Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/17448
6A – Daily News – Thursday, October 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 Starving horse Editor: As I drove by the horse on 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 Live Oak Road at noon, he was down at the road browsing for something to eat. He so wants to live that even after 12 years of neglect he is still looking for that next meal. Sometimes I have seen him standing at the back gate waiting for some of the snacks that the owner gives him. But, whatever she gives him is never going to be enough to keep him from starving to death. It is so sad that the owner does not understand or care about his condition. It is even worse that there are people who would be willing to provide the proper food and care that this animal needs, yet the owner refuses to grant him this provi- sion. Linda Richards at Safe Haven Rescue has offered to take him. I have offered to come by and feed him three times a day at the owners pasture at my own expense. I do not know why Animal Control cannot take the horse from the owner due to neglect. I have called them and talked to the officers, but they tell me they can do nothing. The Shasta County Animal Control can and does but the horse is not in Shasta County, he is in Tehama County. I know there are people who outrank this horse for care, but I don't drive by and see them every day several times a day. I have saved several horses in the past, but the owners were willing to give the horse away. Marlene Marion, Red Bluff God is answer Editor: I've read with interest the dif- ference in views between Mr. Wolfe and Mr. Scott over moral and traditional values of this country. Scott's article in the Sept. 1 edition made reference to the Holy Bible as being unre- liable due to it being written by men expressing their own inter- pretation. I do not know either man but judging by Scott's article and experiences he has been unloved or unaccepted by some in the fundamental churches, who teach and preach the Bibli- cal message of God's uncondi- tional love. Scott was responding to an article written by Wolfe. I had not read Wolfe's article so I went to the Daily News office and found it was published on Aug. 12. Wolfe presented a question concerning doctrine of the churches that supported same sex marriages. The ques- tion asked, as I see it, do these churches support same sex marriages supported on the teachings of the Holy Bible or does it come through the law of government? By his confessed, born into, homosexual life style, Scott's thinking in reference to the his- torical Jesus, Buddha, etc, is they would be in agreement with him on the issue of his unconditional love to another man in marriage, that it is noth- ing more than positive energetic intentions. I'm not a pastor nor am I a religious schol- ar but have been a stu- dent of the Holy Bible and experienced the working of the Holy Spirit. Although I do not share Scott's views concern- ing the validity of the Holy Bible and how and who wrote it, I do agree with him on sever- al issues. has been and will be many who do not believe in the integrity of the Holy Bible. Jesus himself tells us that many will be lost compared to the few that will be saved. Many, finding fault or disbe- Your Turn lieving the Holy Scriptures, do so in order not to accept its teaching. This attitude is sus- pect because of the life style they have chosen. The Bible consistently con- There are those in some churches delivering messages in what they were taught and believe it to be true but does not line up totally with the written word of God. The Bible tells us that this will be the case. Sec- ond, God created man perfect, however, man has a God given right to choose his own lifestyle. God does not force his way of life on any of his chil- dren but offers it as a free gift. Third, the Holy Bible was hand written by men, in fact about 40 of them, in a period of 1,600 hundred years. These men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. They wrote not in words of human wisdom but in words taught by the Holy Ghost. All inspired by God. That is why it is referred to as the Holy Bible. Fourth, there demns unbelief as an evil, not merely a mistake. One must be willing to work at understand- ing the word of God with a hon- est purpose in finding what the will of God is for their life and in doing so the so-called diffi- culties disappears or are seen in their proper perspective. There are no contradictions in the Holy Bible. It speaks for itself. I say, with love to Scott, as a practicing Christian, I cannot tell you how incredibly hard it was for me to finally recognize and understand God's uncondi- tional Love. He never gave up on me as I wallowed in a sinful lifestyle. God loves each of his children unconditionally but he hates sin. What constitutes equal rights for all under the Constitution of the United States changes with men over time and will be debated until the end of time but God’s Holy word is fair and true and will stand for ever. Jim Moore, 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. Birtherism: When no evidence will do Commentary The first encounter I had with what is now commonly known as a "birther" was right after the 2008 election. It was with one of my family members: "Obama wasn't even born in this country," she-who-will- remain-nameless proclaimed. "No, you've got it mixed up. McCain wasn't born in this country," I said. "He was born in Panama, but it was a US territo- ry at the time." "No it's Obama. He was born in Hawaii and Hawaii wasn't a state yet." "Hawaii became a state in 1959," I busted out with some grade school civics class knowl- edge. And then, there it was, the thing birthers have come to be known for: My name-withheld family member then sighed and muttered, "Well, I don't know." "No, you do know. Because I just told you." I thought but did- n't dare yap aloud. "Hawaii was a state in 1959 and Barack Hus- sein Obama was born in 1961. He just won the election by the biggest margin since Ronald Reagan and he's going to be the first half African-American president of the United States." "Well, I don't know," she con- tinued, sure of herself. Then she switched tactics, "He won't show anybody his birth certifi- cate." "I've seen it online," I said. "Well, I don't know. It's suspi- cious. Don't you think it's suspi- cious? He won't show anybody his birth certificate." "But he does. He has. I've seen it. Online." "Well, I don't know. I think he should show it. It's interesting though, huh?" No. No it's not interesting. There's nothing interesting. There are questions. Here are answers. Refusing said answers, doesn't mean there are still ques- tions. Furthermore, refusing other answers and holding tight to doubt then blaming the proof- provider for not being forthcom- ing does not equal "interesting." "Well, I don't know." Now it's taken on a whole witch trial vibe. Very Malleus Maleficarum (1486's best-seller "The Hammer Against Witch- es.") The first YouTube clip of this was of a woman showing up to Rep. Mike Castle's town hall in Delaware bleating Obama, according to her, is a citizen of Kenya. That means it's to prove a negative. Their evidence is their own suspicion and the only acceptable defense is Obama stepping down as president. "'Barack Obama is a citizen of the United States. Why not release your birth certificate?' What is the big deal with saying that?" asked CNN's "give us your huddled masses" opponent Lou Dobbs on the July 28 edition of his radio show last year. What's the big deal with saying that? What's wrong with say- ing that is the simple fact Obama has released his birth cer- tificate. That's what's wrong with saying it. It's like saying there were WMDs in Iraq. It's not true. It's been proven to be untrue. So what's wrong with say- ing that is - it's wrong. But birthers don't whether Obama is or isn't an American. He and other Repub- lican congress people have been playing up the "non- denial denial" of this fiction. So willful ignorance on the part of the accusers is now giving the story more legs. Tina Dupuy want proof of what they don't believe. They want to hold onto doubt regardless of evidence. It's like drawing a saddle on a dinosaur. It doesn't make it accu- rate. It just shows one's convic- tions trumping overwhelming evidence. The birthers position is like asserting the earth is flat because when they flew around it they had their eyes closed. Being a birther should dis- qualify you from serving on a jury let alone in Congress. But, Bill Posey, a freshman Repre- sentative from Florida, told the Orlando Sentinel he couldn't swear on a stack of bibles The original hyste- ria of this is the holdover from the "love it or leave it" and "these colors don't run" crowd (my fami- ly). Their unflinching jingoism is now mis- placed since there is a funny-named dark skinned guy in the White House. Everything Amer- ican is good. We don't like Barack Obama. Therefore he must not be American. Which could be progress since those of African descent in America were once not consid- ered human. But still, spiteful denial is what passes for healthy skepti- cism? Well, I don't know. Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. Tina can be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com.