Open Letter

Pundit-Palooza!

When I made the decision to build the consortium to purchase this newspaper I did so with one primary goal: to create a forum for our community to talk with and to each other, not at each other. Nor to avoid each other. From where I sat, there was a vast diversity of political and social perspectives in our tiny town, and they were not all feeling represented, or more importantly, heard. I hurt for our country right now. I see a dire need for healthy, vital discourse and basic civility. As I see it, the true danger we face as a nation, indeed as a civilization, lies not in our heated arguments, but in our not talking.

This week we have two guest editorials by individuals with very different perspectives and world views. Both stepped up to support my vision for an inclusive community newspaper. Both are my friends. One, David Rintels, though currently residing in Martha’s Vineyard because he lost his home in the 2018 debris flow, is a long-time Montecito resident, a political and social activist, a life-long writer of television, movies and plays (and jokes that always make me laugh). The other, Jim Buckley, is the former owner (and founder) of this paper, and someone with whom I have enjoyed many cups of coffee at the former Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf on Coast Village Road. Jim is also someone with whom I agree on almost nothing – including the color of the sky. I’d go for Coffee Bean; He’d go for Tea Leaf. Though I do believe he fathered a wonderful son, who is my partner in this venture and with whom I also often disagree on matters political.

My hope is that regardless of your political proclivities you will take the time to read both of these pieces, even if it means sitting on your hands to do so – something I had to do while reading one of these pieces. See if you can figure out which one. And, whatever your perspective, please know that we welcome you to add your voice to the mix. Montecito and the pages of its local paper want to be as safe for your opinions as they are for mine. – Gwyn Lurie

An Open Letter Biden has said that if you were willing, he’d take you as his running mate “in a heartbeat. She’s brilliant. She knows her way around. She is a really fine woman. The Obamas are great friends.” He worries only that you wouldn’t to Michelle Obama agree. “I don’t think she has any desire to live in the White House again.” Still, it could be an opportunity only you could take fullest advantage of. You could ask him to make you responsible for children, say, for their health and by David Rintels nutrition and safety and education and student loans and opportunities in life. David W Rintels is past President of the Writers Guild of America West, and winner of three Emmy Awards. He and his wife, writer Victoria Riskin, lived in Montecito for thirty years until the mudslides of You could make an enormous difference in millions of lives. In 2008, my wife and I went to Iowa to campaign for Barack Obama. There 2018 claimed their house. we met Joe Biden’s mother, a remarkable and lovely woman, still vibrant in her Dear Ms Obama, I take you at your word that you have no wish to be a candidate for Vice President on the ticket with Joe Biden. No one can fairly blame you. You have already given eight years of your life to serving the country and our wheelchair at age ninety, beating the drum for her son. We loved the time we spent with her and mourned when she died two years later, age 92. In 2012 we attended a small fundraiser where now-Vice President Biden was campaigning for reelection. Passing through the obligatory reception line for a quick greeting and photo, we took our moment to say how much we had people with self-sacrifice and devotion. And remembering the mud, the indeadmired his mother, how proud and happy she had been to be his mother, and cent, almost inhuman campaign they dragged you through last time, no one how sorry we were to hear of her passing. should ask you to reconsider, except… The Vice President said to his aide, “Please stop the line. I want to talk to these

I have a dream in which I ask you – what if we reframe the question? people.”

Would you rather be Vice President for the next four years under Joe Biden… He escorted us a few feet away for privacy. or a private citizen with Donald Trump as President? “Wasn’t she wonderful! And do you know, in addition to everything else, I

You are admired, even beloved, both at home and globally. You are univerwouldn’t be here tonight, wouldn’t be Vice President, without her.” sally respected for your character and values and commitment. While there In 2008, he went on, after Obama had secured the nomination, he asked Biden to are other qualified possible candidates, most people believe you are our best run as his Vice President. Biden thanked him but said no. He didn’t want to be Vice chance to prevent Trump’s reelection, by far. President, but more than that, he told Obama, he could be more useful to him in the

The stakes are much too important to take a chance. Senate where, after six terms, he had risen to the top of the critical Committees on

Please, help make America America again. Justice and Foreign Relations where he would always have Obama’s back. An Important Moment in American History… All well and good, Obama said, but first he had to be elected. His feeling was the 2008 election might hinge on one state, Pennsylvania, which was very much

In 1944, it was clear that President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s health had detein play; having Biden, who’d been born in Scranton and had kept close connecriorated badly. Ordinarily the most robust of men, he now often looked tired, tions with the state, on the ticket with him could make the difference. He asked drawn, grey. His famous energy had become a sometime thing. Biden to reconsider but Biden again said thank you but no.

A fourth term promised to be singularly stressful. He said repeatedly he didn’t Obama persisted. He knew Biden discussed every big decision with his famiwant to run – not everyone believed him – but he made clear that after twelve ly. Would he talk to them, and then, if the answer was still no, Obama promised extraordinarily arduous years as President, fighting the Great Depression, the to accept it. War, and dealing with other responsibilities beyond number, “All that is in me That Sunday Biden sat with his wife and children and mother around the cries out to go back to my home on the Hudson River, to avoid public responbreakfast table and told them about Obama’s offer and his refusal. As he finsibilities, and to avoid also the publicity which in our democracy follows every ished, Biden said, “My mother was looking at me strangely, I thought.” step of the nation’s Chief Executive.” “There’s something I’m not understanding, Joe. When you graduated from

But the war was still to be won, as was the peace to follow, and FDR was college and law school, you had offers for good jobs, good salaries, good opporunwilling to entrust those responsibilities to the Republican nominee, Thomas tunities. But you decided to go into public service, and I’ll never forget why. E. Dewey, for whom he had unvarnished disdain. He knew he might not surYou said the reason you were getting all these wonderful opportunities was that vive another term in the most demanding job in the world, but he ran. your background had made it possible, and those who had unfairly not been

He told a concerned friend, “In war the life of any one person means nothing.” given the same chances you had – because they were Black, say, or couldn’t

Ten weeks after his fourth inauguration, on April 12, 1945, FDR died. By afford college – would in other circumstances be equally deserving and equally then the war was virtually won – Germany would surrender within a month, qualified. And you wanted to work to see they had that chance. I thought that Japan less than four months after that – and in the brief time left to him he had was wonderful. successfully negotiated with Stalin and Churchill the creation of the United “Now a Black man you love and admire has come to you and asked your help Nations, leaving the world a better, safer place. in getting a job – a very important job – and you’re telling him no. And I don’t

Today we are again at war. Unmistakably so. understand why.”

We have a President hellbent on dismantling or betraying everything that Biden said, “I looked at my mother for what I’m sure seemed a long time unites us, all that we care about and believe in. If he is not stopped at the ballot before I picked up the phone.” box, he has given fair warning the next four years will be even worse. Far, far “Barack? It’s Joe. I’m in.” worse. And this may be one time he is telling the truth. I have a dream, Ms Obama. You are sitting around the kitchen table talking

How much more can America endure and still be America? to your husband and daughters and your mother. Then you go to the phone

As long as there is even the remotest chance Trump could win reelection, we and dial. must lead with all our strength, which means you. “Joe? It’s Michelle. I’m in.” •MJ 22 MONTECITO JOURNAL “We should protest openly everything… that smacks of discrimination or slander.” – Mary McLeod Bethune 2 – 9 July 2020