Editorial: Market, families need support of L.A. community

The tragedy at Santa Monica’s Farmers’ Market on
Wednesday reminds us all how fragile life can be ““ dozens of
lives ended instantly when a car driven by an elderly man careened
down the wrong street. Tragedies like this one send shockwaves,
large and small, through communities, impacting each individual
differently.

What may have been most shocking about this event was that one
car caused so much damage. Cars are such a central part of L.A.
life; millions of vehicles pass through the city each day, and
it’s scary to know a single wayward vehicle can cause such
devastation.

The driver apparently lost control of his car, but that does not
do much to comfort those closest to the injured and dead.
Thankfully, it seems most people have accepted that the tragedy was
a terrible mistake. Certainly, the victims and their relatives
deserve closure, but few seem to want retribution. Instead, the
mood is one of sadness, but sadness tinged with the determination
to continue with life.

Surely, most people in Santa Monica and Los Angeles are deeply
touched by the loss of 10 of their neighbors. Maybe because it
harks back to simpler times, the farmers’ market seemed to be
a safe place where people from all walks of life could come
together, if only to shop for groceries. The loss of those 10
people, and the injury of 50 others has understandably shaken
anyone who enjoys that atmosphere.

The tragedy at the market will not affect everyone equally, but
no one can ignore such loss of life. Saturday, many of those
closest to the market community came together to reopen the stands
and hold memorial services. Richard Bloom, the mayor of Santa
Monica, promised to remember the dead while helping to “find
a way to rise up from our grief and continue on.”

And so far, it seems that the farmers’ market will be
successful in its efforts to rebuild. All but two of the vendors
returned, and the crowd appeared to be as large as ever.

The community bond continued as well ““ those attending the
memorial joined hands and sang “Peace is a river that flows
through me.”

One woman at the memorial, Evie Lansberry, comes every week to
buy food. “It’s a place where people come and talk
about fruit and flowers “¦ when the (rest of the) world was so
insane,” she said.

Hopefully, the organizers and patrons who frequent the market
will be able to restore normalcy to their community as quickly and
smoothly as possible. As the market slowly returns to normal,
people should not avoid the gathering place merely because it is
the scene of a tragedy. Rather, they should remember that they are
part of a community, and that the market needs their continued
support in this time of sadness and reconstruction.

In coming weeks, this tragedy will probably lead to calls for
new old-age driving laws and security measures at outdoor markets.
Ultimately, though, the most important healing and repair will
occur in the farmers’ market community itself. The
destruction makes us realize that our L.A. community contains many
smaller parts, each linked in some way. Even students and employees
at UCLA who do not know anyone who frequents the farmers’
market should remember those who died there because they were part
of a neighborhood close to theirs.