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6A – Daily News – Saturday, August 7, 2010 Opinion D NEWSAILY RED BLUFF TEHAMACOUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Voter logic Editor I am not seeing the majority 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 let- ters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All let- ters must be signed and pro- vide the writer’s home street address and home phone num- ber. 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 submit- ted will be considered for publi- cation. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong com- munity 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 vehi- cles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its com- munities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the resi- dents 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 voter logic in California — and even the USA — the land of fines, fees, and regulations. or more known as illegal taxation How dare ranchers run live- stock on public and private lands, they might reduce fire fuels and non-native invasive plants, and then feed us meat. And those poor mountain lions; don't hunt them they have rights, too. But the people who voted for it don't want them in the city so let’s relocate lions to the coun- try — a diet of sheep and cattle are better for them than a diet of humans, dogs and cats. But we will fine you and put you in prison if you shoot one. And let’s stop farms from running the diesel irrigation pumps that feed us and the non- meat eaters, we would hate to make the farmers and ranchers productive and turn a profit here. No we need more fines fees and regulations for them. Small business is way over- rated. Let’s tax or fine, fee and regulate them out of here, they didn't build our country, remem- ber its the corporations and unions who love us and take care of us, with only our well being in mind. And most of all don't forget all the Evil Gun owners who want to protect their friends, family and freedom, what a crock I would much rather be a victim, wouldn't you? The anti- gun movement should also be called the save an inmate pro- gram, after all they are just vic- tims, too. History is to boring and long lets edit it and take out the stu- pid stuff that our children really don't need to know, like the Revolutionary War, Civil War, WW1 and 2. Don't want to make those mistakes again and it doesn't really matter, it never got us anywhere just caused all our problems we have today. Have you ever wondered could the problem be caused by our government? The attitude of running ranchers, farmers, business, trucks and Gun owners out of California and the USA is about as ignorant as you can get. These are the people who work and pay the taxes. They aren't the problem. Without them there won’t be any government jobs or programs. Time to wake up and smell the roses. It’s not working now and won’t later if you don't vote to change things soon. It’s your duty to read and live the US Constitution, it’s the supreme law of the land. It doesn't need 1000s of judges’ opinions to say what it means, and if you don't like our Constitution, you should go find one of our old businesses in China or Mexico and go live there, like they want you. Vic Ciardi, Paynes Creek. NYC mosque Editor: I saw a blurb the other day about building a mosque at ground zero? Why is this even a story? Your Turn A person goes to city hall in NYC and fills out a form for a building permit to build this mosque and the clerk grabs a red ink pad and a stamp and hits the form with, "Denied" and that's it. End of story. Why does every little idiotic idea have to become such a big deal? Does every Muslim in the world really want to poke us in the eye? Because some moron walks into city hall do we really have to give him the attention he wants? Can't the news people just ignore some of the idiots? In the land of religious freedom must we every day have our faith test- ed by these worthless inflamma- tory stories? Who do these sto- ries serve other than the news media? Oh Hell I won't even go there. Fred Boest, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 558-3160; E-mail: gover- nor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 893-8363. 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; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Remembering my father Commentary A friend of mine showed me an e-mail he received comparing 1910 to 2010. Maybe you have seen the lists. While it is remarkable how many things have changed over the last 100 years, I got to thinking about the even more remarkable changes my father went through in his life time. On August 5 my father would have been 100 years old. He passed away just before his 90th birthday of complications from prostate can- cer. During his lifetime he saw many changes, but he went through many changes himself. We called my father Pop after the father on the Stew Erwin show, a family sitcom from the late 1950s. My brother and I asked his permission to switch from “Dad,” and we told him it was a sign of our respect. He was happy to be called Pop. Pop was born in a three room house in rural Kansas. He, seven siblings, and his parents lived in those three rooms. The house was too close to the outhouse, according to my uncle, so the children had