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What do we need to declare our independence from today? Ann Levy of Painesville Township answers
Jul 03, 2010
234 years ago, the founding fathers of America signed a statement that said those living in the 13 colonies of America were declaring their independence from Britain. At the heart of the intention was this second sentence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, on America’s birthday, we ask “Now what?”
Ann Levy of Painesville Township answers:
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What do we need to declare our independence from today? Alyce Turner of Euclid answers
Jul 03, 2010
234 years ago, the founding fathers of America signed a statement that said those living in the 13 colonies of America were declaring their independence from Britain. At the heart of the intention was this second sentence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, on America’s birthday, we ask “Now what?”
What do we need to declare our independence from today? Myrna Supanick answers
Jul 03, 2010
234 years ago, the founding fathers of America signed a statement that said those living in the 13 colonies of America were declaring their independence from Britain. At the heart of the intention was this second sentence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, on America’s birthday, we ask “Now what?”
Myrna Supanick of Painesville answers:
What do we need to declare our independence from today? Patricia Codney answers
Jul 03, 2010
234 years ago, the founding fathers of America signed a statement that said those living in the 13 colonies of America were declaring their independence from Britain. At the heart of the intention was this second sentence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, on America’s birthday, we ask “Now what?”
Patricia Codney of Willoughby answers:
What do we need to declare our independence from today? Peggy Pfenniger Sugerman answers
Jul 03, 2010
234 years ago, the founding fathers of America signed a statement that said those living in the 13 colonies of America were declaring their independence from Britain. At the heart of the intention was this second sentence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, on America’s birthday, we ask “Now what?”
Peggy Pfenniger Sugerman of Burton answers:
What do we need to declare our independence from today? Becky Lynch answers
Jul 03, 2010
234 years ago, the founding fathers of America signed a statement that said those living in the 13 colonies of America were declaring their independence from Britain. At the heart of the intention was this second sentence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Today, on America’s birthday, we ask “Now What?”
Becky Lynch of Mentor offered this answer:
What, me worry? Smiles ease reunion fears
Jul 03, 2010
It’s just a seven-letter word.
The shorter ones, especially ones with four letters, get more attention — probably because when you hear them, there’s shouting or anger.
“Seven” above was preceded by months of worry, debate and decision-making.
It reminded me a lot of high school.
That’s appropriate, because “it” was my 25-year high school reunion.
Before last weekend, I’d always either blown off the reunions or been lucky enough to have to work.
When I learned about the first few, I decided I didn’t have enough going on in my life to warrant attending. I just dreaded the inevitable question: “So, what have you been up to?”
The answer would have been “college” or “looking for a job” or “working.”
Kind of boring, don’t you think?
After a while, when the notices would arrive, I’d see they were conveniently scheduled on weekends, when I worked.
So, I also missed the five-, 10-, 15- and 20-year versions.
Then, about six months ago, I saw a note on Facebook that the 25th had been scheduled for June. It included an evening out at a restaurant and the formal event on a Saturday night in Eastlake.
Maturity and lack of evening or weekend work scheduled conspired to signal it was time to attend a reunion.
But, as I have come to realize, maturity is a funny thing. It picks odd moments to cut out on you.
Like when you’re trying to decide what to wear. Four stores and about $100 later, and I wore a blouse and capri pants not unlike the blouse and capri pants I wore to work that day.
It also disappears when you find yourself trying to do ridiculous things like lose 25 pounds in six days. Unless you’re removing body parts, it ain’t coming off that quickly.
Eventually reality crept back in and set me back on a steady course.
But, when I got in the car to drive to Panini’s in Euclid, I had the realization that I’d soon be seeing the same girls I tried not to look foolish in front of in high school. I was about to see the same guys around whom I’d always suck in my stomach.
“This is a really bad idea.”
“It’ll be fine,” my husband said.
As we got out of the car to walk onto the patio, I saw some women get out of a car nearby. I walked slowly in case any of them were going to the reunion and recognized me, so I wouldn’t have to walk in alone.
No dice.
As I moved inside the gate, I looked around and saw a bunch of people with name tags and assumed I was in the right place.
The first person I recognized was Leigh-Ann, whom I’d known from my days at Roosevelt Pool and then at Euclid High. We talked about the struggles of our folks and her still living in the old neighborhood.
Then I walked over to say hi to Tracey, who looked at my husband and said, “I ate lunch with your wife every day my senior year, and I can still tell you how she eats a piece of cake.”
If I’d eaten fewer pieces of cake, I wouldn’t be agonizing over those 25 pounds.
I hadn’t thought about it for a long time, but I remember being quite methodical. It was two layers, with frosting in the middle. I’d eat the cake parts first, leaving frosting in the shape of an E. Don’t you save the best for last?
A little while later, on my way back from the ladies room, I found Tammy.
“Are you going to say how great we look?”
She said she reads my column in the paper each week and laughs at my foibles.
So, this is not only the truth, it’s also for Tammy.
I am impressed by how great the ladies in my graduating class looked. They look just the way they did back in high school, or, in some cases, even better.
