So let me see if I understand what's going on here. We have someone that may or may not have a criminal background that may or may not have followed her from Texas. So how many people has she stolen money from since she's been in Venice? Why is her past (true or not) taking away from her present state of her being, as a servant to our Venice community and an ally to our local police?
We accept reformed drug addicts, drug dealers, adulterers, crooked politicians (some who were adulterers), burglars, gang bangers, heck even rapists and plenty of other criminals I may have failed to mention, that have turned their lives around and use those same "skills" to help law enforcement (with the knowledge of what they have done) to educate our youth, protect our families, help women be aware of their surroundings and even help improve our communities. Some have gone on to have their own TV shows using their "criminal skills" to help prevent the same type of crimes they committed and we praise them for what they got away with for so long because they decided to turn their lives around. And they make millions because of their criminal backgrounds? So What's WRONG with this picture?!
We criticize our local law enforcement for not doing enough and then we criticize them for getting involved with someone who never did any real harm to anyone in Venice and who in my less than 5 years as a Venetian, has improved the quality of life for me as well as my neighborhood. I know for a fact that if Alex was a murderer or some cat burglar with a "real" record that our local police would have nothing to do with her. But an embezzler? Really? Seriously? Our local police needs all the help they can get considering the amount of criminal transient population that is being dropped off at our door steps since all the other communities outside the 3 mile radius of Venice refuse to deal with them, using Venice as a dump site.
For a while Yo' Venice provided local information of the crimes being committed and alerting us of them "after the fact" like any local newspaper and that was cool since I didn't have to pay to learn about it. Don't get me wrong, it’s still is a great neighborhood watch on line "newspaper".
Venice311 takes it a step further. They report/tweet the news as it happens and at times are right in the middle of it filming, taking photos and tweeting it every step of the way, as they did some weeks ago when we had a home invasion that was around So. Venice Blvd and they were there when the police found the perp in a trash can on 29th place or Ave. Because of Alex and her Venice311 team, we knew to stay the heck out of the streets so the police can do their job safely and we all applauded Alex and her team for keeping us inside and safe while they helped the police document and ultimately catch the bad guys.
This is not vigilantism, this is activism and maybe the haters should learn the difference.
I was a big fan of Boston Dawna until her EGO got in the way. Instead of praising her protégé for taking it up numerous notches, she dogs her for being better at it. Dawna didn't have the knowledge or resources Alex developed with Venice311, using her "skills" to protect our communities and that is why the police can do a better job as they can use all the help they can get from an alleged "embezzler" with incredible computer savvy and determination. How pathetic of Dawna to let her ego run wild trying to take down someone who's doing a better job of servicing our community. Stay retired Dawna and let your protégé do what you couldn't accomplish in all the years you were patrolling Venice with your scanner and bad ass attitude. Your student is now your teacher. Have you learned anything yet? No? Then stay in Boston, retired and get some sleep. Your reign is over and the torch has been passed on to a better way.
BTW- Yo' Venice, if you have anything to do with this smear campaign and it back fires, remember that if the safety of Venice that you help start and Venice311 took to the next level ever disappears, you'll have no one to blame but yourselves. You're a local newspaper online and Venice311 is the reporter out on the field bringing the news to us and yes to you as well as it happens so you can keep the neighborhood watch programs up to date on what's happening.
You don't have to like each other as long as you both are working for the same common cause...Venice's safety and comm-"Unity " awareness. If what has been said about you is not true - then support her efforts even if it's just by keeping your opinions to yourselves and not stirring up the pot. If it's true - Grow up! You can't do it alone. Brett, don’t be like Dawna. Jealousy is poison.
The same holds true for Venice311 Alex. Stay focused on the big picture, let Yo’ Venice do what it does, they need you and you them and the rest will take care of itself. Do like our protected ducks who own Venice do. Keep on strutting and when someone throws something at you, just let it roll off your back. They, like you, know where you are going and the rest is just what it is - Gossip! After all this is the land of movie stars and gossip. Most thrive on it cause the truth is so boring.
Venice needs both Venice311 and Yo' Venice. Can't you just get along for the greater good?
And to the rest of the haters, if you're not willing to put on a bright orange vest with a helmet looking like a city street cleanup worker on a go cart picking up trash that you just walk by and complain about.. then keep quiet and watch how it's done and be grateful for Venice311.
