Fast-food Ban

February 12, 2009 By 5 Comments


Councilwoman Jan Perry of the 9th District proposed the measure, which was unanimously approved by the remaining council members including Bernard Parks of the 8th District, whose constituency mainly lies within South LA.

The impetus for the ban stems from distressing statistics. South LA has the highest concentration of fast-food eateries and it has far fewer grocery stores compared to the rest of the city.

In addition, a study by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health showed that 30 percent of South LA adults were obese compared to 21 percent countywide. South LA also has the highest incidence of diabetes at 11.7 percent compared to 8.1 percent for the entire county.

Aziz Saud, 23, an international student at the USC Language Academy said he’s never cooked a day in his life. Instead, he said he eats out "practically every night," at the eateries lining Figueroa.

Money isn’t his first concern when deciding what to dine. Saud eats whatever tastes good to him. The healthiest places he ventures to is Jamba Juice and Baskin Robbins.

"I eat the way I do, because I have the luxury to go to the gym. I workout almost every day, running on the treadmill. People around here just eat cheap food and work. It adds up to health problems," he said. "I eat like this because these are my college years. It’s only temporary, but for other people it’s not and that’s why they have [health] problems."

"Even if because of this law, new healthy restaurants come, I will try it I think, but I don’t think it will taste as good as the other stuff or do good business," Saud says.

Dennis Bryant, 51, a resident of South LA eats out "maybe the entire week sometimes." His eating habits are dictated by the price of the menus. "Anything on the .99 cent value menu," is what he eats, he said.

"You can get more at McDonald’s than at Subway for $5," he said. Subway was exempt from the ban because it prepares fresh food. "Instead of a $5 foot-long, I can get a couple of cheeseburgers, couple of apple pies, and French fries," Bryant said.

Bryant doesn’t see the ban as a good idea "because where else can they go? It’s the only option."

Bryan said if healthier alternatives offered .99 cent meals, I’d go there for sure then."

Marlon Grissom, 45, a resident of Watts, agrees with the ban. "I’d go to a healthier place if it was just as cheap as these places right here, he said."

"People like to eat food because of its taste. A lot of folk like fried foods, fried chicken, cheeseburgers, and apple pies," Grissom said. However, when speaking about the general populace, Grissom said, "No. They wouldn’t go to the healthy places. They’d still go to KFC."

Filed Under: Politics

Inauguration Through the Perspective of a Pastor

January 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment


Gaddis, 53, was born and raised in Hattiesburg, Miss. He experienced racism firsthand. "My elementary school was segregated. Even up until high school I can remember being called ‘boy’ and the ‘n’ word," he said. His parents were both involved in the Civil Rights movement attending marches, picketing, and staging bus strikes, and sit-ins.

"Yes we were mistreated, but there comes a point in life where some things we have to get over," he said. This inauguration was extra special considering his history and he couldn’t hide his eagerness during the interview.

Gaddis didn’t think he would see it in his lifetime, but it caused an epiphany, "I enjoy America now… I’m proud of the growth," he said.

He came to California in 1974 not sure of what to do with his life except to become a productive citizen. But, just a year later he joined the ministry and has been plugging away ever since.

Despite his excitement over Obama’s election, Gaddis said, "he’s not going to change the world in a day. I don’t look for him to work miracles. I don’t look for him to bail out blacks. I don’t look for him to bail out those in jail. He has a country to run. I don’t expect him to deal only with black issues. I pray that he doesn’t only deal with black issues. I’m really glad to do this interview simply because a lot of people expect the world to change overnight. I don’t expect that."

Gaddis watched the inauguration alone at his home. His wife and daughter were at work watching. His wife called after the swearing in, "It happened, it happened. It was a great moment." Gaddis was happy also about this being the first time his daughter voted.

"I would like blacks to see that you can be anything you want. You can do anything you want to do. You can go to the highest level in our nation. He’s a really good role model. I think he has a lot of positives to carry us to another level in thinking as a race of people," he said.

"It’s really sad the situation of blacks, our youth have no role models to look up to. They have to look up to athletes they’ll never meet. Now they don’t have to look up to the athletes no more. That’s what I’m really grateful for," Gaddis said.

Gaddis would like Obama to reform immigration laws and address home foreclosures. He wants to see a plan to help homeowners directly. Gaddis also wants reforms in the school system. "No child left behind was a joke. Do something to encourage parents to keep their kids in school and lower college tuitions. Fund after-school programs and Big Brother programs to keep kids in school when parents or usually when single mothers are at work," he said.

Gaddis gave Obama’s speech an 8 out of 10. "You don’t have to prove nothing now, you in. Just say what you got to say, encourage the people and let’s move on," he said. He was grateful that the inauguration unified the country. "The unity displayed today personified to me, we’re down as a country, but we’re not out."

Filed Under: Community