Apocalypse on Sunset Boulevard
January 12, 2025
(photo credit: LA Times January 8, 2025)
“Sunset Boulevard, twisting boulevardSecretive and rich, a little scarySunset Boulevard, tempting boulevardWaiting there to swallow the unwary”
(Sunset Boulevard by Andrew Lloyd Weber)
“A terrifying experience” is how one Trinity alumna who lives in the Pacific Palisades describes what’s happening with the wildfires that are consuming entire neighborhoods around Los Angeles. The Palisades are in ruins, as is much of Malibu including the once-fabulous homes lining the Pacific Coast Highway along the beach. To the east, the Eaton fire has consumed the neighborhood of Altadena and others. At one point five major fires were raging in the ring of hills around downtown L.A., whipped fast by the relentless Santa Anna winds. More than 150,000 people have evacuated, nearly 10,000 structures including homes destroyed. The photos show a hellscape of unbelievable destruction.
We have many alums who live in the Los Angeles area and I have reached out to them to offer our support in any way possible. A few have replied with gratitude, but no one at this point knows what they are going to need to get through the days ahead. Prayers, of course, and the Trinity sisterhood. We are three thousand miles away but we are all family in the face of such a disaster. And perhaps we have students, staff, faculty and others with family out there — please let me know if you are affected and how Trinity might help.
Over the years I have spent a good deal of time in southern California, first for my work with Georgetown Law Center and later for Trinity. One of the most storied roads in America, I have driven Sunset Boulevard many times, from its origins in downtown Los Angeles to its beautiful end point at the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, the eager tourist could observe a broad swatch of American life and culture from the famous spots in Hollywood to all the shops and cafes and modest homes of the people who work behind the grand scenes of the industries that made L.A. famous to the multi-million-dollar mansions of Brentwood and the Palisades. Sunset Boulevard is a long, winding road carved through the mountainous terrain of the region. Those beautiful mountains, covered with wild brush, contained the seeds of destruction. Now, the humble gas station attendant might be sharing space in the evacuation center with the owners of the fabulous cars that once stopped by for a fill up.
I’ve also driven the Pacific Coast Highway many times, always marveling at what seemed to be the great good fortune of those lucky souls who could afford homes along the beachfront in Malibu, cheek-by-jowl structures all facing the beautiful, expansive, endless Pacific Ocean. So much water! Yet, now beholding the irony of the vast Pacific waters that could not save those homes from fires, all now burnt-out shells. Unimaginable devastation in what was once a “shangri-la” for some.
Writing in the January 10 New York Times, Dr. Peter Kalmus, a climate scientist who left Altadena in 2022 over climate concerns, observes that:
“No place is truly safe anymore. A few months ago, Hurricane Helene pummeled the western part of my new state and the city of Asheville, which many once considered a climate haven. The Pacific Northwest seemed safe until the 2021 heat dome. Hawaii seemed safe until the deadly fires on Maui in 2023.
“For those who have lost everything in climate disasters, the apocalypse has already arrived. And as the planet gets hotter, climate disasters will get more frequent and more intense. The cost of these fires will be immense, and they will affect the insurance industry and the housing market.”
Dr. Kalmus goes on to cite our reliance on fossil fuels and the obtuseness of fossil fuel company executives who have steadfastly refused to cooperate with clean energy initiatives. As I read I could hear the voice of Donald Trump, alas, bragging about how he will “drill, baby, drill”as he derided the “green new scam” in reference to the Green New Deal…. see it here….
Kalmus ended his essay with this warning,
“Nothing will change until our anger gets powerful enough. But once you accept the truth of loss, and the truth of who perpetrated and profited from that loss, the anger comes rushing in, as fierce as the Santa Ana winds.”
Anger was the topic of another essay writer in the New York Times, Patti Davis — daughter of the late President Ronald Reagan — wrote of her memories growing up in the great hills of Los Angeles and her grief over the destruction. She wrote,
“My anger over what we have done to this fragile, exquisite Earth was muffled by grief until the other evening when I was watching a news program that had a panel of commentators. The subject was Los Angeles on fire, and one person mentioned climate change as a cause. Another commentator smirked and said he didn’t believe it was the cause. I felt rage surge up past my grief.”
