4 PASADENA WEEKLY | <strong>10.11.18</strong>
PW OPINION PW NEWS PW LIFE PW ARTS •GUEST OPINION• BY SHIRLEE SMITH EDITORIAL EDITOR Kevin Uhrich kevinu@pasadenaweekly.com DEPUTY EDITOR André Coleman andrec@pasadenaweekly.com ARTS EDITOR Carl Kozlowski carlk@pasadenaweekly.com THE GAME OF LIFE TEACH KIDS EARLY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING CALENDAR EDITOR John Sollenberger johns@pasadenaweekly.com CONTRIBUTING MUSIC EDITOR Bliss CONTRIBUTORS Patti Carmalt-Vener, Justin Chapman, Peter Dreier, Randy Jurado Ertll, Barry Gordon, John Grula, Aaron Harris, Chip Jacobs, Rebecca Kuzins, Jana J. Monji, Christopher Nyerges, Lionel Rolfe, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Ellen Snortland, Erica Wayne INTERNS Emma Brown, Judah Foster, Tasha Gist, Maya Hammond, Emon Davis-Dolly, Elizabeth Kinney ART ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Torres artdirector@pasadenaweekly.com ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Richard Garcia PRODUCTION DESIGNER Rochelle Bassarear CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATORS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Danny Liao, Jen Sorensen, Tom Tomorrow ADVERTISING SALES AND MARKETING Mari Carmen Martinez, Brenda Clarke, Alexandra Valdes, Lisa Chase CLASSIFIED ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Ann Turrietta (Legals) BUSINESS HUMAN RESOURCES Andrea E. Baker PAYROLL Linda Lam ACCOUNTING SPECIALISTS Perla Castillo, Yiyang Wang, Quinton Wright OFFICE MANAGER Ann Turrietta CIRCULATION Don S. Margolin PUBLISHER Dina Stegon SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING V.P. OF OPERATIONS David Comden PRESIDENT Bruce Bolkin Don’t count ’em out until the game is over. Parents typically don’t know how many innings there are to the ball game called raising kids, nor do we know when the winning touchdown is going to be scored. As parents, our coaching job is to teach the game emphasizing penalties and scoring points. Are our kids going to be winners? Maybe. But if we teach them the essence of the plays, they will be able to learn how to win. We can’t know when the kids will bring home the trophy. We can’t determine when the words, deeds and lessons we teach will show up on the “later in life” scoreboard. I found the payoff, the winning touchdown, the other day on Facebook, of all places. Maybe it wasn’t me but President Donald Trump who spurred on my daughter to run with the ball. Perhaps I planted the seed and he came along with the watering can. On my Facebook page I saw a post from my smiling fiftysomething daughter showing her with an American flag wrapped behind her and urging her followers to register to vote. Ah, some 40 years ago my girl Pia and her sister Peggy were integral parts of the postcard voter registration drives I conducted in the ’hood. Did they wanna do it? Probably not. Did they do it? Well, I don’t deal with what kids want. My kids are required to learn the rules of the game and play accordingly. Pia and Peggy stood outside supermarkets, check cashing outlets, welfare offices and the other gathering spots in our neighborhood. How many people did they register? The numbers were never part of the formula for winning. So we didn’t count. We just turned in the postcards to the County Registrar of Voters Office. My two young girls grew up, went to college and moved away from home. I’ve never checked on their commitment to making it to the polls. I’ve not continued the lecture reminding them of the voting rights that their black ancestors fought and died for. But Trump’s election and questionable appointments and actions have brought attention to the rules of the game for them. While over the years I’ve heard my oldest daughter (not one of the two who registered voters) complain that voting doesn’t matter, that’s not the same tune this one is singing in 2018. And my youngest daughter, who still lives at home, complained every year after she registered to vote at the age of 18. “Why?” she would whine. “What a nuisance,” this daughter proclaimed year after year and then finally did a mailin ballot while I stood over her with a “Don’t make me have to ...“ Times have changed — she now reports and discusses every move Trump makes. But the game has not changed. Those who register and vote play to win. The last day to register for the Nov. 6 election is Oct. 22. Last day to request a mail-in ballot is also Oct. 22. The local League of Women Voters chapter puts on information forums and if contacted will provide someone to present the issues for individual groups and organizations. Contact LWV by visiting lwv-pas.org, email office@lwv-pas.org, or call (626) 798-0966. Think about making the kids part of this all important civic responsibility by giving them a sample registration form — they can learn the rules early in life and be prepared to win the game later. Once registered, much election-related info is available at lavote.net . Doing a mail-in ballot? Give the young ones the thrill of putting it in the mailbox or handing it to the postal carrier. Voting at the polling place? Take the kids with you. Voting can be a family affair. Start them early and be amazed with what shows up on the “later in life” scoreboard. Pasadena Weekly is published every Thursday. Pasadena Weekly is available free of charge. No person may, without prior written permission from Pasadena Weekly, take more than one copy of each weekly issue. Additional copies of the current issue if available may be purchased for $1, payable in advance, at Pasadena Weekly office. Only authorized Pasadena Weekly distributors may distribute the Pasadena Weekly. Pasadena Weekly has been adjudicated as a newspaper of general circulation in Court Judgment No. C-655062. Copyright: No news stories, illustrations, editorial matter or advertisements herein can be reproduced without written permission of copyright owner. All rights reserved, 2018. HOW TO REACH US Address: 50 S. DeLacey Ave., Suite 200, Pasadena 91105 Telephone: (626) 584-1500 Fax: (626) 795-0149 AUDITED CIRCULATION of 27,516 Serving Alhambra, Altadena, Arcadia, Eagle Rock, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Montrose, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena CLARIFICATIONS: There were a few winners in last week’s Best of Pasadena contest who were not properly identified. Integrity Lash won for Best Eyebrows/ Eyelashes; Hot Yoga Pasadena won for Best Yoga; Arnott Kenpo Karate (2012 Colorado Blvd., Eagle Rock; (323) 999-7369/arnottkempo.com) won Reader Recommended honors for Best Martial Arts; the address of Best Hair Salon Reader Recommended winner Scizzor Group 91 is 117 W. Green St.; and the phone number of Goodman Daycare and Preschool, voted Reader Recommended for Best Day Care, is (626) 298-5104. We regret any inconvenience these errors may have caused. <strong>10.11.18</strong> | PASADENA WEEKLY 5