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4A Daily News – Friday, November 23, 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. 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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 Editor: I am Vern Raglin's wife, Kathie Raglin. I wanted to thank you for the article you wrote about Vern and the flag. I appreciated that more than you know. It helped me. Your kind words about his care- taker duties and his loyalty were appreciated by both of us. I, too, was angry at Vern for doing what he did. Not so much that he did it, but because I knew the ripple effect it would cause in town and stress is something I try to avoid. No ill intention that part. Sometimes my husband forgets Some who have written in, do so without the facts. Perhaps Vern did this in the wrong manner, I don't know, but I do know that his heart was in the right place. shared. I watch Vern in airports go up to our young military men and women in uniform. He shakes their hands and thanks them for serving our country. Both of our fathers, both of our brothers, Vern himself, and our youngest son all served in the mil- itary. He is proud to be a veteran and an American. We spent Sunday morning at Igo Ono Cemetery for the Veterans Day Remembrance Ceremony. It brought tears to both of us to hear the stories that were He has cared for and stayed by me since an accident that left me with a traumatic brain injury and as a result, permanent problems for the rest of my life. Not many men would stay. He does the shop- ping and cooking now. He has been caretaker of the flag for 10 years or better, not two years, such as was said in an arti- cle today written by someone. And, I'm not sure these people know what it is Vern does to be caretaker of the flag. He tends to it early hours or late hours as need- ed. Changes to storm flags as needed, lowers or raises as needed according to Flag Etiquette, mends the flags as needed and when he can't mend himself, he takes to the Flag Center in Redding for repair. He orders and receives new flags as needed. I know that he made that state- ment with the flag more for him- self (and it did help), and I know that it was not his inten- tion to upset or anger the community. He does not know I am writing to you, but I will tell him. say is he is a good man, no ill intention was meant. I guess all I want to Kathie Raglin, Red Bluff Editor: I have known Vern Raglin for about 40 years. He is a fine up- standing member of this commu- nity. Commitment He uses his own time and gaso- line. He has been asked in the past to speak at clubs for donations, which he has done. He enjoys doing this and has always been proud to maintain the flag. He made a commitment to see that the flag was displayed every day, weather permitting. I wonder how many people that are critical of the way the flag was displayed on Nov. 7 would be willing to make the commitment that Vern has made, or even be willing to volunteer to help him. house every day, weather permit- ting, I wonder how many people that are critical of Mr. Raglin dis- play the flag at home, or even own I display the flag in front of my a flag. Your Turn John Geiger, Red Bluff sored by the Tehama County Farm Bureau. winner Editor: Farm City Night was a wonderful event spon- Deserving honor. Waynette deBraga, Corning 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. A plethora of feedback Commentary The editor of the DN received a plethora of feedback regarding his non-editorial the other day in which he chose to defend V. Raglin and his impetuous decision to fly the flag upside down...this being Vern's response to 4 more years of you know who. Some readers found it insulting to the flag. Others, including myself, found it hilarious. This is not to say that we are in favor of flag burning as an act of defiance, but the whole business of flags and flag poles has taken on a life of its own. In fact, the late great S. Lindauer was always running up ideas on the flag pole to see if they would fly. In Vern's case, it did not fly long and he showed the appropriate amount of contriteness when he righted old glory. The indignation of others suggested they might protest too much...and, as the saying goes, patri- otism is the last refuge of scoundrels. What we, as citizens of this greatest country on Earth need to do, in my opinion, is to temper our ardor and our rhetoric. We won our inde- pendence from England a long time ago, we survived the suicide bent of the south during the Civil war... and we have gone to war in defense of flag and country when it was required. Even then, we have had some wars that might be con- sidered better than others...or at least more wor- thy. Ghostrider David writes: "Somehow it's OK for Detroit to kill the Olds, Pontiac, PT Cruiser and others with hard- ly a whimper, but stop the flow of Twinkies and the whole country goes ballistic. Where are our priorities??? *** *** cats. They generally reserve their meows for human