Lakeside’s Lingering Efforts
In my community of Lakeside, California I have noticed several changes throughout the pandemic.
One change I’ve witnessed is that more people are being seen on the sides of roads or outside of grocery stores advocating for something. Lakeside is a community of mostly white conservatives. There are people wanting schools to reopen, wanting Gavin Newsom out of office and wanting Trump to still be named president and they are showing it pridefully.
Over the holidays I was driving home to find at the entrance of my cul-de-sac there was a sign put up by one of my neighbors saying “Happy Holidays to All…Except Gavin Newsom” until late January when they finally took it down.
Outdoor food vendors are popping up, probably in response to the closing of restaurants, and attracting large crowds, one being a BBQ food truck across from our local 711. Our most popular local eatery Eastbound Bar & Grill has been packed during COVID-19 with the owners allegedly “just paying the fines” in order to remain open, according to an employee there. If you drive by you see packed tables, people standing socializing in groups and hardly anyone with a mask on.
I highly disagree with many of my community members’ stances but I am not surprised by the efforts because of Lakeside’s ties to Trumpism.
Most of these changes in my community are responses to how the government has handled COVID-19.
Vaccination sites are opening up around Lakeside but a lot of people in my community are still wary. If given the opportunity I would accept to receive the vaccine but I do have family members that are insisting I don’t.
I would like to know more about our minorities in Lakeside and how they feel about the lack of diversity in the community. I would also like to learn more about the local government of Lakeside and what their meetings look like.
I get my news from sources like BBC, CNN, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, NPR, HuffPost, and more. I think FOX is a big hit around my area and also probably Facebook or conspiracy sites.