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6A Daily News – Saturday, November 26, 2011 Opinion Hog wild 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 Thanksgiving 2011 Commentary It's that time of the year again, the time when the aroma of turkey wafts its way through- out the house, football is king, pumpkin pies and squash soup are on the table, and we rake col- orful leaves most days. The nights come earlier and are cold- er. Fireplaces spark into action, and we begin to meditate on the passing year as well as the future. We are at the threshold of winter, the waning days of autumn. We are also in the mid- dle of the Thanksgiving season. At a time when our economy is sick, our politics are discor- dant and often with little sub- stance except confrontation, our state is facing untold deficits, local governments are scram- bling to maintain safety ser- vices, the national debt is sky- rocketing, our young men and women are in the middle of ter- rible conflicts, water is in short supply, energy costs are high, houses are in foreclosure, the income gap is widening, empty houses abound in our area, the unemployment is growing, and retail sales are not, we can still take time to be thankful. A cynical view might be to be thankful because things couldn't be worse, but that is like saying we have a no hitter in the ninth inning. There is a story about a well known Scottish minister who always seemed positive. On one extremely rainy and stormy Sunday morning, one parish- ioner turned to the other and said, "What can he be thankful about this morning?" When it was time to pray the minister began, "Lord we give thanks that not every day is like today." We do have much to be thankful for. We can be thankful that we live in a country where transi- tions in power are decided by elections, a rowdy but agreed upon process that does not exist in many places. We can be thankful that we have civilian control of our military, not mili- tary control of our civilians. Although we may not all agree on the results, we do agree that each of us needs to participate in the process of decision-making, an option not available to many around the world; an option men and women are dying to obtain in other countries. We can be thankful that we embrace a wide spectrum of people each day; we live in a country that has provided a por- tal of opportunity for many peo- ple from diverse backgrounds. We do not require a set of reli- gious or political beliefs to live here; we can say what we think and believe, but we cannot impose it upon those with whom we disagree, except as pre- scribed by law. We can be thankful for our state of California with its many resources as well as the chal- lenges it presents us. In spite of a failed legislature, we still live in the most beautiful setting in our country. We have a bright future even if the immediate year or two will be difficult. We can be thankful it is worth the struggle. We can be thankful we live in a community where each one of us can make a difference, where we can look others in the eye and greet them as we walk down the side- walk, where "small" issues are on the front page of our newspaper, where the schools are still central in the lives of our neighborhoods, and where we know our elected officials. We can be thankful Joe for the beauty of our communi- ty, even without Lake Red Bluff. We can be thankful for the wide vistas, the seasons, the wild life, the agriculture, and the variety of nature from canyons to moun- taintops. We can be thankful for the friendly service we receive when we shop, go to the bank, visit the DMV (believe it or not people come from Shasta county to our DMV because of the ser- vice), utilize the Post Office, talk to City Hall, or ask someone for directions. We can be thankful for a local newspaper when many commu- nities are losing their papers; we can be thankful for our local Harrop radio station. We can be thank- ful for parades, art events, the farmers' markets, the service clubs, our many congregations, and the local lodges. These all contribute to a sense of pride and duty for our community. They help us remember we are in this place together and that it is only by working together that we can continue to make it an even better place for all of us. We face many challenges in the next year; some are familiar: creating new jobs and a wider tax base; fighting gang influence and crime; combating drugs; preparing our kids for the real world; monitoring our leaders; shoring up our infrastructure; and working together. If we approach these tasks with an attitude of thanksgiving, we will take a positive approach to our challenges, and we will avoid name-calling, labeling, and pointing fingers. We will succeed. For that we can be truly thankful. Joe Harrop is a retired educator with more than 30 years of service to the North State. He can be reached at DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. Editor: Times are tight, so when our local PD receives a grant in which the department acquires a brand new $26,000 Harley Davidson motorcycle. That seems a bit much. Especially when the RBPD. already has one which is seldom seen except in parades and occasion- ally on nice days. The reason given for having this new acquisition would basi- cally be to harangue local motorcyclists. It is not neces- sary to pursue a motorcycle with another motorcycle when one of the many police depart- ment cruisers would suffice. Lights flash, you pull over even if you're walking. As for patrolling areas that are projected motorcycle acci- dent areas, whoa. A motorcycle accident as well as any other accident is just that. That's why it's called an accident. The time and place is basically up to chance and not up to projection of law enforcement. The rest of the grant money seems to be going to traffic sur- veillance, as far as I'm able to understand. Sustaining DUI checkpoints is understandable but introducing driver's license check points is a bit over the line even for our local constabu- lary. Why can't these monies be shared through the community for a more positive benefit? Like some of the streets in town are in dire need of repair and oh so many other things, or are grant monies meant just for non-essentials? Just asking. Joseph Ostrowski, Red Bluff Revival overdue Editor: Last weekend while sitting around a camp fire and trying to figure out what was happening to America, a friend made this observation which struck a cord, he said "remember when we were kids on Sunday morn- ing the neighborhoods were empty because all the families were in church, not anymore we as a nation have abandon God and the very values our country was built on." He was right and l am so sorry I must publicly apologize. It was me and my baby-boomer generation who stood idly by while the minority became the majority and took over Ameri- ca. We did nothing when Judges started killing babies in the womb, and government then sponsored these murders with our tax dollars. We did nothing when they threw God and prayer out of our schools, courts and public meetings. We stood by and allowed others to teach our children in school, in the media of all kinds about sexual behavior found outside the sanctity of sex between a man and a woman in marriage. We allow our school administrators and courts to do away with dress codes and abolish teacher authority to discipline on site. We have allowed spe- cial interest groups to dictate that a convicted felon in prison has the same rights in prison that you and I have as free citizens. We have allowed politicians to rewards those who freely chose to screw up their life by addiction, cor- rupt life styles or simply being too lazy to work and given them a life-long income. Now the biggest slap in the land and that is the only way we will fix America. Darrell Plemons, Red Bluff Budget moms Your Turn Editor: Well, the deadline has passed for the designated twelve of the Super Budget Com- mittee to come up with a solution to gov- ernment's financial woes. The stalemate being caused by the face to the God who has protect- ed America and caused us to prosper to become one of the greatest countries on his created earth is we stand by and do noth- ing while special interest groups such as the Freedom from Reli- gion Foundation or Muslim coalition challenge the very sym- bol of God's love for humanity and that is the Cross which Jesus Christ died upon so we could be saved. We fold up and give them their way as to be a kinder and more politically correct society instead of saying no we will not insult the God of our Nation. It is time to once again empty our neighborhoods on Sunday morn- ing, we need a revival across this push-back between raising taxes and cutting current spend- ing amounts. Trouble is, none of these people live in the real world of financial survival. Members of Congress live in an insulated financial environ- ment where the worst that can happen is not being re-elected. They are out of touch with their constituents — therefore, wast- ing money is no big deal. The Congress needs to select 12 mothers, not connected with government (each with one or two kids), to crunch the num- bers and work out a realistic budget for the country. This group would be ideal for the task, for their talent to multi-task, and discipline to make daily decisions with avail- able dollars with felt conse- quences. The results would be astounding. James Nelson, 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), 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.