Davis went on:
“I want us to be angry. Not a destructive anger, a righteous anger. I want us to stand up for an Earth that was created with perfect balance, with beauty and mystery and a divine artistry. An Earth that was put here not for our consumption and our greed but for our nourishment. An Earth that has so much to teach us, and that needs protection, now more than ever. We have thrown an entire planet out of balance, and now we are suffering the consequences — weather patterns so severe we have no idea how to combat them, and the resulting fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, more severe than anything we’ve known before. We can grieve and be righteously angry at the same time.”
Even as people express anger, anguish, fear, despair over the destruction not only of their homes but their entire neighborhoods, ways of life — even as the moment calls for extreme compassion and care for the tens of thousands of displaced persons — even with all of that, some politicians, including the person about to be sworn in as the next president of the United States, could not resist exploiting the horror for their own political purposes. Not satisfied with denying climate change, taunting the governor and blasting the fire department (for what? for not stopping wildfires driven by 100 mph winds?), the once-and-future president and his pals decided to blame — wait for it — DEI! Yes! Diversity, Equity and Inclusion became somehow responsible for the hellacious fires (Diversity brought the matches, Equity poured the gasoline, Inclusion lit them up…. you get the idea)…. Seriously. What triggered them? WOMEN! Yes, women — the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Fire Chief are women. And these women believed in DEI initiatives in their departments. Ergo, says the likes of Elon Musk, DEI (women, really), caused this massive destructive fire.
At some point there are no words left to describe the utterly amoral and despicable political exploitation of this tragedy.
Kalmus and Davis are right to give voice to the anger we all should share at this time, but instead of just railing against the inexplicably depraved political statements, we need to turn our attention to what needs to happen going forward.
How will the thousands of now-homeless people be cared for, not only this week and next week but in the years it will take to recover?
How will the homes be rebuilt? Who will help them negotiate with the not-so-friendly insurance companies? Who will make sure that the state and federal governments live up to promises to assist even as the administrations change.
And what will we do about climate change? The time for denial of the truth is long gone. The wild weather that has afflicted all parts of this country and around the globe is not just a fluke. (Even as the wildfires devastated the Palisades, people were skiing down Peachtree Avenue in Atlanta during a freak snowstorm there.) The planet is growing more and more inhospitable even as some humans redouble their efforts to ignore the signs of our own destruction. We cannot stand silent while the new administration pursues ever more immoral, destructive environmental policies.
Will we have the collective strength to stand up louder, stronger, more confidently for greater environmental protection? Time is growing short. Let’s prove that the answer is YES.
L.A.’s changed a lot over the yearsSince those brave gold rush pioneersCame in their creaky covered wagonsFar as they could go end of the lineTheir dreams were yours, their dreams were mineBut in those dreams were hidden dragons
Sunset Boulevard, frenzied boulevardSwamped with every kind of false emotionSunset Boulevard, brutal boulevardJust like you, we’ll wind up in the ocean.
-Andrew Lloyd Weber, Sunset Boulevard
Continue reading →Read comments (0) Add CommentJimmy Carter, Exemplar of Presidential Decorum
December 30, 2024
As thousands of remembrances and messages of condolence flood public media upon the news of the death of former President Jimmy Carter at age 100, we might wonder if anything new can be said about the 39th president. Historians are dissecting his presidency while pundits plumb his personal attributes. Consensus is emerging that while his one-term presidency was troubled, his post-presidency was simply remarkable. He devoted most of the four decades since leaving office to doing his part to make the world a better place — whether working to eradicate disease or building homes with Habitat for Humanity or preaching at Sunday School. His life — and with his partner of 77 years Rosalyn Carter — was a testament to living by a moral code of charity, hope, justice and peace.
Seen through a slightly different angle on the lens, the coincidence of Carter’s death just weeks before the second inauguration of President Donald Trump presents an opportunity for reflection on a topic that may seem hopelessly quaint but utterly necessary in these oft-tawry times. In short, Jimmy Carter was an exemplar of a quality among U.S. presidents that too often seems in short supply: the quality of personal and professional decorum.
Decorum? What an old-fashioned word! In my Catholic grade school back in the 60’s, we received grades for Decorum as well as Self-Control and other personal qualities that seem to have vanished in the age of social media. What does it mean? Simply, to act in ways that are refined, humble, proper, courteous, in good taste, respectful of others and the circumstances of the moment.
