Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/148836
6A Daily News – Wednesday, August 7, 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. Bicycles, love 'em or hate 'em Editor: Many active people enjoy bicycling, and I think that is great. It is not only an refreshing outdoor activity, but it is a very fun and healthy way to keep in shape. The question is: how safe is it? As we were returning from the California coast via Hwy. 299, I noticed a sign that read: "Share the road" and indicated that bicycle riders were allowed to ride on this highway that has no bike lanes and very little or no room on the side of the lanes. This means that riders may be riding in the same lane as traffic where the speed limits are 55 mph. This is also a problem on many other highways such as Hwy. 101, Hwy. 36, etc. Now, if I am driving my vehicle at a safe allowed speed and I come around a corner, and there are bicycle riders in my lane, and there happens to be a logging truck in the other lane, I am sorry, but I am not going to let myself and my family die by hitting head on into the truck. This problem seems to be ignored by our government and many bicyclist argue that they have a right to be there. How many tragedies will it take before someone realizes that this is a mistake and something needs to be changed. The solution should be simple. If you are going to allow bicycles on the highways, then make it mandatory to put in bike lanes. Who pays for this should be obvious. Charge the riders a license fee to have a sticker that will allow them to ride in these bike lanes. If they share the road, they need to help pay for it. If there is a better solution, I am all for it, but something needs to change. Off-road vehicles have to pay license and registration fees, and are very limited to specific trails and roads that they are allowed to ride on. Yet, nonmotorized bicycles that cannot travel anywhere close to minimum traffic speeds, can ride on dangerous highways — for free. Also, if a motorized vehicle were to travel at bicycle speeds, the driver could get a ticket for holding up traffic. I would love to hear other opinions on this. Bill Jackson, Red Bluff Can gangs be eradicated? Editor: Can gangs be eradicated? While working as a gang investigator for the Department of Corrections, I was often approached by curious people who found out what I did for a living. Most often they just had little curious questions about what was it like to work inside a prison, gangs and/or have you ever met Charles Manson. Working inside Corcoran State Prison was for the most part a very interesting job. There was not a day that went by, I did not see something inside of those walls that I would have nation and are budgeted, due to never seen on the streets, work- these two elements in society. By this point in our history it ing a regular job. Yes I have worked around Charles Man- has become a bad economic son. He is a very skinny old decision to eliminate the man, that considers himself bril- two. Can gangs be eradicated? I liant in the fantasy world he believe they can be or at least beat back to a minilives in, but in my mum existence. But world of realism he Your for this to take place was nuttier than a loon. the Federal GovernOne day I was ment would have to approached by a lady make gang activity a who found out what I terrorist act. Ask yourdid for a living, she asked me can gangs be eradicat- self is there any difference ed and basically removed from between what a gang members society. She caught me a little do in the name of their prospecoff guard with her unusual ques- tive gang, verses what a terrorist tion, resulting in me having to does in the name of his country ponder it for a couple or ideology. Let's see gangs shoot and kill seconds. After much thought I looked at her and said no, they people on the streets just like cannot be completely removed terrorist do. They blow things up like terrorist do. They conacross the board. I could see in her eyes she duct shootings that kill innocent wanted to know how I came to people just like terrorist do. that conclusion. I told her in the What's the old saying, if it United States there were walks like a duck and quacks approximately 33,000 identified like a duck, it must be a duck. In California alone, Los gangs, with membership reaching approximately 1.4 million Angeles has 450 identified strong. I put gangs in the same gangs, with membership at hat as illegal narcotics traffick- approximately 45,000 individuing, because they go hand in als. The statistics reported by hand. I have always felt neither the LAPD indicates over the last would be eliminated because 3 years there has been 16,398 there is too much money to be verified violent gang crimes within the city limits. These made behind there existence. Most people do not take in include 491 homicides, nearly consideration how many Feder- 7,047 felony assaults, approxial, State, County and City bud- mately 5,518 robberies and just gets depend on money acquired under 98 rapes. Now if you to suppress gang activity and were to ask me again can gangs narcotic trafficking. Large be eradicated I would still say amounts of civilian and Law no, there is too much money to Enforcements jobs have been be made behind it suppression. Weldon Shaw, Corning created over the years across the Turn 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. 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. Commentary Summer camp 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 Exclusive Excerpt from: "Comical Sense: A Lone Humorist Takes on a World Gone Nutty!" by Tom Purcell Dear Mom and Dad, It's been less than a week since you dropped me off at summer camp. You better come get me 'cause I'm in big trouble. On my first day, I was feeling homesick. So I found a piece of wood and began carving it with my Swiss Army knife the way Daddy showed me. Well, one of the counselors yelled at me to "freeze." He took my knife, then patted me down. Then he marched me off to the camp director. The director said, who did I think I was bringing a lethal weapon, a symbol of pain and death, into her camp? Then she gave me a "verbal warning." The next day, Billy Johnson and I got bored, so we went into the woods to play. We turned a couple of branches into guns and made bullet noises as we fought the bad guys. Sure enough, we got marched off to the director. The director said there's so much war in the world because boys like us are taught to "celebrate" it from an early age. She said we should be ashamed of ourselves and that we were lucky she wasn't sending us home. So I figured I better stay out of trouble. But then I got in trouble at lunch. I began to say grace out loud, just like you taught me, and I was carted off to the director again. She wanted to know who I thought I was imposing my beliefs on others. She said my actions showed how "ignorant" and "insensitive" Americans are to other cultures; then she gave me another warning. Believe it or not, things got even worse the next day. We were weaving baskets and I was sitting next to Mary Allison, the prettiest girl I ever saw. "Mary," I said, "you're so pretty you make me smile from ear to ear." Well, sure enough, I was carted off to the director again. She said I really crossed the line this time. She said my behavior was not only "boorish," but against the law. She said I should be sued for sexual harassment. By the way, what is a "gender terrorist"? I was pretty uptight by that point. But I was able to forget about it the next day when we lucky if the world doesn't end played kickball. I kicked the ball before I collect Social Security. really far and I got a She said I better get grand slam. I was so with the program — happy, I said, "We win! that there is no place We win!" in this world anymore Sure enough, that for "thoughtless," got me another trip to "restless," "insensithe director's office. tive" boys like me. She This time she said I said if I mess up one was "insensitive" to the more time, she was players on the other kicking me out of the team. She said I hurt camp. their "self-esteem." By the way, what is Then she asked me if Tom Ritalin? Daddy was a RepubliAnyhow, you better can. plan on coming back By this point, I figto get me. Tomorrow ured I'd better just keep to myself. So I got a jar out of everybody is going for a hike in the cafeteria and went into the the woods. And I already picked woods. I caught a bumblebee in some flowers to give to Mary the jar and put some flowers in Allison. Your son, there to keep him happy. I was Tommy poking holes in the top to let fresh air in when I was hauled Tom Purcell, a humor off to the director again. This time, she was really columnist for the Pittsburgh mad. She said, who did I think Tribune-Review, is nationally I was giving a "death sentence" syndicated exclusively by to an innocent bee? She said I Cagle Cartoons newspaper had no respect for the Earth syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web and that it was people like me at www.TomPurcell.com or ehim at who were responsible for cli- mail mate change. She said I'll be Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell