Over the Weekend: One That Keeps Going, One That Finally Ended

The Catalan regional election for independence finally took place - sort of. We say "sort of" because the Spanish central government in Madrid has declared the elections illegal. So even if the votes are taken and counted, it's an open question as to the effect they will have. Whatever happens, whatever the result, the desire for independence has been brewing for years. So long, in fact, that it seemed that the initial urge and subsequent momentum that ignited this flame of freedom had finally died. Recent events and the election itself demonstrate that it most definitely did not.

People (or at least many of them) of this Spanish region have said, over and over again, that they want independence from the Spanish central government in Madrid. Their plan has been to secede from Spain. The central government has not only said they can't, but they're willing to back up their position with action. Sunday's election found Spanish national police physically - sometimes violently - preventing people from voting. They seized ballot boxes and closed polling stations, forcibly removing people from them.

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Spanish riot police smashed their way into a polling station in Catalonia on Sunday as they sought to shut down a banned independence referendum and there were reports of officers firing rubber bullets in the regional capital Barcelona.

Catalan emergency services said 38 people were hurt, mostly with minor injuries, as a result of police action.

Will this intimidation succeed in stopping the momentum built up to secede? We'll see in coming days and weeks.

The trend towards splitting up a larger political entity is nothing new. But in recent years, it's a trend that's been found in more places than has been the case since the end of World War II, when the current "world order" was established by the victors of that war. Because that order has been wobbly for a long time now, this election in Catalan might be considered part of the broader trend that includes Brexit, and other "nationalist" movements. What happens in Catalan will be worth watching if for no other reason than that a change of an existing world order will ultimately effect us all. With this Catalan election, proponents of change have taken another step forward. While progress has appeared and will likely continue to occur in fits and starts, avoid the temptation to think that just because it takes years to unfold, nothing really important is going on. It's been going on for a while now and will continue.

While some things keep going, others do come to an end. Our lives are one especially meaningful example of this. And so we learned this weekend that Monty Hall died at the ripe age of 95. Having grown up watching his TV game show "Let's Make a Deal," the announcement of his passing naturally caught my attention. I liked the show as did millions of others for many years. It was one of the most successful TV productions of all time. Hall's face, his dress, and his mannerisms were a staple long before cable TV came along, and persisted after it did.

Mr. Hall co-created the show and starred in it. But his skills as a creator and performer in the entertainment industry were only one part of the man. I learned over the weekend that he spent most of his time raising money for charitable causes in which he believed. Estimates in various stories ranged from $700 million to $1 billion. The numbers reminded me of the results Jerry Lewis was reported to have achieved in his efforts fighting the causes of Muscular Dystrophy.

I didn't know Monty Hall personally, as I didn't know Jerry Lewis. I was and am, however, impressed and appreciative of anyone who spends their time and resources helping others. Perhaps our remembrance of such individuals will inspire each of us to do the same.

Monty Hall, rest in peace.