Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/10130
6A – Daily News – Thursday, May 6, 2010 Opinion D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Offensive column Editor: As a former starved and Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 failed college student, I found Tom Purcell's April 28 column evil. Remember, Marie Antoinette supposedly said "Let them eat cake" and for that she lost her head. Purcell says "Let them eat potatoes?" Oh, I did later get straight As and graduate, at the age of 30. No longer are there menial jobs for the college starving, for ille- gals do that now. I was a pretty 19-year-old when malnutrition damaged my college career. I often resorted to a tortilla, some refried beans and some lettuce because that was all I could afford. Should I have sold my body to go to college like some young women resort to because they don't have enough money to make it? Our children are the future, the better they learn and the more they succeed, the more our society succeeds. I could have been a scientist, but hunger won out. America is so backwards. I guarantee the wealthy kids do not starve in college and they get top jobs. Other countries that value people over symbols of barter and trade, take care of their college students because what the community invests in their kids, they get back in the future — multiplied. America has kids addicted to cell phones, computer games and pot. Great legacy. Vivian Keller, Red Bluff Sun City passage Editor: It was a sad day Tuesday for Tehama County —3,700 homes are to be built. The character of Tehama County is changed for- ever by outside, foreign forces. Take a glimpse of Sun City just south of us in the city of Lincoln. Find a long-time local and talk to them about their, "Viagra Village." Some Lincoln locals are hostile that Del Webb stole their community and its charm. I sized up the proponents of this project. There they were sporting their fake tans, stand- ing there in their leopard spotted high heels and thongs. I thought, "what a clash of cul- tures." I do not think the com- munity will have anything in common with our future occu- pants. Given the past and present real estate market; I guess there is room for one more failed endeavor. The entire episode was best summed up by Supervisor Gregg Avila when he said, "where was the opposition in 2006?" Two local opponents were present Tues- day. By now the San Francisco attorneys have returned to their office probably locat- ed on Market Street Your Turn and are celebrating their victory over a bunch of people who acted like sheep. Perhaps Sher- iff Parker should change their patches from bulls to sheep. Corporations would rather deal with sheep than bulls. Shame on Tehama County. Rick Ortega, Cottonwood Civil War show too disruptive Editor: It is my intent to respect- fully prevail upon the Civil War re-enactors and our City Council members to please consider holding the annual war games in a more appro- priate place. First, the noise and the seismic effects of the extremely powerful explo- sions are tortuous for those of us who live in close proximity to Dog Island Park. Our house shakes and the windows rattle each time the charges are exploded. I am concerned about possible damage to the structural integrity of our house and the very old brick buildings in the downtown area. Second, as a Red Bluff citizen, I worry about people parking cars along the street and crossing Main Street in a 45 mph speed zone. I oppose the practice of closing a public park to citi- zens for the benefit of one pri- vate group. I submit that this practice establishes bad precedent. We were living in our present home when Dog Island Park was created with horse racing money acquired by Fish and Game for the pur- pose of providing public access to the river for fishing. I don’t know how the pro- posed “disc golf” game is played, but it may be fun and affordable entertainment that wouldn’t be disturbing or interfere with the use of the park by others. I hope this type of activity will be encouraged. The Civil War Days pro- gram appears to be popular, but would be better staged in the country — I suggest Argentina. Mary Watkins, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. U.S.SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Birthers ruined Schwarzenegger’s White House bid Commentary Imagine you have an action hero head of state: his bronzed muscles rippling as he battles balancing budgets, bureaucracy and lobbyists. He’s a retina-searing interna- tional superstar who sets the political world ablaze. His occa- sional character “complexities” are always forgiven by perfectly timed press conferences. He’s a cigar smoker — a Humvee dri- ver. And yes, the nudes of him from the ‘70s are tasteful — he’s a Republican. He believes in smaller gov- ernment, lower taxes and gun ownership. This is the sexy image every leaner-to-the-right wants to think they’re just a little like: meet Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. In 2003 what has been described as a perfect storm in California breached the levees of the governor’s mansion occu- pied by Gov. Gray Davis. The dot-com bust, a recession and an Enron-sponsored energy crisis coupled with rolling blackouts all battered the not-so-charis- matic supporter of illegal immi- grants getting drivers’ licenses. A massive and expensive special election was called. Suddenly everyone from the neighborhood security guard — Gary Coleman — to the local bikini-clad porn star was on the ballot to compete for the prize of governor of the most populated and richest state in the Union. Then on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Conan the Bar- barian announced he’d also be running for governor. After that there were lines around the block to cast a vote for The Kindergarten Cop. Reporters everywhere were giddy with the mountain of funny film monikers to bestow on the then- Governator hopeful. Ahem. When the votes were tallied, the electorate overwhelmingly said “yes” to the recall and “yes” to the star of Total Recall. The actor mega-superstar Schwarzenegger was able to do what even Richard Nixon could never accomplish: be governor of California. When gazing over the footage of not-too-easily-galva- nized Californians lining up by the millions to vote for a Repub- lican, the next thought was obvi- ous: he’s going to be the presi- dent. His only measly little obstacle is to amend the Consti- tution, which is outdated on the subject after all. It states, “No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitu- tion, shall be eligible to the Office of President.” Who was a citizen at the time of the adoption of the Constitu- tion, anyway? Not even Reagan. John McCain, if you’ll remem- ber, was born in Panama. The Austrian-born now politician who took the gover- norship in the least figurative way by storm seemed destined for the White House. The dude is married to a Kennedy for Pete’s sakes. But hold on there, GOP Dreamboat — er turbo engine yacht — you’re about to be sunk by a group of paranoid nativists called The Birthers. The Birthers believe President Barack Obama wasn’t born in America and his birth certificate is a fake. It’s a conspiracy so elaborate, clever and void of any real evi- dence that they’re the only ones who believe it. tion by three-fourths of the states. The Democrats, smartly, won’t bring it up and the Repub- licans shortsightedly won’t either. If the Democ- rats suggested an amendment — the Birthers would shriek that it’s proof of Obama’s foreign birth. If the Republicans suggested it — the Birthers would, well, pretty much do the same. Last week, Tina Dupuy You’d think a real Manchuri- an Candidate wouldn’t be black with a foreign sounding name so as not to arouse suspicion from these folks, but that’s just what the Commies would want you to think. The Republicans siding with the Birthers, and generally ramping up of the anti-immigra- tion sentiment, are shooting themselves in the foot. And not just with Latino voters. Schwarzenegger is by far the most popular and, gasp, compe- tent of any of the candidates vying for the nomination in 2012. An amendment requires a two-thirds majority in both houses of Congress and ratifica- Schwarzenegger, again on the Tonight Show said, “without any doubt,” he wants to run for president. He described the quagmire as painful to him. He’s an unimaginable immi- gration success story foiled by an antiquated technicality clung to by his own party. My hope is the Governator becomes a champion for comprehensive reform. Currently, he’s a reasonable yet heavily accented voice in a wash of economically ignited xenophobia. He may not be able to run for president because of his country of birth, but he could do a monumental service to his country of choice. Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and editor, and can be reached at tina@cagle.com.