--- [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) # From Tragedy, Healing ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/May-2015/044m.png)GUEST WORDS-In the days after [Brendon Glenn was killed,](http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-dozens-turnout-for-memorial-for-brendon-glenn-20150509-story.html) in the heart of Venice, I was starkly reminded of one of our community's biggest challenges. But, my perspective may surprise you. What first came to mind was not how we police. It was not about racism or homelessness. It was not about mental illness, or the insidious nature of drug or alcohol abuse. Instead, I was reminded that, too often, we all can have the instinct to chastise, blame, and vilify, rather than, discuss, listen, and connect. The most visible example of this was what happened at the Town Hall following Brendon's death. What was a right headed effort to bring Venice together - and to discuss what can and must be done to avoid such future tragedies - quickly deteriorated into anger and divisiveness. To be sure, Brendon's friends and family were rightfully angry and heartbroken. And to be sure, many in the crowd who may not have known Brendon, but have for too long felt disrespected - or empathize and sympathize with others who have - felt a lifetime of indignities boil to the surface. Of course, on the other side of things, dozens of police officers, elected officials, and social service volunteers and professionals, uninvolved in Brendon's death and working to avoid such future tragedies, were made to feel responsible for deeply engrained and longstanding community wounds that they did not create. To be clear, I do not point this out to assign blame for the tenor at the Town Hall, or since then. From my perspective, perception and emotion are reality ... for all of us. Everyone's voice, on all sides of this issue, should be heard, listened to and respected. For those who demand to see the surveillance tape of the shooting, they feel it is their right, and I understand their perspective. For the police officers, investigators and elected officials who explained that they simply could not taint witness testimony by releasing the tape, their points, and the points of those who agree with them, are also understandable. And we should not forget the realities for Brendon or the officer involved in the shooting. At the end of the day, whatever the investigation concludes, a young man is dead, and the officer's life will never be the same. Time will tell what happened on May 5th. But, justice will only be served if we fight the urge to blame, fight the urge to preach and fight the urge to vilify. Instead, we must encourage a discussion on why Brendon died, and steps we can take together to ensure that this situation never happens again. {module \[1177\]} We need to put our minds together to continue to strengthen relationships between our police officers and our citizens. We need to ask what new resources do the police and social service providers need to help get folks off the street and into shelters, transitional housing, and ultimately permanent supportive housing. We need to ask what we can continue to do to break down old stereotypes, and replace them with the realities of individual personal relationships. We need to ask how we can help those who are mentally ill, or suffering from addiction. We need to ask how we can create more jobs, so that those able to work have real opportunities. All of these dialogues already exist in Venice, but they cannot survive, and they cannot grow, if we choose to tear each other down. I can only speak for myself, but I tend to see human nature, and the world, as inherently good. Let's not let Brendon's death compromise that nature. Instead, let's make his memory a legacy of constructive dialogue, and an opportunity to bring us all together to solve the challenges that divide us. Get involved! *(Mike Newhouse is president of the Venice Neighborhood Council. This piece was provided by Matthew Beltran, who lives in Venice and Denyse Selesnick, who writes for CityWatch.)* CityWatch Vol 13 Issue 44 Pub: May 29, 2015 Written by Mike Newhouse on December 31 2015. [](https://www.addtoany.com/share) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/May-2015/044m.png)GUEST WORDS-In the days after [Brendon Glenn was killed,](http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-dozens-turnout-for-memorial-for-brendon-glenn-20150509-story.html) in the heart of Venice, I was starkly reminded of one of our community's biggest challenges. But, my perspective may surprise you. What first came to mind was not how we police. It was not about racism or homelessness. It was not about mental illness, or the insidious nature of drug or alcohol abuse. Instead, I was reminded that, too often, we all can have the instinct to chastise, blame, and vilify, rather than, discuss, listen, and connect. The most visible example of this was what happened at the Town Hall following Brendon's death. What was a right headed effort to bring Venice together - and to discuss what can and must be done to avoid such future tragedies - quickly deteriorated into anger and divisiveness. To be sure, Brendon's friends and family were rightfully angry and heartbroken. And to be sure, many in the crowd who may not have known Brendon, but have for too long felt disrespected - or empathize and sympathize with others who have - felt a lifetime of indignities boil to the surface. Of course, on the other side of things, dozens of police officers, elected officials, and social service volunteers and professionals, uninvolved in Brendon's death and working to avoid such future tragedies, were made to feel responsible for deeply engrained and longstanding community wounds that they did not create. To be clear, I do not point this out to assign blame for the tenor at the Town Hall, or since then. From my perspective, perception and emotion are reality ... for all of us. Everyone's voice, on all sides of this issue, should be heard, listened to and respected. For those who demand to see the surveillance tape of the shooting, they feel it is their right, and I understand