Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/142774
6A Daily News – Tuesday, July 9, 2013 Opinion Hapless, homeless or hopeless DAILY NEWS Such are the degrees of despair that afflict a growing number of unfortunate persons in our midst. It is this side of capitalism that causes those of liberal persuasions such angst while the wealthy among us further concentrate their largess as more and more Americans fall upon hard times. While it is true Greg Stevens, Publisher that charity and human altruism helps to mitigate some of the sufgstevens@redbluffdailynews.com fering, there is certainly not enough such concern to provide what most would consider an equiChip Thompson, Editor table distribution of resources. editor@redbluffdailynews.com Such stark reality leaves our democratic society with a vexing challenge – how to ensure that resources are made available to Editorial policy those in need without unfairly taxThe Daily News opinion is ing or penalizing those that have expressed in the editorial. The worked hard for the security of opinions expressed in columns, themselves and their families. This is a moral and political question letters and cartoons are those with far reaching consequences and emotional import, where of the authors and artists. absolute answers are absolutely inappropriate. I mean we cannot Letter policy have fellow citizens starving, dying The Daily News welcomes let- of disease outside our hospitals, nor sleeping in the streets, or can ters from its readers on timely we? topics of public interest. All letSo we settle for people sleeping ters must be signed and prounderneath the Antelope Avenue bridges, panhandling for food vide the writer's home street along the freeway exit, roaming address and home phone numour neighborhoods with shangber. Anonymous letters, open haied grocery carts, and frequenting emergency rooms for preletters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not ventable maladies. The Tehama Action Team has formed to help 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. 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 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 address issues, but seems now fixated on how to solve the problems we have with the homeless instead of the actual problem of homelessness. While we strive to untie this Gordian knot of homelessness, we play a futile game of human whack-a-mole by chasing the disenfranchised from one spot to another, making our problem someone else's. I, along with thousands of other activists, continue to wonder how and why this unfortunate mess manifests and metastasizes our otherwise pleasant communities. The root, as old as human civilization, spread dramatically as mankind transitioned from roving tribes living in communal settings, to gated communities literally dividing the population according to status and wealth. Most of us however now live in that sometimes uncomfortable middle ground where the division of the have from the have-nots is not so distinct or rigid. The problem however is not just one of resource distribution, although having fewer people facing economic challenge would certainly reduce the numbers of the homeless. Some are homeless because they choose to be, much like the hobos of old, content travelling the rails to roam this great land with nothing more than the clothes on their backs and a knapsack of belongings. Others choose or find themselves in the grips of losers to suffer while drug addiction, living winners bask in the among those of similar limelight of success. ilk in setting that seem So perhaps all of this just fine to them, but speaks to is the need for abhorrent to neighbors. an evolution of conOthers still are renesciousness where wingades, breaking the law, ners are defined not by fleeing responsibilities, what they have, but by and choosing to be irrehow much help they sponsible as a way of life. provide. Perhaps bilThus there are no simlionaires like Bill and ple one-size-fits all solutions to the problem of Richard Melinda Gates are the best example, giving a homelessness, short of significant portion of simply hiding it from their wealth to help the view by making it someneediest and solve the one else's problem with vexing problems of gated communities and HIV/AIDS and polio harsh enforcement pracwhile paying their taxes tices to keep the homeand caring for their famless away from those with sufficient wealth to afford ilies. If more of those with great such oases. The alternative is a wealth would give so generously, patchwork of bandages that may rather than further hoard wealth for temporarily address certain aspects the few, the world would be a betof the problem and giving commu- ter place. In lieu of such altruism nities the opportunity to believe however, it is left to government to they are addressing homelessness. distribute some portion of In the long term it seems clear resources to ensure that the hapless that only a one-on-one personal- are not homeless and hopeless. ized treatment of homeless persons Richard Mazzucchi is a retired will work – bringing the disenfranchised into the lap of luxury or at research engineer specializing in least some facsimile of it, and pro- energy efficiency and renewable viding the tools and resources for energy. He makes his home in Los them to earn their keep. This is no Molinos, where he is striving to small order and one not likely to manifest a sustainable and happen within the auspices of a spiritual lifestyle and operate a capitalistic society, where people BBQ equipment and supply are rewarded for their acumen and business. He can be reached at ability to compete, leaving the living-green@att.net. Mazzucchi Positive Point 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) 8797424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-3076. 