They look natural — pretty and happy and as though they’ve done well for themselves.
I didn’t recognize many of the guys, even asking one of the ladies at one point, “Are you sure we graduated in the same class? I don’t even recognize half of these people.”
I think it’s just that they outgrew their youth and found their adult bodies, faces and voices. Those cute guys of 1985 are now handsome men of 2010.
So, I thank you, Euclid High School Class of 1985, for helping me realize I should have figured out a way to attend all those other reunions. There was nothing scary about seeing the people with whom I spent my early years.
I should have realized that all that worry was just like the stuff I worried about as a child: Much ado about nothing.
R-E-U-N-I-O-N.
It’s a seven-letter word that means memories, good times and smiles with old friends.
LKessel@News-Herald.com
Jim Collins’ Editors Notebook: Reunion reminder is right on time
Jul 03, 2010
It is now July 4, time to light a Roman candle, shoot off some fireworks, run the flag up the flagpole and open my annual letter from Ed Glavac.
Actually, I got the letter a couple of weeks ago. I just said those other things to show I am patriotic.
Ed’s annual letter, which actually is a note attached to an invitation, is the annual notification of the Willoughby Union High School reunion, which goes on and on even though the school hasn’t had a graduate since 1957.
But we do the best with what we have, meaning that the reunion is populated by graduates of all classes at the erstwhile school, which is now the Willoughby-Eastake Tech Center in Downtown Willoughby.
And since there have been no new grads for 53 years, the invitation has been extended not only to Union High graduates, but to anyone who has ever, for even five minutes, attended a class at Union High.
It has now gone beyond that, however, to anyone who has ever driven past the school (I am exaggerating slightly here) or anyone who considers himself/herself a friend of the school or an acquaintance of anyone who ever attended the school.
In other words, the invitation is of the “open” variety. But I attend the reunion every year and recognize almost all of the people there as folks I knew in school or saw at school functions or in the hallways at one time or another.
So the reunion hasn’t been taken over by outsiders. Probably never will be. And it remains as popular as ever. There are a couple hundred people there every year.
Union High grads know a bargain when they see one.
For $30, they get an excellent family-style dinner, open bar (meaning it is free), a wide variety of door prizes and dancing to the popular Joey Tomsick Orchestra.
I have noticed that the people at the reunion seem to be getting older, but that is probably a function of aging gracefully while leading clean lives.
But that is only a guess.
The reunions will probably keep going on as long as Ed Glavac wants to do all the work (along with his wife, LaVerne, of course). If he ever decides to call it quits, that could be the end of the gatherings.
So before we proceed any further her with this narrative, I should tell you what to do if you want to go to this year’s reunion.
Remember, you are welcome if you ever attended Union High, are a “friend” of the school, or simply like a good, inexpensive party.
Editorial: Be independent of partisanship
Jul 03, 2010
When the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on this date in 1776, it signified that the colonies wished to break free from Great Britain’s tyrannical rule.
The Revolutionary War had already started, but the Declaration of Independence was our founding fathers’ announcement that they sought to protect the truths they believed are self-evident: “That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The Declaration goes on to state: “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
It’s in the spirit of those passages that we asked you to tell us what we as a country, region or people need to declare our independence from today.
There certainly is a range of possibilities, but in answering our own question, one stood out for us: a brand of politics so bitterly partisan that opposing viewpoints are often disregarded — if they’ve even been given the fortune of being tolerated in the first place.
We feel this is one of a number of dynamics that prevents our system of government from working as effectively as it’s designed to, though combined they still pale in comparison to the governance challenges faced by the 13 colonies.
This brand of politics can be loosely defined by discourse that encourages arguments but stifles healthy, constructive debate; comprehension that too often relies on unfair or untrue generalizations instead of an understanding of the unfamiliar; and public service that can promote hostility while discouraging cooperation and compromise.
Today our country is fighting an overseas war on terrorism and enduring one of the toughest economies it’s faced in years.
Several important domestic issues such as taxes, health care, immigration, unemployment and education also all require our attention and resources.
So now more than ever, it seems we can ill afford to be so deeply divided — to the extent that little gets accomplished and few problems are solved.
Certainly people should stand up for what they believe in and what they think is right, but if the focus of one’s energy becomes winning an argument or securing re-election and not fixing what’s broken, then those efforts are missing the point. To be clear, we’re not calling for some sort of bland bipartisanship that pays only lip service to hearing all sides of an issue.
We’re more in favor of politics or discourse that doesn’t blindly rule out opposing perspectives and instead uses them to develop effective public policy.
Fierce political debate is a part of American history. Leading up to the Revolutionary War, colonists weren’t in 100 percent agreement that they should break away from Great Britain.
But in the face of great adversity, those colonists who sought to fight for America’s independence put differences in background and opinion aside to draft and approve the Declaration of Independence.
In light of the challenges our country faces today, we urge a return to that brand of politics.W
Warchests: Less cash, more fundraisers this election season
Jul 03, 2010
By David W. Jones
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