Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/144771
6A Daily News – Thursday, July 18, 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 Stands out like a sore thumb Editor: What do conservative Congressman Doug LaMalfa and liberal Nancy Pelosi have in common? Politically speaking, not much. But, dare I say, one thing stands out like a sore thumb. Neither politician appears ready to lend their support to proposed legislation aimed at helping our military veterans and their families. According to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), both earn a disappointing thumbs-down for their failure to co-sponsor such legislation. MOAA's an independent, non-profit and politically nonpartisan organization, whose focus includes military personnel matters, especially in regards to legislation affecting the military. MOAA doesn't track individual legislator voting records. Instead, they "…believe cosponsorship records are more telling of an elected official's stance and position." Of eighteen key bills currently tracked by MOAA, Pelosi and LaMalfa fail to co-sponsor even a single one. That's a big 0 for 18. And, the chance they might actually sponsor such legislation is even more remote. The eighteen key bills tracked by MOAA include the Disabled Military Child Protection Act of 2013, GI Bill Tuition Fairness Act, Keep Faith with TRICARE Prime Act, Provide Coverage Under the VA Beneficiary Travel Program for Certain Disabled Veterans, Blue Water Navy Ship Accountability Act, The Military Spouse Job Continuity Act, Medicare Physician Payment Innovation Act of 2013, Honor America's Guard and Reserve Retirees Act, Military Family Leave Act of 2013, Repeal the SBP-DIC Offset, The Ruth Moore Act of 2013, CHAMPVA Children's Protection Act, Reserve Retirement Deployment Correction Act, Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act, Veterans Timely Access to Health Care Act, Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, Retired Pay Restoration Act, and Don't Let a security force that was supposed Funding Gap Stop to protect our people. Military Pay. The Libyan guards Your Pete Stiglich, Woods and Doherty Cottonwood encountered had abandoned their post and were heading for the hills, other guards joined the attacking force. In their haste to get out of Dodge, the Libyans discarded their weapons. Woods and Doherty Editor: scooped up what weapons they That phrase was made "infa- could and prepared a defense. mous" by Hilary Clinton when In the end they were overasked about the deadly terrorist whelmed by the sheer number attack on the Benghazi Con- of the terrorists and most likely sulate where Ambassador Chris ran out of ammunition. It was Stevens, Foreign Service offi- estimated there was from 100cer, Sean Smith and two brave 200 terrorists. Woods and former Navy Seals, Tyrone Doherty terminated 60 of them Woods and Glen Doherty who before they lost their lives. put service above self, were What difference does it murdered, make? Well, if Hilary Clinton or Tyrone Woods and Glen whoever was in charge had Doherty were in Libya as inde- heeded the multiple pleas from pendent contractors working an Ambassador Chris Stevens for assignment totally unrelated to more security and allowed the our embassy, were asleep a Navy Seals who were ready and short distance from the Ameri- willing to deploy instead of can Compound when they heard telling them to stand down, the noise of the attack. what a difference a few more Unarmed, they ran toward the Navy Seals would have made. attack encountering the Libyan Les Wolfe, Red Bluff Turn What difference does it make? 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 Red Bluff High School is your school, too I remember my first experience in town like it was yesterday. It's stuck in my memory because it reminds me of all that is good here. In the spring of 1990, I was in the midst of a two-year teaching stint at a private school in Pico Rivera – that's close to East Los Angeles. "East L.A." we called it. You didn't want to spend much time there. Anyway, I was fresh out of my credential program and I knew a private school couldn't hold me. I came north looking for work. I found this place called Red Bluff. I called the district office and spoke to a nice lady. I asked if there were any openings in English. "Yes," she said. "We had one come open just yesterday; you're in luck." So, I made an appointment and drove to the school to meet the principal. As nice as that meeting was, it wasn't the best part. The best part was my first contact with a Red Bluff High student. He was sitting on the block wall overlooking the baseball field. It was mid-morning, and it was obvious that he was just hanging out waiting for a friend. What better source to find out about the locals than a Red Bluff kid. I walked over. I smiled, said hello, and told him I was visiting. I then asked what he liked about Red Bluff. "It's quiet, and no one bothers you." "What else" I replied. "I mean, what do you do for fun?" "Well, we go fishing." Say what? I was hooked. This unassuming kid sold me on Red Bluff High. It reminds me now of why I came here 23 years ago and why I continue to be known as a Spartan. We're unique and, I think, pretty special. Many readers, colleagues and friends responded to my last piece, "The Hard Reality of Paradise Lost," regarding my thoughts on the current situation at Red Bluff High School. I had a lot of positive feedback. Some, though, wanted to know why I would write such a column. It's simple: your right to know. Red Bluff High School is the only public high school in this town. As one of my former bosses once said, "We are the only show in town." Hence, the core and shop classes, sports, plays, dances, rallies, clubs, and so on and so forth. You get the idea. I believed him. To this day, I still do. Where else in this community can a teenager go to get the diversity of experience offered at Red Bluff High School? The answer is simple: nowhere. That's why so many of us have a passion for the environment in which we work. As a public school, every single member of our community has the right to know what is going on there. If you are the parent of a child enrolled on our campus (or someday soon), it seems mandatory that you would want to know what is happening and have a say in the changes that are taking place. After all, it could affect you. didn't offer more specifics as to why my personal parI encourage all of adise had been lost. you to find out for One of the reasons is yourselves. Attend that student choice is board meetings. Talk being cut. to teachers and other This means less parents. Contact opportunity for them to administration or explore things they board members. Take might like beyond core time to visit the school classes, such as art, and question authority. auto shop, or wood For the past 20 shop. years, my seniors have In my opinion, the learned this value, and number one thing that of considering opinPat defined our past culions different from ture was opportunity. their own. This has The second thing was prepared them for life trust. I can't even after high school, not Face begin to count how just college. many seniors I've Isn't that what our Time taught over the years high school should be that were successful doing – preparing our kids for life after they graduate? beyond high school because of Shouldn't our mission state- their opportunities in elective ment read, "Graduates will be classes. As for trust, it's vanishing for prepared for life, college or career?" The current version two reasons; one, because of the places the emphasis on college way our school is being run and, which assumes all our kids will more importantly, the way good people are being treated. Out of want to go there. I agree that having higher respect and fairness to my colexpectations for our students is a leagues and friends, I will not good thing. But, I've lived and offer any more details than that. Readers, Red Bluff High taught here 23 years and I know our students. What they (and School should continue to be a their parents) need is the free- unique and diverse place, and dom to choose what post-gradu- offer opportunities for all stuation path is best for them, and dents, regardless of their acadewe need to continue to offer mic abilities or interests. Even if all they want to do is courses that will allow them to go fishing. Have a great day. make that happen. ——— What they don't need is the Pat Gleason grew up in Los pressure of feeling that if they don't go off to college, they will Angeles and has taught English be seen as a failure. Is it fair that at Red Bluff High School since 1990. He can be reached at they should? A few readers asked why I phgleaso@rbuhsd.k12.ca.us. Gleason