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6A Daily News – Wednesday, August 31, 2011 Opinion Sob stories 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 Editor: I would like to respond to the recent influx of letters written by inmates currently serving time or awaiting their sentence. Every single one of you were arrested on drug charges. Correct me if I'm wrong, but haven't drugs such as meth, heroin, acid, etc been illegal since the beginning of their existence in the U.S? I personally find these "poor me" letters infuriating. Let me remind everybody who's buying into this act, most, if not all of these men and women who are currently incarcerated and awaiting sen- tencing did not only hurt them- selves. Most have sold drugs to children, manufactured drugs that were sold to children, numerous drug trafficking offenses, they have committed robbery, assault, weapons charges, etc.- all of which I'm sure they were aware of was ille- gal. Surely, they're not expecting us readers to believe that they were all unaware of the laws in this state when they committed their crimes, are they? Truth of the matter is, the very first time they chose to pick up the pipe, needle, etc, they knew you were committing a crime. Amazingly enough, now, that they've been caught, of course, they have an illness and they all want help? Seriously, please spare us all the sob story. Lets just call it like it really is, what they're really saying is, they don't want to be incarcerated, not that they want help for my addictions they may have. Given the opportunity to be released they would go right back to their life of crime and not to rehab. Let me assure any read- ers out there that have fallen for this bull, that every one of these men/women has been arrested prior to now and have been offered some sort of help long before they were ever sentenced to serve time. Whether is was offered by the DA or by a loved one, it was offered. Lets not for- get to mention the crimes that they didn't get caught commit- ting. Again, I assure you, if you were able to ask them, and assuming they would be honest, they would tell you they got away with many more crimes than what they've actually been convicted of. While I wouldn't disagree that addiction is an illness, I don't think it should give you a free pass to freedom. Sorry, but I'm expected to obey the law, per- haps they should too. Its not a complicated concept. Let's not forget that it was their conduct that put them in the situation they are in now. Furthermore Mr. Editor, whose the inmate lover that works for the Daily News? Why are you even allowing these felons this big of a platform? The laws are pretty clear and they aren't recent. Due process gives them their day in court to plead their case. It certainly shouldn't be done on the opinion page of the paper. Frankly, freedom of speech should be revoked when your freedom has been revoked. If they have a complaint, perhaps they should consult an attorney. They did the crime, they should do the time. They are sorry they got caught and that's all they are sorry for. To the inmates who are reading this, here's an idea, do your time, then you are free to get the help you're so desperate to have. Seems fair enough to me. Heidi Root, Red Bluff No investigation Editor: Last February, Tehama County Grand Jury Foreman Robert Wilkerson died. Robert shared concerns about Nielson's fraudu- lent election and cover-up. Finally someone would do a real investi- gation. Then he passed away. Judge Garaventa overseeing the grand jury, who mishandled Don Bird's legal case against Nielson, appointed Richard Sol to be the new foreman. Sol lives next door to Nielson's alleged domicile, a low rent mobile in Gerber. In a Sacramento Val- ley Mirror article "Is Governor Brown com- plicit in Nielson cam- paign crimes?" Sol made many disturbing statements. As Niel- son's Gerber neighbor, he "has only seen Nielson a few times, his wife once and the lights are never on." authority to do that. He is there for legal advice. Murphy told the grand jury in regard to Nielson's residency, "If he says he lives there than he does." Sol continued, "if we had been Your Turn given the green light to investigate Nielson then they would have pur- sued it." Garaventa told them "they could not investigate a state employee." He has no authority to stop any grand jury investigation, only direct and give legal council. In spite of Sol's remarks about there being no investigation As foreman, he made more. After the passing of the former grand jury foreman, it was discov- ered that all the letters and other documents that had come to the grand jury prior to his death were kept in a box in his home. How does Sol know this if he was not sure what letters if any had been answered, but assumed that all let- ters had been answered? The for- mer foreman kept secret county documents at his house, and the