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6A – Daily News – Wednesday, October 20, 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 Campaign propaganda gone too far Editor: 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 This letter is a response to some campaign propaganda that has been happening in Corning regarding my husband, Jesse Lopez, and his candidacy for City Council. Apparently, there are people in Corning who have never made a mistake, and so they are qualified to judge others. This group has created and dis- tributed a letter that contains infor- mation about a mistake my hus- band made several years ago. They sent the letter to members of current City Council, City Coun- cil candidates, local newspapers and several business owners who have Jesse's campaign signs dis- played. Now, there are candidates showing it around town as part of their campaign and a current councilman carries the letter in his shirt pocket; ready to show any- one who will listen. At first, I thought this was pure propaganda. Someone was trying to discredit my husband. Howev- er, this group went too far when they sent the letter to Jesse’s employer. At that point it ceased to be solely political and became personal for both my husband and I. Not surprisingly, these letters have all been sent anonymously. When Jesse first came to me with the idea of running for City Council, I spoke with him at length about the kinds of things that happen during an election campaign. We knew there was a distinct possibility that the regrets of his past would be brought up in an effort to discredit him. He had to decide if being elected for City Council of Corning was more important than possible public embarrassment. After much con- sideration, he decided that Corn- ing was more important than he. He loves Corning, and is not sorry he decided to run. Still, it is difficult to think that some people cannot let go of the past. When I first learned of this propaganda against my husband, I wondered "Who would do this? Who has the time and the experi- ence with public records requests to have done this?" I admit I was shocked that someone does not want to campaign fairly. I also admit that I thought of stooping to that level. However, I'm sure we could all find regretful or embarrassing information on each other, but that is wasted time and not the kind of campaign in which my husband would want to be involved. There has been talk by some candidates of bringing honor and respect to City Hall. I know my husband agrees. For this reason, we will not stoop to that level of propaganda. Let the past remain in the past. Let people who have made mis- takes move on to do better things and live better lives. My husband made mistakes in his youth, but he faced them and did what he had to do to make it right. Today, Jesse is a different per- son. He is married and we have a son. Jesse works, owns a home and has friends in this community. I am proud of my husband and the person he has become. Tiphanie Lopez, Corning Slanted reporting Editor: This is an emotional response, at best, as I am so dis- illusioned and heartsick at the recent ruling and your paper’s slanted reporting in the Linda Griggs murder case. For several years I worked with Linda as an aide, teaching and caring for children in a Special Education class. She was an exceptional, empathetic and giving worker who obvi- ously loved children. I also knew her as a loving mother who put her family first. After my retire- ment, my husband and I, who enjoy dancing for entertainment and exercise, would occa- sionally see Linda at dancing events with her group of friends. She also enjoyed danc- ing and always conducted her- self appropriately. It broke my heart to see my Department of Fish and Your Turn Game’s hands are tied as to what they can do; they’re damned if they do and damned if they don’t. If they aggressive- ly pursue the lion with hounds and it gets pushed into a crowd or family, what would the results be, let alone the liabili- ty? The same goes if they set a trap, there is a liabili- ty. To repeal Prop. 117 and remove the mountain lion from the protected list may be possible but not friend’s life depicted so cheaply and shallowly in your article. This was not the Linda I knew. I feel her murderer, whose barbaric act ended her life, should not be treated so lightly. I miss and love my kind- hearted and caring friend. Jeannie Thorman, Corning Lion solution Editor: For those concerned that the mountain lion roaming around the city limits of Red Bluff is a threat and are serious enough to do something about it, I suggest a movement to repeal Prop. 117, The California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990. Prop. 117 not only prohibits the sport hunting of the Califor- nia mountain lion, it also estab- lishes The California Habitat Conservation Fund. This fund requires the state of California to invest $30 million per year for 30 years for habitat protec- tion for all wildlife species. very probable because of the well-funded and dedicated Mountain Lion Foundation that was organized to save the mountain lion. These “save the mountain lion organizations” successfully pushed Prop. 117 in all the metropolitan areas where the clueless people, who live in an asphalt jungle and watch Disney movies, think they’re just a big pussy cat. These are the same people who voted in the liberal, left-wing nuts that run and destroyed this once great state. To repeal Prop.117 would take a massive effort, by many, to raise money and to gather signatures on petitions. It is for sure the status quo will not change sitting in front of your PC writing letters to the editor or dicing it out on the Topix forum. If against all odds Prop. 117 was repealed and the Depart- ment of Fish and Game was able to manage the mountain lion as a game animal, it could once again be hunted and their population maintained at a safer number. The alternate plan is the SSS Plan, shoot, shovel and shut up. Les Wolfe, 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. For Halloween — Dressing up in down times Commentary “What's the matter? You seem agitated.” “Every year, the wife and I and the neighbors dress up for a Halloween bash. But the wife won't let me buy a costume this year. She says our dough is so tight I have to make my own.” “There's no shame in that. Some of the cleverest costumes are homemade. They can be satirical and mock current events.” “That's what I thought. I fig- ured I'd mock our lousy econo- my by dressing up as a hobo. I was going to wear old, torn clothes, but the wife put a stop to it.” “She stopped you because it would be rude to make fun of people who live on the streets?” “No, because I planned to wear my regular clothes. I haven't been able to afford a new pair of pants since the economy tanked in 2008.” “Surely you have other satiri- cal ideas to choose from.” “I came up with an idea to poke fun at the falling dollar by dressing up as a large bill and then falling repeatedly to the ground, but the wife didn't like that, either.” “That would be a wonderful way to mock out-of-control gov- ernment spending, which is killing the dollar's value. How could she not like that cos- tume?” “She figured that I came up with it so I could consume adult beverages all night without her finding out. It's hard to slip any- thing past the wife.” “Sorry to hear that.” “I tried some other angles. I told the wife I was going to dress up as the U.S. economy. I was going to wear a downward- pointing red arrow that repeated- ly falls flat on its back, but the wife figured I came up with that one ...” “To conceal your consump- tion of adult beverages?” “You’re good, pal. By that point, I figured I'd try something simple. I decided to shape my hair into a mullet and pretend I was an '80s pop star, but the wife wouldn’t go for it.” “Why not?” “I haven't been able to afford a haircut in two years and my hair already looks like the mullet of an '80s pop star.” “Since you already have a frumpy mullet haircut and clothes that are old and torn, perhaps you could toss on a suit coat and go as a Wall Street banker-beggar? You can satirize the billions in handouts we've given to the biggest beggars on the planet.” “I may be broke -- I may have a frumpy haircut and wear torn clothes -- but I have my pride. I'd never want to pretend I was anything as low as a Wall Street banker.” “Well, there has to be some costume you can create yourself that is fun and funny and that makes some kind of interesting point. Maybe you could go as the future? You could wear a nice suit and tie and pretend government avarice is under control, the economy has recov- ered and you finally have a high- paying dream job!” Tom Purcell “Or I could wear my frumpy mullet haircut and clothes that are torn to show that the future could continue looking like the present -- at least until the government stops hindering the economy and preventing the recovery from getting real traction.!” “All right, then, how about this: Why don't you dress up as an unemployment counselor?” “An unemployment counselor?” “It may not be the most glamorous cos- tume in the world, but can you think of a bet- ter way to pretend you have a job?” Tom Purcell, a humor columnist for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Visit Tom on the Web at www.TomPurcell.com or e-mail him at Purcell@caglecartoons.com. ———