because he felt that most people do things in their own self-interest. I suppose not running for the seat which could have handily become mine ;to him was somehow acting not within the bounds of human nature. What he and many others fail to realize is that any decisions made about the skid row community are a matter of life and death and self-aggrandizement can not play a role in representing the community and working with the community. The other dilemma was that as there are many people in skid row who have drug and alcohol problems , felonies and misdemeanors and I had none of these , there was no way I could identify with many in the skid row community, many people there resent those of us who do not have those problems and the non-profits , for the most part, don't like you because they can not use these types of things against you to destroy your credibility , thus it was important that naturally the community would eventually find the right person for the job..


We now have this with General Jeff and, it is becoming quite stimulating as I have watched this community become so energized from within and realizing that no one can empower them, but are reminded that all they have to do is grab on to the autonomy that already resides within themselves. The problem for a long time was the message that was sent to the residents by the huge non-profits that they were helpless , hopeless etc,every pamphlet indicates this and this was where my agitation became a problem.


Before General Jeff it was up to me to agitate and that meant telling it like it was . It was about publicly attacking stereotypes put out by local Downtown Newspapers , publicly chastising the non-profit entities and shining a light onto all the dirt..It was me and that was it. The non-profits did everything that they could to hold on to their efforts at claiming to be the voice of those they claimed had no voice...thus I have pretty much alienated many...Many in the non-profit sector listened to me and knew that I wasn't there to harm them but expose those things they could not...and I have been thanked many times by them , shocking me whenever it indeed happened. So many who have taken it in the shins from Don Garza during the breaking the stereotyping phase , the Central City East Blogger , now have moved on to a new way of thinking, there has been a paradigm shift in the way that residents and homeless people are treated.. To be honest the Internet helped a lot in these endeavors...


Back to those who would wish to project their petty personality traits onto myself...you wish....what has transpired is exactly what community building is all about and I am happier everyday that I feel useless and not needed...why? because that is what I aspired to do....a community with power and not having Don Garza speaking for them... I have always believed that we can speak for ourselves and we know what we want..Bud Hayes, one of the previous Executive Directors of SRO Housing Corporation , confirmed this for me when he said to be a good case manager you need to know that the client knows what they need and want more than you do. This is true for the residents of skid row... To be free is what we all strive for...but freedom comes with choices . General Jeff came with his gifts, skills , talents , and his abilities , he did the work in the community , the seat was there. We as a community convinced him to run and Jeff Page has leveraged that seat in such a way that has made many founders of the neighborhood council very happy....not jealous and not resentful...happy..... (I personally think they are jealous of me because I choose to actually do the selfless behavior and they only claim to while raking in 6 figure salaries or are just doing things in skid row to exploit the situation for their own self-aggrandizement. So they project their pettiness onto me...) I have won...The same people who pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America hypocritically simply do not understand it and would never understand my statement about winning. The constitution and it's belief in the 1st amendment is what I based all of this effort on The Universe in all it's glory does and has rewarded me with no longer having diabetes and able to exercise vigorously now. God in his infinite wisdom always balances out the equation, in physics we understand this very well...those in recovery circles understand that miracles happen..


When we all stood together as a Downtown Community , when the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment and their Commissioners wanted to remove skid row from within our boundaries and we walked out of the certification process and the famous words of Michael Gagan ..we kindly request to withdraw our application.. was rebuffed,, we all walked out as a group yelling at them , that we were not satisfied and the commissioners came back and left skid row within our boundaries on the condition that if we were disenfranchised skid row could come back as a community and petition to create their own neighborhood council....this was the first time we stood together, rich and poor , all ethnicity, homeless and housed , nonprofit and resident , stating that we wanted things to change and the only way for that to happen was together and seeing each other in the same rooms and working beyond our stereotypes of each other and breaking down barriers...it is happening...so where there are those who see that I must be jealous , I don't see where I should be jealous , I should be very satisfied at this outcome.....This CNN story is the icing on the cake... Many wondered why I stood by Mayor Hahn , knowing Antonio Villaraigosa would beat him , because Mayor James Hahn supported the Neighborhood Council Movement and I saw this as the only way to save lives in skid row...now Antonio Villaraigosa has shown his unflinching resolve to help us solve the problems in skid row and has an ally in Jeff Page and Myself....but make no mistake , my first priority will always be the lives of the weakest in society and it matters not who it is whom I will expose if they are strong and take advantage or do harm to the weakest in society , it will be said..


So now I am content , I rest , work out , work on my adonis indexed body, live diabetes free and maybe find a job or create my own business and know when I die I did not leave this earth going down like a punk or full of regrets....I was on my death bed before ,been there , done that , don't want no regrets.