As a resident of Zumirez Drive, I use the beach entrance at the end of our road. To come and go from this entrance, one must pass the three residences of Barbra Streisand. A few days before the Labor Day weekend, I was returning from the beach. As I was going through the beach entrance gate, I noticed several men and a truck outside the gate of one of Ms. Streisand’s homes. I recognized one of the men as one of the grounds keepers hired by Barbra Streisand. As I came through the beach entrance, I noticed the truck drive away. I then saw the other man (who was with the grounds keeper) holding a squirrel by it tail. I observed this man carry the squirrel across the street and throw it on the property directly across from Ms. Streisand’s property in the tall pampas grass.
I stopped and said to both men, “Don’t you think that was disrespectful both to the squirrel and to your neighbor’s property?” The grounds keeper answered by saying that the squirrel had “fallen from a tree,” indicating the tree in front of one of Ms. Streisand’s homes. I replied, “So what. The least you could do is give the squirrel a decent burial . . . and it’s really terrible to just throw something onto someone else’s property.” Then the grounds keeper said, “It was still alive.” I was shocked and said, “That’s even worse, you could have at least called Wildlife Rescue.” I then tried to look for the squirrel but the grass was too high. I told them I was going to report them for animal abuse. I then left and did report them.
Now, perhaps many might say, “Oh, it was only a squirrel.” Well, that is just the problem — people don’t understand the “spirituality” of all entities — to respect all beings. Also, in a “practical” way — what about throwing an object onto someone else’s property!
Life is a reflection — so in this case one reflects on the employer — Barbra Streisand. Environmentally Ms. Streisand fails the test!
For instance, her last property on Ramirez has cemented sides to a free flowing creek — “to make it pretty” — not to mention certain improvements to her current property. I’m not “bashing” another person, but I am into making people think and become more aware of ecology.
Every life is precious. Let’s all be more aware of all the life around us and our fortune to be able to live in Malibu where one can still find wildlife and natural environments (even with all the condominiums.)
Mrs. Michael Rosenthal