By Tom Dunn:
Editor’s note: Tom Dunn of Port Hueneme News did these two video interviews of formerly homeless, now recovering addict, Lang Martinez. Lang has now become an advocate for the homeless. In Part I, Tom persuades Lang to tell us about the life of the addicted homeless, whom Lang estimates are 80% of the population on the streets. He also comments on Oxnard’s recent assessment of the homeless in the Plaza Park/downtown section of Oxnard, CA, a seaside city of over 200,000 with most of the big urban city problems. Finally, he provides a layman’s overview of various addictions and approaches for dealing with them. The most important message in the interviews is that addiction and subsequent behaviors are a choice- something not admitted much today and that there are approaches to dealing with it, but they are not easy to succeed with.
In Part II, Tom Dunn drills down on what Lang’s situation is. The highlight is Lang’s reaction when Tom asks him what is different now in his current situation. Lang’s tears well up and he almost breaks down as he attempts to express how much his life has improved and how much gratitude he has for his sponsors, partner, friends, supporters and of course, our Lord. We hear that there wasn’t a dry eye in the studio as he did so.
Other articles about Lang Martinez
On 5:30 pm on July 31 at Mission Church, Lang will be celebrating one year of sobriety. The address is 5353 Walker Street Ventura , CA. 93003. You are welcome to attend.
Tom Dunn is a Port Hueneme resident who is publisher of Port Hueneme News, a digital newspaper (facebook @huenemenews) and host of “Hello Port Hueneme” a video interview show about people, places and things in Port Hueneme.
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James Hill…. I find it amazing that you have the nerve to accuse Mr. Martinez of bullying and torturing his family!! Did you truly even really read the comments? Mr.. Martinez doesn’t even know his son’s wife but yet she makes comments she knows nothing about. She knows nothing regarding him or his addiction.
To me this family is hurting and angry…. These things happened how I read it, 12+yrs ago. It sounds like they just can’t let go of the past and move on. Very sad as holding on this way doesn’t allow them to be free. All these years gone by and now they decide to get in the picture by beating his Good intentions down in the public eye! I understand the anger but get help, move on!!
Oh, and by the way…. maybe you should grow balls James Hill, as you pretending someone who you aren’t is a pretty big sissy to me!
Mr. Martinez in my opinion had elephant size balls by all he has admitted to and has taken accountability to. He has helped me immensely in ways you could never imagine. I’m proud of who I am today because if him.!!
James Hill obviously you didn’t understand what point Lang was trying to make ? For Brandon’s wife to make a statement about Lang ” poor excuse for a man ” , she personally doesn’t know Lang and she making a statement is understandable based on what her husband has told her and what Lang has publicly admitted. What he pointed out to her and she admitted about Brandon and Karen by calling him father and her grandmother that she also comes from a past bad relationship otherwise she wouldn’t let another man take the title of being called father ? I think that is odvios by her comment and how she replied to Lang ? I think what Lang was trying to do is get her to be honest and say , I also have been put through the same hell that Lang put Karen through? I can understand that you might of read it that way , but I didn’t. I understand exactly what he was trying to do by his comment to her. As for Lang growing balls , I would 100 percent say that he has finally grown balls. He has not only taken responsibility for the things that he has done , not one time but three times. Yes Lang has destroyed his families lives and he should of never even done it once but three times and he has admitted it . I’m sure you have your own skeletons in your closet that you don’t want anyone to know about? Would you have the balls that Lang has and admit them publicly? I know for a fact that Lang on daily basis is trying to make his amends by trying to help save lives and he does this because he believes in his heart that he truly cant be forgiven for the harm he has caused ? Lang needs to know that he is forgiven by God but I don’t think that he can forgive himself.
Reading the Comments I see a Man who is still torturing his family, by bullying his Son’s wife about her previous relationship. Grow some balls Lang, your a poor excuse for a man.
My name Sarah, I would like to make a comment to Karen in regards to the abuse that she says Lang did to her? I’m not saying Karen is lying, not at all. They say when you point a finger at someone that three are pointing back at you? I would say to you Karen , three fingers are pointing at you . I tell you what if my man struck me and me having a child plus he’s caught up in a addiction, why in the hell Karen did you put your own child in danger of what you describe as a crazy man? I ask you what kind of mother were you or are you know ? You should be the one taking responsibility for what your son has gone through three times ? Did you not have enough love for your own son that you made him endure Lang’s craziness that has caused a impact on his life now ? Have you taken accountability yourself three times destroying his life ? Lang has taken responsibity and accountability for his wrong doings to his family . So you do the same inregards to your son, tell him that your sorry that you let this happen to him. As after you realize your part , let it go and let God heal all three of you. I pray for all of you.
Really Lang there is no proof of your beating me up. I have not written anything else then u have to go and lie to these people. Let’s see I have alot of people that would say different including family. You say I am lieing how could you even say that. I have numerous documents from Vegas and California I see the real Lang started to come out. Jelious of you your a joke take a look in the mirror who would want to be with you. I sure wouldn’t you have no idea who I’m seeing so don’t flatter yourself. Please do not put my name in your mouth again and don’t call me. I don’t care what happens to you. As far as defamation this is a post that anyone can say what they want. You have to live with your lies and deceit and as you would put it God knows all!
