Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 2, 2016

B2 Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 2, 2016 THE DECLARATION B2 Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 2, 2016 THE DECLARATION 
The Declaration of Independence: 


A TRANSCRIPTION 

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. 

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, 

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and 
equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. 


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.--That 
to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --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 to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety 
and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to 
suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design 
to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; 
and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct 
object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. 


He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend 
to them. 
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable 
to tyrants only. 
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. 
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State 
remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the 
conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent: 
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for 
introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. 
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most 
barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. 
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction 
of all ages, sexes and conditions. 


In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every 
act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. 


Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them 
of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, 
which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our 
Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends. 


We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority 
of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British 
Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, 
contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine 
Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. 


Note: The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated. 

Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Column 6 
Georgia: 
Button Gwinnett 
Lyman Hall 
George Walton 
North Carolina: 
William Hooper 
Joseph Hewes 
John Penn 
South Carolina:
Massachusetts: 
John Hancock 
Maryland:
Samuel Chase 
William Paca 
Pennsylvania: 
Robert Morris 
Benjamin Rush 
Benjamin Franklin 
John MortonNew York: 
William Floyd 
Philip Livingston 
Francis Lewis 
Lewis Morris 
New Hampshire: 
Josiah Bartlett 
William WhippleMassachusetts: 
Samuel Adams 
Edward Rutledge 
Thomas Heyward, Jr. 
Thomas Lynch, Jr. 
Arthur Middleton 
Thomas Stone 
Charles Carroll of Carrollton 
Virginia:
George WytheRichard Henry LeeThomas Jefferson 
Benjamin HarrisonThomas Nelson, Jr. 
Francis Lightfoot LeeCarter Braxton 
George Clymer 
James Smith 
George Taylor 
James Wilson 
George RossDelaware: 
Caesar Rodney 
George Read 
Thomas McKean 
New Jersey: 
Richard Stockton 
John Witherspoon 
Francis Hopkinson 
John Hart 
Abraham Clark 
John Adams 
Robert Treat Paine 
Elbridge GerryRhode Island: 
Stephen Hopkins 
William ElleryConnecticut: 
Roger Sherman 
Samuel Huntington 
William Williams 
Oliver Wolcott 
New Hampshire: 
Matthew Thornton 

On the Marquee: Notes from the Sierra Madre Playhouse All Things Considered By Jeff Brown 

SMP AND THE ACTORS UNION 
Stanford researchers discovered a giganticis good fresh water available, but we’re not saying 
underground reservoir in California’s Centralto run out and drill. We’re saying, let’s quantify 

Artistic 

Valleythis resource, let’s understand it, and ideally 
The Central Valley has been hit hard by the long-let’s save it for the future as a rainy day fund.” 
running drought. La Niña has failed to deliver the 
relief everyone was hoping for, but researchers Scientists pressure Greenpeace over GMOsat Stanford have discovered what could be good In an open letter to Greenpeace, more thannews for the region and for the state.Stanford 100 Nobel Laureates are pressuring the 
scientists have found a large reservoir of water environmentalist group to change its position ondeep below the Central Valley — to the tune genetically modified crops, in particular, a strainof 713 trillion gallons of water.There’s a catch, of rice modified to include vitamin ADeficiency ofthough: the water’s estimated to be anywhere vitamin A in many parts of the developing worldbetween 1,000 to 3,000 feet underground, which contributes to the deaths of 1.15 million children 
means that extracting that water could hasten annually according to UNICEF.Greenpeace isthe sinking of the ground – something that’s spearheading opposition to the “Golden Rice”
already happening in the Central Valley. Plus, strain in the face of a huge lobbying push for thescientists are worried that water that deep could grain. The renowned advocacy group argues:
be contaminated from oil and gas drilling in the Golden Rice has not achieved its promise ofregion.“We don’t want to fool the public into high vitamin A content; other aid programs arethinking that we suddenly have increased our delivering vitamin A supplements to populationswater supply by a factor of 10,” said hydrologist in need; the long-term safety consequences areJay Famiglietti, a professor at UC Irvine and a unknown; and prices for such GM crops are

