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Lon Uso is a Luser

Posted by Gustavo Arellano in Gunkist Memories

June 20, 2008 9:04 AM

Permalink | Comments (8)

ShowImage.jpgWe met San Juan Capistrano councilmember Lon Uso a couple of months ago at the Friday morning coffee klatches organized by Capistrano Dispatch editor Jonathan Volzke and thought him a swell guy for daring to speak good about Mexicans in a room full of elderly, crotchety gabachos who didn't believe Mexicans assimilate. But as my mentors at the Weekly always teach me, never like a politician too much, 'cause they'll always do something to prove themselves a fool.

That's exactly what Uso did today in the Dispatch, a community weekly that does a fine job of covering San Juan Capistrano. Volzke wrote a story about the continuing controversy involving Ignacio Lujano, the 85-year-old orange farmer that San Juan officials are trying to boot out of a city-owned grove that he's tended to for nearly 40 years. Uso--a former columnist for the Dispatch--has an op-ed piece (not yet available online) and, like the rest of his Capistrano government colleagues, is desperately trying to spin his way out of a PR fiasco.

Uso starts with a weepy-moany description of San Juan Capistrano as a bucolic wonderland when it comes to affordable housing and open space. "I only mention these things to add some contrast to those stories that I have recently read about and seen on TV about our wonderful city," Uso writes. "We have been portrayed as heartless, uncaring, and bent on the destruction of the last viable orange orchard in Orange County in order to build a parking lot for a city storage yard. What is even more disturbing to me is how many people reading these half truths, even our own residents, have bought into this."

The only half-truths out there are Uso's. In the four media reports that I know that told Lujano's tale--the Weekly, Los Angeles Times, KCAL-TV Channel 9, and KTLA-TV Channel 5--none have said San Juan officials want to turn Lujano's groves into a parking lot. They've all reported what the city PR flack said--that a 1992 master plan for the Swanner Ranch (where Lujano tends to the orchards) called for the groves to become a maintenance yard for the city's open space, and that was still the plan. Only in the last week has the story changed--that Capistrano officials want to keep the orange trees Lujano keeps as is--well, except without Lujano. Not only that, none of the stories depict the city as "heartless," "uncaring," and "bent on the destruction of the last viable orange orchard in Orange County." All the reporters involved have done is tell the story--no more, no less.

But Uso doesn't let these facts get in the way of his propaganda. Ridiculously, he claims the media has depicted city officials as "Simon Legree." Uso, you being an immigrant from Mexico City and all, you might not be too familiar with American letters, so a refresher course: Legree was the villainous overseer in Uncle Tom's Cabin, a weepy-moany book of redemption in the antebellum South. No one has said you folks are slaveowners--not even close. All stories so far have mentioned that Lujano has leased from the city and noted the sadness in idiot bureaucrats kicking out a viejito after all these years of him staying on the property with no problem. No one has said San Juan officials have brutalized Lujano--can you tell us where, Lon?

And then, Uso gets nasty. He blames Lujano for allowing the orange trees on the Swanner property to die. "The man is 84 years old and walks with a cane," he says as an excuse. Ignacio might, but the man is as spry as some 50-year-old gabachos. More crucially, Lujano can't do anything about the dying trees 'cause the city won't let him. Blaming an old man--what a heartless, uncaring dope.

The column concludes with Uso turning his pen toward the true villains in this story: the media.

"As to the press, why don't you guys make believe that you are reporters and give both sides of the story, there are enough deserved black eyes out there, you don't have to embellish and omit facts to sell your tale."

Dem's fighting words, Uso, and you're trying to smear two of the best reporters in Orange County--Times scribe William Lobdell and longtime KCBS-TV Channel 2 Orange County correspondent Dave Lopez--and me. Each of us got the two sides of the story--it's not our fault that San Juan officials like yourself come off as pendejos. Truth hurts, don't it?

 

Comments (8)

  1. Dr. Londres Uso says:
    June 20, 2008 13:17

    I recall meeting Gustavo at coffee chat, we were introduced afterwards and he seemed a bit offended when I told him that I had never heard of him.
    I am glad that he appreciated the fact that I spoke out against intolerance as it is my nature to call “Bull” when I see it. His column was forwarded to me by a friend as I generally don’t read fiction but I refrained from responding to it until I spoke with staff and gathered the facts, as I thought, it was “Bull”. Este chiquillo, Gustavo wrote a bunch of half truths to embellish a non story. Anyone who is actually interested in the truth should read both his and mine and make up his or her own mind.
    I refrained from using el chiquillo’s name in my article because I was trying to be a bit respectful of a young writer trying to master his craft but he, on the other hand, has shown a complete lack of respect or class in his response.
    By the way, if any of you would like to “ask a Mexican” something and get a well researched and factual answer, you can ask me.
    Dr. Londres Uso’

  2. Jonathan Volzke says:
    June 21, 2008 09:19

    I have always appreciated Lon's honesty and willingness to speak his heart, without consideration of politics.

