Mountain Views News          Saturday, June 30, 2012

16

OPINION

 Mountain Views News Saturday June 30, 2012 

STUART Tolchin..........On LIFE

HAIL Hamilton My Turn

Mountain 
Views

News

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson

CITY EDITOR

Dean Lee 

EAST VALLEY EDITOR

Joan Schmidt

SALES

Patricia Colonello

626-355-2737 

626-818-2698

PRODUCTION 

Richard Garcia

PHOTOGRAPHY

Lina Johnson

WEBMASTER

John Aveny 

CONTRIBUTORS

Jeff Brown

Pat Birdsall

Chris Leclerc

Bob Eklund

Howard Hays

Paul Carpenter

Stuart Tolchin

Kim Clymer-Kelley

Christopher Nyerges

Peter Dills 

Hail Hamilton 

Rich Johnson

Chris Bertrand

Ron Carter

Rev. James Snyder

Bobby Eldridge

Mary Carney

La Quetta Shamblee

Katie Hopkins

Deanne Davis

Despina Arouzman

Greg Wellborn

Dr. John Talevich

Meaghan Allen

Sean Kayden


A DAY AT THE ZOO

 You would think I would find it discouraging when I realize 
that there are many, many people who are smarter than I am bu,t 
really, I find the experience exhilarating. I think one of my favorite 
experiences is hearing smart people talk about stuff that they really 
know about. The problem is that in order to really appreciate the 
experience, it is necessary to personally possess a backload of 
relevant information. Usually this presents a problem because 
most of us, including me, just don’t know enough to appreciate 
what the gifted experts are saying.

 All my life I have wanted to acquire more information. I read two or three books a 
week and underline them as if I was studying for a final. Today I was having breakfast 
at my favorite chicken and waffles place when I noticed three women looking at me 
and laughing. I stood up and walked over and asked, “Why are you laughing at me?” 
One of the ladies said that it was peculiar to see someone as old as me studying so 
hard. “What test are you studying for? Do you want to become a doctor? You’re 
probably too old to ever get a job.” Really, they weren’t as nasty as this sounds. They 
just thought it was funny. Maybe they know something that I don’t know. I’m 
beginning to understand that wisdom doesn’t come from reading books but it must 
come from somewhere. Where?

 I just heard something on the news about people at the zoo observing an adult male 
chimp killing a baby chimp for no apparent reason. There were other chimps in the 
cage but they could not stop the killing. The human beings watching are powerless 
to do much of anything. After the baby died the mother chimp held the baby in her 
arms and seemed to be mourning. Zoo officials are allowing the mother to hold on 
the dead baby so that she can properly grieve. At least that’s the way it was explained 
on the News. Really it seemed that the zoo officials were at a loss to explain what had 
happened and were in the process of pretending they knew what should be done.

 In a way that’s how I feel right now. There is all this crazy killing that’s going on in 
the world and pundits on news programs pretend that they understand what’s going 
on and what should be done but, really, I don’t think anybody really knows; or, if 
anyone does know, I don’t know enough to recognize that wisdom. I want to hear the 
smart people, the wise ones, talk about what should be done, but how do I recognize 
those people? Worse yet; maybe those people do not exist.

 Maybe this is the real test that we all must face. The real test of life may be the conflict 
between man’s need to understand and the absolute impossibility of understanding. 

As the late Kurt Vonnegut wrote:

 Tiger got to hunt,

 Bird got to fly;

 Man got to sit and wonder

 Why, why, why? 

 Tiger got to sleep,

 Bird got to land.

 Man got to tell himself he understand.

 Does my chimpanzee analogy make any sense? Have we created cages around 
ourselves and moved so far away from our natural environment that we are at a loss 
to understand our own behavior? Have we closed our minds and our senses to any 
real understanding of how we can live together peacefully and harmoniously? Ever 
day the news tells us more and more about shootings and wars and calamitous natural 
disasters. Of course the news fails to inform us of the real truth - that people are 
starving all over the world; people are dying and suffering from diseases that could be 
easily prevented. Furthermore, ecologically modern man is destroying the planet and 
perhaps our entire specie is on the way to extinction. I actually read this prediction 
in a magazine which predicted that in the not too distant future there would probably 
be a new dominant species.

