No Understanding of Constitutional Rights & Self-Centered Attitude

The following letters (below) in a local newspaper shows the state of our society and the levels of selfishness and self-centered attitude that many people have come to.

I personally don't think that there should be the need for a law prohibiting the placing of flyers on vehicles since it should be obvious that such actions are unacceptable. I also think that if you do get a flyer on your vehicle you should not throw it on the ground as that is littering and two wrongs does not make it right. Perhaps a better thing to do with the flyers is to collect them and give them to people like Peter Carrube who think that they have a right to touch our property and leave their trash on our vehicles. I think that the best word to describe Peter Carrube's attitude is offensive.

I find it interesting that Peter Carrube considers responses in opposition to his position to be a personal attack and then go on to justify his poor behavior and attitude by saying that his business is a positive benefit to the community. Should a major employer be able to break the law or behave badly because of all the benefits their company brings to the community? While some people might respond to his flyers, what about all of the rest of the people who get the flyers and don't want them? Is it enough that 1 in a 10000 responds and that is enough to have the 9999 have to deal with the unwanted flyer? Shouldn't it be that if one person objects to his leaving a flyer that he should not do it at all? Isn't it much more reasonable that he only give his flyers to those who want it?

Did anyone ever give permission to people like Peter Carrube to touch their vehicles? Was there ever a vote to allow him to place flyers on their vehicles? Why does Peter Carrube think that he can do anything that he feels like and that people have to post signs to stop him? Why should people have to vote to stop such actions? When Peter Carrube goes to a store parking lot, not to use the parking lot to go to the store, but to place flyers, does he get permission to be there since he is mis-using the access granted to go there?

It seems clear that Peter Carrube is so selfish and self-centered that he does not understand his Consitutional Rights does not include touching other people's property without permission nor does he understand that people should NOT have to post signs preventing such a violation of their property.

While he says that he goes and picks up the flyers which were thrown on the ground, what is he willing to do for all the people who got his flyer and did not litter? Maybe he collects the flyers on the ground so that he can reuse them.

I also have to wonder how Peter Carrube would feel about people calling him at all hours of the night exercising their right of free speech to tell him their positions, posting signs on his property and business and placing bumper stickers on his vehicle, forcing him to clean it up all the time, picketing his house and business telling him that they don't like his attitude nor his flyers, etc. He is free to post a sign everywhere saying that he does not want all of this done to him and only then, based on his own words, would he have a right to complain about it.

I suspect that Peter Carrube has not given much thought to the harm he is doing to his business and how people view him by presenting such an attitude.

In looking at Peter Carrube's web page, www.getstreetsmart.net , it is clear that he makes use of public and private facilities to practice his business and make money, rather than having his own location. I have to wonder if he pays any rent or fee when he uses public facilities to make money.

Based on his web page, you can send him email at ssselfdefense@yahoo.com and call him at 805-890-9191.

Remember, based on his own words he would need to place a sign asking you not to do anything in order for him to have a right to complain about a violation of his privacy.

City's no-flier ordinance hurts small businesses
http://www.simivalleyacorn.com/news/2008/0523/letters/013.html
Letters May 23, 2008
As a small business owner in Simi Valley, I find the new ordinance against flier placement unfair and unconstitutional.

Because of the unpopular pornographic advertisements, that no doubt leave an address and phone number, the city has targeted every other family oriented and community-benefiting business as well.

As a oneman operation, I cannot always afford the hundreds or thousands of dollars it takes to get to the same number of potential customers through advertising as I reach with my flier placement on cars at community events, fairs and shopping center parking lots.

If they could have thought this through better, instead of simply seeing it as a way to stop the pornographic onslaught in our city, they would realize that it would be possible to call and/or contact the distributor of the "unwelcomed" fliers with direction leading to their stopping placement and, at the same time, allowed the more communityfriendly businesses to continue their less costly and effective way of advertising.

I, for one, have always returned to whatever area I place my fliers and picked up any that have been thrown to the ground by the car owner.

I don't remember an opportunity to vote on this decision and feel should that opportunity have been offered, we could have maybe come to some sort of an agreement, involving perhaps a time frame allowing the distributor of the "accepted" flier to return and pick up any discarded fliers.

Discrimination issues? Not if you look at it the same way it was voted to not have the pornographic industry open a facility within the city limits.

I wonder if the Simi Valley City Council has taken into consideration how this would affect the small businesses of their community. I remember when the roadside signs were given the same blow when a choice few businesses and individuals overtook street corners with dozens of identical signs.

I suffered at that decision as well, and now here I stand, holding my roadside signs in one hand and my fliers in the other, wondering what to do.
Peter Carrube
Simi Valley

Self-defense instructor goes on the offensive
http://www.simivalleyacorn.com/news/2008/0620/letters/011.html
Letters June 20, 2008
Following the printing of my letter expressing my concerns about the no-flier ordinance in the Acorn last month, I was both surprised and impressed the following Friday morning when I received a message on my voice mail from City Councilmember Barbra Williamson.

When I called her back, she took the time out of her, no doubt, busy schedule to explain the reasons and goals of the new no-flier ordinance.

This letter is not, in any way, intended to announce any overturned beliefs on my part toward the ordinance. It is to thank Councilmember Williamson, for showing me that our city leaders are actually paying attention and responding to the citizens' concerns and, in this case, the welfare of the city's small businesses.

I find it very comforting to know that people like Williamson are on the board and are taking the time to make sure that we, as citizens and business owners, understand the whats and whys of the decisions they make and expect us to abide by.

I also wanted to address the letter of Mark Buchler (Acorn, June 6). In his letter he talks a lot about my disrespectful ways and uncaring actions toward the owners of the cars I leave my fliers on.

I take this as a personal attack. My business of personalized self-defense is a positive benefit to the community, including to those I involve in my "uninvited campaign" of distributing fliers.

So it is, in fact, the concern and safety of the owner of the car that I am thinking about when I introduce such a benefit to them.

If I were distributing fliers to advertise the strip clubs that brought on this ordinance to begin with, then I could understand the need of such a ban. But I am not.

Why were there no opportunities to vote on having this ordinance being put into play? I believe this is my constitutional right since it does affect me directly.

I receive many calls from people who have found my flier on their car, booking classes and responding in a positive way. If Mr. Buchler does not wish to have a flier placed on his car, perhaps he can place a sign, stating just that, then maybe and only then, he will have a right to complain about someone not respecting his requested privacy.

{Note: The above is an amazing statement, you must post a sign, otherwise you don't have a RIGHT to complain about a violation of your privacy, what world does this guy live in?}

Mr. Buchler stated he does not do business with "people who use this method of advertising" and that is his right; however, he should know there are a lot of others who do and will continue to do so.
Peter Carrube
Simi Valley
Carrube is the owner of Street Smart Self Defense