to take turns going a quarter of a mile to get a bucketful of water. They floated a piece of wood on the top of the water so it would not slosh over on the return trip to the house. In the winter time this was an unpleasant duty. My father never told us about the poverty he came from; that didn’t matter to him, and it shouldn’t have mattered to us. Pop’s mother was one half Native American; this was some- thing we did not talk about, even though my brother and I had lots of questions. My dad’s father was a part time employee of the railroad, and he farmed a small plot, doing odd jobs for neighbors. He appar- ently was a mechanical genius; even though he lacked education he could read blueprints, build just about anything from scratch, and replace a metal rim on a wagon wheel, an impressive task in those days. Things were always tight, and my father vowed never to eat corn- bread after he left Kansas, a promise he mostly kept. When he finished the eighth grade he went to work for two years, after which his father allowed him to go to high school. He did well, so his five younger brothers and sisters were allowed to go from eighth grade into high school. As he told my brother and me, he would ride the horse to school each day, and put him in a shelter in cold weather. Unlike many parents, however, he never told us it was uphill both directions to and from school; he made it sound exciting to ride a horse to school. Apparently my father had a fierce temper and was constantly getting into fights as a youth. The fights started in part because his classmates teased him about his tat- tered clothes and the fact his family was so poor. I have no memories of my father’s temper; even when apparently angry he treated our family with respect and albeit with firmness. Somehow he decided his temper was something he needed to control, and in his professional career he was considered a gentle- man. Over the years I have admired his self control more and more. Like a lot of poor young people, my father joined the Civilian Con- servation Corps during the Depres- sion. His group planted trees along the northern part of the country, and for the first time he was exposed to the “underclass” of individuals who were barely a step ahead of the law. He was poor, but he had never used that as an excuse to ignore the law. My belief is he soon learned he did not want to be like his CCC com- panions, and my guess is that he formed some high ethical standards for himself as a result. The CCC’s brought him to Cal- ifornia, to which he returned to live with a cousin in Pacific Grove after his tour of duty was finished. His sister lived in San Francisco, and she let him know of a job opportu- nity in a creamery on Haight Street. He worked there and then was later able to get a job at Golden State Dairies; he worked in the factory, starting by loading and unloading items in the cold box, a large freezer in which you could only work for short periods before taking a break to work in normal tempera- tures. He stayed with the company until mandated retirement at age 65, 38 years later. My dad decided to the plant. He still was able to main- tain good relationships with his co- workers, but when he spoke he had acknowledged authority. My obser- vations were that he was well respected, not just for becoming the “boss.” Joe take some correspon- dence courses on man- agement; I can remember him sit- ting at the dining room table with pencil and paper in hand taking notes. His correspondence work triggered an interest in making sure my brother and I took advantage of the education that was available to us, and he constantly challenged us with mathematical problems or logical puzzles. Through hard work my dad was promoted to plant foremen. He had been working there for long enough that he knew all the employees well, participated in the plant baseball team, and bowled with many employees. He decided he needed to do something a little different to separate him from his former colleagues whom he now supervised. He decided to wear a tie to work, a simple idea that made his point about his changed role in Harrop He continued to receive promo- tions until he became production manager for Northern California, Southern Oregon, and Nevada, the job from which he retired; by then Golden State had become absorbed into Foremost Dairies. Pop naturally gravitated to a leadership role in what- ever he was involved with: President of the California Dairy Indus- tries Association, Chair- man of the Board of his golf course and Master of his lodge. Pop was often called the silver fox because his hair in later life was almost silver; I remember him with auburn hair when I was young, then with salt and pepper, and finally with his silver white hair. Pop spent lots of time outdoors, taking long walks when there were no chores to do. He was always tan, but his skin reflected the years of too much sun exposure growing up. He had a farmer’s tan with coarse skin on this forearms, the back of his neck and on his face. My father taught me about self reliance, not making excuses, hard work, consideration for others, and the importance of family. Happy Birthday, Pop Joe Harrop is a retired educator with more than 30 years of service to the North State. He can be reached at DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net.