 Well, Kurt Vonnegut might simply summarize all this angst as unnecessary and 
re-utter those resignedly simple words: “So it Goes.” It’s tough for me to accept. I’ve 
grown attached to our little planet and our much maligned specie. I wish we could 
all try a little harder and I guess I’m still looking for a leader who will tell us how 
to try. Instead, in this horribly disappointing election year, all that is presented is 
meaningless political posturing. Well, the Olympics are coming and millions and 
billions will be spent on the global presentation of sporting events, while the rest of the 
world’s problems continue to be largely overlooked. Can’t somebody do something? 
Or must we simply stand by and watch the death in the cage?


HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

 As a kid growing 
up in Pasadena at the 
dawn of the Space 
Age, in the height of 
the Cold War with 
the threat thermal 
nuclear annihilation hanging over our 
heads, the Fourth of July had a special 
meaning. It was not only Independence 
Day with all the patriotic parades, 
barbecues and pie eating contests. The 
Fourth of July was America’s birthday 
and we gave thanks for living in a free 
country, since so much of world at the 
time was ruled by dictators of one sort 
or another or under the iron fist of 
communism. 

 Our parents took pride making 
us understand the meaning of those 
indelible words inked so many years ago 
on the Fourth of July in Philadelphia at 
Independence Hall: “...We hold these 
truths to be self-evident, that all men are 
created equal, that they are endowed by 
their Creator with certain unalienable 
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, 
and the pursuit of Happiness....”

 These were radical words, authored 
by Thomas Jefferson, announcing the 
birth of the “United State of America” 
and justifying its independence with 
these words: “That whenever any Form 
of Government becomes destructive of 
these ends, it is the Right of the People 
to alter or to abolish it, and institute new 
Government....” On July 4, 1776, 56 men 
met secretly in the Assembly Room of the 
Pennsylvania Provincial State House—
now called Independence Hall—and 
signed the Declaration of Independence. 
We can only imagine the thoughts going 
through their minds.

 Signing the Declaration was like 
signing their death warrant. The 
Founding Fathers all knew the penalty 
if they failed in their endeavor for 
independence—they would all be hung 
as traitors to the Crown of England. No 
wonder the Declaration of Independence 
ends with the solemn promise: “... And 
for the support of this Declaration, with 
firm reliance on the protection of Divine 
Providence, we mutually pledge to each 
other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our 
sacred Honor.”

 So this Fourth of July take a moment 
to reflect upon our 236 year history as 
a free nation. Take a moment to give 
thanks to the Founding Fathers who 
gave birth to our nation. America is 
still a work in progress with much left 
to be done to fully realize the ideals set 
forth so eloquently in the Declaration of 
Independence. But the hard work was 
done by the brave revolutionaries who, 
against all odds, won our independence 
and gave us this free nation. Take a 
moment this Independence Day and 
ask yourself what have you done 
lately to help realize the ideals of the 
Declaration? What have you done to 
make America a better place to live, 
work and raise a family?

 I remember as a kid watching 
President Kennedy on television give 
his Inaugural Address on January 20, 
1961. I remember his youth, his vigor 
and his idealism as he spoke on that 
cold day. I can still hear his clarion 
call to all the world: “Let every nation 
know, whether it wishes us well or ill, 
that we shall pay any price, bear any 
burden, meet any hardship, support 
any friend, oppose any foe, in order 
to assure the survival and success of 
liberty.”

 Most of all, I remember the patriotic 
challenge President Kennedy set for 
our generation: “... And so my fellow 
Americans: Ask not what your 
country can do for you--ask what you 
can do for your country.”

 Now, more than 50 years later, I am 
saddened to see that my generation--
the baby-boomers who came of age in 
the 60s, the same idealistic boomers 
who fought the good fight against the 
injustices of institutionalized racism 
and rampant militarism--has today 
lost its moral compass and turned 
away from the “revolution” whose goal 
was to change the world for the better. 
If anything the world has gotten much 
worse. 

 Have we been so thoroughly seduced 
by the false God of greed, or is it some 
other flaw more fundamental in our 
American character? I don’t have the 
answer--I wish with all my heart I did. I 
do know this much however. Our nation 
has reached a point of no return in its 
development as a democracy. The lack of 
bold executive leadership together with 
a do-nothing legislature is doomed to 
failure. The blame game cannot continue. 
If the United States is to survive and 
prosper in the 21st century a radical new 
paradigm shift must be recognized and 
embraced. 

