Paradox of access issue

    0
    185

    I lived in Malibu for 27 years. My beach property was in Paradise Cove. My ability to live in such a fantastic place was made possible by the success I had writing and producing television series. Who watched these shows? I believe it was the public. After initially disliking the fact that people walked along the sand from Paradise Cove and set up their umbrellas and gear on the beach in front of my property, I did have second thoughts about being an exclusionist. So after a couple of years of resistance, I accepted their presence, however reluctantly, and just let it happen. So here comes the paradox. No trash containers and no toilets.

    As in life, the disappointment of seeing how thoughtlessly people behave presented a quandary that I’m sure other beachfront owners worry about. I know many entertainment people who live there and I know what humble beginnings many of them came from. I also know for a fact that they are not exclusionists and work tirelessly to improve less fortunate people’s lives.

    There might be a way for all these parties to come to some middle ground, which could prevent the escalation of political hostilities. Surely with all the money and administrative power on both sides of this thorny problem, creative minds might work something palatable out. Perhaps, however, with the current “axis of evil” mentality that pervades our society at this juncture, this is just beyond our collective capabilities.

    Chris Bearde

    Santa Ynez