Carter’s example of decorum exposes the shameful lack of that quality in the person who soon will be inaugurated for a second time as president of the United States. President-elect Trump spent Christmas issuing dozens of statements on his social media platform Truth Social that included the message “GO TO HELL” directed toward the persons on death row who had their sentences commuted by President Biden in a merciful act that is in keeping with the teachings of the Catholic faith. Trump continued his typical social media insults toward “Radical Left Lunatics” and his ridiculous threats against Panama, Greenland and Canada. There was nothing sweet, cheerful, peaceful or hopeful in his messages.
Sadly, too many members of the mainstream media today hail such cheap and unworthy rhetoric as “authentic” — on the radio I heard a Politico reporter extol Trump’s Christmas rant as “authentic” in contrast to President Biden’s gracious statement that the reporter trashed as “written by staff.” The role of major media in normalizing abnormal presidential behavior needs a reckoning, and soon.
I remember Jimmy Carter’s election — what a relief it was after the corruption of the Nixon administration in the Watergate scandal. But economic recession and international crises undermined his leadership, and his loss to Ronald Reagan in 1980 was almost inevitable. At Reagan’s inauguration on a bitterly cold January day in 1981, I remember standing on Pennsylvania Avenue as the word spread of the release of the American hostages in Iran, and it sounded like a political deal had occurred in some back room somewhere, but good for all that the hostages were coming home. At that moment I also marveled at the spectacle of the peaceful transfer of power in American life — a new president from a different party taking the oath of office while the outgoing president, disappointed in the election, stood by the side of the new leader (image below) and cordially cheered him on. Decorum!
Far from retiring to a bitter, vengeful existence, Jimmy Carter went on to what some call the “best” post-presidency in American history. He lived the ideals of social justice, caring for the poor, helping those in need, lifting up the values of charity and peace for those who knew too little of both.
As the United States transitions once more to a new president who is, in too many ways, familiar to us because of his trash talk and apparent lack of a moral center, let’s remember the example of Jimmy Carter and insist, despite the odds at present, that President Carter’s example of a life well-lived should be the standard for all those who are privileged to hold the trust of the nation.
Continue reading →Read comments (0) Add CommentGifts of Peace and Joy at Christmas
December 22, 2024
Christmas greetings to our Trinity family!
In so many ways, the year 2024 posed challenges, brought disappointments and even sorrow. But with Christmas 2024 upon us, as well as the Hanukkah season for our Jewish friends, let’s take time to count our blessings as well, to celebrate the successes we realized and to cherish friends and family. This is a season for expressing gratitude, for giving gifts that bring joy and laughter to our relationships, that enliven the darkest days of winter with sparkling lights and cheerful songs. Christians celebrate the birth of Christ with beautiful liturgies and festive gatherings, lifting up the virtue of Hope once more to a world often weary of crises and conflict.
Let us have Hope that we can find more peace, more joy, more unity in 2025!
As is my habit during the year, whenever I can find a few hours to get away, I go to one of my favorite wildlife refuges to spend some time in nature and enjoy the company of the “wild things” all around us. As my Christmas gift to the Trinity community, here’s a short (under 3 minutes!) video of the lovely critters I was able to capture with my camera this year… Enjoy!
I urge you to treat yourself to some time in nature. The refuges I like the most are the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge near Dover, Delaware, and the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge near Cambridge, Maryland. (An added attraction if you visit Blackwater is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitors Center next to the refuge.) The Patuxent National Research Refuge is not far away and offers lovely forest trails and a small lake. Or just go to your favorite spot along the Potomac or Anacostia Rivers, or the Chesapeake Bay, and look for the wild things!!
Continue reading →Read comments (0) Add CommentGiving Thanks in a Time of Concern
November 27, 2024
At last, we come to the time of year when we step back from our busy routines to be with family, to catch up with those we have not seen for a while, to share a simple or elaborate meal depending on your preferences, maybe even to get a bit more sleep or to enjoy a day without work. But even as we take time to share a joyful Thanksgiving 2024 with family and friends, our concerns lurk nearby. Maybe we are dealing with illness or some sadness in the family. Or we try to avoid the news but can’t resist sneaking a peek at those darn phones and suddenly we remember our worries — the election, the new cabinet, the awful threats of harm that might come, the wars abroad, the economic uncertainty. Turn off the phone and have another piece of pie!!