ears. I am not a cat person, per se, but will accept this as fact. *** Sources say that cats seldom meow to other still worth a look as to how it came to be. Columnist D. Polson reports that the Pilgrims nearly starved to death during the bitter winter of 1620-21 but eventually survived with the help of friendly Indians who taught them how to plant corn. Governor Wiliam Bradford pro- claimed a feast to be shared by said Indians in the following summer. The feast lasted three days and was attended by 53 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans. What I did not know, but Although Thanksgiving Day has passed, it is learned from the Polson column, was that the Pilgrims "abandoned collec- tivism" after the ordeals of that ferocious winter...and elected to test the waters of capitalism. Despite the pro- nouncements of Karl Marx and other fellow travelers, capitalism has survived, and we all have profited from the concept ever since. Some may have profited more than others, but that's the way the cookie crumbles. However, Thanksgiving Day remains a great day. It serves as a gath- ering place for relatives and friends, and is mercifully free from the commercial aspects of Xmas. *** upside down flag flying episode. Thankfully we live in an enlightened society today that writes about the flag rather than burns it... or declines to pummel the editor for espousing V. Raglin's right to demonstrate election results in his own, if misguid- ed, fashion. *** Robert Minch I Say When disasters strike, the Red Cross is alter- nately praised or condemned for either failure to act promptly...or failing to account for monies in and monies out. The destructive forces of Hurricane Sandy are a case in point. Somehow residents on the receiving end of the storm apparently expected more help and more relief from the R.C. Regardless of tardy per- formance versus high expectations, the story line in the DN 90 Years Ago section was rather shocking. The dateline was Butte, Montana, 20 November 1922, and read "James F. Melvin, 63, editor of the Salmon, Idaho Recorder, died suddenly in his office following a scuffle with a committee of ex-service men who visited him after he refused to join the Red Cross." What the hell? A guy gets roughed up and dies because he decides not to join this organiza- tion? That's no way to foster membership. We cannot know the full story at this late date, but we can speculate that the Salmon, Idaho paper was not giving much space to the organiza- tion's fund drive, and the editor made no bones about withholding his support from the drive. However, we speculate, when he refused to print letters to the editor on the subject, things turned ugly and a band of disgruntled ex-ser- vicemen took drastic action resulting in the edi- tor's demise. No such calamity is expected locally as our current editor dutifully reprinted negative mail directed at him for his support of the Raglin Liberace was born Wladziu Valentino Liberace. This week's quiz: What exactly is myrrh, frankincense...and ambrosia? If you eat the lat- ter, what does it reputedly give you? "The runs" is an incorrect answer. *** Last week's quiz was answered first by N. Rick fol- lowed by S. Rodriguez, L. Brown and others who knew that the car used in the ''Route 66" series was a Chevy Corvette...Samuel Prescott and William Dawes, accom- panied Paul Revere on his famous ride....and the pianist ken and ordered him to fix it. "Do I look like the Hoover repairman?," he asked indignantly and continued to read his paper. The next day she told him the washing machine had broken and ordered him to fix it. "Do I look like the Whirlpool repairman?," he snapped and continued with his newspaper. The day following she informed him the computer was not working and ordered him to fix it. "Do I look like Bill Gates?," and returned to his reading. A few weeks later he said, "I notice that you A wife told her husband the cleaner was bro- clean, very well stocked with a wonderful produce department, and has a super friendly, efficient staff. Tehama County is very fortu- nate to have such a fine, locally owned business. It is so nice to have it named as the "Business of the Year" by the Farm Bureau. This family really deserves the awards were very deserving, and those of us living in the Los Moli- nos and Tehama areas really appreciate the great work done by the Patchen family. Shelly, Bill, and Beau are doing a great job as owners of the Nu- Way Market in Los Molinos. This full service market is super I'm sure all the recipients of got everything working again. How did you do it?" "Well," said the wife, "you know Pete next door? He agreed to do the repairs if I slept with him or sang him a song." "What song did you sing?" "The wife replied, "Do I look like Tina Turn- er?" Robert Minch is a lifelong resident of Red Bluff, former columnist for the Corning Daily Observer and Meat Industry magazine and author of the "The Knocking Pen." He can be reached at rminchandmurray@hotmail.com.