Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/225570
6A Daily News – Tuesday, December 10, 2013 Opinion Hope for the homeless 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. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community 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 vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents 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 "Right now men, women and children live under bushes, in the park and in alleys here in Red Bluff. They have been evicted from under the bridges and will be arrested if found there. The PATH shelter is now open in churches at night until April 30th but the homeless that have dogs or drug, alcohol or mental problems don't have anywhere to sleep at night except in illegal homeless camps, in the park or under trees hidden by bushes." These are words I extracted from a web page titled "Supernatural Life Transition Ranch for the Homeless in Red Bluff" by Randy and Felicia Dueck, who are on a mission to address the situation with something other than the sanctimonious condemnation of those that won't even turn a blind eye and instead would have the homeless disappear from sight. Those that have overcome addiction know such disregard for reality is a form of denial - the unhealthy and counterproductive refusal to deal with difficult emotions or circumstances. Randy and Felicia are literally meeting the homeless head-on to provide tents, sleeping bags, and ultimately a legal place to camp until more permanent accommodations are made, knowing that for many this will require some time as they overcome circumstances that most of us don't have to worry about. What they and their helpers, myself included, may most importantly provide is hope to those that struggle with homelessness.. It was over a year ago that the Red Bluff City Council refused to rezone property to facilitate the construction of a homeless shelter for which the state had awarded a million dollar grant. More than 300 citizens in attendance in support of the second reading of the rezone action were aghast as Forrest Flynn reversed his vote at the first reading joining Wayne Brown and Robert Schmid to refuse the rezone action over the objections of Daniele Jackson and one other now retired council member. Citing the lack of city support the state subsequently withdrew the project funding. When I asked Forrest why he voted to condemn the project he told me that he was swayed by the handful of community members speaking against the rezone action believing that a shelter would attract more homeless persons to our area. Instead of seizing a golden opportunity to tangibly address our homeless problem with community and state support the council acted at the behest of a minority of well heeled business and property owners to enact anticamping ordinances and pressures Police Chief Paul Nanfito to remove the homeless from sight although he asserts that the homeless population is not a significant crime problem. With appalling insensitivity they turned away ness. I defy those of you that harfrom the high road to house, stabi- bor such beliefs to leave your comfortable homes and put lize, counsel, love and on the well worn shoes help rehabilitate the of a homeless person homeless with a permafor a day and night to nent shelter to take the realize that such a life is low road forcibly chasno gravy train as you ing them to the margins experience the harshof society where chronic ness of the elements substance abuse and and the cold hearts of criminality take root. those too self satisfied Along with the to care. Bear in mind homeless I am overjoyed that many, if not most, that thoughtful commuof the souls without nity members realizing Richard lodging are there by that criminalizing homeabuse, misfortune and lessness only makes disability not because matters worse are taking of laziness or desire to personal action to take advantage of those redress these misdeeds. that offer help. It is timely this Advent So in this time of season to remember that holiday joy and New were it was through the Year revelry I encourkindness of a property owner with no room at his inn that age everyone to visit the web site Jesus Christ was born in a manger supernaturallifetransitionranchforthehomelessinredbluff.weerather than outdoors. The problem of homelessness bly.com/index.html by searching extends beyond Tehama County for Supernatural Life Transition as Chico and Redding are now Ranch for the Homeless in Red marginalizing the homeless in Bluff or to call Randy and Felicia futile efforts to sanitize their cities at (530) 200-6871 to make tax with hostile action against those deductible contributions that prowithout homes. In Chico business vide hope for the homeless. owners have gone as far as to hire Richard Mazzucchi is a retired armed security guards to patrol the streets and parks to root out "unde- research engineer specializing in sireables" and speak against energy efficiency and renewable churches and other organizations energy and now makes his home that provide food and shelter out of in Los Molinos. He can be fear that they encourage homeless- reached at living-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; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-225-3076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 3930707. Fax (415) 393-0710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Obama lied — Americans, their health care died The "prepper" movement and products are tonight's Tea Party Patriots topic, 6 p.m. A political cartoon refuted one of the "straw men" arguments populating Obamacare's