The Los Angeles Report: Things are Getting Even Weirder

Summary

The Los Angeles neighborhood, nestled between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, has seen its retail area transformed by the Black Lives Matter movement, with merchants displaying mixed-quality homemade justice-themed signs, juxtaposing the area's affluence with the ongoing struggle for racial equality.

Abstract

The article describes a family's walk through their L.A. neighborhood, revealing changes brought about by the Social and Racial Justice protests. The retail area, once bustling, now bears signs of the movement, with storefronts adorned with DIY signs made by retail clerks using laser printers. These signs, ranging from earnest to ironic, reflect the local merchants' attempt to align with the Black Lives Matter cause. The absurdity of the situation is highlighted by the author's visit to the upscale restaurant Sur by Melrose, known for its association with the reality TV show "Vanderpump Rules," which is criticized for its superficial engagement with social issues amidst accusations of racism. The author's son's innocent questions underscore a generational disconnect and the superficiality of some attempts at solidarity with social justice movements.

Opinions

The author seems to find humor in the merchants' attempts to show solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement through hastily made signs, suggesting a lack of genuine understanding or commitment.
There is a hint of sarcasm regarding the irony of the affluent Beverly Hills and West Hollywood areas, known for their luxury and superficiality, engaging with deep social issues.
The author points out the disconnect between the reality TV show "Vanderpump Rules" and the serious issues of social and racial justice, implying that the show's association with the movement is inauthentic and performative.
The author reflects on the challenges of teaching younger generations about historical and cultural contexts, especially when those lessons are overshadowed by contemporary distractions and a lack of historical awareness.

In Beverly Hills the struggle for racial justice has reached every breakable surface

The weekend family walk got funny pretty fast. It had been awhile since we had walked up Robertson and through the retail area of our L.A. neighborhood which is sandwiched between West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. All the stores have been closed for months during the lock down so there hasn’t been much reason to. Plus, I have developed some unique survival skills during the Great Sheltering. I can now brew my own coffee. I also have a basil plant that I have kept alive for at least two weeks. So basically we’re a self-sustaining unit now. But a lot has been happening out there and my son has taken way too well to his bubble, so it was time to get out there and see the world. The Social and Racial Justice protests had gone right by our street on that first weekend. The crowd was massive, organized, determined and peaceful. There were some targeted robberies around us but nothing like what happened farther east by Fairfax. Still there were signs of our changed world everywhere. By the time we got a few blocks the message was clear: We the merchants of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood know how to use a laser printer.

photo by C Hardin Hansen

Apparently the clerks of the local retail shops were tasked with getting some messaging up in the windows. They Googled Black Lives Matters and Racial Justice and the results were mixed. If they had been put to the ultimate test, I’m not sure they would have worked. Well maybe there would have been a delay as the potential thief tried to decipher them or took too long pondering the irony.

photo by C Hardin Hansen

By the time we got all the way up to the restaurant Sur by Melrose things were starting to get absurd. I know when anyone thinks of the long hard struggle for social and racial justice the first thing to come to mind is Vanderpump Rules. Except for all the mindless commercialism, the glorification of shallowness and the overt racism, it really is a beacon during these stormy times. When we saw the bold display of messages over the plywood which plastered every inch of the location my son had some questions.

photo by C Hardin Hansen

I explained to my son the long history of Vanderpump Rules and how it was platform for people to voice themselves about social justice concerns while taking forty-five minutes to make a cocktail. The first thing he asked was “What’s Vanderpump Rules?” So I explained that the journey started on Beverly Hills Housewives and has blazed a path across the country filled with Botox, cocktails and staged moments of rage. The hallowed place we stood before was where the second generation found their voice and took the baton of elevating gossip to performance art on television. The second thing he asked was “What is television?” That’s the problem with eleven year olds, you can’t tell them anything they don’t already know and yet somehow they care completely clueless. But a lot of lessons were learned that day. The most important one might have been that no matter how much pink spray paint you have you can’t cover up your history.