Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/10786
6A – Daily News – Thursday, May 20, 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 Don’t forget about privacy in marijuana debate Editor: 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 One right I believe everybody agrees is sacrosanct is our right to privacy in our medical records. We passed the compassionate med- ical marijuana bill, but now each community is trying to find a way to comply, or not, with this law. One thing every community seems to be adding on to their rules for compliance is that you have to show your subscription for marijuana use from a legitimate doctor to purchase or grow mari- juana. You have to show it to the police if they find you with mari- juana or paraphernalia. Do you see how the government is sneaking their little toe inside the door to our medical privacy? Never mind their arguments. All their arguments sound perfectly legitimate, but they are an insincere and sinister inva- sion of our privacy. Next thing you know, you will have to show your prescription for Emperin-codiene to an officer of the court before you can fill it at a pharmacy, and then for morphine, and then for penicillin. And then they’ll just have your medical records automatically sent to the DA’s office, the Police Department and the Sheriff for their perusal every time you put a new prescrip- tion on your pharmacists counter. Don't let them do this to us! Legalize and tax marijuana or don't. But don't make me show you my private medical records so I can use a drug that the people of the state of California have already approved. It is none of the govern- ments business. Fred Boest, Red Bluff Why change? Editor: Your Turn In recent copies of your newspaper, I've noticed an add placed there by Dave Hencratt, running for the office of sheriff. In his add he states, “It's Time For Change”. I'd like to ask Mr. Hencratt, “Why?”. Why should we change Sher- iffs when the man who holds the position of sheriff is fully quali- fied for the job. He has been doing an outstanding job given the fact that at many occasions his hands have been tied due to governmental restrictions, such as the budget. Further, he is cur- rently the President of the Cali- fornia State Sheriff's Associa- tion, and has the respect of all of California's Peace Officers. I’m sure you would make an excellent sheriff, Mr. Hencratt, but not here in Tehama, County. There are to many of us who know that we already have the best that can be had. Why change? Why? Leland J. Rice, Corning Smoke and mirrors Editor: Recently I read the opinion on Hollow Promises; I am appalled and tired by the facts that people with no ideas can only complain about the budget. The $1.33 a meal sounds great unless you read about Maricopa County in Arizona where Sheriff Joe Arpaio had new ideas when elected. They now boast a very successful inmate work program and have meal cost down to .40 cents a serving. We have sheriff candidate Dave Hencratt who has been criticized for thinking out of the box with new ideas. I don't think it's so much the cost of the meals that we as taxpayers are concerned about it's the fact that the inmates work for them. Maybe if we promote good work ethics we can raise self esteem in hopes that this will benefit them upon their release. In other words like all employ- ees work for the benefits you receive. On the other hand you talk about Hollow Promises. Are you referring to candidates night at Lake California where the sheriff candidates were asked, What would do to improve road conditions to Lake California? How do you respond to a ridiculous question like that? I've lived in Red Bluff all my life and have yet to see a sheriff officer with a shovel fix- ing pot holes in the road. Both conceded this was out of their jurisdiction of law enforcement but then Sheriff Parker pro- claimed he would use his influ- ence to sway county spending. Hollow or Campaign promise? Sheriff Parker has said if re- elected he will spend his time in Sacramento and use his influ- ence to sway politicians for more money. We know the under sheriff is retiring and have been told his position will not be filled for at least two years. My question for Sheriff Parker is. If you are busy procuring money for road work and in Sacramento, Who is in Red Bluff doing your job? Ray Hobbs, Los Molinos Lesson for graduates Editor: Leadership lesson for our graduates. Some cars have a global positioning system. Some people use God, prayer and service, GPS for life. Others try GPPPSS: God, power, praise, prayer, service system to become great leaders. To lead well one must first learn to fol- low and serve and become a contributor to enhance the lives of others. We expect a lot from our new grads. Steve Kelsey, Corning Still waiting for a response Editor: On May 7, The Civil War Reenactors published a letter of appreciation to a long list of groups and businesses who sup- ported the three-day program which took place in April at the Dog Island City Park. I was very impressed. However, I should think that among the hundreds, maybe thousands, of reenactors and supporters, there might be someone who could offer rea- sonable and objective answer to my concerns and objections to the staging of this event at this location. I await a more informative response. 