Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/133142
6A Daily News – Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Opinion Graffiti DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 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 letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. 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 submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community 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 vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents 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 Editor: I disagree with Chief Nanfito's statement that the police department cannot allocate the resources to fight graffiti. Vandalizing our public spaces is a crime and it's a crime that has repercussions that negatively impact each of us. What business would want to invest in our community with such an obvious gang presence? What family would want to buy a home in such a community? Moreover, existing residents and businesses alike face lowered property values and revenues. Who would want to stay? Graffiti is a crime against all of us. What message are we sending our children? If you're a "gangsta" you can declare your turf and break laws? Or perhaps, your part of town has been deemed unworthy and is no longer valued as a safe, clean environment worthy of police support. Lastly if these are adults committing these acts, then they should be treated criminally as any person breaking the law would be. If these are children committing these acts, then I encourage the enforcement of the 10 p.m. curfew for unsupervised children. I would levy a financial penalty against the parents of children breaking curfew for failing to parent and breaking the law. Ultimately, as citizens, we should take this as serious as we expect our law enforcement officials. Beverly Lynch-Casey Shooting questions unanswered Editor: First, my thoughts and prayers go out to all the victims and their families due to the rash of horrible events that have taken place these last few days. It was on Thursday, April 11 at 7:30 a.m. that the Red Bluff City Police were called to the Red Bluff Meadows Apartment Complex. The call was about a man, later identified as Adam James Stevens. He was on the balcony where witnesses say Adam was in an "agitated state." At 7:45 there were reports of shots being fired that a man "was down." Adam lies there dead. The officers claimed that they had exhausted all means of non-lethal force. Really? In the span of less than 15 minutes the RBPD's vast arsenal of non-lethal means "exhausted." One bean bag, no K-9 unit, Tasers, pepper spray, how about closing the doors to involved officers' past conduct. the balcony to let Adam cool off The question was "have any of the involved officers and also protect the been charged or writoccupants of the apartYour ten up for any misment, as well as the conduct or use of police so they didn't excessive force in the feel so threatened. past?" Nanfito's Chief Paul Nanfito response, "these offilater claimed that more was done but has not provided cers' past conduct has no basis in this investigation." What? any proof. At the press conferences that Are you kidding me. If the offifollowed, questions were asked cers involved have a history of but were either side stepped or abuses, it has everything to do not answered at all. One ques- with this investigation. Now onto this so-called tion of interest that was posed to District Attorney Gregg Cohen, deadly weapon — a.k.a. knife. "how many witnesses were con- It was kind of Nanfito to show tacted during your investiga- the press a photocopy of the tion?" They responded "more knife, which he admittedly said than two," then three someone was enlarged or doctored up said, "I didn't say that" Cohen perhaps to enhance his justificareplied back. So now we have 5 tion to kill Adam. This knife or more officer reports and at was nothing more than pen least three witness reports. knife that belonged on a key Unbalanced view to say the chain at the bottom of a least, especially in an apartment women's purse. The whole explanation into complex full of tenants. Nanfito's conference provid- Adams death is all one-sided; we ed a little more information. have police investigating police Nanfito couldn't wait to bring for their own self-interests. up Adam's past encounters with These officers, under color of the RBPD possibly thinking it law did willfully, knowingly and would strengthen his case unlawfully take the life of Adam against Adam. Nineteen previ- James Stevens on April 11. There is a petition at ous calls — some of which resulted in arrests for resisting. www.change.org to hold these Now we have a motive, Nanfito. negligent officers accountable At Nanfito's conference a for their unlawful actions. David Oliver, Gerber question was raised about the Turn Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Demonstrate loyalty, support Imagine you are a 19-yearold Marine. You are riding in a Humvee with four other Marines — your friends — when an improvised explosive device (IED) explodes. Two of your friends die instantly, but you are "lucky." Though bloodied and bruised, you survive to fight another day. You will fight many more days, too. With our military stretched thin at hot spots across the world, our servicemen and women are serving more deployments than ever — some, as many as seven deployments during a 12-year span — and enduring more stress than ever before. The nature of war fighting has changed, after all. Unlike in traditional ground wars, today's fighting men and women are battling insurgents. Attack can come at any time, from anywhere: IEDs, snipers, rocketpropelled grenades, firefights, ambushes, suicide bombs. If you're "lucky," you will survive more close scrapes. Sure, you will carry scars of war, but you will make it home. If you're unlucky, you will be killed, severely wounded or maimed. More than 6,500 soldiers have died during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars — more than 50,000 have been wounded. Many of the wounded have suffered damage so severe, they are medically discharged and sent home. Imagine the transformation. One moment, you are strong and healthy. The next moment, a blast goes off and you are without an arm or a leg, or shrapnel is lodged in your brain. Back home, you are withdrawn. You don't want to talk about what you experienced with anyone — family, friends or Department of Veterans Affairs doctors — because they can never understand. You bottle up all the memories inside you — you try to bury the pain — but you probably will not succeed. You are likely to suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — flashbacks, nightmares and disruptive memories that you cannot control — or, worse, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which can cause a host of cognitive and emotional problems. You likely find it hard to transition to civilian life. You may be tempted to turn to alcohol, drugs or worse — the suicide rate among active and retired veterans is 22 a day. There is a reason why nearly half of our 2.5 million Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are unemployed — and more than 12,000 Iraq and Afghanistan vets are homeless. But you are a veteran. You don't want pity. You were a trained warrior. You volunteered to serve. All you want is to talk with other veterans who experienced what you experienced — to reach out to a network of people who can provide you with the skills and support essential to helping those who have served their you will need to succountry embrace the cessfully transition skills they will need back to civilian live. to serve their famiWell, thanks to lies, communities and retired Marine Corps careers. Maj. Gen. Tom Jones, We must take time such support is availto pay homage to the able. men and women who Six years ago, as have served, particupart of the Semper Fi larly the wounded, Fund, which provides injured and critically financial support to ill veterans who need wounded, injured and a little added supcritically ill members Tom port. of the U.S. armed Donate to the Semforces and their famiper Fi Fund ( semperlies, Jones established fifund.org ) or contact the Semper Fi Odyssey Transition Program (out- the organization to learn how doorodyssey.org/leadership- you can volunteer. Better yet, hire one of these programming/veteran-programveterans to work for your comming/semper-fi-odyssey/). The Semper Fi Odyssey pany. They have received Transition Program provides world-class training, and develreturning wounded Marines oped impressive workplace with six intense days of training skills, during their service. It would be one small way and curriculum to prepare them for life after military service we can demonstrate our loyalty and strengthen their mental, and support to so many young physical, spiritual, emotional and women who have paid a high price to secure our freeand social well-being. The program is conducted by doms. As the Marines like to say: team leaders, a good many of them who had been wounded, Semper fidelis! injured or critically ill warriors Tom Purcell, a humor themselves who've successfully columnist for the Pittsburgh transitioned to civilian life. By the end of the week, par- Tribune-Review, is nationally ticipants develop actionable syndicated exclusively by road maps and plan for life to Cagle Cartoons newspaper guide their transitions, as well syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web as networks of mentors and at www.TomPurcell.com or ehim at friends who will provide ongo- mail ing support — support that is Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell