Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/93719
6A Daily News – Thursday, November 15, 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. 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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 outraged Editor: I was shocked and outraged when I read the Daily News article of Nov. 8 titled, "Tehama County Election protest." I am a veteran of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Navy Reserves (active) and the U.S. Army, California National Guard (active) and was awarded three Honorable Discharges for my service. The very idea that a man, Shocked and Vern Raglin, could declare his personal displeasure, publicly, with President Obama's re-elec- tion, by having a political tantrum that he expressed by abusing the flag of the United States of America, in a disre- spectful way, was revolting to me. he is exempt from these regula- tions. There is also a "Not For- gotten Flag" that usually accompanies the national flag on this military memorial, but I did not see it in the photo on the front page of the Daily News. Evidently Mr. Raglin didn't think it important enough to at least include this flag, right side up, in his "protest" against the President's re-election, but he seems not to have considered doing this, adding more disre- spect by his childish actions of that day. Many members of the Armed Forces of the United States of America have given their very lives to protect and defend the United States, which is represented by our national flag. And Mr. Raglin felt he was in a position to dishonor this flag, in a way described by the Daily News as "a little odd," simply for his own petty per- sonal and political satisfaction. It is another sad example of a person putting their political views before their duties as a citizen of these great United States. The rules for displaying the flag of the United States say, in part, "The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire dis- tress in instances of extreme danger to life or property." But, evidently, Mr. Raglin feels that I feel that Mr. Raglin has demonstrated that he is not fit to be the person who is entrust- ed with the proper care and handling of the flag of the Unit- ed States of America, or the "Not Forgotten" flag that accompanies it. Anyone who would be so disrespectful towards our national symbol or the commemoration of those military members who are still missing-in-action, deserves to be relieved of the duties, for which he is now shown to be unsuitable, permanently. This was not a "minor" protest, it was a blatant symbol of the irrational and petty, per- sonal political views of a man who was entrusted to be the cit- izen who raises the flag of the United States of America and the "Not Forgotten" flag on behalf of all of us who love and respect our country and what it stands for, and especially for those who, hopefully and patiently, wait to hear news that their loved one has been found and will be returned to his or her family to be laid to rest, in honor, here at home. Larry Gray, Red Bluff Editor: Well Chip, you have finally betrayed yourself. Your con- doning (Vern Raglin's) actions as proper simply dis- plays a corruption of reality. Reality is that the all the people of our nation have pos- session of the flag. Lesser than that have only custody of it. No person may make deci- sions on the care and display of the flag unless it is the decision of the nation. Any diversion from national consensus is a befoulment. In fact, it is the essential befoulment. This whole country is based on the aspiration that the flag belongs to all the people. I derive from the South. And Flag protest even they, during the most vio- lent disagreement, honored the US flag by raising their own which they wanted to live under. There was no thought of befoul- ment of that which existed. Just to be free of it. I don't really mind it too much myself. They can fly it that way all they want for all I care. Because, that is all they are going to get. opportunities to ignore. Too many freedoms to be celebrated. Now, it's one thing for him to Your Turn make that stupid mistake. But it does make a twinkle in my heart when I think of how I might have thought of some- thing like that. We all are wags in our hearts at times and I must get a chuckle at the evil there and how I, also, would laugh at the other's outrage. But now you have condoned Soon, the rest of the state will not tolerate the backwards thinking allowed in the North State Inland. That elitist thread, that evil vein which contami- nates some of the shrewd and valuable base, and keeps the base and development from agreement will be swept away in a great wave of enough. Unless we settle it ourselves. There are too many chal- lenges coming. Too many it. You always held the line on liberal-conservative. But this time, you betrayed yourself to us. You spoke like a contempo- rary, neo-classical economic, religious conservative who dis- play a lack of real understand- ing of this countries aspirations. He failed in his exercise of custody of the flag. That is one thing. But for you to define it as proper as head of this public forum? That is another. That mistake is more serious and must be known as that For penitence, say and pub- lish 10 Dupey columns (or sub- stitute one half Noam Chomsky column), put a dollar on the plate, go home and don't do it again. Tehama does it better. James Bryant, Red Bluff Editor: It's ironic that President Clinton, as Chief of the Armed Forces, turned the Oval Office into a brothel, lied about it, got away with it, and forces in Washington are considering prosecuting Gen. Petraeus for telling the truth about his affair. Kay Haley, Red Bluff Gen. Petraeus 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. Some perspective on flag uproar Commentary ¨It would seem from reading this page in the last week that American exceptionalism, liberty and freedom all came to an end in the center of Red Bluff last Wednesday by the hands of a sin- gle individual. If that's true it would be quite a feat as for the past 236 years even the most powerful and evil men on the planet haven't been able to accomplish that. If only they knew all they had to do was flip over a flag. Tornadoes, earthquakes, hurri- canes have ravaged sections of the country, but yet America comes out of each disaster with her revolve strengthened. events, some true patriot took the time to properly take down every flag in harm's danger, fold it prop- erly and secure it from destruction. Afterall the U.S. Flag Code clearly states Old Glory should never be displayed in inclement weather, the same way it states it should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress. Perhaps during each of those know is the U.S. Flag Code is filled with rules and regulations that are disregarded everyday. For instance flags are not to be used to advertise. Quick someone picket the auto dealerships. The code defines a flag as any picture or representation an aver- age person would believe to be a representation. What most people don't tend to Since the code also states flags can not be depicted on anything that can easily be destroyed, the next time your little girl draws a flag in a picture she should be severely grounded for crushing the American dream with a hand full of crayons. As we all know by now it was a violation of the latter that punched a hole into the American fabric right here in Red Bluff. This is after all nitpicking, which is precisely what the U.S. Flag Code is to begin with. There were no federal flag regulations until 1923, meaning our values stayed intact despite the occa- sional person icing a sheet cake to resemble a flag for the Fourth of July. Clearly another violation. How useless is the Flag Code? It holds no regulatory power over private citizens. States can pass their own flag rules, but more often than not they are struck down by that pesky Supreme Court. It seems First Amendment rights often rule supreme over the 50 stars and 13 stripes. As it turns out it's not our flag we hold so dear, it's what it represents. No physical flag, whether it's the Not For- gotten Flag, the one above the White House or the one on the moon, is responsible for what makes America great. There will never be any nylon or polyester that could truly represent the blood, sweat and tears that went into making the flag one of the world's most recognized symbols. the argument that "the mere destruction or disfigurement of a symbol's physical manifestation does not diminish or otherwise affect the symbol itself." Mr. Raglin could have certain- ly manipulated the flag on his own property. His neighbors would have taken notice, but that wasn't his intent. He was out to make a public protest, a right not granted to him by the flag, but by the people, like The Supreme Court once held Rich himself, who hold its symbol in such high regard. He was not making a statement on behalf of Tehama County, the 62 percent of the electorate who voted for Romney the night before already cast the opinion that around here the belief is the country is head- ed in the wrong direc- tion. Greene just as disrespectful. Did Mr. Raglin dis- respect the flag? Of course he did, but all those who chastised him for doing so were annoyed but remember a symbol is only a symbol. Never let a grinch believe he can mess with your beliefs. To paraphrase that character, "Maybe America doesn't come from a flag, maybe America, per- haps, means a little bit more." Our ideals are only hurt when we cheaply reflect them. Disagree with him, be slightly Rich Greene can be reached at 527-2151, Ext. 109 or by email at rgreene@redbluffdailynews.com.