Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/20649
6A – Daily News – Wednesday, December 1, 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 Thanksgiving 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 I thought it was quite mean spirited of the Daily News to print not one but two columns on Thanksgiving Day demean- ing the Christian heritage and meaning of the day. The two columnists, Rutten and Dupuy, have their secular progressive anti-Christian view- points protected by law, but the Daily News is wrong to publish them on this, or any other, day. What's next? Are you going to run down Christmas and Easter? If I don't see some change in policy from you, you might not see any pocket change from me come subscription time. Phillip Southern, Red Bluff Dogs at large Editor: I would like to know why Red Bluff has no laws regarding obvious vicious pit bulls that run at large? Lately, we've had a new neighbor that moved in with his family and 3 pit bulls. The other day they went to the neighbor’s yard across the street and broke into the chicken coop and viciously attacked and killed the chickens. Now I know that they’re chickens but they were living, breathing animals that did not deserve what happen to them. When the police and animal control was called there was nothing that they could do since they just killed some chickens. Do we have to wait for one of the children in the neighbor- hood to be attacked, mauled or even killed before something is done? Now it's up to the DA if they want to pursue any action, but from what the officer said it wasn't very likely. Why not? The owners of the dogs didn't even care that their dogs killed another animal. All they would say is that the dogs are nice with their kids, well duh..they were raised with them and the kids are part of the family. None of these compare to a woman I hold in highest esteem. A woman who is loving and devoted to her companion hus- band. And if a mother, she is caring and compassionate to her children. Husbands love and cherish your wife; your sweetheart and thank your lucky stars. It just doesn’t get any better than that. Norman Weitzel, Gerber that they don't know walks by? More action needs to be taken when pit bulls attack anything — person or animal — and I know that the police have their hands tied at certain point but how many animals, children or adults have to killed or mauled by one of these dogs before firmer laws can be introduced in our communities? Janet Smith, Red Bluff Awoman Editor: Hillary Clinton should have been the first woman president instead of Obama being the first black president. Sarah Palin came out of obscurity in Alaska to be on the ballot for vice president. Mother Teresa is widely known for champion the cause of the deprived people of the world. And yes, thousands of women are famous and have great accomplishments in human history. What happens when a child Regarding Minton letter Editor: John, all your stated praises relating to our defeated Sheriff Parker do not excuse his dark side. Yes, John, he has made a number of blunders that the vot- ers remembered on Nov. 2. One was my personal expectation from this elected public servant to obey his oath. His so called investigation on Assemblyman Jim Nielsen was buried. His oath demanded an indictment from our District Attorney, who also participated in the cover up. My lawful requests for the sheriff’s assistance with a citi- zen’s arrest, with 10 well defined Penal Code probable causes, were denied. His staff was instructed to call him first if they were contacted to assist me in my citizen’s arrest. I delivered a letter to Sheriff Parker’s office asking him to clearly state what more proba- ble cause was required. He never replied. Sorry, John, he deserved to lose. Donald Bird, Rancho Tehama Dangerous Your Turn highway Editor: This is just a warn- ing to people that use 99E between Red Bluff and Chico. This is a par- ticularly dangerous stretch of highway. Two people have died on this road recently and the reason has been impatience. Actually, recent accidents have involved people driving between Vina and Chico, a dis- tance of about 12 miles What was their hurry? The time saved on this short stretch of road if you are going 50 mph and pull out and pass that slowpoke to get up to the speed limit, which is 55 mph, is one minute and thirty seconds. Is it worth your life or someone else’s life to save one minute and thirty seconds? Please people. Forget the speed limit. Ignore the snail in front of you. Turn on your brain. Do not kill me so your doctor doesn’t have to wait 90 seconds for you to show up when you should have been at his office a half hour ago. And if you kill yourself trying that bit of stu- pidity, he’s gong to bill your insurance company anyway. Fred Boest, 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. Bad ‘feelings’ at the TSA Commentary I feel bad for them, if you want to know the truth. I speak of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees who are paid to do things with their hands that the rest of us wouldn't do for any amount of money. Like most government employees, they are simply carrying out the policies of their overlords. They must screen every traveler as though he or she is a terrorist in wait- ing. As everybody knows by now, travelers who opt out of the full-body scanners -- which display everything under their undies -- must be patted down everywhere. And so it is that little old ladies are subjected to more groping than they encountered on their wedding nights back in the ‘40s. Catholic nuns experience more prodding, from the tips of their toes to the tops of their habits, than they'd receive from a busload of drunken masseuses. And men of every walk have their "junk" patted down so thoroughly that the only fel- lows more humiliated than they are their screeners. And for what? C'mon -- we all know who the main threat is coming from. At the very least, we mostly know which travelers it is NOT coming from. I know it's unpleasant to acknowledge, but the al-Qaida fellows are at war with us. Since they don't have battle- ships, fighter jets or tanks, they wish to blow up our commer- cial planes. Since we know that's what they're trying to do, our gov- ernment, since 9/11, has writ- ten new laws and spent billions to upgrade our systems. And yet we all have to pre- tend that the skies must be secured from grannies, grand- pas, nuns and priests on the off chance they might be packing plastic explosives in their bloomers? Then again, who can argue with success: Not one plane has been blown out of the sky by a child, a nun or a cranky old fellow. There surely is a better way to secure our skies. In the non- government world -- the private sector -- companies routinely seek out "industry best prac- tices" -- better, faster, smarter ways to do things. In the airline security busi- ness, the Israelis clear- ly are doing something right. Sure, they have way fewer airports and flights than America does, but then again, they don't grope strangers or use high- tech machines to peek beneath their skivvies. Profiling need not mean "stereotyping by skin color or nationali- ty," either. It means highly trained people applying proven processes to assess potential threats -- profiling behavior -- and removing them. self-described "hot" women who complain that they are being singled out for invasive groping because they are attractive. They are angry, apparently, that male TSA workers touch them in a way that usually requires din- ner and a show. But I sympathize with the TSA fellows on this one. Tom Purcell hands. Why are we afraid to do something this sensible? Because we're afraid of offend- ing somebody? And so we inconvenience everybody? That's why I feel bad for the average TSA employee, partic- ularly the fellows. How'd you like it if your career choice required you to navigate the nether regions of other men's "junk" all day long? In fact, I take issue with the After touching men's "junk" all day, they probably need to work over attractive female travelers just so they can get the feeling back in their In a world turned upside 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. down, isn't it the patriotic duty of all Americans to subject themselves to such treatment? ———