At the heart of the issue, Mamet highlights a longstanding failure to address hazardous brush buildup on state lands. “It has been known for decades that massive brushfires were fueled by debris and blowdown, which should have been regularly cleared,” he notes. Yet, state officials, under pressure from environmental policies, opted to preserve “natural habitats” over human safety. For instance, Pacific Palisades Community Council President Maryam Zar contacted California State Parks about brush abatement near residential areas, only to be told by officials that the state prioritized habitat protection over fire prevention. --- This negligence, Mamet asserts, was exacerbated by a series of poor decisions at the local level. Fire Chief Kristen Crowley warned that budget cuts of $17.8 million had severely impacted the department’s operational capacity. Among the consequences were the cancellation of periodic inspections and a failure to replace stolen hydrants, leaving firefighters scrambling for water in areas like Altadena and the Palisades. Homeowners’ garden hoses became a lifeline for crews battling flames, an embarrassment for a city as resource-rich as Los Angeles. ---The op-ed paints a grim picture of California’s current trajectory, where a fixation on DEI and environmental priorities undermines the core functions of governance. According to Mamet, the state’s leadership has prioritized abstract ideals over the practical needs of its citizens, leaving residents vulnerable to crises that could have been mitigated. “This adolescent confusion of fairness and justice has led our country to the last brink of dissolution,” Mamet warns. --- https://mxmnews.com/article/24fa99e3-daff-4103-a78b-b464e7a8a666
