Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, February 12, 2022

OPINION Mountain View News Saturday, February 12, 2022 
11 OPINION Mountain View News Saturday, February 12, 2022 
11 
MOUNTAIN 

VIEWS 

NEWS 

PUBLISHER/ EDITOR

Susan Henderson 

PASADENA CITY 
EDITOR 

Dean Lee 

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John Aveny 

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Peter Lamendola 

CONTRIBUTORS 

Stuart Tolchin 
Audrey SwansonMeghan MalooleyMary Lou CaldwellKevin McGuire 
Chris Leclerc 
Bob Eklund 
Howard HaysPaul CarpenterKim Clymer-KelleyChristopher NyergesPeter Dills 
Rich Johnson 
Lori Ann Harris 
Rev. James SnyderKatie HopkinsDeanne Davis 
Despina ArouzmanJeff Brown 
Marc Garlett 
Keely TotenDan Golden 
Rebecca WrightHail Hamilton 
Joan Schmidt 
LaQuetta Shamblee 

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STUART TOLCHIN 
PUT THE LIGHTS ON 


THE RACE QUESTION

No, I do not intend to discuss the ongoing races 
that are a feature of the Chinese Winter Olympics. From 
my perspective the international coverage of these events 
are a continuing refutation of the belief that there exists 
an actual existing standard of human decency. The world 
talks of “human rights” but as the “Games” continue in 
China, the Chinese government engages in the persecution 
of eleven million Uyghurs living under Chinese control. 
Already over one million people have been forced 
into “relocation centers” likened by Amnesty International 
to concentration camps. 

Yes, the world sits idly by as this ongoing Uyghur 
genocide continues. What is a genocide anyway? The dictionary defines it as “the 
deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular nation or ethnic group 
with the aim of destroying that nation or group”. To me this definition avoids the basic 
question of “race”. As the now suspended Whoopi Goldberg attempted to explain it 
was not a question of “race”-- just one group of White People killing another group of 
White People. To Whoopi’s surprise many people took offense. The more she attempted 
to explain the worse it sounded. Finally, her ABC employers issued a statement 
that she was suspended for two weeks. This suspension was described in World News 
station WION so that she could “use the suspension time to educate herself about 
Holocaust”. 

Ironically, now outspoken Aussie radio host Kyle Sandland, among others, asserts 
that “the only reason Whoopi was not fired is because she is a Black woman”. 
When I attended Junior High School we were told that humankind was divided into 
three races namely: Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. I know now that the development 
of this theory coincided within a historical situation where most European nations 
were profiting from the enslavement of people who were conveniently described 
as an inferior race. During my lifetime the accepted deportation and murdering of 
people of Jewish heritage was defended and exalted in the name of racial purification—
a term originating in the United States within eugenics movement of the prior century. 

Last week referring to the Whoopi controversy I described the first words of 
the first page of the graphic novel “Maus” created by Art Spiegelman, the son of a holocaust 
survivor which begins with the following quote:

 “The Jews are undoubtedly a race, but they are not human” Adolf Hitler.

The Germans in the book are all pictured as cats and the Jews are all pictured 
as mice. Not only do the cats murder the mice but also the mice manage to do harm 
to one another. I think that is one of the saddest aspects of the book. Cats and Mice 
are not that different from one another. This book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1992 but, 
believe it or not, you might have trouble finding the book today. I read last week that 
it is being pulled off the shelves of school libraries because there is concern that this 
might make children uncomfortable. Has “comfort” now become the goal of teaching?

The teaching of “race” ought not to be comfortable. Consider the controversy 
regarding critical race theory, which I believe is an attempt to present, at accurate description 
of history heretofore absent from most school curricula. Contrary to what 
Whoopi and Adolph believed and contrary to what I remember being taught, there 
is now virtual scientific agreement that race should no longer be considered a valid 
biologic classification. After much study it has been concluded that Race is simply a 
product of the Nation’s social and political history—it is a social construct. In other 
words, it’s all make-believe. Something that has been made up to justify behavior and 
attitudes concurrent with the wishes of the powers-that-be. Concepts created and 
utilized to maintain and increase power and control. Every single National Football 
League owner is white despite the fact that seventy percent of the players are of African 
heritage. Most tellingly there is only one African-American coach. The closed clubs 
of white privileged folk do not wish to lose financial control and entitled privilege. To 
better understand view the now available “The Gilded Age”. 

But, as always. I digress! Returning to my original concerns the Winter Olympics 
proceed as planned because there is money to be made. Forget all the talk about 
inalienable human rights; governments do not act until the powers-that-be believe it 
is in their best interest. This, I am sad to say, seems to be a universal truism just as 
Whoopi Goldberg asserted. What exists are continuing injustices and conflicts---sadly 
inevitable human problems now mischaracterized as simply problems related to Race. 
Eventually, I hope, the world’s population will recognize that what is being threatened 
is our own survival. I just hope that this realization trumps (or detrumps) the short-
term financial and privileged interests of the world’s rulers. It is a race to the finish line! 
What finishes and at what line is up to all of us. KEEP THE LIGHTS ON! 

DICK POLMAN 
BIG DEAL, TRUMP BROKE 


ANOTHER LAW 

At this point in our sick national saga, is there any law that Trump 
hasn’t broken? 

A federal statute on the books – Title 18, Section 2071 of the U.S. Code 

– spells out the provisions of the Presidential Records Act of 1978. All 
materials generated by a president, in the furtherance of his (or her) 
official duties, automatically belong to the American people. Which 
means that all such materials – documents, memos, gifts, letters, whatever 
– must be transferred to the National Archives upon that president’s 
departure from office. 

The law also warns that anyone found guilty of “willfully and unlawfully” concealing, removing, 
mutilating, obliterating, or destroying, or attempting to do any such action, can 
be fined and imprisoned for up to three years. 

As David Ferriero, the official Archivist of the United States, stated this week, “The Presidential 
Records Act is critical to our democracy, in which the government is held accountable 
by the people. Whether through the creation of adequate and proper documentation, 
sound records management practices, the preservation of records, or the timely transfer 
of them to the National Archives at the end of an administration, there should be no question 
as to need for both diligence and vigilance. Records matter.” 

Why, pray tell, did Ferriero feel compelled to issue such a statement? Only because the 
Visigoth of Mar a Lago had been caught, yet again, pillaging the spirit of democracy. Because, 
as we’ve now learned, it took the National Archives a full year (from January 2021 
to January 2022) to retrieve 15 boxes of our stuff – including potential security-sensitive 
material – that Trump stole from the White House while being shoved out the door by a 
record-high 81 million voters. 

Granted, other presidents have done bad things. Bill and Hillary took some gifts and furnishings 
that belonged to the White House that they were compelled to return. But the 
sheer scale of Trump’s pilferage has reportedly dwarfed all previous episodes. 

Of course, considering everything else Trump has done and continues to do, stealing 15 
boxes in breach of federal law is roughly the equivalent of jaywalking. This grifter hid his 
tax returns and his medical records, so why should we care that he spent a full year hiding 
government documents? 

That’s how far he has lowered the bar – he gets away with everything (so far) because nobody 
expects him to do any better. But just imagine how the right-wing infauxtainment 
complex would’ve reacted if Barack Obama had stolen 15 boxes and secreted them in his 
manse on Martha’s Vineyard. Tucker Carlson’s head would’ve detonated with the power 
of a hundred suns. 

We average citizens know full well that ignorance of the law, or blithe indifference to the 
law, is no defense. If a cop stops us for going 60 in a 45-mph zone, he’s not impressed if we 
claim that we didn’t see the speed signs. He’d be doubly unimpressed if we were to admit 
that we did see the signs, but paid them no mind. 

But in Trump’s case, there’s a different metric. It boils down to this: Give him a pass, because 
he doesn’t know any better. 

This week, Trump advisers told the press that, with respect to those 15 stolen boxes, Dear 
Leader had no “nefarious intent,” no “criminal intent.” They said that he simply didn’t 
make any distinction between how he operated in the public sector and how he had always 
operated in the private sector. 

As one ex-Trump official reportedly insisted: “I don’t think he did this out of malicious intent 
to avoid complying with the Presidential Records Act. As long as he’s been in business, 
he’s been very transactional and it was probably his longtime practice and I don’t think his 
habits changed when he got to the White House.” 

Oh. 

Did no staffer enlighten him that working as president is different from running a casino? 
Was he indeed briefed about the Presidential Record Act, but shrugged it off? Is that why 
some of the material turned over to the National Archives arrived there in torn-up pieces? 

We can certainly ask such questions, but don’t hold your breath waiting for answers. 

One final question: 

Are there more boxes secreted somewhere at Mar a Lago? 


RICH JOHNSON NOW THAT’S RICH 


REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF 

Recently I was accused of not writing about 
important stuff. Actually I took that as a compliment. 
Everyone else writes about important 
stuff so I think there is a niche for less than important 
stuff. There, was that important? Actually 
I will regale you with great truths learned 
at various stages in life. Important? You decide. 

Great truths little children have learned: 
When your mom is mad, don’t let her brush your hair.
You can’t trust your dog to watch your food.
Never hold a dust-buster and a cat at the same time. 
You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. 

Great truths adults have learned: 
Raising teens is like nailing jelly to a tree.
Wrinkles don’t hurt. 
Families are like fudge…mostly sweet, but a few nuts.
Laughing is good exercise. It’s like jogging on the inside.
You learn to choose your cereal for the fiber and not the toy. 

Great truths senior citizens have learned: 
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
You now know all the answers but nobody asks you the questions.
Time is a great healer, but a lousy beautician. 

San Gabriel Valley Intelligence TestWhat major world war followed World War I?
What month has 28 days in it?
What animal was Chief Sitting Bull named after?
In the 1830s, the Reverend Sylvester Graham invented what kind of 
cracker? 
Who was the host of the “Ed Sullivan Show?” 
What major border lies between the United States and Canada?
The last names of the two inventors of M&M’s began with what letters?
What color is the White House? 
What president was the city Washington D.C. named after? 

Grandpa's Christmas Fruitcake Recipe (This recipe is to be recited out 
loud at dinner parties. Read it exactly as it is written) 

You'll need the following: a cup of water, a cup of sugar, four large brown 
eggs, two cups of dried fruit, a teaspoon of salt, a cup of brown sugar, 
lemon juice, nuts, and a bottle of whiskey. 

Sample the whiskey to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the 
whiskey again. To be sure it's the highest quality, pour one level cup and 
drink. Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a 
large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again. 

Make sure the whiskey is still okay. Cry another tup. Turn off the mixer. 
Beat two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. 
Mix on the tuner. If the fired druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it 
loose with a drewscriver. 

Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. 
Or something. Who cares? Check the whiskey. Now sift the lemon juice 
and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. 
Whatever you can find. 

Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don't forget to beat 
off the turner. Throw the bowl out the window. Check the whiskey again 
and go to bed. 

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