Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/142331
6A Daily News – Saturday, July 6, 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. Greene column Editor: I had always thought a newspaper reporter's job was to inform, not confuse. And I further thought an editor was to supervise and oversee the publication for accuracy. Evidently I was incorrect on both counts. Yes, the delegates in Philadelphia did vote on July 2, 1776 to adopt the resolution for independence. But, Rich Greene only told part of the story. The actual Declaration of Independence was ratified and signed on July 4, 1776. Daily News staff should have another look at the historical document, the date is hard to miss. Where is Paul Harvey when we need him? Jeanette Mueller, Red Bluff Sloppy journalism Editor: Once again Don Polson does a disservice to the Daily News. In his July 2 column he identified Charles Kline of Hillsdale College as the author of a review of two recent commencement addresses. This was incorrect. Dr. Burton W. Folsom was the author of the document cited by Polson. One wonders if Don Polson will ever care enough to get facts straight. In recent columns he has been wrong about the Three-Fifths Compromise, the backgrounds of the Founding Fathers and the status of Social Security. With such sloppy work, one has to also wonder why the Daily print. News keeps him be held accountable. Sure, a few of those teenagers lied to David Janott, Red Bluff their parents about where they would be that night, but all 12 kids involved in the inciYour dent? I raised five children, and not that long ago. When they asked if they could spend the night at a friend's house, 1) I Editor: knew the friend, 2) I knew the When I first read about the friend's parent and actually young women beaten by 10 to made contact with them before 12 teenage boys at 2:30 a.m. my son or daughter spent the at the Red Bluff High School night. Why? Because I used to football field, I thought, lie to my mom so I could stay "What the heck are they doing out all night. out at the time of night?" I guess there is no official What kind of parent lets their curfew, and that's fine, but kids roam the streets at all parents need to set limits for hours of the night? their kids and make sure they As shocking as any attack are home at a reasonable is, especially a hate crime, the hour. parents of those kids need to Christy Vail, Red Bluff What were those parents thinking? 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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. in 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 Patriotism We started the week in church on Sunday singing God Bless America, kept in the shade on the scorching days that followed, and gave thought to the privilege of living in our country; we displayed our flags, watched fireworks at a neighborhood party and generally had a good time celebrating the 237th anniversary of the public presentation of the Declaration of Independence. We talked, of course, about what our "country is coming to," recent Supreme Court decisions, the seemingly extreme polarization of our politics, the apparent growth of crime in our community, Redding's climb to number 10 on the most per capita car thefts, and patriotism. Some of us longed for the so called "good old days" while others saw a bright future; we are a mixed lot. About this time of the year the word "patriotism" gets bandied about quite a bit. Normally we don't hear the word "traitor" very often, but recently we have heard Edward Snowden labeled traitor because he has allegedly revealed some top secret activities of the federal government; some of those activities could be misused to invade whatever is left of our privacy, and other activities which might significantly lessen our national security and cause some friction with our allies and competitors. The Wikileaks folks have labeled Snowden a "true hero", but most people think of him as excrement. A good question, however, is "what is a patriot?" Some famous definitions come to mind: Mark Twain said that a patriot is "a person who can holler the loudest without knowing what he is hollering about." "The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain." George McGovern "Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel." Samuel Johnson The dictionary says that a "patriot" is "a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests." The last word in that definition is sometimes overlooked. The question of what is in our country's interests is not easy to answer, and some have given Snowden the benefit of the doubt on this. When the Declaration of Independence was made public on July 4, 1776, many commented that it had high ideals. The first national government formed after the Revolution was a very weak government; the Articles of Confederation which were formally adopted in 1781, five years after the Declaration, did not work very well. In other words a loosely formed central government may sound good on paper, but it could not accomplish very much to bind a nation together. Therefore second attempt at a form of government was made in Philadelphia six years later in 1787. The delegates to that convention were supposed to modify the Articles of Confederation, but in effect they created a second revolution by exceeding their charge and framing our Constitution in order to form "a more perfect union." The Framers were trying to form a far stronger central government than the one they had under the Articles, one that would allow for a true national government. Ratifying the Constitution was not a slam dunk, however. One of the sticking points about the Constitution was the absence of a list of rights. The new Constitution was ratified however, if reluctantly, with the understanding that a Bill of we moved to a post just across Rights, that is, what became the the Potomac, within minutes of the march if we were first ten amendments, needed. would be added fairly We listened to the soon. The Constitution news, anxiously in our became effective on temporary barracks, March 4, 1789, the wondering if we might Bill of Rights on actually have to use our December 15, 1791. training. Estimates of Some have prothe number of claimed Snowden a marchers ranged from true American hero 200,000 to 300,000, because he had the and those numbers alleged courage to let escalated our anxiety. us know about someJoe Of course, that trainthing being done to ing wasn't needed. The protect us, something march was peaceful. that could be misused I often think of that to create a society march during the 4th reminiscent of George Orwell's 1984. He has since of July week; those who made other allegations about marched took advantage of their government programs that are freedom to assemble, kept their bound to impact foreign rela- protest peaceful, and were being tions. In my opinion if Snow- patriotic in their support for den were a true American hero Civil Rights for all citizens, no and wanted assurances that the matter where they lived in our NSA snooping would not have country and no matter their been misused, he would have racial roots. They were expressused the system we have to try to ing "a love of one's country deep make changes and he would not enough to call her to a higher have planted seeds of distrust plain." Sometimes there is a tension among our allies and competibetween our country's interests tors. As citizens we subscribe to and the individual freedom we the Constitution and our systems proclaim as our heritage. The of government, and we are Founders knew that the loose sworn to uphold them. There is government of the Articles of always tension between what is Confederation wasn't working, right for the "interests of our and they wanted to create strong country" and individual expecta- central government. The immetions for "freedom." Undermin- diate result of that was the Bill of ing national security is not a Rights. Those ten amendments have not lessened the inherent patriotic act. Fifty years ago I was sta- tension in our crazy form of govtioned at Ft. Belvoir, just outside ernment. We rejoiced in that tenof our Capital. Martin Luther sion this week, trying to rememKing, Jr. was about to lead a ber our responsibilities as citimarch on Washington. We pre- zens, plugging along to make our pared for that march by renewed system work, and hoping for a tear gas training, including the brighter future. proper use of our gas masks, Joe Harrop is a retired exposure to tear gas for a few seconds, the use of bayonets for educator with more than 30 crowd control, and effective for- years of service to the North mations to move unruly crowds State. He can be reached at about. On the eve of the march DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. Harrop