Mountain Views News          Saturday, December 14, 2013

5

AROUND SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Mountain Views-News Saturday. December 14, 2013 


HOW TV DISTORTS REALITY

By Christoper Nyerges

[Nyerges is the author of “Self-Sufficient Home,” “How to Survive Anywhere,” and 
other books. He can be reached at Box 41834, Eagle Rock, CA 90041, or www.ChristopherNyerges.
com.]


“What’s Going On?” 

News and Views from Joan Schmidt

REDEDICATION TO DEPUTY DAVE 
MARCH: 

Thank you, Awesome Irwindale POA, LASD and David Laing

 The day after Thanksgiving, I learned Deputy Dave March’s Memorial on Live 
Oak Avenue was destroyed. I was very upset, but Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Sgt. Burt Brink assured me 
it would be replaced. “When and how?”, I thought.

 
Yesterday the unbelievable happened. There was the poignant rededication of a new Memorial and 
the planting of a “Crape Myrtle” tree that will be in full bloom every year during the anniversary of 
Deputy March’s passing!

 I cannot find the words to express the gratitude to Irwindale Police Officers Association, David 
Laing of L & L Building Materials and Laing Construction, Mr. and Mrs. Figueroa of Fig Memorials 
in El Monte, and William Luna of Gasser/Olds Company Incorporated in Vernon for refinishing 
and repairing the beautiful monument. I also want to thank Temple Station Captain Chris Nee and 
Sergeant Sherif Morsi, for their role in the beautiful rededication program and both Deputy Bill 
Harrington, Temple Station volunteers and Irwindale PD and their volunteers/cadets who helped 
with traffic and set-up.

 After my early arrival, I spoke with Irwindale Officer Robert Avila on duty the AM of the accident, 
who quickly contacted Temple Station. I met Officer Rudy Campos, President of the 37 Member 
Irwindale Police Officers Association, who put up the original Memorial and were responsible for 
having it rebuilt.

 Officer Campos was the MC for the Program which began with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s 
Honor Guard, of Lt. Tom McNeal, Deputy Mary De Bella, Deputy Warren Ondatje, and Deputy Tim 
Shultz. Sergeant Bryan Ward performed the National Anthem followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

 Officer Campos thanked all present: LA County Sheriff Baca, Irwindale Interim Police Chief 
Roy Campos, California Highway Patrol Captain Mark Shaw, Baldwin Park Office Commander, 
Mayor Mark Breceda and City Manager John Davidson, Bradbury Council Member Richard Barakat, 
members of the business community and citizens of Los Angeles County and especially the March 
family. (Dave’s parents, his sister Erin and her husband, Dave’s widow Teri, Dave’s godmother, her 
husband and other relatives). Officer Campos spoke of Dave’s great sacrifice-which is why Irwindale 
acted so quickly with the first Memorial and the rebuilding after it was destroyed. He also mentioned 
how Temple Station has held a 24 hour Honor Guard at the site since Dave’s passing at the site - was 
another reason it needed to be rebuilt.

 Captain Nee, Temple Station Commander said “It speaks great volumes” as he looked at the 
great turnout: Sheriff Baca, Chief Roberta Abner, who was Temple Station Commander at the time of 
Dave’s passing, Chief Jim Lopez, East Region, and members of nearby law enforcement agencies. He 
told of the “Brotherhood among Police Agencies” and commended Officer Campos who contacted 
him and reassured him the Memorial would be quickly replaced.

 Sheriff Baca remembered the fateful day Dave died. He spoke of Dave’s bravery, great sacrifice and 
how “Our Department’s Creed takes his exact words”. 

 Dave’s widow Teri thanked Irwindale POA for their great generosity. She has a “…sense of peace. 
You said you wouldn’t forget him and you haven’t.”

 Dave’s dad John thanked everyone and said Dave’s memorial “represents all law enforcement 
officers. They go out every day and take a risk; this reminds us of their great sacrifice.”

 Dave’s mom Barbara felt “As Dave’s mom, you made me feel proud. I have learned to love all you 
guys. Dave would be very grateful to you.”

