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4A Daily News – Thursday, May 30, 2013 Opinion 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 Doughnut runs Editor: I was really amused by the article in your Thursday paper, about the fire department doughnut runs. Councilman Rob Schmid it seems is on every department head about their over expenditures. I think that the fire chief's rebuttal was great. He said that the employees need to be with the fire truck not just for fires, but for medical emergencies because it holds the departments' life saving equipment. I don't know if the position of mayor is elected or appointed. If elected I would say Mr. Schmid is going to run for mayor. I don't pay taxes in Red Bluff. I am here getting over hip surgery. I read your paper from my daughter's, who is a Red Bluff tax payer. My late husband was on the Orland City Council for eight years. So I do know something about city government. While on the council he was fire commissioner. Orland has a volunteer fire department. They only take 50 men a year. They have the best fire department for a volunteer department. Mr. Schmid would have a ball if he was in Orland. The fire department carried a past fire chief on a fire truck to the cemetery. That's a little further than the doughnut shop. I bet the people at the doughnut shop are getting a kick out of your headlines in your paper. I did too. Nancy Moranville, Redding Hypocrisies Editor: I have just finished reading Don Polson's commentary, "Fallen but not in vain; new supe; enemies," in the May 28 issue of the Daily News. I am constantly amazed at Mr. Polson's selective memory, sloppy statistics and latter-day "American patriot" persona. Mr. Polson bemoans President Obama's policies concerning the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and the war on Al-Qaeda and terrorism and states, "The determination to translate 'war weariness' into wholesale retreat, abandoning gains in those countries and in that cause, goes on. Such was the case in Vietnam when Congress refused to to provide agreed upon support to the free people of South Vietnam, and their elected government, as brutal, totalitarian North Vietnam swept aside what 50,000 American lives, many times that in injuries, as well as what freedom-loving people in the south, had secured." First of all, I will remind Mr. Polson that these statistics he so glibly quotes are in reference to real flesh and blood American troops with families and loved ones, and in that regard, he should honor their sacrifice by, at the very least, learning what the actual death toll of American troops was will not be forgotten by me or any other Vietnam-era vetnot 50,000 but was, in erans. When the chips fact, 58,282 killed in Your were down and this action and missing in nation needed the seraction. There were vice and sacrifice of 303,644 wounded military inductees and American troops, and enlistees, Mr. Polson 30 percent of wounded Americans in Vietnam died of showed his true colors, one of which was yellow. their wounds. Mr. Polson's hypocrisies Mr. Polson further opines, "Gains from military sacrifices make me sick to my stomach. Larry Gray, Red Bluff can be squandered; wars don't end absent capitulation by a losing side. Honoring the fallen requires that the living cherish that for which they made their sacrifices." I would remind Mr. Polson Editor: that, of his own admission, he Grads, don't worry about the was one of the anti-war protesters past or the future. Learn from during the Vietnam War and that he was, also by his own admis- the past, plan for the future, and sion, one of "Hanoi's useful focus on the present. Devote 1/3 of your time idiots" during the war. I served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam learning, 1/3 doing and 1/3 conWar from 1970 to 1974, and well tributing back to the communiremember the anti-war protesters ty. Remember a baby born who criticized the Vietnam War today may live to be 120 years in leaflets they were trying to old. That's equivalent to two hand us and urged us to abandon times around the face of a our duty and refuse to serve our grandfather clock (60 seconds, nation by going to Canada or 60 minutes, 60 years). A circle other such stratagems when we graph for planning use of time. Better to be a giver than to be were waiting to board the buses a taker. that would take us to Navy and Contribute your best before Marine boot camps in San Diego. meeting an undertaker. I remember being utterly disgustDon't drink and drive, ed at their lack of patriotism, as Don't text and drive, did the other men waiting in our Don't use a cell phone and group. Mr. Polson's anti-war record, drive, While trying to stay alive. and refusal to serve the nation that Oops, time to end this jive. he now so piously advocates for, Steve Kelsey, Corning Turn Doodling nonsense 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 Graffiti solution requires leadership I've figured out the best solution to deal with Red Bluff's escalating graffiti problem. When I walk around my neighborhood now or cruise down South Jackson Street, I simply close my eyes. Outside of the skyrocketing insurance bill and the trips to the hospital it seems to be working. I got 99 problems, but an eyesores ain't one. If only dealing with graffiti was that easy. It isn't. It's more along the lines of a weed popping up through the cracks in your sidewalk. You can trim it, whack it, pull it, but it just keeps coming back. The rest of your yard looks immaculate, except for that pesky weed. So you give up on that one particular weed and a month later your whole lawn is filled with them and your dog keeps coming inside with pricklers stuck in his tail. I wrote an article about the graffiti issue in Red Bluff last week. As I was going about the city finding a photograph to illustrate the problem a couple of residents asked what I was taking pictures of. One of them said she had come outside when she had seen me on her security camera — one she purchased and set up because the problem of juveniles vandalizing the area around her home had become so prevalent. I explained my story about how a church wanted to help, how the police department said they had to lower the priority of graffiti because of escalating service calls, how a councilman suggested neighborhood watch groups. They had heard it all before. We all have. Someone complains to the City Council, which asks the department heads to look into it and the department heads complain about a lack of resources. Some time goes by. And then, someone else complains to the council, which asks the department heads to look into it and the department heads complain about a lack of resources. If the graffiti problem is going to be fixed, not only are we going to have to open our eyes to it, but stop looking at others for the answers. Although the police department may not be prioritizing graffiti as highly as residents would like, it's easy by reading the front page they do have their hands full. "A fatal drug overdose, stab- bing and accidental shooting in meetings and passing down instructions. late Saturday and early Leading is not delSunday in Red Bluff egating. followed a shooting Councilman death earlier Saturday Robert Sheppard Jr. to get the holiday suggested neighborweekend off to a viohood watch programs lent start." be used. We could all agree That's a good to stop with the crimes start, but fixing a for awhile, but that's problem takes more about as realistic as than just suggesting a me navigating Main solution. It takes and Antelope with my action. eyes closed. Rich There are proHowever that still grams in place, but leaves residents and from what I have elected officials. heard talking to resiIn the past few months there seems to be a dents those programs lack leadmovement to clean-up and ership and planning. If department heads don't restore the city through volunhave the resources, elected offiteer-led groups. They deserve to be applaud- cials should turn to their coned, but we need to tap into the stituents. They want something positive energy they created to be done, surprisingly they may even be willing to help and keep pushing it forward. We can't just keep covering out. If elected officials don't start up graffiti, there needs to be a producing results they may plan to prevent it. It's not going to be easy and open their eyes one day to see it's going to take more than one residents organizing a different sunny Saturday with donated type of clean-up effort. sandwiches to implement. Rich Greene can be It will require leadership. It's time elected officials reached at 527-2151, Ext. 109 by email at look in the mirror and realize or they were chosen for their posi- rgreene@redbluffdailynews.c tions for more than just sitting om. Greene