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4A Daily News – Thursday, November 24, 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 True meaning of 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 Thanksgiving Editor: With Thanksgiving Day upon us, I must say that it really irks me to hear people refer to it as: "Turkey Day." I don't know how many generations ago, that the myth surfaced of Thanks- giving Day coming about by the Native Americans, helping the pilgrims survive their first year. That they then decided to through a feast between them, and it just caught on as Thanks- giving Day. I am sure that the Native Americans were responsible for the Pilgrims surviving in this great new land, or at least they were very helpful. Thanksgiv- ing Day was the bright idea of President Lincoln, and it came into being many years later. On Oct. 3, 1863 President Lincoln set the last Thursday of November aside as a Holy Day for all Americans living at home and abroad to honor God in all reverence. It was to be a day for all Americans with one voice and one accord to be grateful to Our Father in Heaven for all the provisions, and all the protec- tion He had provided. It was to be a Holy day celebrated with praise to God for all the benefits He had caused to rain down upon America. This is also another proof that our country has Christian roots. But that's another topic. We have come so far from where our country once was. I think our great President Lin- coln would turn over in his grave to see what has become of the Holy Day he enacted so long ago. To be called "Turkey Day," and be famous for football games. I wonder how many even say grace, or say a prayer of Thanksgiving before they eat their beautiful dinner? Our beautiful country has just been given one blow after another. So many are suffering in our land, just like in many foreign lands these days, we're feeling the emptiness of hunger and sorrow of so many dead sol- diers. I believe the biggest rea- son for this is because of our expelling God from the struc- tures of our society. People still say "God Bless America!," but how can He bless us when He's been expelled from science and replaced by nothing, expelled from our courts, and expelled from our public schools. Please think about what has been said. Happy Thanksgiving and may Lord Jesus bless you and yours on this special Holy Day. Bernadette Holliday, Red Bluff Breed bias Editor: I would like to comment on the report written in the Daily News for Nov. 16. The report pertaining to the "aggressive" pit bulls running loose in the El Cerrito Drive Area. It was stated that pit bulls were chasing a cat; of course that's what all dogs do. It was reported that the pit bull dogs were contained and transported with no injuries involved in the report. In the next paragraph, it was noted, there was a pit-bull and hound dog running loose in the Kentucky Fried Chicken park- ing lot. The paragraph stated that these two dogs mauled and killed a cat, which the police disposed of, and these dogs were not found. So we now have those animals running loose, the real aggressive ones, that's dis- turbing information. Now, I'm trying to under- stand this report, the pit bulls that only chased a cat were called "aggressive;" there was no mention of the other two dogs that killed the cat being referenced as aggressive. I'm a bit confused about this report; it seems your statement would appear to be somewhat of a witch hunt towards the pit-bull breed. However, I believe the dogs that killed the cat were being aggressive, and one was a hound dog per this report. All dogs chase and cats given the opportunity no matter the breed; this has been going on forever. It appears there is a bias towards the pit-bull breed as noted in this report. I believe this report to be quite incongru- ent, inappropriate and inaccu- rate news for the readers. I do not own a pit-bull but I can recognize misleading and biased statements. Sherry Guisinger, Red Bluff Thank you; Finis Editor: Mr. Minch is at it again. He just doesn't get it. In my letter Oct. 8 I reported finding an expensive cell phone and it was returned to the owner. I thought it was appropriate and courteous for the owner to thank me in person at the time or later by phone. Well, Mr. Minch belittled me in a two-inch piece of a column in his regularly published Com- mentary Oct. 14, directed pri- marily at my expectation of a thank you. My response Oct. 19 pointed out to Mr. Minch how wrong he was. I was not "incensed, aroused with extreme anger." I was not "in need of a thank you." Your Turn I do contribute to the Salvation Army, not only at the