12 minute read
Something must give Handling the turbulence of life
Ihave debated writing this column for some time. I understand the subject is controversial, but I feel in my heart that sometimes we must write something tough because it is the right thing to do. In this space that I have the privilege to ll each week, I try so hard to be in the middle on most controversies. I may lean right on some subjects, but I do try to understand and give both sides a chance.
However, like many, I am growing tired of the controversies and what feels like contrived battles over the LGBTQ community.
We are nearly a year removed from the unfortunate event at PrideFest in Castle Rock that has been dubbed a “wardrobe malfunction.” Let’s just say it — a drag queen’s breast plate was exposed.
It feels like those angered by this incident have taken the ght to councils, the county and more. It just hasn’t stopped.
I continue to be saddened by the local and national rhetoric targeting the LGBTQ community. I am saddened that people are vulnerable because of the increase in violent incidents and hate.
Two of my dearest friends in the world are a gay couple living in Palm Springs. eir friendship means so much to me. When I hear the hate being spewed out there — I often think of them and know they are such amazing people that I can’t in good conscience just keep standing by watching.
Regarding the drag queen show drama — to those protesting — you are often the same people saying we need less government in our lives. I often agree. I agree on this issue too.
Hear me out. What right do we have to say that an age restriction should be placed on a show like this in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, or Arapahoe County? Shouldn’t that be up to the parents? Shouldn’t it be completely up to the adults buying tickets?
In all honesty, I don’t think my
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To subscribe call 303-566-4100 children are mature enough for a drag show, but I get to be the one to decide. I do not want some town council, county, state or federal government telling me yea or nay. e books some are ghting in the library — I ask why. Just don’t let your children read them. e louder the opponents have gotten — the more the other side has been pushing back.
To those boycotting Bud Light — I understand the argument. If you want to protest through your pocketbook — whether I agree or disagree with your reasoning — I say go for it as long as you do not have some law passed to force it on me.
As someone trying to skate the slippery slope known as the middle, and others like me, I am tired of it all. I am tired of the petty back and forth ghting.
I am absolutely no fan whatsoever of casting a large net of hate on an entire group. Why be so angry and hateful? And, before we talk about the idiot in Canada who said, “they are coming for your children” during a parade, please remember that is not a re ection of everyone.
I have gotten to know someone who transitioned from a man to a woman over the last few years. She is a beautiful soul whom I believe is a courageous human being. She has more courage than I could ever have. She is someone who has carried herself with great dignity in the face of a very critical society.
I do not believe she is someone who will hurt or negatively a ect my children. In fact, I have explained to my own children what she did. Because I did not make it a big deal, but just let them know to respect someone else’s choice — they treat her like everyone else and I am proud of that.
We may not agree or understand but somehow, some way — we must get back to a much more accepting place in our world. We need to be civil because this all comes down to human beings who are hurt by what’s happening every day. Another’s choices and decisions cannot become about making laws to stop them.
LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com
MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com
THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com
HALEY LENA Community Editor hlena@coloradocommunitymedia.com
With over 2 million miles own, I have experienced a lot of turbulence during those ights. Last month my wife and I were on a ight and for the most part it was a fairly smooth ight. However, during our descent the plane was violently rocked and had we not had our seatbelts on, we would have been tossed from our seats. In all my years of ying that was de nitely the toughest turbulence that I had ever experienced.
Over the years I have had the opportunity to sit next to many captains and pilots. As we would y through the turbulence, they would provide calming assurances that the planes are built to handle the turbulence and the pilots are trained to y us through safely. at has given me such great comfort over the years, a comfort that I tried passing along to some of the nervous yers I have had sitting next to me.
On one such ight as we were ying from Denver to Albuquerque, the turbulence was bad the entire ight as the pilot couldn’t nd an altitude where the air was smooth. e woman sitting next to me literally squeezed my forearm the entire ight, and I had never met her before. I didn’t mind and tried to assure her of the safety by sharing the stories pilots have shared with me, but she still held on for dear life.
Just last week I was ying on a Dreamliner, a massive airplane and super comfortable. e ight was full, and as we went through our ascent, the plane hit a pocket of turbulence and gave us a fairly good bounce up and down. ere were a few quick screams and gasps, but there was another sound I heard, children laughing. e plane went through a little more bumpiness before nding smoother air and with each bump and drop of the plane, the children continued to squeal as if they were on an amusement park ride. I believe their laughter and relaxed attitude served to calm the nerves of others who didn’t nd the turbulence so
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LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com amusing.
Life is full of turbulence, isn’t it? It just seems that every single day we are at odds with one another over something. e turbulence of politics, of cancel culture, of societal pressures, and just overall discontent and disagreements brewing everywhere. Sometimes the turbulence is frightening as it escalates and becomes erce. And sometimes the turbulence is slight, but still enough to cause us some fear, worry, and doubt.
It has been said that our character isn’t de ned by what happens to us, it is de ned by how we handle what happens to us. e turbulence happening in the world doesn’t de ne who we are, how we respond to the turbulence is a much better barometer of who we are. Sometimes we have to just buckle up, fastening our seatbelts and riding out the turbulence as it will eventually smooth out. Other times we may need to hold onto one another, supporting and encouraging each other as we ght our way through the turbulence. And then maybe we can look at the silliest things that feel like turbulence and like the children on the airplane, laugh our way through it. ere are plenty of real-world problems that we face as a society, and we should pay attention to those and become as informed as possible, focusing on the facts instead of opinions and rants of others. It just seems like there is much more noise and turbulence around the silliest and smallest things that get us so worked up. For me, in these situations, my go-to response is laughter, as it really keeps me focused on the more important things in life.
How do you handle the turbulence? Do you buckle up and ride it out? Do you hold on to others? Or do you decide that the best response is to smile and laugh it o ? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we can decide to respond instead of react to all that the world has to throw at us, it really will be a better than good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
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Parker Chronicle
A legal newspaper of general circulation in Parker, Colorado, the Chronicle is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 9233 Park Meadows Dr., Lone Tree, CO 80124.. Send address change to: Parker Chronicle, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110
Letters To The Editor
Parker water price tag
Haley Lena did a great job researching useful and interesting information about Parker Water and the statistics about Rueter-Hess Reservoir. e Town of Parker is fortunate to have this body of water for now and the future.
What caught my eye was the estimated $58 million administrative building now under construction just north of the dam. With many businesses downsizing o ce space post-pandemic, I wonder why we need this big of a facility at that cost. e article notes other uses of the building for the public, but is that necessary with the PACE Center, library and other places that have space?
I think a scale-back could have occurred here like other business have done, as this feels like a high price tag even designing for the future.
Matt Smith Parker
the BOCC can decide when there are options such as restricting PrideFest to people 18 years or changing the policy for all events to be family friendly. What hasn’t been discussed is putting the fairground policy on the ballot where the answer is obvious.
Smith Young Parker
Bradley’s pseudo-Christian values
I support Chad in his ascertaining that state Rep. Brandi Bradley is conducting a hate campaign against other Americans who do not line up with her pseudo-Christian values. She parrots the hate spewed by people who espouse their faith in a nonproductive way. She is claiming that gays are grooming children to be exploited. ere is no basis for these charges except that is resonates with some of her likeminded constituents.
— who were largely Deists, not specically Christian. If she is unable to serve the interests of all of her constituents, a large portion of which are atheists, agnostics, humanists, freethinkers, and skeptics — without favoritism of her own superstitious beliefs — she should resign. Her constant appeals to supernatural writings are concerning to those of us who live in this century, not in the second century. Her morality is no better than believers in other gods, followers of other religions, or the non-religious.
It’s hard not to notice a continued bias on her part against the LGBT+ community and a bias toward electing others who share her religious worldview — this is the opposite of what our Constitution demands from our elected leaders.
Definitions are muddied e Cox v. Bradley boxing match is not really the issue. e problem is that our entire culture is mucking about in a morass of mud. We’ve muddied de nitions and concepts and entire institutions so that we no longer have commonalities.
PrideFest possibilities
For Ellis Arnold to declare in his July 13 article “County to hold town hall on PrideFest, fairgrounds policy” that “some area residents have expressed concern with last August’s drag show” is such an understatement that he should be given some time o to reassess the world, which is not as woke as he thinks. He might start by speaking with our commissioners who are trying to survive this storm of public reaction.
