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6A – Daily News – Thursday, November 11, 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 Commemorating Ft. Hood attack Editor: The Fort Hood Massacre’s 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 first anniversary was Nov. 5. On Nov. 5, 2009, Major Nadil Hasan opened fire on unarmed soldiers and civilians killing 13 and wounding 32. On Nov. 5, there was an awards ceremony held at Fort Hood to recognize 54 soldiers and civilians whose actions amid the chaos of gun fire at the Soldier Readiness Center went “above and beyond the call of duty.” To commemorate this day, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey and Army Secre- tary John McHugh presented awards to the more than 50 heroes, including two police officers who first responded to the scene, Police Sgts. Kimber- ly Munley and Mark Todd, Sr. There was also a memorial service to pay tribute to the 13 people who lost their lives at the guns of Maj. Nidal Hasan. Where was our Commander in Chief? Well, he was in India commemorating the Mumbai Massacre and celebrating Diwali but made no mention about the Fort Hood Massacre anywhere, period. Has there ever been a Commander in Chief with a soul so dead and a heart so cold? If you think there isn’t a silent Jihad in this country, think again. Les Wolfe, Red Bluff Defend rights of disabled people Editor: On Aug. 28 the Daily News published an article regarding the abuses and rights violations of the developmentally disabled in the California prison system. After a six day trail initiated by Attorney Sara Norman , U.S. Dis- trict Court Judge Charles Breyer determined the California Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation, he doubted, would rectify the problems without court oversight. After investigations Judge Breyer found the prison system continue to do poorly when iden- tifying and caring for disabled prisoners, 9 years after the state agreed to improve services. Although studies show as much as 4 percent of inmates are devel- opmentally disabled, the prison system identified and treats less than 1 percent. After interviewing inmates and staff at 7 different state pris- ons Dr. Peter Leone , court expert, found the system as a whole, indifferent to the needs of dis- abled inmates." It was determined that these inmates are regularly verbally, physically, mentally and emotionally abused, sexually assaulted , exploited and discrim- inated against in the states pris- ons. "Developmentally disabled prisoners are punished for violat- ing prison rules that they do not understand and are punished at hearings which they can't com- prehend." These findings coin- cided with the exten- sive research of Joan Petersilla PHD., a noted expert in crimi- nal justice for people with disabilities . Her research from 1997-2000 was sponsored by the ARC of Calif. and a sundry of other agen- cies designed to defend the rights of the disabled. Her expose, "Doing Justice (?) Joan Petersilla PHD. 2000,” elucidated the hor- rendous victimization of the dis- abled in the justice system. This included jails and juvenile halls as well. "Juveniles are harassed, threat- ened, intimidated, coerced into admitting guilt for things they did not do, and subjected to harsher treatment and longer sentences than non-disabled youth. When they fail due to being denied appropriate evaluations, needed services such as mental health, and treatment programs designed specifically for them, they are afforded further consequences while their rights continue to be violated." The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution provides "the right to legal counsel upon the filing of formal charges against an accused." Finally, ineffective assistance of counsel has been found to violate the Sixth Amend- ment.” (Joan Petersilla PHD. 2000) Your Turn tions." The investigations of Judge Breyer, Dr. Peter Leone, attorney Sara Norman and Dr. Joan Peter- silla against the Calif. Dept. of Corrections is consistent in the use of the term developmentally disabled (mental retardation). Those with neurological deficien- cies , mental illness or a combina- tion thereof (dual diagnosis) man- ifest symptoms and behaviors in varying ways and degrees are wholly overlooked; while others that give the outward appearance of being non-disabled fall through the legal cracks and are afforded more severe consequences. With too few dedicated legal representatives and a justice sys- tem that too often ignores their rights, the abuses continue. If we as a people can’t defend the rights of those that cannot defend themselves, how are we going to defend a nation? M.J. Martin, Corning 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. Attention Congress: Fix the potholes Commentary It’s an odd Americanism to elect someone to be in govern- ment who freely admits they don’t like government. As if reluctance translates into com- petence. “Oh he’ll be a great husband, especially since he doesn’t believe in marriage.” For some reason, we buy the premise of politicians begging to be a part of the thing they are, in theory, against. Son of an incumbent seven- term Texas Congressman, Ken- tucky’s Rand Paul, in his first public statement as a govern- ment-employee-elect, said, “We’ve come to take our gov- ernment back.” And he’s going to do that by cashing a govern- ment paycheck…reluctantly. A politician who is against government is like an actor who is against entertainment. It’s ridiculous. Because we hate politicians so much, the only way we can stand inking a bub- ble next to their name is to pre- tend they really don’t want to do their job. But do Americans actually know what the government is — or what the government actually does? Failed Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle told a crowd during her campaign, “Government isn’t what our Founding Fathers put into the Constitution.” Yes, the framing document of the U.S. Govern- ment has no “government” in it. At CPAC this year, Fox News Host Glenn Beck told his gov- ernment-leery audience he learned progressivism is evil by educating himself at public libraries because “books are free.” Yes, Glenn, they are “free” because the government funds public libraries with taxes — a progressive plot. RNC Chairman Michael Steele said last year, “You and I know that in the history of mankind and womankind, gov- ernment— ederal, state or local — has never created one job.” It’s a battle cry repeated by many a Republican, some now working in – yes – government jobs. Such a sound bite is often said in front of people employed by the U.S. Postal Service — the second largest employer in the country — public school teach- ers and the U.S. military — jobs which the government arguably and factually created. So there are deniers of cli- mate change, evolution, the Holocaust, 9/11, AIDS, Obama’s American citizenship, Separation of Church and State and a round Earth. People deny these things in the face of over- whelming evidence. Even though these things exist. They happened. But government deniers? Really? For U.S. citizens, the most common interaction with the government is on the road. When you drive down the street or use the sidewalk, you are uti- lizing something your federal and local gov- ernments build and maintain. Yes, that’s the government mess- ing up your car’s align- ment. And along with bridges, dams, drink- ing water, energy, waterways, levees, public parks, rails, schools and sewage — it’s all in desperate need of repair. a functional sewage system and an electrical grid. Tina The American Soci- ety of Civil Engineers gave our infrastructure an average of a “D.” It also reported it would take $2.2 trillion over five years to bring that grade up to a “B.” The American Recovery and Rein- vestment Act of 2009 (AKA The Stimulus) allotted $105.3 billion to infrastructure projects. So we’re the richest country in the world yet we’re spending only 5 percent of what we need in order for our citizens not to die from bridges collapsing and levees buckling. This is the most basic thing the government can do: fix the potholes. Fix America. Business can’t work if we don’t have roads. Left, Right or Indepen- dent — we are all dependent on Dupuy In light of this, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said his party’s top priority — top meaning above all else, is to make Obama a one-term president. So after the Bush Lost Decade of job growth and wages, a current 9.6 percent unemploy- ment and other coun- tries (e.g., Kaza- khstan) outperform- ing us in basic litera- cy — the Republicans once again opt for myopia. Instead of enabling the country on its most fundamental level to work — the Republican plan is to throw a monkey wrench in their opponent’s presidency. Their eye is on one prize: a one-term president. This is like firemen refusing to come to your house to put out a fire because they want the Captain to lose his job. Here’s a message from the people “on the ground:” Knock it off — and fix the potholes. Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. Tina can be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com. “Their inability to understand their rights, the consequences of not exercising them and to advocate on their own behalf, continues to result in rights viola-