kingdom of lies, peddled by hacks and mouthpieces, even on this page. A puzzled-looking man with furrowed brow, scratching his head, says: "Let me get this straight. The law requires insurance companies to change their plans. Then the law forces insurance companies to drop coverage for people whose plans have changed. Then lawmakers blame the insurance companies." What can you expect from the same ideologues that repulsively, despicably called Tea Party Republicans "hostage-takers" and "terrorists" (also on this page) for demanding changes or delays to Obamacare? Obamacrats used that pretext to shut the government down rather than negotiate. Democrats, now embarrassed by Obamacare's fiasco, have demanded that President Obama make unilateral, extra-constitutional changes or delays to his signature, badly flawed, law. Get it? Republicans demanding changes are "terrorists" but Obama, waving his hand to change it, is a bold leader. Hypocrisy on steroids, anyone? Our Congressman, Doug LaMalfa, spoke on the House floor about the real-world impacts of the President's health care takeover on residents of California's First Congressional District: "I've heard directly from hundreds of constituents who have had their families' plans canceled. Already, 1.1 million Californians have lost their coverage due to Obamacare … Here in the North State, real people are losing health care plans that they like, plans that the President told them they could keep, and being forced onto more expensive plans with worse coverage and less access. A self-employed family from Tulelake wrote me that their $800 a month family plan is no longer allowed and that they're only option costs over $1,000 per person. What's more, they'll no longer be able to visit their family doctor in Oregon; now they'll need to drive several hours to Redding for routine visits … Millions of Americans around the nation are paying the price for the President's broken promises." "Broken promises" would be the tactful way to say, "lies". A politician once was described as such an incorrigible liar that even "and" and "the" were falsehoods. To that, we can now add "period," as in "… you can keep your plan, period." This is not some "on one hand, on the other hand" matter of not pleasing "some of the people, all of the time." This is a matter of truth and consequences as people were persuaded by a campaign of lies to give grudging political support for Obamacare's passage; millions are losing insurance coverage; some Americans without coverage will endure unforeseen accidents or maladies after January 1. Some will fail to have replaced their previously acceptable health insurance, cancelled due to unnecessary, arbitrarily-mandated additional coverage. Or they will show up needing health care and think, based on flawed Obamacare website exchange assurances, that they have a policy that they don't really have. Already, incomplete or inaccurate information is being transmitted to insurers making policy completion problematic. If the actual premium is based on such by over a dozen now-infamous Obama lies: "If you like bad data, or if the subyour plan, you can keep sidy differs significantly your plan. PERIOD," from what was stated on "Obamacare will the website exchange, REDUCE premiums," who decides questions "Obamacare won't add of coverage? Some will ONE DIME to the reasonably decide to go deficit," "I never said 'If without, based on their you like your plan you good health, youth or can keep your plan'". inability to purchase Classics include: "We'll non-subsidized or nocreate shovel-ready longer-legal catastrophic jobs," "I will cut the insurance. And some of deficit in half," "The prithose will wind up in an Don vate sector is doing fine," unforeseen visit to the emergency room, or will Polson "I didn't set a red line on Syria," "Benghazi was postpone a checkup or The way caused by a YOUTUBE test that would have video," "Bill Ayers was warned of a life-threatI see it just a guy in my neighening condition. borhood," "I didn't Obamacare advoknow the IRS was tarcates offered statistical projections that if the ACA passed, geting conservative groups," "I had tens of thousands of lives would be no idea about the AP wiretapping," saved (Ezra Klein: Urban Institute and "This is the MOST TRANS… "because they lack health insur- PARENT administration in histoance, 22,000 people died in ry." At least 27 Democratic senators 2006"). If Americans were persuaded by such promises that Oba- made the same false promise to macare was necessary, won't it fall their constituents: "The list on President Obama's, Nancy includes the entire Democratic Pelosi's and Harry Reid's shoul- leadership in the Senate as well as ders if, through a flawed, falsely Democrats facing tough reelection sold set of expectations, people races in 2014 …" (Byron York). lose insurance and end up dying? Andrew C. McCarthy brilliantly How can Obama's supporters pos- and devastatingly made the case in sibly then deny that "Obama lied, (searchable) "Obama's Massive Americans and their health care Fraud—If he were a CEO in the died"? (Save your phlegm, libs, private sector, he'd be prosecuted Bush never lied about WMDs; for such deception." Nothing so Democrats failed to evacuate New manipulative, and falsely forced on America, has any moral or legal Orleans pre-Katrina) William Warren's cartoon for legitimacy, the way I see it. "Americans for Limited GovernDon Polson has called Red Bluff ment" was titled simply "The home since 1988. He can be Crook." Obama's head topped by e-mail at Nixon's body, in his outstretched reached arms, V-fingered pose, surrounded donplsn@yahoo.com.