new foreman didn't read any of them to know what our concerns were. Everyone I know, who filed complaints, including myself, has received no correspondence from the grand jury. Nor have they or any law enforcement agencies supposedly investigating this seri- ous crime contacted any reporters or people who have proof, diaries and other relevant information. Sol surmised County Council Will Murphy reviewed the letters and decided if the matters were acceptable for the grand jury to investigate. Murphy has no legal into Nielson's domicile, an inves- tigation shows up in the final grand jury report. Apparently most of the local media didn't really bother to read or analyze the investigation. Nor did they report the numerous contradictions in it or interview anyone who filed complaints. They wrote California Election law indicates (a) Residence for voting purposes means a person's domicile. (b) At a given time a person may have more than one residence. The domicile of a per- son is that place in which the per- son's habitation is fixed, wherein the person has the intention of remaining and to which, whenev- er he or she is absent, the person has the intention of returning. At a given time, a person may have only one domicile. They turn the law upside down by saying in their approach a residence is a domi- cile and a domicile is a resi- dence. No it's not. Sounds, like something Murphy and Gar- aventa might say. Obviously, neither can be trusted, should be disbarred, removed from their positions, along with criminal charges for abusing their power. Pat Massie Johnston, 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; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Mancession opportunity Commentary It sounds good to me. I speak of an opportunity made possible by the "mancession." You see, the recession that began in December 2007 hit male- dominated industries, such as con- struction, harder than female-dom- inated industries. The male unemployment rate hit 10.4 percent in November 2010, whereas the female unem- ployment rate hovered around 8 percent. This "mancession" has resulted in some interesting domestic changes for some guys, according to a University of Kansas study featured in U.S. News & World Report. More men have taken on house- work and full-time child-rearing as their wives have gone off to work. The fellows cited in the study aren't happy about staying home. They are depressed about being out of work. However, they see no shame in caring for their kids and doing the laundry. They are simply doing what they must to survive this nasty recession. But, as I said, what they are doing suddenly sounds pretty good to me. I've been working a long time now. During this recession, I have been working harder than ever, and I know I am lucky to have decent revenue coming in. But I am ready for a change. Why, if the right woman came along, with the right six-figure job, I just might chuck it all to settle down and stay home with our kids. I'll gladly watch Dr. Phil and clap enthusiastically the first time junior uses the potty to go "No. 2." I'll teach our children everything I know. They may never get an "A" in art class or math, but I assure you they will never lose at beer pong. I'll keep the house clean and free of dust -- which, apparently, is a mix of fine particles that settle on furniture. I'll hire a maid to do that, and when I get caught, I'll deny it. I know that in this recession, a woman with a big enough salary has her pick of mates. Why choose a 40-something writer rather than a 25-year-old tennis pro, you say? Well, it is true that the svelte look I had in my 20s can be better described as "big-boned," but our catastrophic economy is no time for pretty boys. Today's high-paid woman should be look- ing for an experienced, refined fellow, whose qualities have improved with time. Consider: I no longer need to date every pretty woman I meet. I have done that. I am exhaust- ed. I will be more loyal than a Labrador. Unlike younger men, I'll have a delightful answer to Tom who know nothing about the art of romance, I will hold the car door open for my high-paid wife. I'll whisper sweet nothings into her ear, even when I don't mean them. I'll charm the heck out of her, too. Unlike younger men, I have had 20 years to perfect my half- truths. every question, even the granddad- dy of them all: "Does this outfit make me look fat?" Look, ladies, a man- cession is on and it does- n't look like it is going to get better anytime soon. Don't let it go to waste. If you are lucky enough to have a six-fig- ure income, you can help out fellows who have been getting banged up by this econ- omy. Purcell I'll remember important dates, such as anniversaries -- thanks to Google Calendar. We can both come out winners. So long as you cover our truck payments, we'll treat you like gold. 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.