I grew up going to HB every month to hang out with family friends. I've met some version of all of those people, it's definitely its own world.
I saw my 1st and 10th nazi tattoo in 4 hours at Huntington Beach. Walking behind this one guy no shirt with white power and swastikas tattoos, he knew everyone walking around. Seemed like he was looking to fight with backup everywhere.
Nazism in Huntington Beach is not only tolerated, but encouraged. There's not only the obvious fucktards trolling 'round with their tattoos and tough-guy swagger, but it's in other ways as well. From the names of various stores like 88 liquor to the city refusing to uphold SB54. There's also a shithole called Old World, which is a haven for German ex-pats. Just like the Phoenix Club in Anaheim and Alpine Village in Torrance / Gardena. One day, my wife and I went there in search of Zwetschgenkuchen and while there, we decided to go into a few of the little gift shops. Big mistake, as all of them were selling neo-Nazi t-shirts and ephemera. It was a WTF? moment, though it should have been obvious to us given the history of that place and HB as a whole. It's not just HB, but Orange County as a whole. There's a somewhat recent story of the KKK handing out flyers in the City of Orange touting illegal immigration as the ultimate sin and that they are looking for new recruits (the city is 40% Latino btw). There's obviously the whole Trump movement, mask and Covid deniers, OC home schoolers (even the anti-vaccers), the Don't Tread On Me flags, blue-line police/American flag wavers... I'm not at all saying this sort of stuff isn't happening where I live (Long Beach) or in LA, etc. But the concentration of it there is immeasurable.
This is so true John it trips me the fuck out. Before George Floyd was murdered, there was a no mask protest in HB. After George, people tried having a BLM protest in HB and it was automatically deemed unlawful assembly. Seems the groups I’m in will have to visit Tujunga and HB.
Wow, this is just....wow. California. Not just what you think. This is exactly something I would do. I can't even imagine how I would have handled that shock. I mean, I've been in some 'weird' shops in my life, but this is just something that would make me wretch and seethe. (never mind the crushing disappointment in the happiness you were looking for)
Holy shit, where? I used to go Old World all the time with my partner and his family. Like, we’d visit the main restaurant/deli/bakery and then go to the toy store. Occasionally you can find sofubi in one of their cases. But we would only go to just those two places to be fair, never any of the other stores. If I had seen that I would have been livid. As someone who was raised Jewish, I had no idea and I’m kind of appalled if Neo-Nazi shit is being sold.....and that’s really an understatement. Not surprised that HB is a cesspool for racism though. Super rich white part of town. I’ve seen some weird shit happen on the beaches there every time I visit.
Your stories remind me when I stopped by Winslow, AZ. Microaggressions and passive racism. I was only there for a short while as I was passing through but the signs of ultra patriotism/nationalism were everywhere.
Huntington Beach is fuckin wack. Never in a million years did I think I'd end up living in Orange County but here I am. My old job was in HB and I used to see dudes in Info Wars shirts all the time. HB is forreals another planet.
[QUOTE="... Super rich white part of town...[/QUOTE] Ironically, HB isn't the beach town for super rich whites. Rather, it's more white trash than anything else. You need to travel further South to find those peeps
Crazy to hear all this stuff about OC. I just moved here a few months ago but haven't seen anything like what's being described. Though I'm down in Irvine and haven't really gone out much.
Irvine is way out there compared to the beach city area. Has a big Asian population I believe. When I would work with my dad around those beach areas, I’d definitely see old weird racist dudes. Sometimes I’d see low key nazi stuff. Not compared to what I’ve been seeing pop up during recent events though.
Ironically, HB isn't the beach town for super rich whites. Rather, it's more white trash than anything else. You need to travel further South to find those peeps[/QUOTE] I learn more and more every day about SoCal I swear...especially lately. Admittedly I’m not as versed with OC so this is just from personal experience but that’s really disappointing and disgusting to know :/
The "brain swab" test is every bit as unpleasant as they say it is. JFC. Went to the local drive-up for a scheduled test today after falling rill rill ill Friday AM with brutal, flu-like symptoms. Seems it might be turning around now- I'm finally able to eat a bit- and local stats (and my own continuous caution) are on my side that it's not COVID. 24 to 96 hours 'til the result comes back. Isolating from my family in the house has been quite the fun dance. My wife has been amazing as usual, though, in taking care of me. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to make a sound like "GLUUURPH" and fall over again.
Aye. Sincerely hoping the best for you, Mike! Flu isn’t at all fun as it is, but from what several friends have described to me it’s like the usual symptoms on steroids. Fingers crossed for a negative results, and I’m glad to hear you’ve got a great partner in helping you heal!
Thanks, guys... appreciate it. Happily, COVID test came back quick: negative! Phew! Still sick as I've ever been. Slept only two hours last night, from 4 - 6, as most of the night was spent dealing with extreme fatigue and cramping from apparently inadequate hydration, despite best efforts. By the time I woke at 6, a blinding migraine was blossoming. Screaming pain most of the day, only started to abate at about 3:30. Blargh. But... NOT COVID. I'll stop complaining in this thread, now.
Oh noes! Good to hear it's not Covid virus. Lots of water and sleep are important. Hydration more so! It will alleviate the migraines a bit (dehydration headaches are bad, migraines must be worse ). Some quick tips... https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/in-depth/migraines/art-20047242 Light, temperature, and believe it or not some caffeine Hope you are feeling better soon!
Phew, well it sounds like you are in quite a rough state Mike, but I am glad to hear that at least the Covid test came back negative. I do hope you feel better soon. As much as it amazes me how governments worldwide [though not all] have been handling this pandemic, if there is one thing it has highlighted (among others, admittedly, which I won't get into here), it is how complete idiocy can replace common sense AND MEDICAL ADVICE, for the sake of the bottom dollar. I get it, we need an economy to continue to 'operate'; you know what else you need for survival? Healthy populations. I am severely disappointed in things like the Hollywood movie industry and giant chain cinema houses, who are still pushing forward to release movies in theatres, in THE MIDST OF A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. Arrgh. It baffles all logic to think how people are actively encourage the general population to expose themselves to enclosed areas of mass crowds, with recirculated air. The United States alone is currently sitting at over 5.6 million cases of Covid-19 and 175,000 deaths. I am no great fan of Christopher Nolan, but he should really be exercising whatever power he has to not have Tenet get a wider release. The fact that they are actively preventing it from streaming online, having advance screeners, or even in open air venues is really punch worthy. And absolutely FU to people like Josh Boone, director of The New Mutants, for takes like this, I mean, yeah, the absolute idiots of lower common denominator should definitely be used as justification for how people lead their lives right? Makes perfect sense to suggest that if there is something worse out there, than anything else is inherently safer. Why would they be pushing this logic? Oh that's right, money. Reminds me of this quote from Upton Sinclair, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it." Look, we all want a sense of normalcy these days, and no question the pandemic has stressed our regular lives. But you know what, it's a pandemic. Things are not going to be easy. Dying for the sake of a haircut, to see some movie, or just because you can't be bothered to wear a little covering over your face is not the way to go.
Whelp. Let's see where this goes. Hopefully to some degree of closer to reality, but I also could not say I expect it.
serves him right. Like the rest of us haven’t been screaming at everyone to do this for months now I hope his ventilator fails and he suffers a prolonged and agonizing death.