Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/8280
6A – Daily News – Thursday, March 25, 2010 Opinion Ignored 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 Editor: It is very sad that you can send your child to our local high school, the one we went to as teenagers, and not be assured of their safety. School should be a place you can feel safe, a place for learning and fun. 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 My daughter has received threatening text messages at school from another student. She is a straight A student with good habits. Her fears have been blown off by the school and the police. It is pretty sad it is going to take something like has hap- pened at the Florida school for parents, administration and especially the police for it to change. An office walked away from my husband saying he did not have to listen to this. Wow, police don’t have to listen to a mad parent, kids don’t have to listen to the police. It is really sad in a small town like ours no one in author- ity really cares. It is really scary when you see exactly how problems like the one with the Florida girl happen due to no one willing to distinguish right from wrong. Marcie Day, Red Bluff Self-serving stat Editor: While I have supported Jim Nielsen for many years, and certainly the lack of jobs proba- bly is the most serious problem we face today. However, there was an obvi- ous error or exaggeration in the Page 1 article in the March 22 Daily News. I am reasonably sure statistics don’t show that small businesses account for 99.2 percent of employers in California, unless you count people who work part time for themselves as businesses. Even then, that statement is meaningless; because no jobs are created by the self- employed. The question is “how many jobs and employees are supported by small businesses,” and then, “how do you define small businesses?” I am certainly not against small businesses and we shop locally as much as possible. That is part of the small town culture. Also, job creation is essential now, and forever, something our big international businesses seem to have forgot- ten. However, that statement was so obviously self-serving and exaggerated, if not incorrect, that I couldn’t resist comment- ing. You should have checked that statistic before publishing it. It will be quoted erroneously for months. Ralph Hinton, Red Bluff Nuisance ordinance Editor Tehama County has taken the unnecessary step of alienat- ing all the patients who use cannabis that live here, with the passage of this nuisance ordi- nance. We know it isn't really about protecting children. If it were, then businesses that sell alcohol, tobacco, firearms and pharma- ceuticals would be added to the list. This is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to deprive thousands of Tehama county residents of our proper- ty rights and our medical rights. It's also no coincidence that Your Turn ordinance, it will prevent most patients who live here from growing their own cannabis. Any patients who do will be at constant risk of civil forfeiture actions and possible criminal prosecutions, based on the language it contains. And don't forget, the county isn't even willing to draw a map that delineates the very people who supposed- ly oppose cannabis production are now in the unique position of having the monopoly on growing it here — those who own hundreds of acres or more. Our Board of Supervisors can no more legislate on mat- ters the state has already ruled on than they can legislate how nature operates. Yet, this ordi- nance is a prime example of them attempting to do both. Why are the citizens of Tehama County now being forced to pay for both sides of this legal conflict, as the county decides to wage war on medical cannabis? Can we really afford to spend the money on all the litigation this ordinance will create? And why are medical cannabis patients the new found enemies of Tehama County? Because contrary to the statements made by the board members who voted for this where gardens can and cannot be located. So it's literally impossible to comply with it. Why rezone the entire county, just to tackle a non-existent problem? This is nothing short of an unfunded mandate and a gov- ernment taking of private prop- erty rights. It's also a violation of the due process clause in our constitutions and a direct viola- tion of the rights afforded to qualified individuals under the Compassionate Use Act and the Medical Marijuana Program Act. And for what? To satisfy the reefer madness crowd? This is not what a majority of Tehama county citizens want. It's being imposed on us from a small group of people with small minds. This ordi- nance will create conflicts for many people, for a long time to come. And it's going to cost a lot more than if our supervi- sors had left well enough alone. So much for democracy. Jason Browne, Red Bluff Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Jim Nielsen (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 4164 P.O. Box 942849, Sacramento 94249; (916) 319-2002; Fax (916) 319- 2102 STATE SENATOR — Sam Aanestad (R), State Capitol Bldg., Room 2054, Sacramen- to, CA 95814. (916) 651-4004; Fax (916) 445-7750 GOVERNOR — Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), 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), 2635 Forest Ave. Ste. 100, Chico, CA 95928; 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; (415) 403-0100. Fax (202) 224- 0454. Privatized bureaucracy is still bureaucracy Commentary The knee-jerk “government is bad” argument against health care reform, the jobs bill or banking regulations is always “it creates more bureaucracy.” This is mainly from Republi- cans who want to be called law- makers. Yes, there are people work- ing in the government – gladly cashing their government pay- checks – whose default is always that the government is incompetent. And admitting government can’t do anything right actually, sometimes, gets them elected. Which is like hiring a mechanic who prefers not do anything that requires wearing overalls, using power tools or knowing what a car looks like – but he knows a guy. Bureaucracy is always bad, you see. It’s slow, deliberate and full of well — bureaucrats. Peo- ple who thrive on rules and checks and balances. A bunch of hall monitors. Form filling bed-wetters. The alternative to bureaucra- cy? Privatization. Yes, the pri- vate sector is the cure-all for all the cumbersome, slow-witted, pencil pushers in the govern- ment. The sexy private sector is full of innovators we’re told — entrepreneurs. People who are moving and shaking and for- ward thinking. The private sec- tor is shaping our future. So the next time you have to call AT&T about a mistake on your bill, or your Internet going out or why your cell phone works perfectly on the Inca Trail but not in your living room, think of how much better the private sector works. Yes, after you’ve been trans- ferred to the fifth person who also isn’t accountable, knowl- edgeable or responsible for how poorly the mega-corporation is performing think of how horri- ble it would be to have more bureaucracy. And when they tell you the call is being recorded for quali- ty assurance because after an hour of being transferred to three continents you still need assurance, smile inside that this is a preferred alternative to your tax dollars being wasted. To anyone who’s ever been harassed for years by a billing department mix-up only to have the charge show up as unpaid on your credit report take heed, at least it’s not the anal-retentive IRS with all that red tape. When Capitol One just arbi- trarily decides your APR should be north of 33 percent, feel pride that at least there’s not a government bureaucrat between you and your banker. The next time Bank of Amer- ica charges you unlimited over- draft fees and you’re left with absolutely no recourse, look up at that shiny red, white and blue sign and feel the glow of patriotism because it’s not the dreaded government interfering in your life. From a consumer vantage point — pri- vatized bureaucracy seems an awful lot like regular bureaucracy. Waiting in line at the court house to clear up a parking tick- et is the same hour spent in line at your cable company to switch out your defec- tive DVR. All tedious, de- humanizing, time-sucking authoritative bodies are the same to their victims. The only difference is politics. No wonder people are afraid of the government taking over Medicare — psst it’s a govern- ment program. It’s one giant soulless entity being confused with another giant soulless enti- ty. The right would have us believe it’s the government that’s the problem and the left would have us believe it’s the unregulated corporations. A pri- vatized world is no utopia — not any more than a government run one is. A healthy pool of both is the best. The difference between the govern- ment and the private sector is you don’t have people pulling a paycheck in the pri- vate sector champi- oning for more money and power to go into the government. The only reason the Tina Dupuy government is prefer- able is because it doesn’t turn a profit. Its motives are not to make money and it is at least successful at that. Plus in the gov- ernment you and I are the share- holders. We have ownership of our government, ideally. We have a say. It’s for the people, by the people. If bureaucracy is an inevitable evil, a symptom of civilization, between the private sector and government, between the DMV or Etna, I’ll choose indifference over monetization. Tina Dupuy is an award- winning writer and the editor of FishbowlLA.com. She can be reached at tina@tinadupuy.com.