WeHo resident Ramesses Setepenre railed into West Hollywood’s approach to homelessness at Monday night’s City Council meeting, lambasting it as a waste of money that’s driving away people from the Democratic Party.:
“I was prevented from speaking on item B9 concerning homelessness at the last council meeting. I was told that the item was going to be moved to the end, and I’d be able to speak on it then. But when the end came, you blocked me from speaking. I commented my speech on the mayor’s Facebook page, but he blocked me.
I’m against the homeless pledge. As a homeless person over the last year, I’ve observed over 800 homeless individuals in West Hollywood. Ninety-six percent of them need institutionalization, and more than 80 percent of them were actively using drugs. Your pledge means nothing more than style over substance. It’s a logical fallacy, as the mayor committed a hasty generalization fallacy when he sped through it.
California, as a whole, commits a sunk cost fallacy, as we’ve spent over $20 billion over the past four years with little to show for it. The way to solve homelessness is through institutionalization and a direct voucher system to local landlords—not money laundered to your nonprofits.
This passive-aggressive, incompetent mayor need not block me or prevent me from speaking, nor tread on my First Amendment rights. Democrats are in a cult that suppresses freedom of speech. Now you hate freedom, and you hate America.
I’m gay, I’m homeless, and I’m an atheist, and I voted for Trump because Democrats took away more of my rights than Republicans did. First Amendment? Gone. Second Amendment? Gone. Safety and security? Gone—I’m being assaulted or robbed once a month. Affordable housing? Gone, due to building code bureaucracy. Affordable gas? Gone—I’ve had my gas siphoned.
You’ve turned your city into an open-air drug den, and the word on the street is that your Democratic government is the one selling the drugs. You condone crime and don’t prosecute it, and then you wonder why people are turning Republican. It’s because Democrats can’t govern.
The mayor need not herald himself as a hero when he’s ignored me for a year. Thanks to him, I’ve now transitioned into a Republican.”
I was at that meeting and he made the most sense of anyone who spoke.
He’s not wrong.
The D Party is very good at creating R Party voters today. Just horrible policies that are ruining our quality of life.
Yup…more and more. Truth.
In America, one can believe in whatever religion they want or none at all because Americans are free to worship as they choose. Today, Republicans are a more inclusive group than they ever have been no matter what faith (no faith), color of your skin or gender you are. Whereas the Democratic party is as divisive as it ever has been, pitting one group against the other. The role of Judeo-Christian tradition in the founding of the United States was that the founders believed that religious principles promote moral government leadership. This moral tradition combined with Common Sense is why Republicans… Read more »
Republicans are a more inclusive group? Is that why they want to send all dark-skinned people back to their home countries? Is that why they’re the party of white supremacists, including the KKK? Is that why they insist that our country was founded on only Christian religious beliefs? Is that why so many Republicans are antisemitic? Is that why they’re the party of homophobia, xenophobia & misogyny? Republicans didn’t win “so decisively” The Senate & the House are both still very close in members & Trump won by a very small 1.5% margin. It’s the popular votes, not the electoral… Read more »
Ericksons comment at the end shows exactly what he is about. He couldn’t care less about opposing views, interests or needs. There only to self serve and further push his ridiculous agendas. Silly man with a very silly dress style.
He looked like a Leprechaun dressed by Liberace.
No one “makes you” hold certain political ideals. You are a Republican because you are in line with Republican those values that Republicans hold dear. Quit putting the blame on someone else and take responsibly for the most basic of things: your own mind.
And apparently, his own mind said the dem party has become bat sh*t crazy.
We all have a spectrum of ideas and vote based on the party that represents the majority of our ideas. Policies sometimes need to change based on current reality. What is clear is the far left version of Democrats that run our city aren’t making good decisions. You should vote for the specific candidate over the party.
In the 1960s Governor Pat Brown (Jerry’s dad) agreed with the Assembly that the civil rights of the institutionalized mentally ill and substance abusers (pretty much all of them) were being violated and that they should be allowed to live freely and determine their own destiny. So it became law and it fell on the next governor, Ronald Reagan, to enforce it although he disagreed with it. We all see how that worked out! Reagan often gets the blame for the homeless crisis, but he had no choice but to enforce the law that did not take effect until right… Read more »
So true.
If this individual was truly blocked from speaking, isn’t this a violation of the Brown Act? Can one of the many attorneys who regularly comment here shine some light on this? Or, is this person just being crazy?
I’ve voted Republican (for the first time) and moderate for all CA elections and remain Democrat nationally. I couldn’t bring myself to vote for Trump. That said, if Republicans put forth a reasonable person and stop forcing religious beliefs into our laws, I’ll be jumping. The far left has ruined cities. Why we had Hochman elected in LA and more right leaning policies in a traditionally Democrat area and state.
“Congratulations on your transition” our Mayor snarked. Very professional. Very mayoral. John, this is the dais of the City Council of the City of West Hollywood, not center square, and not happy hour at Trunks. Try to act like it.
“The way to solve homelessness is through institutionalization and a direct voucher system to local landlords—not money laundered to your nonprofits.” (and I would say rehab OR jail for those caught doing drugs). YES, YES, YES to this!!! BRAVO…and there are many of us that feel the same way. And THIS is ONE reason (of many) that the democrats got their ass handed to them in the recent election. Their support will continue to erode as more people get more and more frustrated with their policies and the devasting effects they have on society.
100%. But the politicians (people who don’t have a hirable skill) will loose campaign $$ if they don’t push through programs from NGO’s and developers for homes for the homeless. Yes, the homeless need to be treated in institutions. They are mentally ill, addicted and no free/cheap housing is going to help them.
Setepenre is owed an apology for the disrespectful snark uttered by the histrionic buffoon sitting in the titular mayor’s role who clearly couldn’t resist saying “congratulations on your transition” after the speaker’s time was up. Erickson’s continued sophomoric behavior clearly violates the useless Code of Conduct that is never enforced.