I think it would be in all of your best interests not to make any more comments that you can’t prove to be factual, because you can’t . I have already taken accountability for what I did to my families lives and I did not leagally have to do so, but I did . The things that were said doesn’t matter to me true or false . The fact is by my actions because of my addiction destroyed there lives . In regards to that Karen was beaten I accepted what she said . The facts are there is no proof that I beat my wife and if there no proof basically that I did anything? I could of technically said that these statements are false and Karen is making this up because shes jealous that I have family now and it wasn’t fair to her because of my addiction destroyed there’s. At this point I have taken responsibility when nothing could of been proved. It is my advice that you don’t continue any more comments unless you have facts that can be proven . If this continues you will leave me no choice to go after you with defamation character. If you have legal documentation of anything feel free to publish it . I wish all of you a blessed journey with your lives. I have nothing else to say this will be my last response.
Its funny that you say how i dont know what im talking about when you dont know a damn thing either. What i can tell you that i was never abused and neither were my kids. My relationship with my ex ended because we no longer worked together and we are happier apart. And that’s it. You obviously dont know a damn thing because their biological dad and their family on his side are all in their lives on a constant basis. My kids have so much abundance of love and happiness and have great role models in their lives on both sides of the family. Brandon and Karen have earned the right to be called dad and grandma through love shown, laughter, special moments created and just unconditional love. Honestly, blood means little to nothing when bonds are this strong. These kids are happy and are loved and none of that came from you which is why they are not and will never be your grandkids.
I’m going to comment to your comment and one thing I do is I keep it real. Just like me after I tell you the truth you should also be honest yourself. I know that there not my blood grandchildren and there not my sons real children either. I also am aware that they don’t have the last name Martinez. Obviously you yourself come from a bad past relationship and if this wasn’t true you wouldn’t let your children call my son dad because hes not . Also what is the reason they call Karen grandma? Were is there real relatives , like there father ? Don’t your children have a relationship with there real family? Maybe you would like to comment and share about why you’re children don’t have there real dad in there lives ? Bottom line if my son loves them as his own , then you did a good job finding my son to put in there lives . Maybe you would like to share what happened to your babies daddy and what kind of things did he do to you so that you took away his right to be called daddy. You want to comment on things that you really don’t know. So share with the public things we don’t know.
. DR, DRod or whatever your name is- please don’t post under multiple names here.
– Citizens Journal
I am going to say this once and hope you get the picture. I may not know you personally but i dont have to, to know you are a sorry and pathetic excuse for a man. You will never know my kids or have the pleasure of meeting them or seeing how amazing Brandon is as a father or how much love their Grandmother Karen gives them. You will never have the right or privilege to call these kids grandkids. Do not EVER call my kids YOUR grandchildren because you dont deserve that honor.
Hi Karen, I don’t know the same Lang that you knew. The Lang I know is not playing me, he is honest about his past actions and is working hard every day not to return to that ignorance and destructive behavior that was influenced by his drug addiction. In my experience, the pain and trauma that you and your son suffered while Lang was lost in his addiction can be healed. It is possible to forgive. When we forgive, we free ourselves from the blame and hate that is trapping the pain within us. For your own peace, forgiveness is the way, otherwise you remain engulfed in the anger that encloses your heart. Don’t forgive Lang for his sake, forgive him for your own sake.
I’m not going to deny what my ex wife Karen Martinez says that I have done to my family. In one of my articles I tell everyone that I have destroyed my family’s lives not once but three times. I also tell you that I gave my life to God and about the promise I made? The bible says that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and that we are forgiven. I want to be honest even though this is what the bible says and it to be true . Yes God has forgiven me, but have I forgiven myself for what I have done to my family? No Karen and Brandon I have not forgiven myself and saying I’m sorry is not going to make you or me feel better. All I can do is prove through the way I’m living now by not repeating those things that I did to you in my past and not repeat those past actions in my present life today. Everyday I have to pray to God that someday you and Brandon can forgive me . Karen not a day goes by that I regret everything that I put both of you through. I also pray that both of you can be free of the hate you feel for me . Karen and yes Brandon you are my son , I’m so very sorry and I’m proud of you son and that you’re a good husband and father to my grandchildren. Lang Martinez
This is a joke none of you people know Lang like I do. He can pull the crocodile tears on better then any woman. He destroyed his family beat me hurt his son. I stayed with him put him in so many drug treatments stood by him while in prison. Left me and his son homeless so many times but I’m a strong woman I took care of me and our son then he did things to him I just found out about. To the woman he’s with she’s crazy for being with him he is a user and will play you. He calls me says things to me and in the back of my mind I know he is full of it. But you people are feeding into it well enjoy. It’s a total joke.
How does someone using drugs/alcohol make a choice to stop when their brain is highjacked by the drug? Where does the power to choose to abstain come from? What creates the moment of clarity that leads to abstinence?
Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, all these and many other, have one symptom in common: they cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving. The phenomenon, as we have suggested, may be the manistification of an allergy which differentiates these people, and sets them apart as a distinct entity. It has never been, by any treatment with which we are familiar, permanently eradicated. The only relief we have to suggest is entire abstinence.
Drug addiction is considered a disease by many in the field today. The approach is that the drug being abused highjacks the decision making part of the brain in the pre-frontal cortex. Once the pre-frontal cortex is high-jacked, in this way of viewing addiction, the person will give themselves the drug even before food. Under this model, the person is no longer considered to have a choice because the drug has taken over the ability to chose not to do the drug.
I am not saying I agree with this model or disagree with it. What do you say about this model of addiction, Lang?