Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 15, 2014

Mountain Views News Saturday, March 15, 2014 
15OPINION Mountain Views News Saturday, March 15, 2014 
15OPINION 
Mountain 
Views 
News 
PUBLISHER/ EDITOR 
Susan Henderson 
CITY EDITOR 
Dean Lee 
EAST VALLEY EDITOR 
Joan Schmidt 
BUSINESS EDITOR 
LaQuetta Shamblee 
SENIOR COMMUNITY 
EDITOR 
Pat Birdsall 
SALES 
Patricia Colonello 
626-355-2737 
626-818-2698 
WEBMASTER 
John Aveny 
CONTRIBUTORS 
Chris Leclerc 
Bob Eklund 
Howard HaysPaul CarpenterStuart Tolchin 
Kim Clymer-KelleyChristopher NyergesPeter Dills 
Hail Hamilton 
Rich Johnson 
Merri Jill Finstrom 
Lori KoopRev. James SnyderTina Paul 
Mary CarneyKatie HopkinsDeanne Davis 
Despina ArouzmanGreg WelbornRenee Quenell 
Ben Show 
Sean KaydenMarc Garlett 
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STUART Tolchin........On LIFE 
IF ANYTHING THAT DOES NOT 
KILL ME MAKES ME STRONGER,
WHY IS IT THAT I FEEL SO 
WEAK? 

 On Sundays I Frankl book on a machine. To have 
watched Bill Moyer’s Journal on Public meaning, I still believe it deserves to he 
Television. Of all the pundits and held, underlined, and understood by me. 
commentators on television, Bill Moyers 

 I went to Pasadena’s Vroman’s, an 

seems to me the most trustworthy. 

independent bookstore that still exists, 

Unfortunately his shows regularly 

and bought the little paperback book 

present a very gloomy picture of the near 

for nine dollars. I read the front and 

future. The air we breathe, the water we 

back covers of the book and learned that 

drink, the food we eat are all making us 

Frankl was a Nazi Death Camp Survivor 

sick and nothing is being done about 

whose major conviction was that the 

it. Today’s earthquakes, droughts, 

primary human drive is not pleasure, but 

tsunamis, and hurricanes and are only a 

the pursuit of what we find meaningful. 

foreshadowing of the catastrophes that 

Okay; not a bad idea; but I still haven’t 

will soon befall this planet. Our entire 

read the book. Why not? Well, it’s kind 

country is ruled by a tiny fraction of the 

of embarrassing. As I approached the 

society which controls the politicians of 

cashier to pay for the book I happened 

both parties and remains indifferent to 

to see a whole stack of another book, 

the actual needs of the Country and the 

Showtime - the story of the Los Angeles 

planet. Many Americans are all but lost 

Laker Dynasty of the 1980’s.

to a cyber world of absorbed, entertained, 
indifference. A particular horror for me What does this say about me? Am 
is the continued tolerated presence of I already so corrupted such that rather 

guns and the encouraged use of alcohol. than search for meaning I am content to 
And now there are movements to legalize be diverted by trivia? I paid thirty dollars 
recreational drug use. Goody, goody.for the Laker book and have spent every 
spare moment since purchase happily 

 I have repeatedly written about these 

reading. And do you know what I just 

problems in my six years of weekly 

came across on page 129 of the Laker 

articles and have received responses 

Book? “At the beginning of a new 

from readers who tell me not to take 

training camp, after a difficult year, the 

this stuff so seriously. Others tell me 

Laker coach greeted his players quoting 

that by continuing to drive a car, eat in 

from the memoir of Victor Frankl, a Nazi 

restaurants, and watch sports I am more 

concentration camp survivor, who wrote, 

part of the problem than of the solution. 

“Anything that does not kill me makes 

My response is that I frequently conclude 

me stronger.” 

with final paragraphs that urge readers to 
look for the meaning in their own lives. The next sentence in the book is “the 
It’s the best I can do.players didn’t care. About the words. 
About the coach. About each other.” It 

 As a response, one of my most faithful 

should come as no surprise that shortly 

readers suggested that I read the book 

thereafter the coach, Paul Westhead was 

Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor E. 

fired. Well I don’t care if no one else 

Frankl. My wife said that we already had 

cared, I care. The strange fact that the 

a copy in the house and that she had read 

unread Frankl book in front of me was 

the book fifty years ago while in High 

quoted in the Laker Book had meaning 

School. I searched through the house 

for me. The book should not be ignored. 

for the book and couldn’t find it and so 

Not being overcome by my fears requires 

went off to the bookstore to buy a copy. 

the pursuit of that which is meaningful. 