Yes, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) is hosting a town hall on July 26 to clarify fairground regulations. In addition to discussion, what they should also include are actions to take when PrideFest once again violates the regulations.
To determine what we can expect from the BOCC let’s honestly look at commissioner motives. Lora was previously a police o cer who enjoys the pleasure of de ning and enforcing rules and being on the right side against those of us who are wrong.
In the July 13 article she wonders out loud whether the county is the “right convener” for the conversation, a conversation she can’t win. Lora’s argument against the majority is that the county will be sued over her decision to put an end to PrideFest by doing the responsible and right thing. Abe on the other hand is leaning toward having a panel decide, but this however is a public issue and the BOCC is elected to represent us, not pigeonhole the issue out of sight. Abe is an attorney who enjoys negotiating more than resolving issues and he’s bathing in the heat from PrideFest. But Abe, you can’t have it both ways, on one hand hearing from people about “the issues on all sides” and on the other delegating the issue to a panel. Commissioner Teals motives for a solution are clear. He wants the public discussion to continue where he identi es the current problem as education about what’s viable and feasible.
Both Laura and Abe keep the issue from being resolved by hiding behind the First Amendment. Who doesn’t support the freedom of speech but
Maybe she should take aim at the Roman Catholic Church and the Southern Baptist Church. ere is actual proof of both churches turning a blind eye to the pedophiles in their ranks. Christian doctrine according to the Bible is based on two simple concepts. One, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. is is the rst and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Finally, the Constitution gives rights to the people of the United States of America. is includes everyone, not just the white elites. People like Brandi like to ght for their rights, but they turn a blind eye when others are denied their rights under the Constitution. e Constitution starts with “We the People of the United States.” is means that the rights granted by the Constitution apply to everyone. When we reach that point, we will have a true democracy.
Ed Moore Highlands Ranch
Bradley gets history haywire
In her letter to the editor, Republican Brandi Bradley asserts that her values “are in alignment with the JudeoChristian values that our country was founded on as stated in the Declaration of Independence.” is assertion is false.
e United States was founded by Enlightenment-inspired thinkers who valued reason and skepticism. If the Framers had wanted to establish the United States based on religious principles, they would have said so in the Constitution, the founding document of our nation. Instead, they did the opposite, adopting the rst written constitution in history that is godless and did not claim to be inspired by a divinity, and whose only references to religion are exclusionary. at is why they drafted a Constitution and a First Amendment that e ectively builds “a wall of separation between church and state.”
Ms. Bradley constantly quotes scripture in her duties as an elected o cial, which is a clear violation of the separation of church and state envisioned by our Founding Fathers
Craig Mason Highlands Ranch Vice president, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Denver Area Chapter
We no longer have common de nitions of man, woman, gender, or marriage. Everything is uid and changeable and an unknowable mystery. Even pronouns can no longer be assumed or applied in any former manner. We no longer have a common language. We are constantly changing words. Is “pedophile” now a “minorattracted person”? Or should we avoid “breastfeeding” and now use the term “chest-feeding” so we can pump former males with drugs to induce nipple discharges?
We no longer have common causes; selection. ese moments never fail to make her smile.
“It brings me just a ton of joy to see people enjoying it and enjoying the space,” Monson said. “I think it’s also enriched my kids’ love and appreciation for literature because they get so excited about nishing a book and passing it on.”
Monson built her library in 2017 and registered it with Little Free Library, a Minnesota-based nonpro t that aims to increase access to literature by providing blueprints and guides to build community libraries, as well as mapping registered libraries across the country.
Hundreds of little free libraries have popped up across the Denver metro area as their popularity proliferates. Monson said she was inspired to build her library after visiting others with her 11-year-old twins Tommy and Luci, who are avid readers.
“I really believe in the importance of building community and connection for wellness, so I thought it was a great way to build community shortly after we moved to Golden,” she said. “So it was their love of reading and my want to build community that made it happen.”
Since the library is on a bike and walking path, it’s not accessible by car, so Monson took advantage of the unique environment by adding a bench, a slide and fairy gardens around the library to make it an inviting spot for visitors.
