GAINS & LOSSES

A GAIN AND A LOSS

It was with great sadness -- and with great pleasure -- that we

reported Playboy Enterprises had decided not to move to Glendale after

all.

The outfit that redefined the image of the bunny chose to move its

operation closer to its new production studio in Los Angeles.

Since Playboy is either a barely legal flesh-peddler catering to

negative stereotypes about women or a pioneering forum for modern social

discourse, we’ve decided to view this news as both a gain and a loss.

Viewed as a gain, right-thinking citizens of Glendale should celebrate

the fact that such a bastion of smut and loose morals has chosen to be an

albatross around some other community’s neck. We dodged a huge bullet

here.

Viewed as a loss, how terribly sad that such a vibrant enterprise as

Playboy has turned its nose up to the Jewel City. The magazine raised the

standard on men’s periodicals, and played an enormous role in the

liberation of the American woman. We truly missed the boat on this one.

Good riddance, Hefner! Keep us in mind next time, Hugh!

GAIN

Local school show unity

John Muir Elementary and Wilson Middle schools put their feet behind

the slogan, “United We Stand.” The two schools punctuated Martin Luther

King Jr. Day by participating in unity marches, walking around their

school’s neighborhoods in displays of peaceful solidarity.

The march was the third for Wilson, which started holding “Unity

Walks” in to combat negative attention following a minor racial incident

among a few students. Although the incident has long since been forgotten

by many in the community, the students have shown that they’re serious

about their commitment to tolerance and unity. More than 400 Wilson

students enthusiastically participated in the march.

More than three times that number participated in John Muir’s march on

Tuesday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. That march also highlighted

the importance of respect, tolerance and unity.

Walk on, young Americans!

LOSS

Pressure group stages rally at Frommer’s office

Peaceful protest is as American as apple pie, but when it’s done with

as much cynicism as the protest Thursday at Assemblyman Dario Frommer’s

office, it’s plain rotten.

About 20 representatives from the conservative group Capitol Resource

Institute and the Christian organization Focus on the Family staged the

sign-waving rally in front of Frommer’s office at 111 E. Broadway. The

protesters said they opposed an Assembly bill that would allow civil

unions in California. Members toted signs reading “Don’t cheapen

marriage” and “Same-sex marriage, no, no, no.”

There was just a couple of problems: Frommer didn’t author the

offending Assembly bill. And the bill itself was shelved in committee,

effectively killing it.

The protesters were aware of these facts when they brought their signs

to Frommer’s office. They just wanted to make sure he voted their way

should the bill be resurrected.

That would be fine, if at least one sign at the rally indicated what

the sign-wavers were really up to. But not one did. And nowhere on the

rather lengthy news release the two activist groups sent out to the media

does it indicate Frommer has done nothing to warrant a loud protest in

front of his district headquarters.

Call it politics. Call it proactive activism. We see it as plain

misleading.