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 The Clinton nonprofit foundation hypocrisy Sometimes the utter hypocrisy surrounding tax-exempt groups by the left almost elicits laughter. For instance, perusing my June 14 Daily News, my sharp eye spotted an item on the "World Briefing" page. The heading, "Hillary Clinton turns toward nonprofit world", almost suggested that the former First Lady, Secretary of State and possible future presidential candidate was considering an endeavor with Mother Theresa-like purposes. The first paragraph fleshed it out: "As she considers another White House bid, Hillary Rodham Clinton intends to work in the nonprofit world on issues like improving early childhood education, promoting the rights of women and girls, and finding ways to improve the economy—a set of priorities that could inform a 2016 presidential campaign." I'll admit that those three issues could be addressed without government involvement, but not likely. Leftof-center, Democrat voters would have to admit that asking governments to do something, with some contributions (voluntarily or not) from American taxpayers, is highly likely. Unless, of course, she plans on the sainted Mother's approach of soliciting small donations from far and wide and relying on volunteer help from those vowing personal poverty. Don't laugh—it could happen. Let's see what else the news item revealed. Mrs. Clinton was certainly among adoring friends at the Chicago meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, "basking in loud applause from admirers" noted the reporter. Good for her to provide "her most extensive description of her post-Obama" agenda; she has found "(her) home" on a "set of public policy initiatives close to her heart." Further down the article, we find that those "public policy initiatives" include "overcoming the lines that divide us, building on what we know works … the need for private and public partnerships to tackle issues like economic and educational inequality, climate change, financial contagion and nuclear proliferation (that are) too complex and cross-cutting for any one government to solve alone." Those Clinton's—is there anything they can't fix? Is it gonna take a worldwide village, anyone? Remember the reporter's note that these are "a set of priorities that could inform a 2016 presidential run." You don't say! Here's where I'm confused. I sure get the idea that by turning the Clinton Global Initiative into the "Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation," that there is a whole lot of tax-exemptin' goin' on, as well as political goals and efforts, enough to fill a whole wealthy tax-exempt foundation. Here's my point: the "B, H, and C C Foundation" is going to take its place along with the Tides, the Ford, the Kennedy, the Oppenheimer and the George Soros's— the fabulously wealthy liberal-left benefactors of all crusades and agendas "progressive". Is anyone in the media, on the left or any Democrat in Congress going to raise a peep about whether the Clintons are engaged in "social welfare," avoiding partisan politics or disclosing the names of all the contributors to their Clinton Global Initiative or its new mutation (hint: they haven't so far)? No, they criticize only moms, housewives, working men and women, small business people and other conservative citizens trying to "peaceably assemble" to IRS scandal myths/lies: 1)"It "redress their grievances" against was a few rogue agents government while avoidin Cincinnati." No, the ing the thugs and brownnumber approaches shirts of the left. Is 100 and reaches all the "brownshirts" too harsh? way to the White I say, unquestionably, House, where the top "brownshirts" describes IRS lawyer repeatedly the intimidating, violent met top Obama people. jack wagons that used 2)"The targeting their street bully tactics stopped in 2012." See: against Prop 8 traditional Tea Party Patriots still marriage supporters, without approval conservative bloggers, above. Linchpins of legal immigration advoLiberty, a Tennessee cates and, yes, union Don student-mentoring thugs beating up Tea group, received, not Party demonstrators. Polson approval, but another Some whom you read on this page certainly try to The way harassing letter in May 2013. intimidate conservative 3)"Liberal groups writers—as, for instance, I see it were also targeted." the trash talkers that None have yet come throw insults and names at this columnist and cherry-pick forward with stories of delayed obscure supposed mistakes that approval and intrusive questions. were not mistakes. Such "tolerant" We were told on June 24 that critics always seem to end by some liberal groups were included advocating this column be but I'll need more proof than a dropped, while the liberal writers, self-serving statement from the mistakes and all, will never dis- IRS. 4)"Absolutely no political continue their letters and opinion motivations." Laughably false, made up to cover bureaucrats' pieces. By the way, if anyone was rears. 5)"The case is solved." Or so wondering, the Northern California Tea Party Patriots still lack said Democrat Elijah Cummings. approval for 501 (c) (4) tax- Many questions remain; nobody's exempt status; we are among the been fired; two officials have groups represented by Jay Secu- taken the fifth. There's more to low and the American Center for come! Correction: The writer of the Law and Justice suing the IRS. It was in outrage over the irresponsi- article cited last week was not ble spending of the stimulus bill in Charles Kline. It was Dr. Burton 2009 that many Tea Party groups Folsom, Charles Kline professor started. Six trillion or so dollars of of history and management, Hillsdeficits represent futile attempts to dale College. The reader/critic is "stimulate" the economy; business thanked. owners and job creators are hunDon Polson has called Red kered down in fear of what else this bunch of tax, spend and regu- Bluff home since 1988. He can be by e-mail at late Democrats will foist on them reached donplsn@yahoo.com. next. Extremism, indeed.