Blogging Social Difference in LA: Week 6

Response to John Hayes:

http://hayesjgeog151.blogspot.com/2012/11/week-4-gate.html

In John's Week 5 blog post, he discusses the debate between the locals of Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens - and the controversy the idea of a barrier had sparked. The article he refers to is:

http://articles.latimes.com/1993-12-09/news/hl-65459_1_el-dorado-park-estates-hawaiian-gardens-city-council-traffic-barrier

I agree with John, that this barrier's true purpose is most likely to segregate the two communities, rather than to minimize traffic. Even if traffic is diverted, it is done so at the expense of Hawaiian Gardens - while the upper class of Long Beach enjoys their new enclosure. The inhabitants of Long Beach believe that they deserve only the best and to take what they need (similar to the Bourgeoisie); especially when they view Hawaiian Gardens as the cause to all their problems (theft, graffiti, etc).

However, maybe this barrier would help the area since it was originally the development of transportation and movement that brought the destruction of the concentric ring model. With limited transportation and access, would those in Hawaiian Gardens cause crime in their own city if the upper class area is no longer accessible?

Carceral archipelagos and barriers are created to prevent the degradation of communities - for example how Professor Wilford referred to Skid Row. Physical barriers are actually quite common today as well, such as gated housing areas and communities. I'm not sure what the correct answer is, if the barrier between Long Beach and Hawaiian Gardens is a good or bad thing - but we do know that it is unfair for those in Hawaiian Gardens to experience the surplus traffic and segregated implications.