Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/34671
4A Daily News – Thursday, June 23, 2011 Opinion Part of the 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 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 solution? Editor: PATH is trying to build a per- manent year-round homeless shelter on Breckenridge. This would solve a lot of the problems for the homeless and for the police and sheriff’s departments, but that won't happen for several months. First the City Council has to decide to make a zoning change. That decision will be made on July 5 at 7 p.m. at the Communi- ty Center. Then if the zoning change happens, the contractor has to get building permits, etc. A permanent shelter in Red Bluff will be a place that offers programs to help change people's lives and get them off the streets. As I said, that won't happen for several months, at the earliest, and the issues the community is facing with the homeless is now. This letter is really to the whole community. As many of you know, Red Bluff has a home- less issue. Many of the homeless camp around the river and sloughs, and under the bridges. This population grows in the summer months when the shelter is closed. This illegal camping creates issues such as trespassing, health and sanitation. There was a meeting on June 1 at the fairgrounds to try to fig- ure out what can be done. There were city officials, county agen- cies, non-profits, faith based groups and concerned citizens at this meeting. One of the questions that came out of this meeting was that if we are going to relocate the homeless from the rivers and bridges, where is the relocation place going to be? We did not have an answer. According to City Manager Marty Nichols, we can't use pub- lic land, if we are going to learn from the Sacramento “Tent City” issues. He said it would need to be private land. So, now my question is to the citizens of Red Bluff and Tehama County, does anyone have a piece of land they can allow to be used for this purpose? It could be tried for one year. The homeless veter- ans could perhaps police the area, as far as cleaning up after them- selves, and drug and alcohol issues. It could be a place where Social Service Agencies, Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol, etc. could meet with the homeless and try to help them move toward self-sufficiency. Can you help be a part of the solution? If you think you can, contact Senia Owensby at the Daily News. Allene Dering, Red Bluff RBUHS District Editor: On June 15, the governing board of the Red Bluff Union High School District voted 4-1 to approve employment agree- ments to increase compensation and benefits to district staff members. During the same meeting, the board approved a budget that cuts books, materi- als and supplies in addition to services and operating expens- es. In other words, without any public discussion whatsoever, the board took action to further benefit the adults that work in the district while stripping away supplies and ser- vices that benefit kids — our kids. times require prudent, responsi- ble fiscal management. Approving additional compen- sation to district staff in the cur- rent environment is irresponsi- ble. Cutting supplies and ser- vices to our kids to help adults get a raise is offensive. Your Turn On April 29, the Tehama County Department of Educa- tion sent a letter to the RBUHS District outlining concerns about the district’s financial condition. The district projects declining enrollment and decreasing revenues resulting in less money to provide services to our kids. In addition, the dis- trict has unfunded liabilities and significant cash flow chal- lenges ahead. Despite the district’s poor financial outlook and the Department of Education’s stern warnings, the board approved to increase the com- pensation and benefits for staff. Even though total com- pensation for many of the staff members already repre- sents the upper end of the scale in Tehama County and beyond. We are still in tough finan- cial times. Tough financial I’m not suggesting that the dedicated, hard-working staff members of the dis- trict don’t deserve a raise. In fact, many of them already receive an automatic increase in compensation through the step and column system. However, con- sidering the present state of the economy and the uncertainty that exists, now is not the time for compensation increases — especially at the expense of our kids. The phrase “Think Kids” used to be displayed prominent- ly on the back of the name plaques that rest in front of each RBUHS governing member at their board seat. The voting public elects these board mem- bers to represent the communi- ty and our interests in the pur- suit of educational excellence for our kids. We, as a community, must be vigilant and not allow any of our schools to be operated by a “Think Adults” approach. It’s imperative that we actively address the issues head on. If you want to put the focus where it belongs, get involved. Matthew Etzler, Red Bluff 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 3070 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, 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. A pink slip for Attorney General Holder? Commentary During a recent speech at the American Constitution Society (ACS), United States Attorney General (AG) Holder lauded our American civilian court system as "our most effective terror- fighting weapon." Holder’s address, along with his whole AG career, reflects a flawed ide- ology that believes wrapping enemy combatants in the Amer- ican flag will somehow steer them towards full disclosure. We are fooling ourselves to believe our enemies aren't smart enough to use Habeas Corpus against us – which the Constitu- tion does not extend to nonciti- zens held outside U.S. bound- aries. While the good cop rou- tine might work on some of the more impressionable, the deter- mined fanatics will take advan- tage of the situation. Sometimes you need a "Jack Bauer" to intervene to make these people sweat. Holder’s implied moral high ground originates from the assumption that captured enemy combatants will be mistreated - unless they are blanketed by the security of our Constitution. Holder fails to recognize that our military is bound by the same Constitution, as well as the Geneva Convention. The last time I checked, those who strayed away from their obligations to constitutional rule of law were duly convicted of crimes. Their actions, along with those of Attorney General Holder, do nothing but under- mine the efforts of so many charged with keeping the rest of us safe from the criminals they imprison. A lack of confidence in the military tribunal system seems to pervade the Justice Depart- ment under Holder as service members assigned to Guan- tanamo Bay do their duty honor- ably and faithfully, every day. Case in point is the recent indictment of the two alleged terrorists, Waad Ramadan Alwan and Mohanad Shareef Hammadi, who made their way to Kentucky after they were mis- takenly granted refugee status in 2009 - despite being involved in insurgency activities against American troops, in Iraq. Last month they were indict- ed for allegedly providing sup- port to Al Qaeda in Iraq, from Kentucky. Alwan was charged with conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction to kill U.S. nationals and attempting to pro- vide material support for terror- ists. Hammadi was charged with conspiracy to transfer and possess weapons and with attempting to provide material support to terrorists. An ABC News May 31, 2011 report disclosed that Alwan told a FBI informant that his "lunch and dinner would be an Ameri- can soldier" and found that his fingerprints "matched an unex- ploded IED that U.S. troops recovered" in Iraq in 2005. Regardless, AG Holder believes these quasi "citizens" should be afforded Constitutional rights rather than hav- ing their refugee status revoked and be given a one way ticket to Cuba. Meanwhile, you can't throw a rock without hitting some- one who thinks the prisoners at Guan- tanamo spend every day within an inch of their lives, existing in some hellish, Abu Ghraib nightmare. In reality, Gitmo detainees have quite the gig. Gitmo is a state-of-the-art facility with a $12 million courtroom located on a tropical island where balmy breezes blow. Detainees receive first class medical and dental care, educational opportunities, outdoor recreation, have access to satellite television stations, balanced meals and have hordes of civil rights lawyers at their disposal. It should be noted that action- able information was gathered from Gitmo that aided in Osama bin Laden’s capture, and whether we like it or not, Gitmo is a necessary evil that was built to protect American citizens from the evil ones who reside Susan Brown there. Civil rights groups whine about abuse concerns for the detainees, yet sit in silence when the real abuse is suffered by our own military - at the hands of the detainees. Former US Marine and Depart- ment of Defense con- tractor Rajai Hakki described the abuse taking place at Gitmo in a May 31, 2011 Huffington Post arti- cle, "The Other Side of Guantanamo." Hakki describes the horror of guards having "urine and feces thrown in their faces," others being bitten and spat upon, and black guards were recipients of "racist and demeaning" words. Hakki also witnessed detainees injuring themselves in order to make false torture claims. At some point, Attorney Gen- eral Holder must be held liable for decisions he’s made that favor America’s enemies over American citizens. His resigna- tion would be a reasonable step in that direction. Susan Stamper Brown’s weekly column is nationally syndicated exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Email Susan at writestamper@gmail.com.