Finding a bookstore is now another 

Now I must find a path.

depressing exercise. As you know Barnes 
and Noble and Borders and Crown Book Soon I will finish the Laker Book and 
have all closed their doors. Who could it is my intent as soon as possible to begin 

have imagined a world so horrible that we a ten-day residential meditation course 
would live almost without bookstores?wherein constant silence, no eye contact, 
no reading, and no electronic devices is 

 I know bookstores have been replaced 

a requirement. My fear is that March 

by the omnipresent little monitors 

Madness and the opening of the Major 

now stuck in front of everyone’s face. 

League Baseball Season will get in the 

Directly talking face to face to another 

way of my search. 

person, including spouses and children, 
has become a rarity. For me this is an 
obscenity. I do not want to read the 



LEFT TURN /RIGHT TURNHOWARD Hays As I See It


“I don’t have much patience of a “debate”.
for anyone who denies 

 As to the importance of the issue, economist 

that this challenge is real. 

Dean Baker pointed out in an article for The 

We don’t have time for a 

Guardian that despite the histrionics from 

meeting of the Flat-Earth 

Republicans regarding the effect of budget 

Society.” 

deficits and debt on future generations, the ef


- President Obama
fect of climate change is more real, profound 
“Science is not there for and potentially irreversible. “If the deficit has 
you to cherry-pick . . . The little to with the wellbeing of our children and 
good thing about science is grandchildren, global warming has every-
that it’s true whether or not thing to do with it . . . Global warming threat-
you believe in it.” - Neil DeGrasse Tyson ens to do far more damage to the wellbeing of 
future generations than the social security and 

If there was one thing that made the invest-

Medicare benefits going to baby-boomers, no 

ment in a big-screen HDTV seem worth 

matter how much the deficit hawks try to 

it, it was last Sunday’s debut episode of the 

twist the numbers to claim otherwise.” 

“Cosmos” series on Fox. The special effects 
as astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson took Fox pundits argued that with the ongoing crius 
through our solar system were awesome; sis in Ukraine, Democrats’ attention would be 
as were illustrations he gave to put things in better-focused elsewhere. Meanwhile, miliperspective. 
tary and intelligence officials warn of threats 

to national security posed by global warming. 

To give an idea as to where we fit in the 

The Pentagon’s recently-released Quadren


timeline of the universe, he offered a twelve


nial Review calls the effects of climate change 

month calendar, with the “Big Bang” kicking 

“threat multipliers”, so “Consequently, we will 

off the New Year. With the whole calendar as 

complete a comprehensive assessment of all 

a timeline relative to the life of the universe, 

installations to assess the potential impacts 

the entire experience of humans on earth 

of climate change on our missions and opera-

would comprise maybe the last few moments 

tional resiliency, and develop and implement 

before midnight on December 31. 

plans to adapt as required." 
In promo interviews leading up to the show’s 


Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates iden


debut, Tyson couldn’t help but remark on the 

tified it as one of the factors that “over the 

nuttiness of regarding science as open for de


next 20 years and more” could “produce new 

bate, of a perceived need in media of offering 

sources of deprivation, rage and instability.” 

“equal time” to opposing views, of it being 
considered a matter of “belief ” or opinion Economically, Pricewaterhouse Coopers calls 
whether concerning science in general, evolu-climate change a “risk multiplier” that “amplition 
or climate change. fies or alters existing risks, for example raw 

material availability . . . or transport disrup-

The night following the show’s debut, Dem


tion due to extreme weather events. The re


ocratic Senators spent an all-nighter at the 

sulting shocks on the global supply chain can 

Capitol on the subject of climate change and 

be severe and persistent.” 

global warming. Predictably, Republicans declared 
they didn’t “believe” in global warming; Last summer, the Interrnational Energy Agensome 
suggested the matter was still open for cy reported on the “potentially disastrous imdebate, 
while others simply dismissed it as a plications in terms of extreme weather events, 
“hoax”. rising sea levels, and the huge economic and 

social costs that these can bring”, stating that 

Orange County’s Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-

delaying action until 2020 could cost some 

CA) has gone further, calling global warm


$3.5 trillion. In 2011 and 2012 alone, “ex


ing “a total fraud” – concocted by “liberals” 

treme weather events” in the U.S. have caused 

who “want to create global government to 

$188 billion in damage, with 1,107 fatalities. 

control all of our lives." Rohrabacher sits on 
the House Committee on Science, Space and The 0.04% view discounting global warming 
Technology. (You can’t make this up.) among scientists is a 77% view among Re


publicans on the House Science Committee. 