their perspective. For the police officers, investigators and elected officials who explained that they simply could not taint witness testimony by releasing the tape, their points, and the points of those who agree with them, are also understandable. And we should not forget the realities for Brendon or the officer involved in the shooting. At the end of the day, whatever the investigation concludes, a young man is dead, and the officer's life will never be the same. Time will tell what happened on May 5th. But, justice will only be served if we fight the urge to blame, fight the urge to preach and fight the urge to vilify. Instead, we must encourage a discussion on why Brendon died, and steps we can take together to ensure that this situation never happens again. {module \[1177\]} We need to put our minds together to continue to strengthen relationships between our police officers and our citizens. We need to ask what new resources do the police and social service providers need to help get folks off the street and into shelters, transitional housing, and ultimately permanent supportive housing. We need to ask what we can continue to do to break down old stereotypes, and replace them with the realities of individual personal relationships. We need to ask how we can help those who are mentally ill, or suffering from addiction. We need to ask how we can create more jobs, so that those able to work have real opportunities. All of these dialogues already exist in Venice, but they cannot survive, and they cannot grow, if we choose to tear each other down. I can only speak for myself, but I tend to see human nature, and the world, as inherently good. Let's not let Brendon's death compromise that nature. Instead, let's make his memory a legacy of constructive dialogue, and an opportunity to bring us all together to solve the challenges that divide us. Get involved! *(Mike Newhouse is president of the Venice Neighborhood Council. This piece was provided by Matthew Beltran, who lives in Venice and Denyse Selesnick, who writes for CityWatch.)* CityWatch Vol 13 Issue 44 Pub: May 29, 2015 [![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/ME%20DENTAL%20SPA/me%20dental%202026%20final.jpg)](http://medentalspa.com/) ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png) ## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays & Thursdays Phone [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)") [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2") --- ## Featured CityWatch Stories [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/fd/064h-fdb0b507.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) ### [Remembering Ken Draper: CityWatch and Transparency Are his Legacy](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=29355:remembering-ken-draper-citywatch-and-transparency-are-his-legacy&catid=12) LA WATCHDOG - Ken Draper, the editor and publisher of CityWatch for more than 20 years, passed away on August 8, 2022… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/0f/061a-0f1ada2f.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) ### [Brace Yourself For A Worse Housing Crisis](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33148:brace-yourself-for-a-worse-housing-crisis&catid=398) PLANNING WATCH - The California State Legislature will soon vote on the following draft legislation. Please carefully… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/54/064j-54f0ecbd.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) ### [Be Prepared to Protect Our Democracy in November From a Trumpian Plot](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33204:be-prepared-to-protect-our-democracy-in-november-from-a-trumpian-plot&catid=9) BE AWARE - Back in the days when conservatives were so hungry for media platforms that they’d come on progressive shows… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/ab/063e-ab3b1ba1.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) ### [Nithya Raman Loses the Homelessness Gavel — Her Record Explains Why](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33174:nithya-raman-loses-the-homelessness-gavel-her-record-explains-why&catid=396) THE BOTTOM LINE - Raman wants Los Angeles voters to promote her to mayor. Before handing her the keys to City Hall, v… [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/75/064a-75d5dbb3.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) ### [Your Boss Owns Your Workday—Not Your Brain](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33199:your-boss-owns-your-workday-not-your-brain&catid=425) THE NEURAL WORKPLACE - California must protect workers before workplace surveillance crosses the final frontier: the hu… --- ## [ ARCHIVE ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/034e.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Early Intervention and Jobs are Key to Stemming Chronic Homelessness in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15339:early-intervention-and-jobs-are-key-to-stemming-chronic-homelessness-in-los-angeles&catid=16) ### [Tucker Carlson and Gay Rightwinger Blame California Wildfires On Hiring LGBTQ People](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18755:tucker-carlson-and-gay-rightwinger-blame-california-wildfires-on-hiring-lgbtq-people&catid=16) ### [Anti-LGBTQ Veep Just Can’t Stop Talking about Mayor Pete](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=17690:anti-lgbtq-veep-just-can-t-stop-talking-about-mayor-pete&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Apr-2018/033j.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16)### [NEWS PULSE: ‘Corrupt System’ Reason for Not Voting in 2018 … Majority Wants More Than Two Parties](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=15316:news-pulse-corrupt-system-reason-for-not-voting-in-2018-majority-wants-more-than-two-parties&catid=16) [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Jan-2016/1404d.png) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)### [Dead Dog Set on Fire … Sparks Fears for Strays in Los Angeles](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10245:dead-dog-set-on-fire-sparks-fears-for-strays-in-los-angeles&catid=16)