 I wish I could describe what this 
paradigm shift will look like, but I do 
know this much--it cannot be more of 
the same rotten politics we have today. 
We are about to hold our first billion 
dollar presidential election, but what will 
all that money buy us? Will “government 
of the people, by the people, for the 
people” still be with us as the Founders 
intended? Or will it be another 
experiment consigned to the junk heap 
of history? 

 Perhaps this Fourth of July we would 
all be better off spending a moment 
trying to imagine what our nation will 
be like a year from now when we again 
celebrate its birthday. 

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OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

VOTE FOR ME, I CREATE LOTS 
OF JOBS

 I have always 
thought about 
what it would be 
like to be wealthy. Unless I win the lottery 
somewhere, of which I never play, the 
opportunity for me to become wealthy is 
absolutely remote. I have a better chance 
of being elected President of the United 
States them to become wealthy.

 I once thought being a bank robber 
would be the pathway to riches and 
fame. After some thought, I decided 
I would not make a very good bank 
robber. I hate wearing masks. Years ago, 
I had the opportunity to choose between 
intelligence and good looks and as 
anybody can see who has looked at me, 
I chose the latter. If I were a bank robber, 
I would have to hide my most valuable 
asset. What kind of nonsense would that 
be?

 Another avenue to riches and fame, 
at least in my thinking, was to become 
one of those preachers on TV. Those old 
boys on TV must be wealthy; after all, all 
they talk about is money, money, money. 
Listening to some of them, you would 
think you were listening to a religious 
Donald Trump.

 A television preacher rakes in quite 
a bit of money but then I thought about 
what’s involved and I have ruled myself 
out. I cannot week after week talk about 
nothing but money, money, money. From 
my perspective, there is more to life than 
money. When you listen to most of these 
TV preachers all they can talk about is 
money. Specifically, sending them my 
money.

 I would feel terrible getting on 
television and begging people to send 
me money and then promising God 
will bless them. I have been a Christian, 
after all, for over 50 years and I know 
that is not what the Bible says. To be a 
successful television preacher I would 
have to stretch the truth and at my age, I 
am not up for that kind of exercise.

 My thoughts then turned to politics. 
If only I could be elected as a senator, 
governor or even president of the United 
States, I would be on my way to riches 
and fame. I hear these politicians on TV 
and all they do is talk, talk, talk. They talk 
so much my ears are thumping and they 
never get around to saying anything. I do 
not know any group of people who can 
talk so much for so long and say so little. 
I see that they spent money as if it is not 
theirs. Wait a minute! It is not theirs. In 
fact, a slice of that is my money.

 I do not want to be a bank robber, nor 
do I want to be a TV preacher robbing 
people of money, and especially I do 
not want to be a politician who spends 
everybody’s money but theirs.

 I was deeply thinking about this the 
other night and concluded none of these 
areas are worth my pursuing. It looks as 
though I will end my days as poor as I 
started them.

 While watching TV there was some 
politician talking about if he was 
elected he would create so many jobs 
for people. I nodded, almost asleep, 
when the Gracious Mistress of the 
Parsonage startled me with a comment. 
Occasionally she does something like 
this and usually, I am never prepared for 
it. Such was the case here.

 “You know,” she said rather gravely, 
“you should run for some political office. 
You’d make a good politician.”

 Well, this puts a different light on 
things. Maybe my better half has come up 
with a better idea. For all the years I have 
known her, she has never been wrong, 
much to my chagrin at times. Maybe 
she is seeing something in me I have 
overlooked all these years. She actually 
said, “You’d make a good politician.”

 Well the smile on my face hit the walls 
on both sides of the room we were sitting 
in.

 It was then that I did something to 
ruin the whole aura of the evening. I said 
something. I have been a husband long 
enough to realize that when a husband 
opens his mouth nothing good will ever 
come out of it.

 “So,” I said rather arrogantly, “you 
think I would make a good politician.”

 So far, so good. If I only had stopped 
here, it would not have been so bad. But 
no, I had to push the envelope further.

