Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/18915
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, November 2, 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 PATH shelter Editor: In response to the Daily 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 Commentary Don’t vote Don’t Vote. You don’t have to. No one’s going to make you. This isn’t the Soviet Union. You won’t be forced from your beds and dragged to the polls against your wills. Relax. Take a chill pill. Let it go. It’ll all be fine without you. Things are pretty good the way they are, aren’t they? Well, okay, some stuff could be better. Then again, could be worse. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And if it is broke, leave it alone; who knows, maybe it’ll fix itself. Or let someone who knows what they’re doing fix it. What if you make things worse? How would you feel then? Not good, I bet. It’s a pointless exercise. You’re only one person. What possible difference could a single vote make? Forget Florida. That was a long, long time ago. Ancient history. You’re not going to change anything. They ignore you. You ignore them. And every- one knows those absentee bal- lots are impossible to fill out and they don’t fit in the enve- lope and then you got to find a post office and a lot of them aren’t even open anymore. Besides, you’ve seen the ads. Who could vote for any of these people? According to the television, they’re all crooks. Corrupt agents work- ing for special interests con- nected to the Chinese govern- ment or representatives of a dark, criminal conspiracy whose ulterior motive is to enslave our children and extort money for tropical jun- kets so they can cavort with naked room-service waiters. They’re all alike. There isn’t a dime’s worth of differ- ence between them. It’s like choosing between slamming your fingers in a car door or slicing a three-inch-deep gash in your thigh with a rusty screwdriver. Anybody who can be elected shouldn’t be. The inmates are running the asylum. It’s just a puppet show. Don’t you realize you’re being played? Politics is fixed, man. The Trilateral Commission runs everything. If voting were actually effec- tive, they would have been made it illegal by now. It’s all so confusing. Not just the lesser of two evils. More like the evil of two lessers. You’re supposed to know whether some barren, deserted beach does or does- n’t get blanketed by a thick film of 30-weight because of offshore drilling? Find anoth- er beach. What’s the big deal? What do you care if your 401k is now a 100.25k. You’re not planning on retiring soon, are you? Good. Best not. Don’t you have better things to do than stand in line in some smelly garage? Jog on over to your neighbor- hood library during the hour it’s operat- ing and read up on other people who never voted, although admittedly they didn’t write a lot of histories. You could work on that extra room for Grandma for when she moves in after the nursing home loses its subsidized funding. Or wave bye-bye to the para- medic unit and rec center while taking a farewell trip on your local mass-transit sys- tem. That would be fun. No one’s going to blame you. Who’s to know? If vot- ing is a right, so should not voting be a right. For some people Tuesdays are just bio- rhythmically bad. Don’t vote. Stay home. Who cares? But remember, if you don’t vote, you can’t bitch. And you do do plenty of that, don’t you? Will Durst is a San Will Durst Raging Moderate Francisco-based political columnist who frequently tells jokes. On stage. Catch an example Nov. 1 at the Rrazz Room, 222 Mason St., San Francisco; therrazzroom.com; 415.394.1189. Also at Rooster T Feather’s in Sunnyvale, Calif. Nov. 4-7 -- roostertfeathers.com, 408.732.7781; the Lark Theater in Larkspur, Calif. on Nov. 12 -- 415.924.5111; and The Bell Theater at Angelico’s Restaurant in Redwood City, Calif. on November 13. His new CD, “Raging Moderate,” is now available from Stand Up! Records on iTunes and Amazon. Coming next year: “Where the Rogue Things Go!” News article about PATH and the Emergency Shel- ter Grant, and as a member of the Tehama County Continuum of Care to End Chronic Homelessness, I would like to share additional information about the importance and value of an emergency shel- ter. In this time of economic down-turn, housing foreclo- sures, job layoffs and less jobs available, there needs to be a place individuals and families with children can go to begin again, an entry point into moving towards perma- nent housing and becoming self-sufficient. The shelter, off the street and safe, provides this place through a connection to coun- ty services, a permanent address and phone number for job applications and to take calls from prospective employers and a place to look for affordable housing. The Shelter does not need to be on Minch Road, though that is close to medical, pub- lic health and mental heath Your Turn services. It could be in anoth- er location, closer to other county services and trans- portation, with infrastructure needs probably already in place. That requires a Use Permit and a Public Hearing. How ready are we, as the communi- ty, to help have an emergency shelter in our community to give a helping hand up to those needing and trying to move from homelessness or risk of being homeless to per- manent housing and becom- ing self-sufficient? The Tehama County Con- tinuum of Care to End Chron- ic Homelessness meets the second Tuesday of the month, 8 a.m., in a Department of Education meeting room. You are most welcome to join us with the goal of helping indi- viduals and families move out of homelessness toward self- sufficiency. Gail Locke, Red Bluff Bail surfing Editor: I was on Tehama County Jail site looking at the offend- ers. What I see is appalling. One gentleman charged with marijuana, $60,000 bail, another with attempted rape and other sexual charges, $20,000. Does that show rape is excepted as a lesser crime? I hope not. Mike Hastin, Red Bluff Thanks, Bob and Joanie Conatser Editor: A.R.M.S is taking this time to express their thanks and gratitude to Bob and his wife, Joanie, for their gen- erosity and support to help us get an A.R.M.S. thrift store started up. Bob, the president of the Tehama County Shriners, knows the value of a charita- ble organization. Without any up front money, the Conatsers allowed us to set up our shop in one of their buildings located at 30 Mulberry Ave., just across from Cal Fire sta- tion. Bob is even helping to get donations and left the elec- tricity on for us. Bob said that, they believe in our cause as an Animal Rescue Mission Support group. We are based here in Red Bluff and looking to expand out to other communities as well. We hope that others will follow the Conatsers’ lead and will support the A.R.M.S cause too. Thank you again my friends. For information con- tact Mike at 526-4135. Mike Mayo, founder of A.R.M.S., Red Bluff Where is the cops’ support? Editor: I went to the Alternative to Violence trivia night on Sat- urday Oct. 23. I must say I was disappointed from the lack of community support from our law enforcement. Sheriff Parker was the emcee and Corning PD had a team in the competition. Where was a team from Red Bluff PD or team from the DA’s office? Both of those departments should know how important it is to support our local shelter. Plus it was a lot of fun, thanks for a great night. Sally Henderson, 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.