Oprah’s quote above provides some wise advice for today and all days. Giving thanks is not about being unrealistic or putting on a false front. But it IS about the realization every single day that we always have something — a person, a talent, an event, a situation — for which we can be grateful. We should not hoard our gratitude while waiting for some great big thing to move us — rather, we should spend every penny of our gratitude each day on the people and things that help us to live good lives for the sake of all the others in our lives.
On Thanksgiving and all the days of this holiday season, let’s take a step back from obsessing about our big worries, and instead, focus on the daily opportunities for gratitude. I know what I’m grateful for, today and every day: the wonderful community we have here at Trinity, our great students, devoted faculty, talented staff, hard-working colleagues, generous benefactors, wise trustees, terrific friends and partners in the community. I’m grateful to have fulfilling work every day — even if that work entails sometimes dealing with complaints about elevators or grades or bills, or sometimes the hard work of stretching our thin budget a little farther. I’m grateful to have this work because our work together at Trinity is truly transformative for the students we educate and the lives we change through the power of this education.
I’m always grateful to those courageous and visionary Sisters of Notre Dame who had the best idea ever in the founding of Trinity in 1897, and their successors who sustained this incredible institution across 12 decades.
I’m so grateful to colleagues who always go the extra ten miles for our students, creatively and patiently moving the processes forward for learning and discovery and mastery of advanced knowledge.
I could make this list even longer — you see, once you start thinking about gratitude, it multiplies many times over! Try it, and you’ll see that thinking about gratitude leaves little time for concerns.
But speaking of concerns, let’s also renew our faith in our ability to get through this moment in American history. Trinity brings many gifts to our nation, and the work of our graduates has been transformative for many communities. Our work continues to be important and meaningful each day. Let’s concentrate on what we are able to do, do it with excellence and commitment, and always with gratitude for the privilege of being part of this amazing learning enterprise.
Thanks to all, and Happy Thanksgiving!
Continue reading →Read comments (0) Add CommentDr. Nicole Betschman, Public Health Leader, on RFK Jr. Nomination to HHS
November 17, 2024
Dr. Nicole Betschman is Trinity’s Director of Public Health Programs and Assistant Professor in our School of Nursing and Health Professions. Additionally, she is the President of the D.C. Public Health Association. Following President-elect Trump’s announcement of the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Betschman gave an interview to NBC-4 in Washington, and she has also written this essay in response to the appointment:
Essay by Dr. Nicole Betschman on the Appointment of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
as Secretary of Health and Human Services
A wise person once said never ask, “What could possibly happen next?” — that is the state that we are currently facing as we inch closer to inauguration day of a second term under a very radicalized administration. The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to be the next Secretary of Health and Human Services is that ‘next’ that we, as a District and a country, are currently staring in the face — in the face of a possible increase of racial health disparities. Many of us fighting for public health were in an utter state of disbelief after the election but now we are now in fight mode for public health and more advocacy for the entire country and specifically marginalized communities. Washington D.C. relies on federal resources which could cause a major disruption in the number and types of services, such as the Affordable Care Act, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Medicaid, that many Washingtonians and the county rely upon to stay healthy.
Now what? Now we rally all public health advocates and start to brace for the ‘what ifs’ so that IF another public health crisis occurs, we act. Washington D.C. has one of the highest rates of racial health disparities in the country with so many citizens who are disproportionately affected by diabetes hypertension, and maternal mortality — imagine what would happen if vital public health education initiatives are eliminated in Ward 7 and Ward 8 and other communities?
RFK Jr. has publicly criticized several public health initiatives, such as vaccinations and fluorination in the water, that have saved the lives of many. Let us not forget about 12-year-old Deamonte Driver who tragically lost his life due to tooth decay and the loss of Medicaid services. If RFK Jr. shifts or eliminates funding in any of the HHS agencies, I am afraid that the health inequities will increase even further in the Nation.
Trinity Washington University is a major social justice institution and each of us, students, faculty, and staff, have a responsibility to make a change. Every major at this university can and will be impacted by this nomination and it is our duty as educators to provide the tools to the future educators, sociologists, psychologists, historians, scientists, political advisors, lawyers, health care professionals, social workers, and public health experts.
As President of the DC Public Health Association (DCPHA), along with my colleagues I am dedicated to protecting the personal, public, and environmental health in the District, but we cannot do it alone. We must lean on institutions of higher education and other advocacy organizations and groups in the District to marshal all of our resources together for the health and wellness of all Washingtonians for these next 4 years.
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