Responding to Senate Democrats’ spending 

Those 17 (out of 22) Republican committee 

an entire night expressing their concern, the 

members have taken $3.14 million in pay-offs 

line on Fox News was to decry such a waste 

from the “dirty energy” industries that profit 

of time with so much other “important” stuff 

from denial. From 1997 through 2010, the 

to deal with. 

Koch brothers alone have spent $61.4 million 
In 2012, James Powell of the National Science to make sure that 0.04% view among scientists 
Board (appointed by President Reagan, re-ap-warrants “equal time”. 
pointed by President H.W. Bush) did a study 

There’s also the supposed “conflict” between 

on peer-reviewed articles from around the 

science and religion, though, as Neil DeGrasse 

world on climate change and global warming 

Tyson points out, “Enlightened religious peo


that appeared in scientific journals from 1991 

ple . . . don’t try to use the Bible as a textbook.” 

through 2012. Of the 13,950 articles he found 

In a radio interview, he mentioned a colleague 

on the subject, a total of 24 rejected the con-

who said contemplating the vastness of the 

cept of global warming. 

universe made him feel small. Tyson re-
By my mathematical calculation, that amounts sponded that knowing we’re composed of eleto 
a 99.8% scientific consensus on the matter, ments brought to earth from some exploding 
which doesn’t amount to much of a “debate”. star or cosmic storm incomprehensible time 

and distance away (“We are star-stuff ”, as Dr. 

Powell did a follow-up study covering No-

Carl Sagan put it) made him feel a part of it 

vember 2012 through December 2013. Of 

all – and that made him feel big. 

2,258 articles found (9,136 authors), a total of 
1 rejected the notion of human-driven global For me, that thought alone is a religious 
warming. That’s 99.96% consensus – even less experience. 


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder 

TO BE PC OR NOT TO BE PC -

That is the confusion

I have long ago given With the majority of people, freedom of 
up trying to keep up speech does not really mean that the other 
with the Joneses, and person is free to speak. It simply means I 
not just because they have the freedom to speak. 
have moved away. I 
have a hard enough time trying to keep up "So," I said rather delicately trying to feel 
with myself, let alone trying to figure out my way through this subject, "you believe 
what somebody else is doing so I can top everybody has the freedom to express their 
them at it. opinion?" 

One aspect of trying to keep up with the "Yes, sir," he said very emphatically. Then 
Joneses is being on top of what is referred to he went off on another pontificating spree 
as being Politically Correct. As far as I know, asserting the rights of all Americans to ex-
I do not have a political bone in my body. press their opinion. 
I do have a bone to pick with some politicians, 
but that is another story. I knew which side of the issue, he was on 

and so I broached it this way. "You then be-
Everybody is so afraid they are going to lieve," I said weighing each and every word 
break some PC rule and offend somebody. and syllable, "that you have the right to say 
Most people today are so easily offended a certain thing is right." I mentioned what 
that it is virtually impossible not to offend the thing was but I do not need to include 
somebody. I do not want to intentionally of-it here. 
fend anybody and I try my best not to. However, 
for the life of me, I am not able to keep "Not only do I believe it," he said on another 
up with all of this political correctness that pontificating spree, "but I practice it every 
seems to be domineering in our country day of my life. Nobody has the right to tell 
today. Because, as soon as you figure it out me what I can and cannot believe!" 
somebody changes the rules and another 
word or phrase has been deemed not politi-"Let me get this right, you have the freedom 
cally correct. to say that this," and I mentioned what it 

was, "is perfectly right." 
What was politically correct yesterday may 
be politically incorrect today. If you get your He nodded and smiled very broadly and 
days mixed up and confused, you are not then I continued my thought. "Do I have 
going to know what is politically correct. I any rights in this area?" He nodded and 
think a book should be published every year indicated I could continue speaking. "You 
listing all of the things that are politically have the right to believe that this certain 
correct and politically incorrect. Nobody thing is right, but do I have the right to be-
is allowed to change any, at least for a year. lieve that it is wrong?" 
Then, when they come to change it there has 
to be a national election to vote the political Well, you might have hit him with a doucorrectness 
in. ble-barreled shotgun. He never thought of 

it that way. All he thought of was what his 
Some people believe it to be un-American opinion was and that he had the complete 
to use phrases that are politically incorrect. freedom to express that opinion. Anybody 
I for one, have a hard time keeping a list of who had a different opinion did not have 
all of these politically correct and incorrect the same right as he did to express it. 
words and phrases. 

