I lived in Simi Valley when the first Watts riots happened.There was no Reagan Freeway, just the old Pass Road famed for movies and Charlie Manson.I think the population was all of 25,000 back then. This perpetual candidate for the PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. ticket for state assemblyman , George Margolis organised a militia. George was something, claimed to be a former USAF special OPS general ( my service file is sealed for national security) yet drew a mental disability pension from Social Security after the Army discharged him.

You could spot his dedicated 80 odd band of supporters, the old crome bumpers had this spraypainted stencil of VOTE FOR GEORGE as bumperstickers were to expensive.So on the night of the riots George and several others trailored 3 old abandoned cars up the Old Pass Road, pulled the 4 tires and rims off and put sandbags on the trunks and hoods for rifle rests.

Somebody, turned back in the early morning as daylight broke called the Sherrif. And so ended the unsung, almost forgotten defense of Simi Valley/Roarck's Rift from hoards of Shaka Zulu rioters driving all the way from downtown El A to Ventura county to destroy the citrus industry.

George actually got elected as PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. candidate the following election. And every PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER. suddenly outside this 205 voter spike suddently abandoned 'REAGAN COUNTRY' and voted for the PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER..Even 'Uncle Ronnie' rode by one day on horseback and said "That guy's a nutcase!"

The first black family moved to Simi that year too. I met Sally on the school summer comittee. I had this 16 OZ glass Coca-Cola that cost an outrageous .25 ( silver) with deposit. Sally said she was thirsty. I gave her my coke. All eyes watched her drink. Then Her eyes watched ME as I took it back and drank without wiping the edge or putting it down.Funny thing, Sally's dad was a LAPD Captain, one of many in that police bedroom community to this day.

I like to think I gave birth to civil equality in Simi that day, old George and his paratrooper M1 carbine notwithstanding.

Now, to assure true racial equality,I propose EVERYBODY riot.We all have enough cause to.