Who better represents the Spirit of Venice than John Haag?


TO: Venice of America Foundation Inc..

RE: Sprint of Venice Awards

He was a small businessman who ran the Venice West Coffee House for several years.


John was also a politician and an organizer. John was one of the people who had the concept of Venice seceding from Los Angeles. He helped found the Peace and Freedom Party, and organized marches against the war in Vietnam in Venice, and the war on Venetians by speculators.

A gentle Anarchist, the only bombs he threw were thinking outside the box. It was John who instituted the idea of participatory democracy in Venice which eventually led to the Venice Town Council. The VTC’s descent is the Grass Roots Venice Neighborhood Council.

He is also a poet. He also taught many people to question authority. When the community was faced with the prospect of having to choose several city sponsored plans for a freeway to divide Venice, John asked “why a freeway at all?” As a result we have no freeway cutting up our Venice.

Thanks to John and people like him, we still have a small town feel with a cosmopolitan edge.

–The Beachhead Collective

Posted: Tue - June 1, 2004 at 08:46 PM          

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