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6A Daily News – Thursday, November 29, 2012 Opinion Gratitude DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY 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 letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. 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 submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. 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Many lives are significantly impacted with the gift of blood very often given by complete strangers My thanks to all who have enriched the lives of so many. John Lemert, Red Bluff Patriot? Editor: I found it very interesting that Robert Minch's article about the election would appear just under another article about the election. The editor wrote about one "patriot" (Vern Raglin) and what he did to express his views about the election. Minch took a different approach and used his Friday column to write about how he is not a patriot (my view). Minch often writes about the good things that his family has done for this city/county and sometimes the country, but this time he failed to do the one thing that most of the world fights for everyday — to vote! Shame on you Mr. Minch. You stated that the "current President has not been effective in solving the country's woes ... and the challenger did not demonstrate political acumen (the ability to make good judgments and quick decisions typically in a particular domain) to turn things around." Decisions? What decisions? He voted 'Present' most of his career. Let me try and put it another way that most of the readers will understand. You are the pitching coach, what the hell you can be the head coach for the SF Giants and they are losing every inning, by allot, but you decide not to try another pitcher because you are not sure of their ability? Didn't you see or read what Romney accomplished with the Olympics, etc? The Giants under your coaching would have lost the World Series. Why have back-up pitchers (elections)? The other guy (Mr. Mitt Romney) has accomplished more then this President will ever accomplish. So you want this country to lose because you are not sure? How many times have you walked out of your office and wonder which way should I go this time to the store/bank/restaurant? I am sure you have tried many ways, so why wouldn't you have tried another way this time? Four more years of what we have went through is better then what? Please do me and probably the rest of your followers and don't ever write about what is right or tism and military service to wrong with this government. make your opinion more relePlease! vant than those of us with equal You have not earned my respect qualifications you disagree on this matter. with, did you ever stop to think, P.S. Thank you Vern Raglin while you, others like you or and all the other patriots that voted. members of your families were I may have not liked the serving our country, outcome, but at least I what were the Obama Your can look those patriots supporters doing? in the eye and feel good Those that control about this country. Sacramento and Ken Swanson, Washington D. C. and Red Bluff those that voted for Obama were most likely the same ones demonstrating in the streets throughout the Editor: nation, taking over college As one not given to gloating, I campuses, burning the flag feel it is appropriate to respond to and stomping it in the ground the local resident bloviator who — like Obama's buddy Bill challenges all of us not to feel Ayers — or heading for Canacocky over the recent presidential da to dodge the draft. election results. Then these very same peoI would simply offer an extract ple greeted our Vietnam vets from a recent column by Nobel home by spitting in their face. Prize Economist Paul Krugman, to Where do you think Vern wit: Raglin was; serving his coun"Today's Republicans cocoon try, putting out a fire in our themselves in an alternate reality neighbor's house or demondefined by Fox News, Rush Lim- strating? baugh and The Wall Street JourYou boast a hundred years nal's editorial page, and only on of family service, my family's rare occasions — like on election service goes back to the Amernight — encounter any hint that ican Revolution, does that what they believe might not be make my opinion more reletrue." vant than yours and others Hugh Merhoff, Red Bluff supporting the flag burners, draft dodgers and those who spit in face of our Vietnam vets that put Obama back in Editor: Mr. Edward Bealer, as one office? I am always grateful to all of your so called yellow back conservatives I believe this who served in the military, country is in distress and I even those I disagree with, however, the problem is your stand with Vern Raglin. While all you arrogant con- superficiality. Thank you for servatives with a bloated ego your service. Les Wolfe, Red Bluff that boast about your patrio- Turn An offering Distress 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: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Wally Herger (R), 2595 Ceanothus 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) 2240454. Commentary I'm right, you're wrong, right? Being right. It's a feeling some of us in this species can't live without. It's a high made even better when it's proceeded by someone uttering the words, "I was wrong." I know so, because I am one of those people who dreams of having every word uttered out of my mouth taken as gospel. Of course, I'm in recovery now. I have my marriage to thank. At some point, I realized that if I ever wanted to hear those precious words "you were right" again, I would have to stop demanding they come every time I wanted to hear them. Even if every time I was right. I'll never be properly cured. I can blame the ram-headed astrological sign I was born under or accept responsibility. I've chosen the latter as it tends to be keep my relationships with others in tact. Now I live argument to argument trying to control my urges to point out how correct I am. Yes, with this new lifestyle I am giving up the sweet feeling of being right all of the time, but it's also opened my eyes to how I previously appeared to others when I craved that saddened confession from others of being wrong. Those of us who suffer from self-righteousness are easy enough to spot. We're a breed who dies off at a young age as our health deteriorates rapidly from the stress of being right all the time. We're the ones who when you tell us we're right, we ask you to say it again, because it just feels so good hearing it. We're the loud ones at a party, spouting things we've claimed to read — although most of the time we just skimmed the material until it matched our preheld belief. We're the ones the rest of society eventually stops inviting to those parties, because it's just a better vibe when we're not there. Within the self-righteous community there are dozens of different ways it feels good to be right. There's being trivial right, which can earn us money on game shows and the role as go-to person when an Internet connection to Wikipedia isn't available. Which Beatles are left-handed? Ha, trick question! There's being memory right, which proves to be both a positive and negative when involved in a relationship with a forgetful spouse or friend. The tone used when pointing out exactly where you parked has to be pitch perfect in all situations. There's being morally right. initial beliefs on the Great Flag Flop of 2012, but after It's hard to add up how the first round of letters many deaths this has to the editor came a caused mankind over second set written with the years. the sole purpose of The strange part proving the first set about being right all of wrong. the time, is it often to Unfortunately leads to the right thing there's many of us out not even being done. there who have not Take the case of the reached recovery yet. Texans-Lions ThanksWe still believe somegiving game where selfone's opinion can be righteous rule followers proven wrong. Even gave every football fan a Rich worse we believe in the migraine. depths of our heart, that When a coach broke we are the one's who a rule to challenge a refcan do it. eree's miscall, it was That somehow we will stumble determined the original mistake upon the right combination of didn't matter anymore. The spirit of getting the call logic, fact and emotion that will right to begin with was crushed by change another person's belief those who demanded the right system. And when that combination is found we can spread the procedures be followed. So beautifully stupid. It's an cure around the world until every old self-righteous principle — single person believes exactly as we do. two wrongs prove I'm right. Except when that happens, Perhaps the worst part that comes from wanting to be right all who is going to be left to utter, the time is the belief that one can "you were right, I was wrong." be right about anything and everyRich Greene can be thing. That's been the case the past reached at 527-2151, Ext. or by email at few weeks here on the Opinion 109 richgreene@redbluffdailyne page. Everyone is entitled to their ws.com. Greene