 The program ended with the planting of the tree. I would like to thank Irwindale POA and all 
involved in rebuilding the Memorial. I also am grateful for the huge turnout- retired Community 
Programs Director, Natalie Salazar, Temple Station Personnel including Sgt. Jim Dexter and 
neighboring agencies who attended: Arcadia PD Captain Paul Foley, Sgt. Tom Levesque, Lt. C. Flores 
and detectives; Azusa PD Officers Plascencia and Jarrett; San Gabriel Sgt. Rene Hernandez and Det. 
Sunny Kim and Alhambra PD. Dave was surely smiling, looking down from Heaven. He will never 
be forgotten.


This week, I got a 
call from a popular 
TV “news magazine” 
show. I was told that 
they were planning to 
air a program the following 
day about the 
December 21, 2012 
end date of the Mayan calendar cycle. They were 
aware that I teach survival skills and they saw my 
name associated with the Mayan date. 

 “We’d like to talk to you about the Mayan 
prophecies,” I was informed.

 “Which Mayan prophecies are you referring 
to?” I asked.

 “You know, the end of the world prophecies,” 
she casually responded.

 “I’d be happy to talk to your viewers about 
the Mayan calendar,” I said, “and I’d let them know 
that there are no Mayan prophecies of doom-and-
gloom that anyone knowledgeable is aware of.” I 
explained that I studied in Mexico and Guatemala 
with Mayans. “Are you aware of specific prophecies?” 
I asked.

 “No, just in general that the world is going 
to end.”

 I explained that all the Mayan end-of-the-world 
hype was media fabrication. What would be happening 
on December 21, according to most scholars, is that a large cycle of the Mayan calendar – 13 
Baktuns lasting 5,125 years – will end, and another cycle will begin the next day. I told her that I’d be 
happy to ease her viewers’ fears, and explain that zealous media pundits somehow confused “end of a 
calendar cycle” with “end of the world.”

 The TV show representative explained that she’d seen me on the National Geographic’s “Doomsday 
Preppers” show, and said she’d really like to see me with my survival gear. (I was offered no compensation 
for the time I expected to give.) I explained that I was driving to work (yes, I do work!) and that 
I only had the minimal gear that I always carry, but not my full wilderness pack. 

 “I’d still be happy to share with your viewers how knowing survival skills is a good thing all the time,” 
I continued, “considering all the very real problems that we all have to contend with, such as earthquakes, 
floods, hurricanes, economic disasters, terrorists, diseases, and so on.”

 “Actually, we’re really looking for someone who is seriously preparing for the December 21st date. 
We really want something more dramatic and sensational,” I was told.

 It was becoming clear that I would not be on their show.

 “Well, if you’re looking for a nut who’s frightened about the Mayan calendar and who is taking radical 
action based on panic and fear, then I’m not your man,” I told her. “Still, I’d be happy to talk to you 
to give your show some balance.” I continued, telling her that there is no special planetary alignment 
associated with December 21, no comet that we know of that’s about to hit the earth, no mysterious 
planet about to show up, and no heightened sun spot activity. I again explained that we never really 
know what might happen, but we shouldn’t listen to the fear stories about things that have no relation 
to the Mayan calendar. She politely listened.

 “I tell people that whenever you act out of fear or panic that you nearly always make bad choices,” I 
added.

 “Yes, well, we really want something more dramatic. We want to show people who are very concerned 
about this December 21 date and who are doing something about it.” She told me she would 
talk to her producers and might call me back for a taping later in the day for a show that was already 
planned for the following day. 

 To no surprise, I never got a return call.

 This taught me a lesson I’d experienced many times. The modern media are all too often so focused 
on ratings and sensationalism that they will twist and distort (or ignore) the facts if this helps maintain 
viewers. Though many of us might view the “quest for truth” to be a high ideal, not everyone 
does. In this case, it was clear that the producers of this TV program were not concerned about 
whether or not there were in fact any Mayan “prophecies” at all. 

 It is not just distortion and lies that we should protect ourselves against. We also need to be equally 
concerned about that the reporters and journalists do not tell us. 

 Sadly, TV, despite its vast potential, has increasingly become a wasteland.

(Reprinted from December 15, 2012 - MVNews