A Peace-Making Banjo Player's Reflections...

[Gary Rice]

Dear Friends in Lakewood Land;

Well, there it is. The people have spoken, and, as always in any election, there are those who are elated with the results, as well as those who are not. For many of us, our feelings might be mixed, as different issues and races have different outcomes.

For many of us, issues have been resolved. For many others, struggles continue.

As your banjo player, I try to bring people together in order to lift spirits and spread a bit of joy whenever I can. Being a retired teacher, I like to be fair about stuff too, and I try to listen carefully to all sides before arriving at my own conclusions.

This is a time of year when a number of professionals tell us that many people start to dip into the doldrums, so with the loss of more and more daylight, we have all of that to consider, in addition to coping with the results of our election.

The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to keep a good frame of mind, Many times, that's easier said than done. The older I've become, the more I've realized that our precious moments in life are more than precious. Those moments are limited by whatever time that we are allotted on this earth. When I was younger, I was quite the activist for a better world. I still continue to support those causes that I believe will help to make life better. At the same time, as I got older, I realized that something was missing in my activism.

Activism needs to be combined with attitude.

So many people get so dang serious about their causes, that they forget to be positive...to be happy, and to help others to lift their own spirits. So many of us have gotten to be so label-oriented in our country that we forgot that higher vision.

We'll all need to carefully discern what the result of yesterday's election did to those labels.

Agree or disagree with Mayor Summers, one thing that I will ALWAYS respect about him is his winning smile. That photo of him with a smiling Brian Essi speaks volumes about the high priorities that both of those men place on thinking positively. They may disagree intensely, but they both chose to share a higher vision yesterday TOGETHER with their mutual smiles.

Can we do less?

Indeed yes, it is time for a banjo sing-a-long. We the people have voted. The choices we made were made.

Before long, the disagreements will resume, but for today at least, we can all smile together.

Back to the banjo...

[james fitzgibbons]

With all due respect Gary you are making me puke.

[cmager]

Summers "winning smile" is a gimmick, but it does indeed define the man. Fake as the day is long.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Reminds me of quote from the outcome of the OJ Simpson trial...

"Some people too sad, some people too happy."


Every Lakewoodite should take away one realization from this photo. The day after, we still have to deal with the rest of us Lakewoodites.

"There is only one redeeming thing about this whole election. It will be over at sundown, and let everybody pray that it's not a tie, for we couldn't go through with this thing again.
And, when the votes are counted, let everybody, including the candidates, get into a good humor as quick as they got into a bad one.
Both gangs have been bad sports, so see if at least one can't redeem themselves by offering no alibis, but cooperate with the winner, for no matter which one it is the poor fellow is going to need it.
So cheer up. Let's all be friends again. One of the evils of democracy is you have to put up with the man you elect whether you want him or not. That's why we call it democracy."
Will Rogers, DT #1953, Nov. 7, 1932

FWIW

.

[james fitzgibbons]

There is much more going on in Lakewood then just an election. No need to elaborate.

[Michael Deneen]

Nothing to smile or sing about Gary.
Ignorance and bigotry ruled the ballot box....both nationally and here in Lakewood.

[Gary Rice]

Now I'll freely admit that it's hard to reckon the sincerity of anyone's smile...

...but I will say this...for whatever it might be worth to y'all.

A very wise person once told me that once people find that they are able to wipe the smile off YOUR face...

...they win.

NEVER allow for that to happen.

Try this little song... (cue the banjo here....)

"Just suck it up and grin...(la la la)

...on another day, YOU'LL (or I'll) win!"

Back to the banjo...

[james fitzgibbons]

I do not believe that Gary, for many reasons.

[Dan Alaimo]

With all due respect Gary you are making me puke.

Gary, I'm very, very sorry to say this, but James' comment gave me the biggest laugh I've had in a week.

The election's over. The results are valid, and although close, they are decisive. The voters preferred City Hall's plan and I accept that.
Congratulations to that group of people for winning a hard-fought campaign.

However, there were numerous questions raised that will continue until resolved. But that is another matter.

[james fitzgibbons]

With all due respect Gary you are making me puke.

Gary, I'm very, very sorry to say this, but James' comment gave me the biggest laugh I've had in a week.

The election's over. The results are valid, and although close, they are decisive. The voters preferred City Hall's plan and I accept that.
Congratulations to that group of people for winning a hard-fought campaign.

However, there were numerous questions raised that will continue until resolved. But that is another matter.

That makes me feel good Dan. We sure need a laugh!

[Gary Rice]

A laugh?

Hey, all I was asking for was a smile.

Laughing is pretty good too though.

Yuk yuk yuk.

Honestly, sometimes I think there are more layers to 'Deck discussions than there are on a thousand dollar wedding cake.

Back to the banjo...

[Amy Martin]

This "back to the banjo" is wearing thin on me.

Remember, Nero fiddled while Rome burned . . .

[Gary Rice]

Actually, "fiddling while Rome burned" was one of the allusions that came up early on, here on the 'Deck.(with that banjo replacing the fiddle, of course) In many ways, the allusion has probably been an apt one.

As you all are aware, I'm not afraid of stepping into controversy here in 'Deckland. Some people may unfortunately even think that I try to make light of issues that others believe to be serious ones, when I introduce that banjo component into my posts.

That has not been my intention. I just try to help people get through those issues as best I can with a bit of humor and music, if possible.

As was written here on this thread, (and I FULLY agree) we continue to have VERY serious issues here in Lakewood that go well beyond issue 64. When, and whether, those issues will be resolved remains very much an open question.The collective involvement of our citizenry will be crucial to whatever eventual resolutions might transpire.

If going "back to the banjo" is starting to wear thin, perhaps I should go back to my mandolin, or even a fiddle maybe?

[Marguerite Harkness]

FOUR PRECINCTS out of 37 - A mere 702** people, living in big houses along the lake, from Clifton Park through the Gold Coast - agreed that it is OK for City Hall and City Council to give our hospital AND OUR HEALTH CARE away, to Cleveland Clinic for pennies on the dollar.

At that price, their $400,000 houses are worth less than $40,000 each. Would they sell?

**702 is the number of votes by which Issue 64 lost. Otherwise, the vote was 50/50 on 22,366 votes.