Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/144172
6A Daily News – Tuesday, July 16, 2013 Opinion A victory of tolerance 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 Because the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that those opposing a finding that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional are without legal standing same sex partners once again enjoy marriage equality. Their concurrent decision striking the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) provision denying marital benefits to same sex partners brought California and the nation into alignment with most of the civilized world. The Mormon Church and other conservative organizations continue to assert the people they represent should be the arbiters of morality and public policy pertaining to sexuality despite the fact that these rulings find such haughty indignation to be an affront to the civil liberties guaranteed to all by the state and federal constitutions. Unfortunately it seems nothing can stifle efforts to impose particular views of morality on others as evidenced by a desperate attempt to stop California county clerks issuing marriage licenses to samesex couples because the appeals courts did not find the Prop 8 to be unconstitutional just that those in opposing gay marriage did not have legal standing in federal court. But I argue that this is indeed the crux of the matter in actuality by asking, "Just how are those in opposition to same sex marriage harmed by it?" Like it or not moral outrage absent actual damages over how other consent- ing adults behave is not sufficient to ban such behavior under the U.S. Constitution, and this ruling alone should put such concerns to rest. But much like the religious frictions bringing death to many in the world through the ages, the tyranny of imposing individual moral persuasions on others is unlikely to end. There is an innate yearning in many human hearts to apply moral behavior upon others although such yearnings may deny civil liberties. Such yearnings can be so deep that no measure of legal authority or political reality can suppress them because in their heart-of-hearts such persons sincerely believe they know what is best for all and by extension to their communities and world. I've had a personal experience with such yearnings from a recently deceased resident of Dairyville bent upon saving people's souls because they failed to accept Jesus as the only path to salvation. All his relatives, and most acquaintances, found his condescension to be insufferable, but this was of no effect, as he could not help but express his sincere concerns for the security of their souls. My arguments that highly educated and spiritually content persons throughout the world hold their religious beliefs just as strongly fell upon deaf ears, so ultimately we agreed to not talk about it – but even this was impossible for him – Drug control and the and I had no recourse criminality of the posbut to distance myself session and ingestion of even though I consider controlled substances is myself a Christian. likely to be the Gordian What is a person to knot of liberty due to do then, much less a compelling evidence of society, when such hard physical and mental felt concern for others is damages that result not heeded? In my from drug abuse along opinion the only answer with moral issues. But is to practice humility here also such decisions by gracefully agreeing to disagree letting love Richard should be preserved for informed adults as they overcome the desire to alone face consecontrol. This is easier quences despite heartsaid than done because felt and medically supit goes to the heart of ported reservations. matters that are close to Society can and should the heart. Nonetheless I dictate actions that argue that only with directly affect us and tolerance of alternative perspectives can humans enjoy our communities, such as driving personal freedoms and liberties under the influence and crimes committed as a consequence of that each of us desire. It is on this point we must let drug use, but should regard the different opinions regarding sex- allowance of others to make deciual preference, family planning, sions regarding what they do with religious expression, and drug their bodies alone as a victory of control rest despite personal tolerance. beliefs and experiences. This is Richard Mazzucchi is a retired not to say that we should not express our beliefs and concerns research engineer specializing in with the behavior of others, but it energy efficiency and renewable is to say that in a world of self energy. He has travelled determination it is not our role to extensively and now makes his be our brother or sisters keeper, home in Los Molinos, where he is instead we should humbly striving to manifest a sustainable accede that we can only dictate and spiritual lifestyle and operate our own behavior, not that of oth- a BBQ equipment and supply ers that impact only moral sensi- business. He can be reached at living-green@att.net. bilities. 