Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/60942
6A Daily News – Thursday, April 5, 2012 Opinion DAILYNEWS 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 compounded Editor: Harvey Lynn Gesberg died March 18, 2012. As long as I've known Harvey he did things his own way, in life and in death. Loss of friend wallet for over 10 years from Science Anatomical stating that he wanted his body donated with the hopes of helping others. Upon his death, I was informed that due to his poor body condition he was not a candidate for dona- tion. He had carried a card in his this was even a possibility and we made no alternative plans. Now for him to be cre- mated is close to $1,500 and that is without any service. I called Science Anatomi- cal for some help, some resource, some direction to look into. I was told to try a carwash as a way of getting the money. I could not believe my ears and said so rather loudly and a bit colorfully may I add. Next is to try for a county indigent application and I'm told that if the county pays they keep the remains. Why? Because if we can't afford to have him cremated, our rights to fulfill his final wishes don't matter. He doesn't mat- ter? Harvey had no clue that He was a proud man, kind to a fault at times, but with a twinkle in his eye that showed his true nature. His last five years, that I've known him, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. So as of now he's in cold storage and with each day I take one step forward and three steps back, trying to find a solution to this heart- wrenching situation. His mother is 84 years old, has outlived her child and is deal- ing with her own tragedy. People need to be aware to Avery and many others out there really want to put a complete stop to all this bul- lying. Me, too. Imagine you're working in have a back-up plan. Just because you decide to give all you have upon your death doesn't mean they'll take your gift. And when they reject your gift, who does it really fall back on? In this case me and I don't know what to do. Marcia Keel, Red Bluff Bullying and what we can do The other day I had the really nice pleasure of read- ing in the Daily News some comments from my awesome and very good friend Avery Vilche. about it Editor: She wrote about a girl who had been bullied and beaten up by four other girls. Avery mentioned about dolling out some force of her own. She can back up what she says. an emergency room and someone is brought in with either a broken arm or leg and maybe it's a compound fracture. How would you treat this person? What would you say? How would you say it? What if it were you with these injuries? OK, now this person Your Turn of these disruptive people that they are most likely to open up a bit. It may take several attempts but if we, who want it to stop, keep trying to reach them and find out what is ailing them inside, eventually they will want to talk about why their behavior is so bad. Remember, they arrives in the ER but you can't see the injuries but they are complaining so loudly that it seems vicious and disruptive. They just won't stop complaining. How would you treat this person? What would you say? How would you say it? What if it were you with these injuries? Bullies are injured or hurt- ing people, both kids and adults. They bully because they can. They bully because no one has really and truly tried to understand them as hurting people. I've always believed that there is no such thing as a bad kid. Only bad examples. So here is an opportunity for us when this bullying happens. How would you treat this person? What would you say? How would you say it? Some studies have shown that if we take the time to ask some of these basic questions really aren't bad but their behavior is. There is a differ- ence. So make a difference in that person's life, even if only a little bit. Plant the seed of a peaceful warrior. I use the phrase A.T.M. — Ask them to stop, Tell them you want them to stop and finally and as a last resort Make them stop. Speak to them with compassion and empathy working through those steps. There are even very good ways to not really hurt them physically in the Make them stop phase, if they attack. It takes some training but what have you got to lose, except another person's dis- ruptive behavior and bully- ing? warriors who employ these strategies and they are those who have been there and done that and have come to similar conclusions as I've shared here. You know them. They are visible if you look. Is it you? Probably is. I sure hope so for the bully's sake. John Minton, Red Bluff I've met many of these 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. The Obama Doctrine of placate and cave Commentary "...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34 It is obvious President Obama has not figured out that speaking with a forked tongue is unbecoming of the one who promised to be a different kind of politician, let alone the leader of the free world. proved this when a hot mic allowed the world to hear Obama asking Russian presi- dent Dmitry Medvedev for a lit- tle "space" and "flexibility" -- until he wins his next election. Please do your best to disre- gard Obama's arrogant assump- tion that he will win re-election long enough to see the dangers of Obama's foreign policy doc- trine of "Placate and Cave" when it comes to our ally, Israel. It is becoming a bit awkward to connect the dots between Presi- dent Obama's words and his actions because Obama's words defy his actions, his actions defy his words, and his words and actions together defy Amer- ica's relationship with Israel. Russia and Iran have been in a relationship since the late 1500s. According to the Tehran Times, since Obama's election, the two countries have buddied- The president recently up in costly telecommunica- tions, agricultural, and oil agreements. Because Iran is no friend of Israel's, it makes zero sense that an American presi- dent would cut a backroom deal with one of Iran's favorite play- mates. Iran is Israel's avowed enemy and has declared, in no uncertain terms, "Israel must be wiped off the map." gang von Goethe once wrote, "If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words." Had Germans listened better in the 1930s, Hitler's rise to power may have been short-circuited, and the Jewish race protected from the appalling atrocities dealt to them by one who meant what he said. History, like life, is best understood when it is viewed from a rearview mirror. The best way to prevent past mistakes is to gaze long and hard at the road we've traveled, and then take a different course. German writer Johann Wolf- It is clear that history does not matter to the one who believes he can change its course because he breathes. Ignoring all that "enemy of my friend" nonsense, Obama hops in his foreign policy hot rod headed toward hell, rolls the top down, puts the pedal to the metal, and spits into the wind. In the meantime, that little speck-on-a- map known as Israel is left to defend itself and prevent another holo- caust (of the nuclear kind) – alone. Israel recently attempted to do just that, and the one who promised in early March, "we have your back," ostensibly stabbed Israel in the back. According to the Jerusalem Post, senior U.S. officials leaked, "Azerbaijan has granted Israel access to airbases in its territo- ry along Iran's northern border for potential use in a military strike against Iranian nuclear facilities." What were they thinking? potential attacks against the US and Israel, and the administra- tion does what any duplicitous ally should do and sells them both out with a leak – most likely executed in order to buy time until after the November elec- tions. Susan Brown tion to push through a peace deal that will likely not lead to peace but will simply compro- mise Israel's security." With friends like that, Israel It gets worse! According to the same March 29 article, Azerbaijan also helped America when "Azerbaijani police arrested 22 people, including one Iranian citizen suspected of plotting attacks against US and Israeli targets across the coun- try." So let me get this straight. Azerbaijan purportedly stops may want to come up with a new definition for the word "enemy." Susan Stamper Brown is an op-ed columnist, motivational speaker, military family advocate and grief counselor who writes about politics, the military, the economy and culture. she can be reached at susan@susanstamperbrown.c om. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach nailed it in a recent blog when he wrote, "…he [Obama] cannot be trusted to refrain from exerting undue pressure on Israel after the elec-