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. For capitalists obesity is a sign of marketing success Commentary Hold the skinny jeans, we’re in the middle of a massive obesity epi- demic. Every night we have to stare at stock footage of Americans wad- dling around in their maxed-out sweat pants on the nightly news. It’s clear; we’re fat. Our kids are fat. Our pets are fat. According to some Wall Street insiders, the trader who accidentally entered the wrong number of share orders and nearly crashed the entire market - his fin- gers are fat. If you combine overweight and obese, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association about 70% of us are fat. That’s nearly three out of four people in the US - a whopping majority. But when we talk about this plague that will ensure this genera- tion will die younger than their par- ents, we always wag our fingers at the “poor choices” fat people are making. It’s a way of blaming the victim, not addressing the issue and not offending business. It’s a well- worn creed spouted often and rarely thought about. And we’re still fat. Two percent of the population and it’s a personal responsibility issue. Seventy percent and it’s a lit- tle more complicated. Here’s the thing: if you’re a cap- italist — think it’s the only thing that can drive our economy, spur innovation and create “all that’s good in the world” (or in the case of BP all that’s gooed in the world), if that’s what you think makes Amer- ica "American" – then obesity is great. If capitalism is a virtue, fat peo- ple are saintly. The obese are good consumers. They’ve clearly done what they’re supposed to do — consume. Food companies have done a great job with their tenets of capi- talism making their products so irresistible — we don’t resist them. So stop blaming fat people for doing what companies have urged them to do. That’s like stalking someone for decades and then call- ing the cops once they agree to go out with you. This week marks the end to the ninth season of the NBC’s The Biggest Loser, where overweight contestants battle it out to drop pounds. As a middle-of-the-pack runner, I got into the show because I enjoy watching people who are bad at sports do them on national television. Most sports broadcasts have elite athletes showing off their greatness. Who cares. Where do us average, picked-last-in-P.E. schlubs go to see ourselves represented on TV? The Biggest Loser. It takes the egalitarian nature of reality shows and then levels the playing field. If you ≤watch the show, as mil- lions do, it’s basically a two-hour long infomercial for the over- weight. The trainers hock sponsor’s products in staged scenes where contes- tants ask about healthy meals, ways to store their healthy snacks or are curious about products deemed healthy. Their gym is a sponsor; they tout their own brand of whey protein shakes and their own Wii fitness game. It’s like watching QVC with commercial breaks. The contestants turn into shills for the companies advertising on the show. “I’m learn- ing how to make the right choices.” In fact The Biggest Loser’s dog- matic phrase “make the right choic- es” is as about as commercial friendly as possible. Because it doesn’t discourage consuming, it encourages. Has The Biggest Loser thwarted our nation’s epidemic? No, but it has made a bunch of money off of it. Which is the point, right? Obesity and the hidden costs behind it are a classic example of privatizing profit and socializing losses. The more successful the food industry is, the fatter we become and the more society has to absorb those costs. The mil- itary has reportedly turned away over 48,000 recruits since 2005 for being too fat to serve. And if they can’t pass the military’s standard of 26% body fat, they’re not likely to make it as a civil- ian first responder either. Obesity is the crowning Tina Dupuy achievement of the food companies. They don’t have to pay for the health costs of an entire nation being fat. They just reap the rewards of a society that keeps on plumping up and eating more over-processed, nutri- tionally void catchphrases from people selling us “feeling good.” Because like we saw with the housing crisis, unregulated big business can lead to disasters of epic proportions. Just like those epic portions on your plate that you’ll admit are a “bad choice.” Tina Dupuy is an award-winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. Tina can be reached at tina@cagle.com.