Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/44516
6A Daily News – Wednesday, October 12, 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 Poor judgement Editor: 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 Again I must protest the dis- cussion of a highly charged political issue on the Saturday, Sept. 17, page devoted to Reli- gion: Faith and Worship. The Rev. James Wilson in his column "God Talk" talks about the "left," saying that Jesus would have approved "Oba- macare." Then the Rev. Wilson offers several scriptural cita- tions from the Gospels in rebut- tal to this idea, but which, it seems to me, actually support the recent healthcare legislation as moral and right. Admittedly, I am a proud member of the "left" the Rev. Wilson refers to. I do not object at all to the minister finding fault with our government using some of his and my tax dollars to provide healthcare to the under- and uninsured. That is his prerogative as an American. I do object, strenuously, again, to your placement of his politi- cal statements on the "Religion" page rather than as a columnist on the editorial page. I am not asking you to censor the Rev. Wilson. That would be contrary to my values. I am ask- ing you to put his sermon on the "Religion" page when his remarks concern matters of faith and/or worship. When his thoughts for the day concern political issues, then I would hope you would place them on the "Opinion" page. I guess you would need to read the column before putting the paper to bed in order to make such a judgment. Again, trusting in your most- ly well-balanced judgement evi- denced over the past couple of years, I remain. Dorothy Breitegger, Red Bluff Graffiti Editor: One of the problem with tag- gers is that they try to out do each other. By the Daily News reporting not only that a busi- ness or home was tagged but what the tag said, is doing noth- ing more then encouraging them so that they can get into the newspaper. Now don't get me wrong. I know most of these fools can't read, however as long as you promote the activities of these morons the more they will con- tinue to tag. Please, when you report one of these incidents don't put what they tagged in the paper! It just makes sense. Curt Dahl, Red Bluff Health reform Editor: My name is Virginia Burrill. I have a health issue. I had a real- ly good job but lost it after six years. I have no insurance now and find myself in a life or death situation. My body is shutting down because of cancer. I've already had a blood transfusion. They gave me a doctor in the hospital. She didn't have the time for me. All she said was make an appointment. Two days later I get a call from another doctor, and my appointment was set for three weeks later. You would think that some- one needing a biopsy would get it sooner, but I remind you I have no insurance. I have filed for CMSP but it hasn't gone through yet. I am bleeding again and in need of medical, but I am afraid of going to the emergency room because the bills are stacking up. ees buy and place there out of the kindness of their hearts. The grass is constantly being Your Turn I really need help. I'm 42, still young. I have a long life to live. People shouldn't have to be this way. I am not asking for myself. I am asking for all women that need help. We should be able to survive no matter if we have insurance or not. Virginia Burrill, Corning Response to Langley Editor: I don't know why Mrs. Langley is trying to paint such an ugly pic- ture of the Sunset Hills Cemetery in Corning. The place looks amazing. The hard working employees there take so much pride in trying to make it look as good as possible. They have put in countless hours installing new drain systems to ensure that there will be no flood- ing this winter and they have been getting rid of a lot of clutter that has been sitting around for years. They have had to reset several tall monuments that were leaning that could have become a hazard. There are flowers at every head- stone, some of which the employ- mowed, it does tend to get a little dry in the summer months but it still looks great. The employees work on weekends to try to get extra water on the grass. Overall the ceme- tery looks better than most cemeteries around here. The administration and crew receive so many compliments on the work that they do. I don't think Mrs. Langley's opinion of the cemetery is correct at all. I get very annoyed when tax- payers start complaining without getting their facts straight first. Laura Crane, Corning County DA Editor: I wanted to air out there that the Tehama County District Attorney refused to prosecute a person that had stolen jewelry from a relative. The evidence is in black and white. His name is on the pawn slip. But just because he said he got it from someone else, they refuse to prosecute him. So now we are struck paying the pawn slip, and the thief — oh wait he was never convicted- — gets to walk. So that goes to show that all you have to say is that the stolen property was given to you by someone else, and that way the DA won't do a damn thing. Just in case the DA missed it, his name is on the pawn slip and he gets to walk. Celestino Bobadilla, Corning 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. A card for every lousy occasion Commentary "Boy, the wife is getting on my nerves. She keeps giving me sympathy cards for being unem- ployed." "Ah, yes, you speak of a new line of greeting cards from Hall- mark. What do the cards say?" "'Don't think of it as losing your job,' reads one. 'Think of it as a time-out between stupid bosses.'" "An interesting way to con- sole someone who is out of work." "And awfully patronizing, if you asked me. It makes the per- son giving the card feel good and the unemployed slob receiving it feel worse. Here's the last one the wife got me: 'Losing your job does not define you. What you do about it does.'" "Sounds a little preachy. Still, you have to hand it to the Hallmark people. With unem- ployment stuck at more than 9 percent, why not make dough exploiting a new market niche?" "Well, if they're willing to exploit something as crappy as losing your job, why not exploit other lousy occasions?" "This is going to be good. Go on." "How about cards for the millions of Americans who have gone bankrupt? Something like: 'I hate to bother you now, considering the mess you're in, but could you repay me my 20 bucks before the feds close in?'" "Not bad." "How about cards for the millions of small-business peo- ple who are going under because they can no longer get loans, thanks to our govern- ment's overly stringent financial reform? 'You took your shot at the American dream and for that you are commended. But you forgot to factor in government red tape and the total lack of lenders!'" "I suppose a person who just lost his or her life's dream might find that oddly amusing. What else do you have?" "How about a card for that loser kid of yours who just flunked out of college: 'You flunked out again, my hapless son, but it is no big deal. Our whole country is flunking now, you better learn to steal.'" "Tough times call for tough love." "Here's another for a fellow whose girlfriend ditches him: 'It stinks to be the last to know, but Sheila left you a day ago. She's with me now, for obvi- ous reasons. Your busi- ness failed and you have no money, but my political connections got me a six-figure federal-government job, you private-sector loser!'" "You surely put a lot of thought into greet- ing cards for lousy occasions. Any oth- ers?" "Fair enough. The health care mandate alone is worrying a lot of employers." "But what makes me really crabby is that people are getting so used to unemploy- ment being high, they suddenly think it's appropriate to give the unemployed sympa- thy cards -- that's a subtle acceptance of America's decline, if you ask me." "Here's a card idea for people who didn't vote for Obama to give to people who did: 'You voted for hope and change two and a half years ago. Now I have little hope or change and owe everybody dough.'" "Boy, you are crabby today." "Of course I'm crabby. I'm crabby that the economy is so bad and that our political lead- ers are only making it worse -- all of this wasteful spending, all of this insane borrowing, all of these new regulations and man- dates that are making it harder for private employers to grow and hire." Tom Purcell "Surely you have a card for that?" "I sure do: 'We're Americans, not quit- ters, you see, and every American should be angry. We're the land of the free, the home of the brave. To hell with quitters and those who cave!'" 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. ———