An old Gordita reflex, dating back to shortly after the Second World War, when a black family had actually tried to move into town and the citizens, with helpful advice from the Ku Klux Klan, had burned the place to the ground and then, as if some ancient curse had come into effect, refused to allow another house ever to be built on the site. The lot stood empty until the town finally confiscated it and turned it into a park, where the youth of Gordita Beach, by the laws of karmic adjustment, were soon gathering at night to drink, dope, and fuck, depressing their parents, though not property values particularly.
In "Inherent Vice," Thomas Pynchon delves into Gordita Beach's dark past, highlighting an incident post-World War II when the community reacted violently to a black family's attempt to integrate. Incited by the Ku Klux Klan, the townsfolk burned down the family's home and condemned the site, leaving it vacant as a symbol of their collective prejudice. This trauma seemed to cast a shadow over the town, as it refused to allow anything to rise from the ashes of that hate.
Eventually, the city appropriated the land, converting it into a park. This transformation, however, did not erase the legacy of intolerance. Instead, it became a gathering place for the youth of Gordita Beach, who found solace in rebellious activities, much to the chagrin of their parents. The juxtaposition of a once-violent site now frequented by the younger generation illustrates a cycle of societal issues, encapsulating the struggle between progress and the remnants of past injustices.
