Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/48263
6A Daily News – Tuesday, November 22, 2011 Opinion Response to 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 Minch 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. 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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 Of course Robert Minch doesn't have the energy to tilt, he must be drained from dreaming up clever ways to write insults about concerned American citizens. I would love to alleviate his confusion as to "Real Ameri- cans" and the two separate groups that he would like to infer are one. OWS Americans were called to action by the left (SEIU, Soros, etc.). Our presi- dent told them to, "take off your bedroom slippers and put on your marching boots," and they did. Drugs, rape, death, public sex, public defecation, these are real duped Americans and they will not save your ass, only take what is yours because they think they deserve it. Meanwhile the far left is gleefully waiting for a crisis to occur out of this and they may well get one or more before OWS is through. Tea Party Patriots have bold- ly spelled out our plan to save America. Since Mr. Minch seems to have the ability to put a few words together, I assume he may be able to read the fol- lowing concepts: limited gov- ernment, fiscal responsibility and adherence to our most valuable document, the United States Constitution. How are we accomplishing these concepts? In the same way we lost them, incremental- ly. We have decades and gener- ations of work to do but I assure you we are to be found at school board meetings, city council meetings and in state legislators' offices. You will now find us as precinct committee members. We have Patriots working to clean up the voter rolls. We walk precincts prior to elec- tions. We meet weekly across this nation in our small towns and large cities alike. We have stated a monumental task that will not be accomplished for many decades. There are no needles involved, no deaths, no vulgar language, and when we gather we never trash the place. If Mr. Minch would care to learn more of our activities, please visit www.bigdawgmu- sicmafia.com and have any one of our amazing patriot musi- cians sing the story. You're welcome Minch great-grandchildren. Michael Smith, Paskenta Entitlements? Editor: Our Super Committee won't find any cuts because they're looking at the wrong entitle- ments. Medicare, Social Secu- rity, Medicaid, etc. These pro- grams need adjustments but the elephant in the room is in the unions, federal and state gov- ernments with their lavish enti- tlements. Reform pensions, retirement benefits, stipends, bonuses, etc. We know why our leaders become even more wealthy after getting into office. They have the first-hand knowledge when stocks are going to tank, they make adjustments we're not privy to. Why do we need a congress all year-round that accomplishes so little and costs us a fortune with lodging, meals, car rentals, airfare, etc? And so many of them? Get rid of those fifty czars Obama put into place with total freedom to do whatev- er they want. What do they make, what do they do? These expens- es are the biggest drain on this country, but nothing is done about it. They focus on the working stiff, blame us, we don't work hard enough, we're not smart enough to make goods in this country, etc. What was the total cost of Nancy Pelosi's luxury plane for all those years? She didn't want to fly commercial. Why are these extravagances allowed? This is taxpayer money, on automatic pilot, completely out of our control. They live the lavish life which wasn't the intention of our constitution. Do we need another mall in the Churn Creek area? I'd love it. It'd be nice, closer for us, but what happens to the Redding Mall? More store closures probably, those people will come work for the new mall. Where are we any better off? And why? Maybe in 10 or 20 years it'll be needed, but you can bet the reason it's being pushed is to put money into somebody's pockets, and not ours. This is also a major prob- lem, greed. Susanville has a charter school now. More and more charter schools all over. Why? Your Turn Maybe if we got rid of our inef- fective Department of Educa- tion costing a small fortune year after year and accomplish- es nothing but more bureaucra- cy, have the states control their own schools, we'd surely see a big improvement all around. Make our kids accountable for their actions, make them pull their own weight so when they grow into adults, they'll be responsible, not like it is now, growing up knowing the gov- ernment will take care of them. A friend said he hadn't seen any letters from me lately. I told him there's so much, I don't know what to write. With so much news in our face, and nothing happening, it's really discouraging. I'm sick of the term "unconstitutional." Every- thing is unconstitutional. I worked this week three hours on my own time, no pay, had to do my job, and it's not going to get any better. Isn't that uncon- stitutional? Bernice Cressy, Cottonwood Occupy Editor Some have asked, "What is this Occupy protest all about?" It is all about whether or not 99.99 percent of our population should continue to suffer and sacrifice so 0.01 percent of our population can keep their tax cuts. no. The protesters say no. Hell 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 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), 2595 Cean- othus Ave., Ste. 182, Chico, CA 95973; 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. Our views are shaped not long after the cradle Commentary I haven't changed much since I was nine. I have the same eyes, same smile, and the same view of the world. I turned nine in 1970. Richard Nixon was president; the war in Vietnam showed no signs of stopping; Apollo 13 visited the moon; and the Orioles beat the Reds in the World Series. As for me, I got tubes in my ears. My world view was changed by these events. I didn't know it then, but my personal philoso- phy was shaped by the time I was in the third grade. Recently, as an assignment, I have asked my seniors to write a philosophy paper of their own. The whole point is for them to think about not only what they believe, but how they came to believe it. Simply put, I'm asking them to write about how they see the world. I know it's not an easy assign- ment. However, I see the value in young people realizing what their values, beliefs and convic- tions are at this point in their life. As I said, mine were shaped by the time I was nine. Let's start with family. I was raised to believe family was the most important thing. I still believe that; however, I have a few close friends who are just as close to me as my own brothers. Having been in the classroom 23 years, I've seen firsthand how some students' lives have been destroyed by their so-called fam- ily. My philosophy has changed a little because of this. Family is not limited to blood – and that's a fact. When I was little, I thought the world was a terrible place. Because of the war in Vietnam, the front page of our daily news- paper was filled with headlines and photos of doomsday and despair. I grew up having a certain sense of futility concerning my world view. The Cold War with Russia and the nuclear arms race didn't make my opinion any rosier. The truth is I didn't think I'd live to see the year 2000. At that point, I'd be 39 and that seemed ancient to a nine year old. Thus, I grew up impulsive and spontaneous. Whatever felt good at the moment, I did. Also, I spent money as soon as I earned it if that meant having a good time. Why save for the future if I wasn't going to be around to live it? That seemed like an honest question as I moved into my twenties. At some point, I realized I would grow up to be old, and that planning for the future would be imperative. I'm 50 now, but I still see the world as a des- perate place; that's why I don't watch the news all that much. Thankfully, I moved here over 20 years ago. My worldly surround- ings changed from nine million people to 13,000 country folks. between growing up in the coun- try and the city. My kids won't experience the same things I did when I was young. I grew up leery of people, especially those of a different race. I had to learn, over time, that I couldn't judge a book by its cover. I hope I can teach my kids that. I grew up afraid of Pat Instead of concrete, chaos and haze, I'm sur- rounded by acres of fields, trees and blue skies. Because of that, I can live with the desperation and futility I still feel sometimes. My kids help me overcome that, though. My cynicism and negativity is balanced by their youthful energy, hope and opti- mism. I can bet their world view is much different than mine once was. Maybe that's the difference Gleason Simply Put large crowds and loud places. I once called my parents to come pick me up on a date from a roller skating rink because of the noise. I was in the sixth grade. Our world view starts at an early age. Therefore, it's important that we teach our children well. Even then, there are no guarantees how a child will grow up to see the world. ——— Pat Gleason grew up in Los Angeles and has taught English at Red Bluff High School since 1990. He can be reached at phgleaso@rbuhsd.k12.ca.us.