 “Why do you think I would make a 
good politician?”

 There is one thing you need to 
understand about my wife. She will 
always tell the truth no matter whom it 
hurts, even if it is me.

 “All these politicians are promising 
they are going to create jobs. Not one 
of them makes good on their promise. 
But you,” and she paused here a little too 
dramatically for my liking, “have them all 
beat on this issue. Nobody creates more 
jobs around this house than you do. If 
you could take that skill to Washington 
DC you could put the entire country to 
work.”

 Jesus said a lot about work. In one 
place He said, “I must work the works 
of him that sent me, while it is day: the 
night cometh, when no man can work” 
(John 9:4 KJV).

 Some people work for riches. Some 
people work for recognition and honor. 
Jesus worked for his Father in heaven. 
An example we should follow.

Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the 
Family of God Fellowship, PO Box 
831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He lives with 
his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. 
Call him at 1-866-552-2543 or e-mail 
jamessnyder2@att.net. His web site is 
www.jamessnyderministries.com. 


RICH Johnson

DAY 185

 Day 185 each 
year is July 4th 
(except for leap 
years when it is 
Day 186). And 
you probably 
knew this, but the 
aphelion occurs around this date. 
What’s the aphelion? The point when 
the Earth is farthest from the sun.

 Some interesting facts about the 
Fourth of July. They estimate 150 
million hot dogs will be consumed 
on July 4th. That’s about one hot 
dog per every two Americans. John 
Hancock was the only person to sign 
the Declaration of Independence on 
July 4, 1776. The others must have 
been on vacation. By the way, John 
Hancock said upon signing, “There, 
I guess King George will be able 
to read that.” Alice’s Adventures 
in Wonderland was published on 
July 4th in 1865. When the United 
States became a country there were 
2.5 million people here. Now there 
are 300+ million. To me and Barry 
Schwam, the most significant event 
to take place on July 4th was the 
premier of “The Soupy Sales Show” 
on ABC in 1955.

 Famous people were born on 
July 4th and other famous people 
died. Among the ones who were 
born: Stephen Foster (American 
songwriter 1826), Calvin Coolidge 
(1872), Louis B. Mayer (1882), 
Mitch Miller (1910), Ann Landers 
& Abigail Van Buren (twins 1918), 
Gina Lollobrigida and Neil Simon 
(not twins 1927), Geraldo Rivera 
(1943), Pam Shriver (1962) 

 People who died on July 4th include: 
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson 
(who hated each other, 1826), James 
Monroe (president 1831), Tsar 
Nicholas II (1918), Marie Curie 
(1934), Eva Gabor (1995), Barry 
White (2003), Jesse Helms (2008).

 I’m told on this day in 1886 the 
French officially offered us the 
Statute of Liberty. I don’t know if 
it included delivery or if we had to 
pick it up. I think they delivered it via 
UPS.

 Dorothy Levitt was reported 
to be, on July 4th, 1903, the first 
woman in the world to compete in a 
‘motor race.’ She also taught Queen 
Alexandra of Denmark how to drive. 
Lou Gehrig, the baseball legend 
who contracted Amotrophic Lateral 
Sclerosis (which is now known as Lou 
Gherig’s Disease) gave his “Luckiest 
man on the face of the earth” speech 
at Yankee stadium in 1939. He died 
two years later at age 37. 

 Think about this as we approach 
July 4th. Every 4 or 8 years we witness 
the peaceful transition of power in 
the most powerful country in the 
history of mankind. The election of 
1800 may well have been the most 
important election in our history. It 
was the first time power transferred 
from one group to another without 
war or great bloodshed. 

 No one really knew what would 
happen. The Federalists, under 
Washington and Adams favored a 
strong central government. The Anti-
Federalists under Thomas Jefferson’s 
Democratic-Republican party 
favored strong state government. 
No love lost between these groups. 
But the reigns of government passed 
peacefully from John Adams to 
Thomas Jefferson (who you read 
above died within hours of each 
other on July 4, 1826).

 I’ll leave you with this. Someone 
once asked Nancy Reagan what 
was, in her mind, her husband’s 
greatest contribution. She answered, 
“He made people feel proud to be 
Americans again.” I agree.

 Happy Independence Day San 
Gabriel Valley.

Mountain Views News

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