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4A Daily News – Saturday, September 14, 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. Uplifting performance Editor: The Ambassador Ballet Performance of The Strong Tower was the most amazing, moving and compelling production I have ever seen at the State Theatre and I worked there 43 years ago and have seen many productions over those years. The story is about the last survivor of the Twin Tower collapse and her conversion to Christ while buried for 27 hours. It is a true story. From the first moment, AB pulls you in and holds the audience's attention, even little children were quite. There was gasping and jumping, crying and clapping. People reacting, like we were there. This story brings you through every emotion and leaves you well satisfied and at peace in the end. The combina- tion of God and patriotism, during such a helpless and horrific time, restores hope. This is a fundraiser for Red Bluff Fire Department to buy iPads for each truck. There are two more performances Sunday and the house was about half full, so it felt good, but more people need to see this outstanding performance written and choreographed by these four sweet, beautiful, talented, community oriented young women over the summer. It's an uplifting message in difficult times and truly entertaining. Pat Johnston, Red Bluff Real class Editor: After Putin calls our "Red line" President's Secretary of State a liar, our President goes to the G20 summit in Saint Petersburg and shakes the Russ- Syria Editor: By the time you read this the US in all probability will have lunched a missile attach and may even deployed troops to fight against President Bashar alAssad's regime in Syria. I've a couple questions about that. First how does a missile distinguish good from bad people? Are we attempting to rescue Syrians we like, the same way we rescued children from David Koresh? As you my recall they all died from the fire started by their rescuers. Second, Is the conflict in Syria mainly over Bashar's cruelty or Qatar's plans for a pipeline through that country which Bashar opposes? Qatar spent 3 billion to Turn 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 Thanks Editor: I thank Les Wolfe for his letter of Sept. 4. If any judge ignores and fails to obey the well-defined Article I, Sec. 16 and Sec. 26, California Constitution and Article III, Sec. 2, Clause 3 of our U.S. Constitution, that judge becomes a liar and violates the oath. If my judge has any integrity, I will win. If I am denied my rights, I will continue. Don Bird, Rancho Tehama Your officials 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. support the rebels in Syria. Could it be because Qatar is the largest exporter of liquid natural gas in the world and Assad won't let them build a natural gas pipeline through Syria? Will we be fighting for Syrian freedom or corporate Your profits? I highly suspect the latter. Orval Strong, Gerber ian leader's hand. Real class. Kay Haley, Red Bluff 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 Will secession succeed? Part one There is a story about the farmer who lived on the border between Germany and Poland at the end of the war. He was given the opportunity to decide which country he would live in. "I want to be a German citizen, living in Germany," he said, "because the Polish winters are so harsh." I was reminded of this story when Kayla Brown, a Siskiyou County mother, said she didn't want to raise her children in California. "The State of Jefferson is the place I want to raise my son." It is alleged that Siskiyou County Supervisors are seriously discussing secession from California and the formation of the State of Jefferson. They even voted four to one to pursue the matter. According to reports, Siskiyou County Supervisor Grace Bennett is fed up. "We have one representative who represents eight or nine counties. We don't have a voice in Sacramento; they expect us to follow Southern California rules." (Siskiyou County is in State Senate District One, which stretches from the Oregon border down the eastern side of California to include portions of Placer County east of Sacramento.) Bennett further said she supports secession. She thinks the economy would improve without the many laws imposed by Sacramento. (She's probably discounting the increased unemployment rate for lawyers if there were fewer laws.) I'm not sure which Southern California laws she is referring to, maybe the ones that require drinking water standards, speed limits, or uniform traffic signs. Others in Siskiyou County have cited environmental rules they say seriously impact rural agricultural areas by limiting various activities. In some way, I think they are saying we cannot have a "one size fits all" set of rules and regulations. Of course, in Tehama County we are fortunate that we get to share our very own Gerber resident, State Senator Jim Nielsen, with seven other counties. Why would we want to secede with such hometown representation? Then there is our Assembly representative, Dan Logue. Logue had trouble making up his mind about just what political ambition he should pursue, and finally opted out to be a mere Assembly member for now. We share him with five other counties. He lives in Marysville, making no effort to claim local residence. Logue also has a posting on his website of Ronald Reagan speaking out against socialized medicine in 1961; it is the first posting on his list, so it must be pretty important to Logue. Maybe Logue is a good reason to consider seceding. He's not local, he still thinks in the 1960s, he clearly has political ambitions, and he has been publically indecisive about them. *** Mark Baird, a member of the Jefferson Declaration Committee said the new state would be governed by common sense and would welcome people of all political beliefs. Albert Einstein once said, "Common sense is the collection of prejudices acquired by age eighteen." The State of Jefferson has been on the drawing boards for a long time. As envisioned by many it would include 12 California counties and 7 from Oregon. Tehama County is considered a potential part of Jefferson. In terms of area our county would be tenth on the list, ahead of smaller counties like Coos, Curry, Del Norte, Josephine, and Glenn. Our State Senator Nielsen might have to sell his "temporary" residence near The major complaint in Sacramento if he would like to represent us; maybe we would Siskiyou County appears to be the way "Sacramento" see him more often…. and "Southern CaliforDon't bet on it. nia" treat the county. Tehama County In the proposed State would also rank tenth in of Jefferson, Siskiyou population in the new County would have state. Butte, Jackson, about three percent of Humboldt and Shasta the total population, counties would account up from the approxifor over half the populamately 0.12 percent in tion of Jefferson; they their present state. are pretty well disWould a three percent persed, so they probaminority fare any betbly wouldn't constitute Joe ter than a 0.12 percent a bloc like the one in minority? Southern California that In California each upsets Supervisor Benstate senator reprenett. sents about 920,000 Whether or not Siskiyou folks would receive people and each assembly membetter representation or operate ber about 1.8 million. If Jefferson better when run by "common used those ratios the entire state sense" is subject to debate. H.L. would have only one assembly Mencken once said, "It is inac- member and less than one state curate to say that I hate every- senator. Maybe that would be thing. I am strongly in favor of okay, but given that the new state common sense, common hon- would have only 1.4 million peoesty, and common decency. This ple, the cost of a reasonable sized makes me forever ineligible for state legislature would be disproportionally expensive for Jefferpublic office. At the federal level the new son, assuming pay and working state would have two United conditions were comparable. The state would start out in a States Senators and probably two Congressional Representa- state of debt, having to purchase tives. The existing area that at fair market value various state would be Jefferson already has facilities owned by California two Congressional Representa- and Oregon, like prisons, courthouses, and such. Then there tives, so that would be no gain. However, Jefferson would would be the cost of the new now have its own two U.S Sena- state governor's offices, the new tors, joining the other 100 preen- state judicial system, the new ing U.S. Senators in pontificat- state police, public education..... I am sure common sense and ing vague prognostications about our polity. George Orwell common interests might resolve once said that, "Political speech this issue; I favor a unicameral and writing are largely the state legislature, which I will defense of the indefensible…All write about some more as I issues are political issues, and explore the State of Jefferson. politics itself is a mass of lies, To be continued…. evasions, folly hatred, and schizJoe Harrop is a retired ophrenia." Perhaps the senators from Jefferson would not fit that educator with more than 30 mold; if so they would be the years of service to the North exception to the rule of U.S. State. He can be reached at DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. Senators. Harrop