summarily dumped that 

plan and on December 14Director as I will not be able to make good on my promisesenior water scientist at JPL.While Famiglietti prohibitive for local farmers.The Laureates Letterwill require any theaters using union actors to pay themto you to maintain the quality of our productions. Take called deep brackish groundwater basins like the states:Scientific and regulatory agencies aroundminimum wage for all hours of rehearsal and performance.Menagerie for example – it would have been impossibleCentral Valley reservoir “a resource,” he said that the world have repeatedly and consistently foundA lawsuit has been filed in Federal court but has not yetto find actors to play Amanda and Tom from among thethere are many uncertainties about the usage and crops and foods improved through biotechnology

been served on the Union to determine the question ofnon-union actors who auditioned. I would not have been 

usefulness of them.“It’s not clear at what rate we to be as safe as, if not safer than those derived 
whether union actors have the right to donate their servicesable to put on this play without the quality of the actorsshould extract them, and when we will be able from any other method of production. There has

to small theaters and to adjudicate the method by which thewho we eventually cast. I can hear you thinking, well then

to do that without significant consequences,” never been a single confirmed case of a negative

Union instituted this change which defied the Settlementthey deserved to be paid for the work they did. Yes, I agree.

he said. Stanford professor and co-author of the health outcome for humans or animals from their 

Agreement crafted in 1989. 
But I also know these two actors and know that they both

had one of the best theatrical experiences of their careersstudy Robert Jackson also urged the public to be 
consumption.Additionally, they highlight that

This may seem like a non-issue to you. Of course, actors 

cautious when interpreting his findings, especially food production will have to double by 2050 to

deserve to be paid for their work. But I assert, as a Union playing iconic roles that each desperately wanted a crack at.

actor myself, that no one is forced to work at SMP. That we We supported them in a beautifully realized production. 
regarding the apparently massive quantity of meet global population needs.Discussion of these

strive to give actors who come to work with us a wonderfulLife is a trade-off and I always tell actors who audition forwater in the basin.“There are places where there 2 stories can be found on AirTalk public radio. 
experience and that we do everything we can to make itus that they must be very clear about why they are choosing
worthwhile to them. Let me put this into perspective. The to work at SMP. And the operative word is CHOOSING.
Glass Menagerie, based on box office figures alone – not This issue will not be resolved soon, but I hope it will
counting donations – will lose $2500. It didn’t sell as well resolve in a way that won’t irretrievably destroy what we’ve
as I’d hoped it would, notwithstanding some of the besttried to build at SMP. 
reviews in our history. We had 3 out of 4 union actors in the * * * 
show. At SMP we have a policy of paying everyone equally.The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opens


If we had had to pay minimum wage to all of our actorsnext week and it is going to be wonderfully fun. It is being
for both rehearsal and performance we would have had todirected by Robert Marra who did such a lovely job last year


come up with another $10,000 – and that figure does NOTwith Always…Patsy Cline. This show is not recommended 
include payroll taxes, social security, or worker’s compfor kids under the age of 16 because of language and one 
which would have added another $2,000 to $3,000 to the song. Tickets are on sale now and are selling well already.


total. There is NO way that SMP will survive as you know itThis is your Playhouse. Please let me hear from you.
now, if this plan is instituted.Please visit our website at SierraMadrePlayhouse.org or callOur Board has discussed the options open to us, whichMary at 626.355.4318 to purchase tickets. 
include using ONLY non-union actors. Should that be the 
direction we head, I don’t think I will continue as Artistic 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com 

By Director, 
Christian Lebano 
I don’t know if anyone whoreads this essay is aware ofthe ongoing battle betweenActors Equity Associationand the Intimate or 99Seat 
Theatres in the Los 
Angeles area. In 1989, 
in settlement of a lawsuit 
brought by actors againsttheir union, the 99-Seat 
plan was established. It 
allowed union actors to 
work for small theaters 
with certain restrictions 
and be paid a very modeststipend. This created the 
incredibly vibrant theater 
scene we have today. The 
Union has now after 
months of campaigning