    The guy just does not play games.

    Agree or disagree with his position, it's hard to argue that we couldn't use more elected officials with that trait.

  3. Londres Uso says:
    June 21, 2008 11:02

    And by the way, I am not "a former columnist for the Dispatch--" as you say, I have a by-weekly column. This is just another example of the lack of the lack of professionalism or the simple willingness to deceive his readership that el chiquillo, Gustavo, exhibits. A simple phone call to his friend and our editor, Mr. Volzke, would have verified this, like a simple phone call to the city or a councilmember would have given him a more factual story about Ignacio’s situation, but why let facts get in the way of a hit piece?
    Furthermore, using ethnic slurs like “gabacho” and profanities, whether in English or Spanish, by someone portraying themselves as a representative of the Mexican community serves us all badly, you need to clean up your act if you expect people to take you seriously young man.
    Dr. Londres Uso'

  4. Gustavo Arellano says:
    June 21, 2008 12:43

    I didn't get offended that you hadn't heard of me, Lon--what was disturbing was that you hadn't heard of the Weekly. I could care less about me--my paper, on the other hand, is different.

    You keep saying I and other reporters state half-truths yet never stated them in your column. What exactly are they? Which reporter stated the city wanted to turn the Swanner Rancher into a parking lot, as you stated in your column? Name names--we reporters like getting called out.

    And you said above that "a simple phone call to the city or a councilmember would have given him a more factual story about Ignacio’s situation, but why let facts get in the way of a hit piece?" Did you read my piece, Lon? I called assistant city manager Cindy Russell, and she immediately directed me to some PR flack (btw, why does a small city like San Juan Capistrano need an outside person to take reporter inquiries? Care to tell us how much are the taxpayers paying for this luxury, or should I just file a public records request?). I asked for a direct quote from a city official, and she directed me back to Russell.

    I stand by my piece and subsequent blog posts on the matter. And though I might be a chiquillo, you're the one slurring your elders--maybe that's why people are so upset by this story?

    Jonathan: In this matter, Lon has proven no better than a hack--and a thin-skinned one at that.

  5. Londres Uso says:
    June 21, 2008 17:58

    Of course I had heard of the OC weekly, I am not a regular reader but friends often email stories of interest, I was clear that I had just not heard of you.
    You don't have enough room here for me to point out all of the inconsistencies and half-baked baloney in your article.
    I am sure that you will stand by your piece and will continue to do so even when the facts prove you wrong.
    As Jonathan states, I don't care about the politics, I believe that you say what you mean and you mean what you say and you don't worry about who likes it.
    I will agree that, even though I like Kelly T, I don't understand why we need an outside PR person, on the record, I did not vote to do so.
    It's interesting that you would call me thin skinned after your nuclear response when I had not even called you out by name, And as for a hack, this blog above seems to be an A number 1 hack job
    Dr. Londres Uso’

  6. Red says:
    June 22, 2008 15:14

    Londres Uso, you're a coward. Your little story does nothing to help a hard working man who could reasonably be described as an icon in the Capo Valley.

    That wealthy community should embrace the man in his senior years. And so should you.

    What's the matter? You too tired to stand up and speak up for the elderly who are trying to retire with some dignity after a lifetime devotion to taking care of valuable properties in the city's hills?

    What a shameful little puff piece you put out at a time when the situation calls for a horde of heroes.

  7. Gustavo Arellano says:
    June 23, 2008 08:04

    Lon: You've had two chances to call me out on any errors in my article--you even bragged, "You don't have enough room here for me to point out all of the inconsistencies and half-baked baloney in your article." Yet you've shown nothing. Why is that? You know that's what every person who's ever had a problem with an article we've written says when they don't have a case? Sorry, but the Weekly and our readers don't suffer braggarts who can't back their claims up. Any further comments you leave here will be deleted on account of your cowardice. Have a problem with that? Take it up with my editor--he's waiting for your crap!

    As for me going "nuclear"--I know when I'm upset, and I just remember a pleasant encounter with you after Jonathan's meeting. As I stated in the post, too bad you proved wrong the good impression I had of you--and your hackery in your column and comments here only confirms how wrong I was.

  8. baxter says:
    June 23, 2008 12:18

    Wow and jumping shit balls, it must really piss you off Lon that a "young writer trying to master his craft" is a much respected contributer to NPR, the L.A. Times, has a syndicated column and a well received and popular book. Meanwhile you are coming off as just another grumpy old politician.

    Must feel nice telling an 85 year man to kick rocks ... does it make SJC soccer moms think you are real tough guy? Does it make them swoon?

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