A recent public exchange in Santa Monica, California illustrated how obstinately deaf public officials are:
An eight-year-old Santa Monica resident caller, via zoom, said “there is something scary happening in our parks. Lots and lots of needles are left everywhere. They can make you sick if you step on them or touch them. I know people need help, but it’s making it scarier for people like me.”
When a Santa Monica public parks commissioner asked if the program could be moved out of a public park, Ferrer said, “We are not going to stop doing needle exchange, it is a proven strategy, it has decades of evidence. We’re not going to stop. I want to suggest that wherever we go with our mobile team there will be complaints.”
When queried if she had ever been to the Santa Monica Parks, Ferrer said, “No.”
Adam and Dr. Drew Pinsky dissected this in their most recent podcast.