Christ- mas pot, but year round. I closed my letter by advising Mr. Minch that if he has an opportu- nity to thank someone, please do it. Well, here comes Mr. Minch again in his Commentary Oct. 28. This time he devoted eight inches of column to me. That's four times as much as before. I'm accused of "not leaving well enough alone." Being dressed down by a lifelong resident of Red Bluff and former columnist is not "well enough." Referring to me he wrote "licking his wounds in private," because I thought a thank you was in order. Disappointed, yes. "Licking his wounds in private" never happened, but Mr. Minch thinks so. The intent of my original let- ter was to remind people of being thoughtful and courteous to one another and not to "have given us a lot of laughs" as Mr. Minch stated. He further ridiculed me by thanking me "most profusely" for the laughs. Finally, in the same Com- mentary there is an adjacent dif- ferent subject in which Mr. Minch writes about back in 1946 at RBUHS the Vice Prin- cipal had him pegged as "an agitator and all around jerk." Some folks grow up and change for the better and others don't. Norman Weitzel, 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. Beating the stuffing out of Thanksgiving Commentary This year I can't think of Thanksgiving without thinking of Barry Manilow's melancholy song "Tryin' To Get The Feeling Again." Google news items about "Thanksgiving," and amidst the tofu turkey recipes and 2010 versus 2011 price comparisons, you'll find a growing number of stories about (a) Christmas dec- orations popping up before Hal- loween, (b) Thanksgiving get- ting lost in the holiday shuffle and (c) traditionalists denounc- ing the encroachment of "Black Friday" sales onto Thanksgiving Day. As both a Christian and someone who knows which side his bread is buttered on (retailers do pay the bills at the newspa- pers carrying my column, of course), I can see both sides of the holiday desecration issue. I believe the merchants when they insist that they take pains not to intrude upon the family time or spiritual activities of their employees. I try to ignore the scurrilous rumors that the retailers have asked that the Rapture be abbreviated to allow more time for showcasing housewares and linens. I sort of pity the "big box" stores that try to obtain a com- petitive edge by rushing the Christmas selling season. It's just a Band-Aid. Once we even- tually reach the cherished goal of promoting Christmas 365 days a year, they'll have nowhere else to expand. They'll finally have to compete by hav- ing the best products and ser- vice, or settle for being Number 2 (or lower). Traditionalists, let's not pre- tend that commercialism is something new. The Pilgrims represented a minority of the passengers aboard the Mayflower; most of the passen- gers were just out to exploit the New World. Currier & Ives did not produce their prints on a pro bono basis. The "traditional" Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade obviously has ulterior motives. Thanksgiving hosts have never been shy about showing off their material wealth to poorer relations. I am glad that Abraham Lin- coln instituted a national day of thanks, even though the United States somehow got by without one for the first 88 years of its existence. And let's step back for a moment and put some perspec- tive on the things we do on Thanksgiving. After a perfunctory prayer, we eat the bird that Benjamin Franklin championed as the national symbol, we talk behind the backs of the cousins who chose to spend the day with their in-laws instead of blood kin and we watch millionaires playing football. I can empathize with those needed last-minute items, I saved money for my college education and I learned to appreciate the time I do have with family. Danny Tyree Tyrades! who have to work on Thanksgiv- ing. My high school job in a convenience market required me to work every Saturday, Sunday, and holiday. Yes, I ate a lot of leftovers and missed a few hugs from my grandmother, but there were pluses. I came to the rescue of absent-minded shoppers who As in the days of the Plymouth celebra- tion and the Civil War, Thanksgiving is not about a picture-perfect world. It's about tak- ing life warts and all and still finding enough of the positive to offer heartfelt grati- tude to the Creator (or whomever you credit with the good things in your life). This Thanksgiving roll with the punches, make new traditions, forge new bonds and savor every second you do get to spend with the ones you love. Danny Tyree welcomes reader e-mail responses at tyreetyrades@aol.com and visits to his Facebook fan page "Tyree's Tyrades."