The West Hollywood City Council will show its support for France and the victims of last week’s attack in Paris by ISIS terrorists by displaying a symbol of that support at its meeting tonight.
Ty Geltmaker, a WeHo resident, proposed the Council display the symbol on the screen behind the Council dais at the beginning of its meeting at the City Council Chambers. Geltmaker said he reached out directly to Councilmember Lauren Meister, who offered her support. Geltmaker also hopes the city will project the image at night on the outside of City Hall and on the outside of the West Hollywood Library.
“It would send such a strong message of solidarité with our centuries-long friends of liberté, egalité, fraternité, as well as to all immigrant communities around the world,” Geltmaker said. “A projection on the screen above the dais would send a powerful statement — locally, nationally and to our friends in Europe and the Middle East — especially to those refugees liable to be unfairly scapegoated. ”
Geltmaker said he has made a hundred or more small, “playing-card” size images of the Paris tragedy symbol that will be available on tables at the entrance to the Council Chambers.
The attacks in Paris on Friday night, the deadliest since World War II, have claimed the lives of 129 people to date. More than 400 others have been hospitalized. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as ISIS and Daesh, claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying they were in reprisal for France’s involvement in the Syrian and Iraqi civil wars.
The City Council meeting is at 6:30 p.m. today at 625 N. San Vicente Blvd., south of Santa Monica.
Why no outpouring for support of the African and Middle Eastern countries under heavy assault from ISIS? This is not a “leftist” jolt but a feel-good pander bear. Nothing wrong with supporting Paris after that time of morning but we have more toddlers shot up in America than ISIS kills Europeans. Maybe the council should focus on homegrown terrorism and guns that affect the community daily. I also don’t think the council or community did anything for the recent hate crimes in the City. Very interesting.
I am not “the artist,” who is a Parisian. I am a bourgeois, working-class Midwestern-born Eurocommunist historian, as is my Jewish architect/furniture designer New Yorker partner of 35 years. And we do not — despite our militant gay/AIDS/anti-Central American/Vietnam interventionist history which can be looked up — define ourselves according to our homosexual and HIV identity, as so many pathetic WeHo recalcitrants do, with all their wounds and social special identities in constant need of recognition.
Ty Geltmaker, Ph.D./James Rosen
if hat last remark truly is from the artist, I question who is really pathetic and bourgeois.
Mes Amis/Dear Friends: I have no delusions of grandeur, given that I only now reluctantly live in this little island of false privilege after 30 years with my partner living in “gangs & gays” Echo Park back & forth from NYC way Upper West Side/125th St. Just the idea that little provincial West Hollywood could for once speak out of its bourgeois bubble, as that tiny symbol tonight did do. Who could disagree? For the record: my partner James Rosen and I (Ty Geltmaker) are Eurocomunists. (Look it up). We think WeHo is a pathetic bunch of “recovery communities” needing… Read more »
I do, however, have no problem with the City showing support for France. I just don’t think it will have the meaning Mr. Geltmaker thinks it will have.
“It would send such a strong message of solidarité with our centuries-long friends of liberté, egalité, fraternité, as well as to all immigrant communities around the world,” Geltmaker said. “A projection on the screen above the dais would send a powerful statement — locally, nationally and to our friends in Europe and the Middle East — especially to those refugees liable to be unfairly scapegoated. “ A projection on the screen behind our City Council and perhaps projected on our City Hall will Not send a powerful statement to anywhere beyond our borders (WeHo’s). I think Mr. Geltmaker believes WeHo’s… Read more »