Solution to community’s problems lies in...
Solution to community’s problems lies in dialogue
A great philosopher once stated, “If the spirit of many in body
but one in mind prevails among the people, they will achieve all
their goals, whereas if one in body but different in mind, they can
achieve nothing remarkable.”
Certainly the proof of this has been clearly demonstrated in the
city of Glendale this year.
In the past few years, the Montrose Family Festival has been a
blessing for the community, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the
Montrose Merchants Assn. for providing a place for a community
gathering on Thursday evenings. Only after the demise do we realize
the value of the sacrifice made by these merchants.
Unfortunately, the merchants’ association became trapped in the
hard shell of its differences, and was racked by contention.
Unwilling or unable to seek commonality in the minds of the other
members, they distanced themselves from each other until the
association imploded.
Likewise, the community was unable to come together to commemorate
the tragic losses of the Armenian Genocide. We were unable to express
one in mind about the evil of genocide. Some even implied that
genocide was justified.
Clearly, we passed the opportunity to display a remarkable unity
in the community. This was a chance for Armenians to share a part of
their history with the rest of us. This was a chance for the rest of
us to seek and understand the hearts of our Armenian friends.
Nor are these examples mentioned as a judgment or criticism of
those involved. The people involved are, after all, friends and
neighbors, many of whom have notable accomplishments for our city.
Nevertheless, life naturally gives rise to many differences,
distinctions and mindsets Trapped in our attachment to these
differences, the inevitable result is contention. What, then, is the
solution?
The answer is dialogue. The closed silence of the disengaged
causes us to slide away from a peaceful heart. Only within the open
space of dialogue, in which people seek first to understand and then
to be understood, can we find the solution. Disciplined dialogue is
the key to learning and self-mastery. It is only through open-minded
dialogue that we can develop a community that has at its core the
desire for peace.
Peace is therefore essential. People can only live fully by
sharing life with others. It is never too late to overcome our
negative tendencies and seek to have relationships that are mutually
inspiring and harmonious. If we can do so, we will become a city
which is many in body with one mind of peace. We will then be able to
accomplish our goals.
KENT WOODWARD
La Crescenta
Greed flows first down the hill, then back up it
All that greed that is being produced in those once-beautiful
hills above the city of Glendale was supposed to flow down the flood
control channel to the Pacific Ocean and disappear. Somehow, there
was so much of it, it began to overflow at Brand Boulevard and went
all the way down to Los Feliz. Now it’s back up to Colorado.
Those involved would like to close off some of our streets so they
can create more business for themselves, thus closing a lot more
businesses that rely on these streets for their own survival. I
understand one of these streets is Elk Street. This is the main
street for Holy Family Church and school. This is one of the most
beautiful churches in the San Fernando Valley.
I would think this church and school would have a lot more
priority over a new and used car lot, especially one that will
produce more pollution and noise within the city of Glendale.
Already, they keep city parking lot No. 11 full of their private
automobiles, and nothing ever goes in the meters.
If this was ever approved, the first thing they will do is put a
new-car showroom on Colorado, so they can get all those so-called
customers traveling east and west on one of Glendale’s main
thoroughfares. This is what the greed for money has done to some of
the businessmen within our city.
By closing off these streets, they will have to change what is
known as Brand Boulevard into The Brand Freeway, with offramps only
to the car dealers.
As all that extra greed came out at Brand Boulevard, some started
sifting uphill to Mountain and getting into the side streets.
Thus, some of the landlords are becoming a little extra greedy,
and want to raise their rents much higher than the tenants can
afford.
The city of Glendale has no rent-control laws, so maybe it should
come up with some landlord laws.
DAVID BRYCE
Glendale
Team’s decision wasn’t really very sportsmanlike
It was with disappointment that I read Hamlet Nalbandyan’s article
in the sports section regarding the outcome of the 13-/14-year-old
All-Star baseball competition. (News-Press, July 19-20), particularly
in light of the efforts currently being made by various groups in our
city to emphasize the teaching of sportsmanship to our youth.
Crescenta Valley’s Landry’s team obviously had the talent to
compete against other All-Star teams in the area, and certainly
deserved the opportunity to don the uniform and represent their
section. However, assistant coach Crum’s comment that there would be
more than one Little League All-Star team to end its season with a
win exhibited a rather narrow perspective and belied the spirit of
competition.
The coaches of this team missed an opportunity to teach their
players a life lesson in sportsmanship and generosity. Conceding the
final game would have allowed them not only the pleasure garnered by
their success, but also left them with the knowledge that they had
done “the right thing” by allowing another team that was willing to
represent the Glendale area in the regional tournament the
opportunity to do so.
I am sure that the decision made by the Crescenta Valley coaches
to continue with the final game, knowing that their team would not be
going on to the next level, was well within the bounds of Little
League rules.
But did it embody the true spirit of sportsmanship?
Sadly, no.
MADELEINE HIBBS
Glendale