Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/221031
6A Daily News – Tuesday, December 3, 2013 Opinion Advent and the festival of lights 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. 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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 Last Sunday December 1 marked the beginning of the 2013 Advent season for Christians to prepare for the coming of Christ and for the Roman Catholic Church to start its liturgical year. Advent overlaps the Jewish Hanukkah, the eight day festival of lights that started on Thanksgiving Day this year, a coincidence last experienced in 1888 and set to happen next in year 79,811 AD. For Jewish Americans this presented a once in a lifetime opportunity to celebrate both occasions simultaneously, penned "Thanksgivukkah," by some. I hope that these convergences stimulate a broader and more fulfilling period of gratitude, hope, and spirituality across our land to help mend the rancorous political divides that suppress our economy, slow problem resolution, and breeds contempt for one another. More now than ever it seems that conditions must reach the brink of disaster before many will consider, much less adopt, changes for a better America. Even when such brinkmanship occurs, such as our near economic collapse at the end of the Bush administration, the federal government shutdown last October, and the deadlines for implementation of the Affordable Care Act our populace and governance are reticent to act in a positive manner, choosing instead to find fault and compound difficulties. Such dysfunction is not becoming nor justified for the world's beacon of democracy having been blessed beyond measure with abundant resources and intellectual prowess. For this reason I abandoned my column last week entitled "The other side of Thanksgiving," wherein I presented a gloomy perspective of American history following the arrival of European settlers as Native Americans found themselves on the business end of rifles to suffer decimation along with the buffalo herds upon which many depended upon for sustenance. Upon reflection I felt this stark indictment might be disrespectful of our forebears who also struggled mightily to survive. Nonetheless I still believe it important to understand that the sharing of food to commemorate the first Thanksgiving is but an isolated historical event to whitewash the grievous harm inflicted upon many noble souls that first tread our soil. Perspective of such matters is largely a function of position, with the winners writing history books that use egocentric spin to rationalize what most objective persons see as barbarous and genocidal invasion of indigenous peoples. Fortunately our society has evolved a great deal since those dark days and our legal and judicial systems now ensure fairness and respect for individuals regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or political views. While we still face challenges to improve social equity and tolerance we should be proud that as a nation we have better for all, while in made such remarkable the short-run we may social progress. experience greater burAs we place emphadens, inconvenience, sis on gratitude for our and sacrifice to rightmany blessings hearts size our footprint and may soften so as to furconsumption levels. ther perfect our society There is no simple way in ways that provide to meet the needs of a greater opportunity and growing world populafairness for all Amerition and dependence on cans. Let goodwill durenergy using technoloing this holiday season there is help you to practice the Richard gy, but to believegreat reason we Golden Rule in all areas can improve living conof life to treat others as ditions if we all pitch-in you would like to be and do our part, howevtreated. Such practice er small that may be, calls me to more intentfor when multiplied ly address concerns some seven billion fold about excessive federal any such efforts spending, entitlement program expansions that foster become significant. I hope that you take time this dependence, and over-regulation of free enterprise that can stifle holiday season to do some soul economic growth. For those that searching as you consider your take issue with my liberal leanings many blessings, the sacrifices and such a practice might include struggles of our forebears, and working to provide widespread your many opportunities to be a access to affordable health care, positive influence for change dursupporting reductions in subsidies ing Advent and the festival of to wealthy individuals such as lights. Representative LaMalfa to provide Richard Mazzucchi is a retired continued allowances to those of limited means, and helping to fos- research engineer specializing in ter regulations that limit global energy efficiency and renewable warming and ecosystem damage energy. He has travelled extensively and now makes his home in Los by industry and human activity. Efforts that improve sustain- Molinos, where he is striving to manability increase resource use effi- ifest a sustainable and spiritual ciency, improve environmental lifestyle and operate a barbecue health, and ensure social equity. equipment and supply business. He In the long-run these qualities can be reached at livinghelp bring about a world that is green@att.net. Mazzucchi Positive Point Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 150 Amber Grove Drive, Ste. 154, 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) 558-3160; Email: 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) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Thank God for … mandated contraception? It's not far from Thanksgivings devoid of giving thanks to God, to Obamacare's mandate that businesses provide employees with contraception, including abortifacients (a drug, agent or device used to cause abortion). The atheistaccommodating trend of removing God, the Supreme Deity, (or "Nature's God" in the Declaration of Independence), from all but private or religious settings—that trend has sickeningly morphed into the force of federal law, via Obamacare, mandating that devout, abortion-opposed but otherwise free citizens and business owners fund and provide abortion services under the guise of women's "health care." Read carefully these words and sentiments and consider whose vision is more righteous for America: Washington's or Obama's: "Thanksgiving Proclamation, President George Washington, City of New York, October 3, 1789" "Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits and to implore his protection and favor, and Whereas both Houses of congress have by their joint Committee requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.' "Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks, for his kind care and protection of the People of this country … for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence … for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. "And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed … To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and Us, and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he Finally, I think the collective alone knows to be best." rubber hit the "governPresident Obama ment's-the-only-thingomitted any reference to we-all-belong-to" road God in his 2011 Thankswith his praise of giving address, likewise "everyone who's doing omitted it from his readtheir part to make the ing of Lincoln's GettysUnited States a better, burg Address, and has more compassionate used a past Thanksgiving nation" by volunteering, speech to indirectly chide joining or sharing. Republicans for obstructThere's nothing wrong ing his political agenda. with that—let's all pitch He quoted from Presiin. But when Mr. Big dent Lincoln's ThanksGovernment—topgiving address, the Don down, wise-overlords"Almighty hand" and "Divine purposes," last Polson know-best, here's-yoursubsidy/benefit, here'sThursday, but dismissed The way your-tax-bill—prothe whole thing for havclaims that "we're all ing "roots in centuriesI see it part of one American old colonial customs." family," many people Obama said, "When we start hearing what offer our thanks, we mirror those who set aside a day of Ronald Reagan said are the most prayer", but what he meant was terrifying nine words: "I'm from that he's not asking anyone to pray, the government and I'm here to as past leaders have, because "we help." To Obama and his ideological too" do that prayer thing, just not allies, "We are each other's keepdirectly. Sheesh! Obama included his favorite er" means "You are not competent hobbyhorse, homosexuality: we're to do it on your own, to your satisAmericans "no matter who we are faction and happiness—for your or who (sic) we love." Another collective good, forget that messy stealth priority, immigration freedom thing, we'll mandate reform, got a boost with references what's best for your health care." to "people of all races and reli- That especially applies to you gions, who arrived hear from every business owners who seem to country on Earth …" as if we think that your deeply held, proshould thank the ones who, if they life religious beliefs are more have immigrated legally, should be important than providing 'health grateful that America's laws let services,' aka contraception and them come, stay here and become abortion-inducing drugs, to your citizens. Obama even added a employees. simultaneous proclamation of Don Polson has called Red Bluff "Minority Enterprise Development Week, 2013" to make us all warm home since 1988. He can be by e-mail at and fuzzy over set-asides and affir- reached donplsn@yahoo.com. mative action quotas.