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) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; Email: 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) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Liberal tax-exempts: fast ok, left agenda After examining, sorting and prioritizing the dozens of articles providing thoughts and column material back in late June—as I furiously wrote columns to run during my summer trip—I found it fascinating to consider the flip side of the tax-exempt, nonprofit world: those on the political left. President Obama's half-brother, Malik, has a Kenyan nonprofit with Obama's prominently displayed name. Obama's "Organizing for Action," little more than a slight mutation of "Organizing for Obama/America," is devoted to the political goal of supporting Obama at every turn. Plus, the multitude of tax-exempt groups formed for clearly partisan, political (or cultural) leftist causes. The Barack H. Obama Foundation began soliciting and accepting donations as a nonprofit in December 2009. It had no, zero, applications submitted or pending with the IRS until late in May 2011, when filings hurriedly appeared for the previous 2 _ years, 29 months actually. Approval took a relative "New York minute" in IRS time and, less than 5 weeks later, voila! Taxexempt approval was not only granted, but also backdated to December 2009, the foundation's inception. Funny thing, though: "It is illegal to operate for longer than 27 months without an IRS determination and solicit tax deductible contributions." So what was illegal became magically legal, at the hands of the IRS official, one Lois "I'll-get-your-tea-party-and-allyour-little-friends-too" Lerner. Remember that if you hear about Tea Party groups that lost access to valuable grants from private parties due to the dragged-out IRS process. So it was with Obama's group, Organizing for Action (OFA), which submitted application earlier this year (web site: BarackObama.com) to be the virtual shock troops agitating in support of ObamaCare. "Social welfare," doncha know. It's worth looking closer; type, "So how did Obama's organizing for action get IRS 501(c)(4) approval so quickly?" You don't need caps and you can stop typing after "501"; you'll see the "jammiewf.com" link. Specifically, their application was submitted in January and approved in February—now that's (IR) service. Working arm-in-arm in that glorious cause is Enroll America, a 501 (c)(3) when it started in 2010. OFA and Enroll America are so devoted to promoting ObamaCare, that HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius was emboldened to break the law (as if Eric Holder will care) by soliciting "donations" from major health industry firms to go directly to those groups. Curiously, Enroll's board chairman, Ron Pollack, headed up Families USA, a nonprofit that "was intimately involved in passing ObamaCare—a law that helped the group's revenues soar from $4.3 million in 2010 to $11 million in 2011." Other principals in Enroll America: Anne Filipic, former White House pr hack, and Chris Wyant, Obama's 2012 campaign boss in Ohio. "Politico reported these ties months ago. Has any IRS official shown an interest? Politico: 'several former White House staffers have found a new way to promote ObamaCare. They're spending millions in secret corporate and union cash and they're harnessing grass-roots tactics to some of the biggest names in the health-care ads against Republican Senators facing reelection in industry.'" ("O's non2008. "New World profit pals" NY Post, Foundation" uses Scott Walker, May 2013) industrialist Cyrus Liberal "tax-exempt" McCormick's inherigroups include: "Bus for tance to fund leftist Progress," a New Jersey activist groups. Taxnon-profit whose misexempt "Fierce" sion includes "support employs Saul Alinsky (for) progressive polititactics to advance cians." Approved April activist gay issues. 2011. "Ruckus Society" is "Missourians Orgapart of the Occupy nizing for Reform and Movement and accepts Empowerment" says it Don tax-deductible donafights against corporate welfare and for increasPolson tions to its charitable 501 (c)(3), George ing the minimum wage; The way Soros-funded group. it endured only 9 months Providing "tools, trainof a "simple, straightforI see it ing and support" to ward process." Not-so"environmental, tough going compared to their conservative counterparts. human rights and social justice "Progress Florida" was granted organizers," led to leading a tax-exempt status in January 2011 1,000-person mob, together with and is lobbying the Florida Legis- tens of thousands of other leftist lature to expand Medicaid under a loons, to the Port of Oakland, provision of the Affordable Care shutting it down for the night, Act. Smooth gig loading up the trespassing and criminally discart that the rest of us are pulling. rupting lives, jobs and commerce. (ref: "IRS approved liberal groups Another Soros-funded taxwhile Tea Party in limbo," USA exempt, "Women's Action for New Directions" with their overt TODAY, Gregory Korte) Conservative, former Justice political mission of anti-AmeriDepartment lawyer and whistle- can-military activities, passes blower, J. Christian Adams, wrote itself off as "Empowering women in June "Leftist Groups Enjoy IRS to stop violence through the legisTax-Exempt Status While Tea lature." Look up the article to read Party Suffers" at Brietbart.com (search by title). He reviewed how about "Black Alliance for Just "just eight of those leftist, tax- Immigration," "Brennan Center exempt activist groups demon- for Justice" and "Voto Latino," all strate the IRS's hypocrisy." charitable 501 (c)(3)s, not doing "Americans United for Change" much actual charity. exists "to amplify the progressive Don Polson has called Red Bluff message … (and) a grass roots groundswell for progressive poli- home since 1988. He can be by e-mail at cies." They apparently considered reached it "nonpartisan" to run television donplsn@yahoo.com.