Gulag Moorpark

Years ago we rejoiced when the Russians announced that there would be no more political prisoners, so there was no further need for those awful gulags. Then, just a few weeks ago, our mayor here in Moorpark recognized the wonderful job our local sheriff’s deputies do in making this one of the safest little cities in the West.

Both of these are good things, but local evidence indicates that one is not true. Why? The city has recently bought the property at 675 Moorpark Ave. for use as a maintenance office and yard. And it has erected an eight-foot fence with three rows of barbed wire around the yard where they say city vehicles and equipment will be stored. That same equipment used to be kept in an unfenced lot at City Hall, so security from intruders cannot be the explanation. Our mayor says this is one of the safest cities in the West and I know from personal experience that our deputies do a fantastic job.

There can then be only one explanation for that fantastic fence right in our Civic Center District: It is there to keep people in. Moorpark has political prisoners and that is to be gulag Moorpark.

Perhaps our city should take a serious look at the message that fence sends to people thinking about moving their families or businesses to Moorpark.

LYNNE B. OWENS

Moorpark