Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/22307
6A – Daily News – Saturday, January 1, 2011 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 Religion Editor: Concerning Claire Lucer’s feelings regarding our religious infested newspaper. In 1949, my family and I had the good and blessed fortune of moving into Red Bluff. In all those 61 plus years there 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 has never, to my recollection, been one complaint about our newspapers keeping us, its loyal readers, abreast of religious hap- penings here and about. If you take the time to count, you’ll find from 29 to 32 church- es, of all denominations, invest- ing time, money and efforts to community projects that benefit everybody in the area, not only that, but it brings the entire com- munity closer together. Might I suggest you look else- where to live, such as an atheist colony. Where ever it is get over it. This is a religious community and country regardless of whether our president thinks so or not. Leave our newspaper alone. Better yet — leave. Wherever you end up remember Jesus is the reason for the season. Merry Christmas. Richard Lambdin, Red Bluff Redistribution Editor: Whenever the issue of taxes, that is, raising the income tax on the rich, is brought up the Repub- licans cry about wealth redistrib- ution as though that were a moral as well as criminal offense. Well it is not, in fact govern- ments around this world redis- tribute wealth every day. The real concern should be that the government redistributes in an ethical way, that is one that helps the most. Nations have always been wealth redistribu- tors. All wealth origi- nates from the land. King James of England did not have the right to give any north Ameri- can real estate away as he did in the 17th centu- ry. He had not bought one square foot of it from its rightful owner nor had he obtained one inch of it through conquest. He left the latter up to the Pil- grims and other settlers. Congress not only redistrib- utes wealth today but by the good oh boy lobbing system they are assured that a good portion of that money is recycled into their own pockets. Universal health care would be a slam dunk had it not been for the avalanche of per- suasion money funneled to those “honorable” people in Washing- ton DC by way of insurance con- glomerates. As Erik Prince, founder of Your Turn Blackwater discovered, it’s not who you know in Washington but who’s influence you can buy. Of course pouring some of those dollars into the propaganda media never hurt either. Some results of our govern- ment’s latest redistribution efforts are: record high unem- ployment numbers, a high demand for food assistance, a significant rise in the homeless population and death. When governments raise taxes on its riches citizens it may cause them to endure some insignificant inconveniences but when the cur- rent is flowing the other way the damage is far more severe. Inter- estingly in the mid 1800s the Republicans were against slavery. Orval Strong, Gerber Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 6031 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319-2102 STATE SENATOR — Doug LaMalfa (R) State Capitol Bldg., Room 3063 Sacramento, 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. Looking back and ahead to the New Year Commentary Sam and I were having coffee on the day after I returned from Philadelphia, a day that seemed even windier than the blizzard we had experienced on the East Coast. We were reflecting on this last year. Sam said, “I’m not sure where our society is headed. It seems like we have lost some- thing.” I asked him what he meant. “While I was wandering along the aisles of a local mar- ket, I was somewhat jolted out of my reverie when I stopped to browse in the greeting card department. The cards were by Hallmark, the paragon of truth, love, apple pie, virtue, and good taste. This is the company whose slogan for many years was "When you care enough to send the very best." There, tucked away in this Hallmark section was a new category of card labeled "Suggestive Love." I didn't look at any samples, cer- tainly not in a small town where there are no secrets, but I asked myself if the cards were avail- able only to those mature adults who might know what it is that is being suggested. I thought if Hallmark has fallen so low, what about the rest of society?” I told Sam he had a good point, but there was a positive revival in citizenship this year with contested elections for both City Council and the Red Bluff High School Board; in fact there was a lot of education news in the local paper in 2010. Accord- ing to the Daily News, data apparently submitted by an inat- tentive individual at the Red Bluff Joint Union High School District indicated only three stu- dents graduated last year. The newly elected school board will most likely want to know who is calling the plays on achievement reporting; it was only two years ago that faulty reporting kept Red Bluff High from have a state reported Academic Perfor- mance Index (API) score. Maybe the school board can design a play book for proper data reporting. Our citizens deserve accurate data about how well our students are performing and not have outsiders snicker- ing at us. Sam chuckled and said, “Speaking of achievement, an international comparison of top students in 60 countries indicat- ed on one measure, student pro- ficiency in advanced mathemat- ics, the United States ranked only 32d, behind Lithuania. The question was asked how states might compare if they were ranked as individual countries. When the data was broken down state by state, Massachusetts would have been ranked 17th in the world, and California would have been ranked 70th, just behind Italy, Israel, and Florida. The number one country was Taiwan with 28 percent testing at the advanced level; in the U.S. the total was six percent, and for California 4.5 percent.” I told Sam, “We don’t have comparable data for our local schools, but we do have data on the proportion of students who are at the proficient or advanced levels of achievement in state standards in math. The most recent data we have is the STAR test results for mathematics which indicate that 17 percent of the 464 Red Bluff High students who took the Algebra I test scored at the proficient level or above; this is roughly one out of six students. In Algebra II 22 percent of the 196 students who took the test scored at the profi- cient level or above. On a statewide basis 31 percent of students tested proficient or above in each level of Algebra. I imagine this new school board may want to look at achieve- ment data rather than athletic achievement in making plans for the year.” I added “Things are looking up, and maybe the schools are not the bad guy after all. In a recent public poll conducted by the Associated Press and Stan- ford University 67 percent of respondents placed heavy blame on parents for the relatively low achievement by many students. Those polled seemed to be saying that families need to take more responsibili- ty for their own chil- dren's education. Red Bluff High School has tried to make current information available to parents through Internet access to atten- dance, homework, and achievement informa- tion. I am not sure how many parents take advantage of this service, but I do know some parents find com- fort in the fact that they know for certain their child is in school the day they checked.” “Well, we may not be num- ber one in math, but 2010 showed that Tehama County is number one at something; we have the highest percentage of smokers among California counties, sure beats being num- ber 46 on the Robert Wood Johnson survey” Sam chuckled. 2010 was a year of education for Mercury Insurance, Meg Whitman, Valero Oil, and Pacif- ic Gas and Electric; they learned that it takes more than money to sway voters. PG&E also learned how exposed to view their oper- ations can be after the gas line explosion in San Bruno. Finger pointing will continue through- out the New Year and the public scrutiny when combined with the political “I told you so’s” will be difficult for them to han- dle, but maybe short cuts will be fewer next year. 2011 will be a difficult year for PG&E. “Don’t’ forget,” Sam added, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” was Joe Harrop repealed with much fanfare and teeth gnashing; 2011 and beyond will show us how this decision will work. The new SALT treaty was ratified by the Senate at the last moment, and the Sen- ate also managed to approve a relief pack- age for 911 workers. Maybe Congress is getting off its butt.” “I’m not so sure,” I said, “I was at a party earlier this year and someone asked any of us to come up with something positive about Congress. One person said they were in recess at that time.” “Some things will not change,” Sam said. “Marijuana was rejected as a legal recreational activity; its use will probably not decrease, and more people will spring for the $79 to get a will- ing doctor’s note. Proposition 8 is still in court, and it most like- ly will be throughout next year, and the least surprising news of the year was that the state bud- get remains in crisis. At least you can count on some things being certain.” I added, “Red Bluff acquired two new City Council members in a contested election, some- thing that did not happen last election time. I am sure we will all be paying more attention to the activities at City Hall next year and that the City Council will also be paying closer atten- tion. Of course, there is still the gunfight between the Fair- grounds and the city over the cost of traffic control fees and the use of Transient Occupancy Taxes to keep us busy.” Joe Harrop is a retired educator with more than 30 years of service to the North State. He can be reached at DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net.