Homeowners, Charity and Share Our Selves

There were 1,000 “unselfish” people at the SOS rally on Jan. 13. I’m sure most of those people are for keeping SOS at the Rea Community Center in West Side Costa Mesa. It draws the homeless, the parolees and alcoholics away from their safe, quiet and “unselfish” neighborhoods.

We, in our small, “selfish” little neighborhood, are but a small voice trying to be heard over the great uproar of the richer who employ many West Side residents; the many Orange County churches involved; the tilted media coverage; and Jean Forbath and other SOS directors--the most “unselfish” of all, of course.

It seems to me that if some of these other more “unselfish” areas of the county had not closed their facilities or would put their action and money where their mouth and heart literally are, at home, we in our “selfish” little neighborhood would not be so desperate to be heard.

I’m for keeping this type of organization out of all those “unselfish” residential neighborhoods, fearing they may become “selfish.” We know how quickly the Mesa Verde neighborhood of Costa Mesa seemed almost to act “selfish” when mention was made to move there. That is Forbath’s own neighborhood--forbid!

A man signed our petition Saturday who did not live in West Side Costa Mesa. He thought maybe he should not. I asked if he was for residential neighborhoods being safe and quiet. He was! I told him that he could sign, that perhaps SOS might have some signatures from outside West Side Costa Mesa also.

I would like to commend this “heartless” Costa Mesa City Council and citizenry for listening with wisdom and compassion to fellow citizens and not bowing to outside financial, religious and “unselfish” pressure.

Everyone says the homeless will not go away. I believe this also. I just want them to disperse from in front of my home and allow the whole country to show how “unselfish” it is.

LEE LITTRELL

Costa Mesa