Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/59280
6A Daily News – Thursday, March 22, 2012 Opinion Law student Editor: 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 In answer to Mr. Wolfe's ques- tion about what do you call a 30- year-old, single, female, college student who attends a prestigious law school and does something else that is entirely none of your business. Well, in the first place, you call this person a law student. Not an elementary school student. Not a high school student. Not a college student. And you call them that because that is the truth and you tell the truth because you don't want to be subject to the allegation of being either a liar or simply incompetent. Which by the way, incompetence seems to be the main defense for the last genera- tion or so. The classic statement being essentially "I didn't mean to lie to you but, truth be told, I don't know what I'm talking about." You also add that this person has testified before the greatest governmental body the world has ever seen, with aplomb. And you do that, again, because that is the truth. So, in any other place except the nexus of stupidity, itself derived from the Ku Klux Klan mentality of too many people in this country, usually on the Repub- lican and Tea Party side of things, you call this person (1) responsi- ble, (2) reassuringly aware of the living situation extant about her in the world today. But more than anything else and more important than anything else, anybody with any sense at all calls a person like that capable. And considering the fact that she is a woman, in a somewhat still patriarchal world, you might be accurate to call her courageous. If you don't do that, well, con- tinue to enjoy yourself in the king- dom of the incompetent, prancing around, spewing your ignorant, non-adult views of religion, poli- tics and everything else in general. You're too big for us to be able to tell you to go to your room. But then, that is not your problem, is it? That's out problem. One little suggestion for some- thing constructive. By spending 0.7 percent of our GDP, for the next 10 years, we can bring the 1.5 billion people in the world who are stuck in a poverty trap, which no one can get out of with out help, onto the first rung of the competi- tive, capitalistic ladder, which they will climb with all their aspirations and strength. At that point, there would be no group of peoples in the world desperate enough to take al Queida-type alternatives. There would be no need to spend the great amounts on defense that we spend now. Question: Which subject does the competent person wish to dis- cuss? James Bryant, Red Bluff Obamacare Editor: This term is a fabrication and made out of ignorance. For the real title is "the affordable health care act." And the right wing has tout- ed this phrase so often it has been swallowed by the lem- mings of this land, who say "its easy to say, so don't ask me to think, it's un American." For you see, ladies and gen- tlemen, the original national health care for all Americans with the individual mandate dates back to the most conserv- ative president to ever serve in the white house. That person was president Herbert Hoover. This act was followed by every president follow- ing, until President Obama, who finally got it passed into law. What the general public does not understand is that those needing care have no choice but to go to the hospital emergency room, which is extremely expensive and the hospital writes off the bill as a loss and the taxpayer assumes the bur- den, without the affordable health care act. So you see, folks, in the long term the affordable health care act is saving you money in the long term. Besides health care is a human right. Robert Hogan, Red Bluff Iran threat Editor: Gingrich, Romney and San- torum would take us to war over Iran's alleged nuclear threat. Stop and think for a second. With Russia, China and even North Korea having nuclear capabilities, why are we so con- cerned about Iran. Is Iran a bigger threat to us than China or Russia? Your Turn Of course not, the only real rea- son those politicians have for pre- venting Iran from having nukes is to protect Israel, which has a huge nuclear arsenal herself. And why are we so anxious to defend Israel no matter what the cost? Why they are God's people. Palestinians, Arabians nor even Canadians are "God's People," only Israelis. And how do we know they are , "God's People?" That is simple, God mentions them over and over in the book he alleged- ly inspired. The Koran, Tipita- ka, Vedas and even Romney's Book of Mormon are also said to be divinely inspired. One more thing, how do we know the leadership of that country descended from Bibli- cal ancestors? That also is sim- ple, he says so. By our nonsensical military support of all Israel's aggressive efforts in that area of the world we guarantee peace will never exist there. Would Netanyahu be more willing to negotiate for peace if the Palestinians had more military muscle? That is a distinct possibility. What impact would real peace in the Middle East have on oil prices? I bet it would not be insignificant. However, the real reason to avoid unnecessary conflicts is the lives that won't be ruined or prematurely snuffed out. Whenever we go to war there should be absolutely no other alternative. 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. Purpose driven lies and gender equality Commentary What does a government bureaucrat being between you and your doctor look like? That was the go-to canard to scare Americans away from the health care reform bill (or single payer for that matter). So, imagine your doctor deciding he or she doesn't want you to get a proce- dure. They don't agree with it for whatever reason. Your doctor happily lies to you. Tells you – you don't need it – everything is fine. You find out later your doc- tor, with political motivations, omitted facts from you, and your decisions based on what you thought was full information, later caused problems with your health. What precipitated your doc- tor's reckless and unethical behavior? A group of lawmakers decided you don't have a right to know the truth about your med- ical condition so therefore a doc- tor's fabrications cannot be grounds for a lawsuit. Your doctors and those law- makers have decided they know what's best for you. And you have no recourse whatsoever. Would you feel conspired against by your state legislature and your health care provider? Yes. And this is exactly what women of child bearing age are facing on a state level: making it okay to lie to pregnant women if it potentially avoids an abortion. Both Arizona and Kansas are considering bills giving your doctor the legal authority to withhold potentially crucial information about your health, and in this case your child's. This idea of lying to women has been in the quiver of the our- choice-for-you movement since before Roe v. Wade when abor- tion was legal only at the state level. In 1967, the first of what are now known as crisis preg- nancy centers or fake abortion clinics was opened by a man named Robert Pearson in Hawaii. The blueprint for these ruses is still The Pearson Foun- dation's manual, "How to Start and Operate Your Own Pro-Life Outreach Crisis Pregnancy Cen- ter," published in 1984. Pearson writes, "Obviously, we're fight- ing Satan. A killer, who in this case is the girl who wants to kill her baby, has no right to infor- mation that will help her kill her baby." In this case, Satan is a girl. And Satan, being the father of all lies and all – doesn't have the right to the truth when he gets knocked up. In the right-wing-maligned health care reform bill were strides for women's health, equality and autonomy. The buried lede about Obamacare is it forced insurance companies not to treat a womb as a preexisting condi- tion. Recently it came to focus (while being declared a war on reli- gion) that birth control must be covered by insurance even if the employer is a religious institution (the excep- tion being an actual church). For the last decade, Viagra was covered by insurance, no problem, and the pill was not. A dys- function for men was covered and a function for women was out-of-pocket. The Affordable Care Act changed that. Tina Dupuy And the right-wing opposes this as a "government takeover of health care." But when they want to endow your doctor with the ability to dictate their values in the form of dishonesty – health care (specifically women's) needs to be taken over by government. Stat! As a culture, would we toler- ate this if it were any other med- ical condition besides pregnan- cy? What if your doctor was being paid by the soft drink industry to tell you your obesity isn't from your five liter a day habit? What if your doctor did- n't approve of vaccina- tions and you actually get Meningitis? What if your doctor thought it wasn't right to tell you about your cancer screening results while in its operable win- dow? And what if some yahoo state law- makers decided - against all ethics and medical research - to agree with your quack doctor? If those things seem outrageous then lying to pregnant women has to be too. If we want to live in a soci- ety where women have the same rights as men, being of child- bearing ability can't be a caveat to equality. Either women have equal rights under the law or they're public incubators. And accord- ing to these attempted laws in Arizona and Kansas – we're not equal. Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the managing editor of Crooks and Liars. Tina can be reached at tinadupuy@yahoo.com.