Where are we now? / Where are we now?
The moment you know / You know, you know
As long as there’s sun / As long as there’s sun
As long as there’s rain / As long as there’s rain
As long as there’s fire / As long as there’s fire
As long as there’s me / As long as there’s you
— David Bowie,
“Where are we now?”
“As long as there’s you …”
It’s been a rough week for me, for my friends, and for our country. I want to just “hold on” and bear down, hoping for the best for all of us.
A dear friend of mine suffered a devastating loss. At late middle age he’d found the true love of his life seven years ago. Theirs was a love for the ages, and not kidding, a bit like the “true love” highlighted in that now old but fabulous movie, “Princess Bride.”
His beloved wife, a very fit and healthy early 50s, had experienced a bit of a sore throat. A couple of days later she’d tripped and scratched up her leg and arm. She thought nothing much of both, just everyday wear and tear we all experience.
A low fever came, easily treated with Tylenol. But short days later she had to check into the emergency room with more serious symptoms where she’d learned she’d developed sepsis. Her kidneys had failed. Then, two days later came drastic procedures to save her, and mere days later she passed. Absolutely horrific. Beyond horrific. And it could have been prevented with early antibiotic intervention.
My friend is rightfully devastated and we’re close enough that I truly feel his pain. All of us can understand the emotions behind such a horrifying and devastating loss. There aren’t words to suffice.
Last week, College of the Canyons’ remarkable and hyper-builder, Dr. Dianne Van Hook, was rudely and summarily fired, led by Trustee Edel Alonso’s four-member trustee lynch mob, seemingly motivated by union backing and funding for this fake leadership mob. Edel, who’s made her adult life from government-funded positions, cut the knees out of one of our valley’s foremost leaders … because she could. Not having ever built anything herself, she seems to have found unusual personal joy in tearing things down rather then building things up. No actual reasons behind the firing have been published.
Adding insult to injury, Edel restricted Dr. Van Hook’s access to her own office, personally micro-managing and overseeing the time, method and access for Dr. Van Hook to retrieve her personal items, which after 36 years of leadership service, are extensive. The general idea is to keep Dr. Van Hook from interacting with any college staff or student for fear of raising anger against Edel’s mob.
Edel’s petty catfight actions against the esteemed Dr. Van Hook are inconceivable, yet Edel flails on. God help COC in Dr. Van Hook’s absence, with Edel Alonso calling the shots. If she can’t even civilly allow such a respected leader time and space to properly access her office, imagine the rest of the petty and hurtful actions Edel will cause against COC overall. If ever a board of trustees member needed defeat at the ballot – it’s Edel Alonso.
Dr. Van Hook’s abrupt departure is a horrific, unnecessary loss to COC and our valley in general. The loss is … devastating.
Donald Trump survived what was also an entirely preventable assassination attempt. Members of the crowd saw and warned about the shooter a full 80-plus seconds before he shot and thankfully missed the past president, yet unfortunately killed one rally attendee and wounded two others. What the heck was happening with our otherwise esteemed Secret Service remains a mystery and conspiracy theories abound.
Now, we face even more national and party division. Now, even more, we’re suspicious of one another. No sane person would ever desire any such violence against anyone. This was a horrific, terrible act – and sadly, we have to add, “even against a political rival.” It’s a shame in this day and age we have to add those qualifiers. Let me again say (as a Democrat) this was horrible, unacceptable, and a huge stain on our nation’s civility and normalcy. Thankfully, Trump survived. We’ve seen too much death of public leaders and can’t withstand any more.
Let our differences be settled at the ballot box and no other way. “No violence” should be every party’s first pledge moving ahead.
Such a sad week of entirely preventable loss and pain.
“Where are we now,” with such public and personal loss? My first emotion is to hold tight to loved ones and to shelter, preserve and protect them. For all of our loved ones. And our city, state and nation.
As I write this, I’m at Burbank airport, headed to Seattle to visit my new granddaughter and to accompany my wife home. There will be much longer hugs and kisses. Much more attention and forget the smartphones and distractions. Back to real life, and less mind time for petty distractions.
“As long as there’s sun and rain and you.”
I hope so much for calm and decency, respect, love, and health. May everyone have and protect these things.
Gary Horton’s “Full Speed to Port!” has appeared in The Signal since 2006. The opinions expressed in his column do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Signal or its editorial board.
