Laments the Loss of a Tree
A battle to save the life of a tree ended in the LCF Planning Commission meeting in November. Brutal pruning by a utility crew combined with an arborist’s report of dubious merit spelled a death sentence for an old oak. Here the tree’s defender decries in poetic voice all that erodes the quality, dignity and sanctity of life in our community.

Requiem for an Oak
An old oak grows, abused by all,
Its feet in bricks and concrete bound,
Now weeping, leaves and acorns fall,
On broken limbs upon the ground,
Disease, dry rot and wounds appall!
So silent now, there’s not the sound,
Of children’s play ‘neath branches tall,
For parents scold, and seem to hound,
Lest sudden falling foliage maul
Their house or offspring small, if found
Beneath it then. Best experts call!
Condemn that tree! It must be downed!

Resolved: Whereas the residents,
Determined that this tree is bad,
A threat to their establishments;
Objections heard; discussions had.
A final word with arrogance,
Unanimous! No more we’ll add.
It’s all right here in evidence,
This living thing must die! How sad!
Ungrateful and entitled gents,
At times become stark raving mad,
With haste they judge, lack common sense,
In pride, burn such as makes hearts glad.

Through winter deep, when nights are long,
The sun is low, the squirrels, slow,
Then watch is kept by old oaks, strong,
With rushing leaves as east winds blow.
A sound, a smell say something’s wrong,
For many saws belch smoke below,
As chippers roar their awful song,
Dismembered trees their end must know.
Peace reigns once more; birds move along,
With voices scorning, mourning so,
Their loss and ours, “We don’t belong,
Where there’s no room for oaks to grow.”
James Stoker
La Cañada
Support the First Amendment
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment, of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
~ Ratified Dec. 15, 1791

Two-hundred and twenty six years ago this week, the Bill of Rights was ratified, adding more than two dozen individual rights to the Constitution. The cornerstone of the Bill of Rights is the First Amendment, 45 clear and concise words giving you five precious rights that no other nation on earth allows their people to exercise.
The last couple of years have not been kind to the First Amendment as major corporations and universities have misused and attacked the First Amendment.
NFL players claim that the First Amendment gives them the right to protest by kneeling during the national anthem. In fact, NFL players are allowed to mock Old Glory and, by extension, the United States, by the NFL and its team owners and not the First Amendment. The NFL is a non-government corporation.
Administrators at UC Berkeley and UCLA have routinely blocked speakers they did not agree with from speaking on campus. In addition, these same administrators have created “safe places” in popular areas on campus where students congregate. Again, this results in the banning of speech that they do not agree with. This violates the First Amendment because the UC system is a government institution.
So take a few minutes this week to read the First Amendment and reflect on those five precious freedoms that no other people on earth enjoy. When you get a chance, stand up for the First Amendment; your posterity will appreciate it.
Lynn McGinnis
Glendale

Not Middle of the Road
I read the article in the Dec. 7 issue of the Crescenta Valley Weekly entitled “Controversy Not Welcome” and was surprised that what our family considers to be the most egregious aspect of these signs was not addressed. So I write here to complain separately about the placement of these signs.
When we first saw them, I wondered if the “risk management” department of the City of Glendale had reviewed and cleared these signs. They are in the middle of the street, not even high enough to be seen above the fenders of all vehicles, and concrete gray colored, causing them to blend into the environment. To me they appear to be a genuine safety concern as they appear to be camouflaged and in the wrong location. I fear these barriers will be hit by vehicles and are likely to cause serious injury and damage for which the City of Glendale could be held liable.
Why are they in the middle of the street? Other signs welcoming people to cities are on the side of the road. That is where these concrete barriers should be placed, in my opinion. I am fearful that there will be several deaths before those in power finally order them removed from the middle of the street. They should be moved now before anyone loses their lives or mobility because of a misplaced “Welcome” sign.
Debra Butler
Glendale 91214