Ethos

When John Adams wrote to his wife in 1776 regarding the celebratory day of America’s independence, he told her that it “ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance . . . to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” That mandate can seem more or less daunting depending on the year. During good times, celebration of America’s greatness flows easier from the spirit.

DOWNTOWN — The owner of a furniture store has been sued by comedian Adam Carolla for allegedly defaulting on months’ worth of rent for using his warehouse at the Burbank Airport Commerce Center. In the lawsuit filed against Lounge 22 LLC Aug. 28 in Los Angeles Superior Court, Carolla is seeking nearly $45,000 in unpaid rent for the 12,368-square-foot warehouse from May through July, and about $500 for each day since Aug. 1. On July 2, Lounge 22 owner Armen Gharabegian was given three days to either settle the debt or return possession of the property at 7679 San Fernando Road, according to court records.

The reaction to this week on Facebook to news that Walmart bought the Great Indoors site adjacent to the Empire Center was swift and firm: No thank you. It appears that the main reason — outside the usual opposition to the company’s business ethos — was fears over the impact a behemoth retailer would have on the already congested portal to the Empire Center. One commenter summed it up in his post: “We don't need more out-of-towners coming to our city and causing more traffic and taking up parking spots, especially at times like holidays.” Such is the curse of Walmart — it’s a major tax-revenue generator, but with it comes all the trappings of a high-volume store: crowds, traffic, rough competition for small businesses.

The lawsuit filed this week against the Burbank Police Department on behalf of five officers purports to expose racial discrimination and sexual harassment. But what it certainly has done is spotlight the effects of a closed-ranks, good-ol’-boy ethos that has gone unchecked for too long. We at the Leader have been trying to break through for years, with varying degrees of success. But for so long, the propensity to close down in the face of requests for greater access has won out. As an example, take the popular police arrest log entries.

A t first glance, the June 8 special runoff election for the 43rd Assembly District may seem like an exercise in futility. Whoever gets sent to Sacramento will have to run again to retain his seat in the Nov. 2 regular election. That essentially ensures that when one campaign ends, another begins. So whether voters choose to send Republican Sunder Ramani or Democrat Mike Gatto to Sacramento in the thick of budget warfare, our Assembly representative will have little clout and little time to have any real effect.

When John Adams wrote to his wife in 1776 regarding the celebratory day of America’s independence, he told her that it “ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance . . . to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.” That mandate can seem more or less daunting depending on the year. During good times, celebration of America’s greatness flows easier from the spirit.