Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/178668
4A Daily News – Wednesday, September 25, 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 Government waste Editor: I had a bright idea today while driving on I -5. How about we — CalTrans — spend our money on fixing our roads instead of spreading bark on the off ramps? Oh, I almost forgot, those beautiful little cobble dividers are so cute. It's really good to be able to see where our deficit spending is being used. I now understand why we voted for a tax increase. It never ceases to amaze me how our government agencies can waste our money. Kevin Borror, Gerber Enough fluff Editor: With all due respect, sir, Representative Doug LaMalfa's frequent use of Facebook leaves much to be desired. Rather than educating and informing voters of the North State on the many critical issues facing America today, he seems content dwelling on the frivolous and the folly. Excuse me for expecting more from a sitting congressman. With limited opportunity for voters to engage with him on the many critical issues facing America today, common sense suggests LaMalfa maximize the communication value of social media. Please, no more pictures of rice fields and assorted farming equipment. No more views of the capitol from his office balcony. No more photos of a sundry of barbecues and parades. No more obligatory partisan attacks on his Democratic colleagues. And, please, no more poses with the rich, the powerful and the political elite. Serious times demand serious thought, serious leadership and a serious man. The time for silly, useless chatter and wasted opportunities has long since passed. Too much is at stake. Perhaps LaMalfa's most loyal supporters enjoy the fluffy stuff. I do not. I don't appreciate the fluff when Barack Obama is dishing it out. And, I don't like it now. LaMalfa should try spending more time on the meat and potatoes issues. Educate us on matters impacting the future of our country. Tell us his position and why he feels the way he does. Explain the kind of leadership he brings to the table and what we can expect from him day to day, week to week. Here are a few suggestions to get him started. 1. Did he support the President's call for military action in Syria? If the Russian-orchestrated deal requiring Syria to turn in all its chemical weapons falls apart, would he support military action by the US? 2. Is he prepared to shut government down as a consequence of defunding Obamacare? 3. Does he support raising the nation's debt ceiling in midOctober so bills already incurred can be paid? 4. What are his thoughts and recommendations regarding sequestration budget cuts in FY2014? Dare I say, less fluff and more candor on matters that count the most. Pete Stiglich, Cottonwood It's been reported that nearly 91% of teachers across the country have been forced to spend personal funds to provide basic tools for classrooms because students come to school without even the smallest necessities. Parents and caregivers are not prioritizing their stuEditor: dents' need for simple items such While many teachers would as paper or pencils. Priagree and acknowledge vate companies and faults in the public edufoundations are regularYour cation system in our ly solicited to donate country, it is not entirely such goods, but even the fault of teachers that they cannot meet the such a large majority of demand. Is it the our students are failing teacher's fault that students don't to meet standards provided by our have the most basic necessities at national government. Over the home to complete homework? past decade there has been a large More children than ever are push to increase the basic knowl- now considered latchkey kids, edge base of the entire population having to feed, bathe and provide of California's youth, but there are safety and security for themselves many factors that have stood in the and some also caring for younger way of this goal. To explore just siblings. According to the Journal one of these factors, let's entertain of Developmental and Behavioral the notion that the blame of failing Pediatrics (1984), self-care can students should lie with the par- lead to "feelings of neglect, isolaents and caregivers. tion, and rejection." None of An estimated 20 million stu- which are proven motivational dents in 2009 received free or factors in an educational environreduced price lunches (taken from ment. In fact, some might go so far national data report) at school and as to argue that they are a determany schools are also serving ment to education. Is it the fault of breakfast, indicating that their teachers that children are not being needs are not being met at home. provided with the most basic of For many students, this is the only human needs by their parents and food they eat most days. Accord- caregivers? ing to the journal, Scientific AmerIt is imperative that we take a ican (Brown, 1996), the "effects of good hard look at ourselves as parearly malnutrition on intellectual ents, before we begin to pass the development can continue into buck in blaming teachers for not adulthood." Is it a teacher's fault providing the components of eduthat students can't focus in class or cation that are most essential to a perform as needed due to lack of child's ability to learn. brain function brought on by malBeth Bettencourt, nutrition before the child was even Los Molinos of school age? Common Core rebuttal 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. Commentary Why Duck Dynasty viewers flock Like millions of Americans, I've become a "Duck Dynasty" fan. "Duck Dynasty," as you surely are aware, is an A&E reality show that presents the Robertson clan, the long-bearded owners and operators of Duck Commander in West Monroe, La. Duck Commander hand-makes duck calls. The story is a rags-to-riches one. Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the family, started his duckcall business some 25 years ago. The avid outdoorsman was dissatisfied with the duck calls that were then available, so he made his own. He did about $8,000 in revenue his first year, but slowly built up the business over the next few decades, hiring a lot of relatives along the way. His son, Willie, took over the company and has grown it to a $45 million annual business — one that has made the Robertson family mighty wealthy. They were wealthy before "Duck Dynasty" became a hit cable show that draws record-breaking numbers of viewers. Many media critics have been speculating as to why the show is so popular — and some, such as Rolling Stone, say the show and the characters are nothing but a big con. As usual, so many in the media are getting it exactly wrong. It's true that each episode is scripted and staged with fairly typical sitcom plots. But what is also true is that the Robertsons are totally authentic characters. There are Phil and Kay's three bearded sons, who all work at Duck Commander, their wives and kids and, of course, Uncle Si, a gray-bearded Army veteran who is daggone colorful and funny. These people are unapologetically religious. They believe that when you marry, you really do become one flesh. Their families are intact and functional, and the show celebrates these simple values. The characters are politically incorrect and unapologetic about that, too. They happily go into the woods to shoot, skin and cook their dinner. Unlike most sitcoms on TV these days, the fathers are not dribbling idiots. They are respected by their kids. And grandfather Phil is respected by his grandkids. The characters are all selfdeprecating and don't mind being the butt of the joke — show it should be compared to, because it is clear they are all it is "The Waltons," another in on the joke and having a fine show about a functional, intact family. grand time creating Much like "The Walthe show. tons," most "Duck It is orderliness Dynasty" episodes that draws us in — show the entire Robertthe orderliness that is son clan sitting around missing in too many the dinner table and sayAmerican homes that ing grace before they are broken up by break bread together. divorce or headed by It is their togethersingle parents. In the ness that draws in case of the Robertviewers. We like the sons, order is made way they celebrate simpossible by their ple, traditional values faith. Tom with humor and selfAnd nobody deprecation. We like understands that betthe way orderliness ter than Phil. guides their lives and He explains in his autobiography that he was not a brings order to their families. You have to be a cynic to good man in his 20s. He quit teaching — he has a master's miss the obvious reason so many degree in education — and ran viewers are tuning in. And most a bar. He frequently got drunk big-city media critics are too and into trouble and was not cynical to understand what very nice to his wife and young "Duck Dynasty" is really about. kids. Tom Purcell, a humor But he eventually found his way to church and his Christian columnist for the Pittsburgh faith transformed him. He Tribune-Review, is nationally became a changed man and has syndicated exclusively by since tried to live his life Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web according to the Bible. Media critics compare at www.TomPurcell.com or ehim at "Duck Dynasty" to typical sit- mail coms, but if there is any one Purcell@caglecartoons.com. Purcell