The Easter egg is an ancient symbol of rebirth and renewal. The art of pysanka, the intricate decoration of Easter eggs that is a centuries-old Ukrainian tradition, serves as more than a seasonal ritual. TNT contributor Jill Cotu writes that these delicately and elaborately decorated eggs “tell a deeper story: each one a canvas of culture preserved, and of prayers for peace whispered in wax and dye.” For the Ukrainian community in Los Angeles, this tradition represents solidarity and a living link of heritage and community. Learn more in our special Easter feature. Photo by Oleg Kharchenko Cover concept and design by Urs Baur
Topanga Canyon Boulevard remains closed, but Pacific Coast Highway will reportedly reopen by the end of May, months ahead of initial predictions. Governor Gavin Newsom has announced an “all-hands-on-deck effort to support businesses and tourism by expediting fire cleanup efforts so that State Route 1 can reopen. The road, badly damaged in the Palisades Fire and lined for miles with burned out houses and businesses, will be one lane in each direction instead of two when it reopens, but it will be open to the public, and not just to residents of the Palisades Fire burn scar.
The press report states that: “With the busy summer months along the coast fast approaching, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services and Caltrans will effectuate the reopening by working closely with the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to prioritize the cleanup of parcels along PCH by surging additional crews into the area so that these parcels can be cleared of debris quickly,” and that: “Crews will work around the clock…to demolish the damaged and collapsed homes, remove toxic ash and soot, repair the roadways, and install new utility equipment.”
The current estimate is that USACE is removing nearly 1,284 truckloads of debris per day.
The governor pledges that, “Once their work is complete, PCH will be able to safely reopen to the public with one lane in each direction.” However, the speed limit is expected to remain 25 mph and frequent delays and alternating lane closures can be expected.
The governor’s statement does not address the fact that the road itself was severely damaged by the fire and its aftermath and that sections of it are now at increased risk from coastal erosion and landslide activity.
While everyone is anxious for the road to reopen, the rush to facilitate that reopening raises concerns. Pacific Coast Highway was built in a hurry a hundred years ago to meet the deadline for a grand opening ceremony. It’s ironic that it is being repaired in a hurry to meet the demands of tourism rather than the best interests of safety and engineering or the needs of the residents whose homes have burned. We are told over and over that history repeats or that it rhymes, but we don’t tend to pay much attention.
And sometimes, even when we do pay attention to history, it has an annoying habit of repeating. In his book Dune, author Frank Herbert writes, “the power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it.” Attempting to grasp that power is the traditional hallmark of authoritarian dictators, the ones who come around every hundred years or so and try to break everything they can get their hands on. Becoming an absolute monarch appears to be the current president’s ambition, as he attempts to eliminate environmental regulations, regulatory agencies, consumer protections, civil rights laws and policies, education initiatives, welfare initiatives, voting rights, and even aid for states devastated by disaster.
It is important to remember that executive orders do not have the power to destroy the things created by Congress unless legislators deliberately choose to relinquish Congressional prerogatives, and that our elected officials—all of them, even the president—serve at the will of the electorate. It remains critically important for those who do not agree with the policies of the current regime to continue to send the message to Congress that politicians serve the people, not the other way around, and that they can and will be replaced if they are unable or unwilling to do their jobs and advocate for their constituents.
On April fifth, an estimated five million people—two percent of the US population—took to the streets to protest. That may not sway the views of a president who has vowed to remain in office for a third term, but it does send a powerful message to other elected officials. Even when almost every aspect of the rule of law appears to be at risk we remain a nation of states and laws, a republic, not a dictatorship. Protests will take place again in all 50 states on April 19. It’s an opportunity for people to speak out against injustice, and speak up for the rule of law, the laws this nation was founded on. Peacefully, lawfully, and with determination.
Easter Sunday is also this weekend. It coincides with the end of Passover this year. The former is intrinsically tied to the latter but does not always coincide. This is a season of rebirth, a time of miracles. Whether we celebrate either, both, or neither, the message of spring is one of renewal and hope.
Stay safe, be well.