"I never thought of it that way," he stam-
I had some business with an attorney and mered as he stared at me. "I'm going to have 
once we finished our business, we had a to give that some more thought." 
few moments and were chatting together. 
I could tell from his chatting that he was Somebody who believes something is right 
rather politically correct in everything he has the complete freedom to say so. On the 
does. I guess that is what comes to being other side of the track, the person who bean 
attorney. Somebody once said that sticks lieves it is wrong has just as much right to 
and stones may break your bones, but words think and say that it is wrong. 
can never hurt you. Whoever said that was 
so wrong we need to take that phrase and It is hard to keep up with a world that is 
make it politically incorrect. constantly changing, especially in this area. 

That is why I love the Bible so much. That 
"This is America," he pontificated with me, is why I am a follower of Jesus Christ be"
and we have freedom of speech. Everybody cause neither one ever changes. I take great 
is free to have their opinion and to express refuge in what the Bible says. "Jesus Christ 
it. That is what America's all about." He the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever," 
went on and on about this matter of free-(Hebrews 13:8). 
dom of speech. 

Today I rest in the unchanging grace and 
Then, I am not quite sure how it happened, character of the God who loves me and pro-
but we got on some rather indelicate subject vided for my salvation. And, tomorrow will 
that was positively politically incorrect. be the same. 

OBAMA’S GREG Welborn 
DETACHMENT 

There is something unhinged about The fundamental 
the Obama administration, something change he offered 
almost other-worldly in its detachment was assumed to be 
from the reality in which the rest of a good thing, while 
America resides. Americans sense it, the evidence now 
and it’s really starting to bother them shows the changes 
because they’re slowly coming to the he has been able to 
realization that the American dream implement are very bad things. By 
is being put out of reach bit by bit by promising to go around an intransigent 
the very person who so affectively Congress and simply use his pen to sign 
campaigned as the champion of the executive orders, he has rightly brought 
average guy.unto himself all responsibility for the 


outcomes. The outcomes aren’t good, 

 The most visible example of this right 

and, by his own claims, he’s the only 

now occurred at one of Secretary of 

one who’s been doing anything. 

State Kerry’s recent press conferences. 
Despite ubiquitous media coverage of Nor are things liable to get better. 
the Ukrainian disaster, Kerry informed Last month, average Americans learned 
the world that the focus of his efforts that Obamacare’s perverse incentives 
over the course of the next year will be are stifling employment. This week 
climate change. Never mind that Iraq average Americans learned President 
is slipping, Iran is rising and Russia is Obama wants to stifle upward mobility. 
annexing whatever territory it likes. He has indicated he will instruct his 
Americans worry about aggravated Department of Labor to subject mid-
political tensions in the world and the level managers to overtime pay rules. 
very real possibility of war, and the For those average Americans who 
Obama administration worries about inhabit the ranks of middle management 
climate change?and wish to work harder to pull ahead, 

the answer will too often be “no”. If the 

 It’s a sign – and a very visible sign 

employer allows the manager to work 

– that this president lives someplace 
longer, they will have to pay time-and


different than where regular Americans 

a-half. Working harder and longer, the 

live and cares about different things 

physical manifestation of the American 

than what try the souls and disturb 

work ethic, is now with the stroke of 

the sleep of regular Americans. But 

Obama’s pen a bad thing. 

foreign incompetence isn’t the only 
sign. Domestic problems that can Entry level jobs are being cut, rehiring 
no longer be blamed on Bush or any isn’t happening as fast as it should, and 
other past president evidence Obama’s now upward mobility is being pushed 
detachment and inability to help average down. Sound bites are replacing sound 
Americans, and average Americans can thinking, and average Americans are 
sense it, smell it and feel it.bearing a much heavier burden than 

they ever imagined for the hope and 

 Rasmussen’s recent poll indicated that 

change of fundamental transformation. 

only 32% of Americans believe that the 

Average Americans get it – the country 

U.S. is heading in the right direction. 
is getting worse, but the President is 

That was preceded by a Gallup poll in 

concerned the weather is deteriorating. 

which 72% of Americans believe big 
government is a larger threat than big 
labor or big business. That number has 


About the author: Gregory J. Welborn 

never been higher, which is remarkable 

is a freelance writer and has spoken to 

in its own right, but it is categorically 

several civic and religious organizations

more significant in the context that this 

on cultural and moral issues. He lives in 

president never fails to criticize, bash 

the Los Angeles area with his wife and 3 

and condemn big business interests. 

children and is active in the community. 

You’d think he’d get some traction 

He can be reached gregwelborn2@gmail. 

from the demonizations.

com 

 Defenders will point out that these 
numbers aren’t new, that they represent 
long-term trends. The problem with 
this line of defense is President Obama’s 
tenure in office is long enough that he 
owns the long-term; by now, he should 
have been able to make good on the 
implicit promises he made concerning 
the fundamental transformation of 
America.