Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/9686
6A – Daily News – Tuesday, April 27, 2010 Opinion 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 Selective action and inaction Editor: Well, it must be election time again. In the April 20 edition, we 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 have a supposed representative of the District Attorney’s Office who, as I understand law, has every right to investigate crimes. In Dave Baker’s letter he states he personally brought to the attention of the top dogs in the sheriff’s office possible fraud or malfeasance in office by officials. He further states he left the sheriff’s department and hired on as an investigator for the DA’s office in 2007, but not until election time comes around does he bother to get the newspaper and voters into — I guess filing a complaint with I know not who — as he works where charges are filed. He might try Sacramento or Washington, DC department of justice officials, as this is nor- mally where charges are filed when local juries do not convict. I have known Gregg Cohen, DA of Tehama County, for years, having served as foreman of the Tehama County Grand Jury 2000-2001, and feel if shenanigans were presented to him, he would have looked into any violations. Mr. Baker, as an investigator, could have and should have done this at the time on his own. Picking and choosing when and where to disclose this informa- tion smells to me like someone who got burned a few years ago and now wants to open the barn door. As an official of Tehama County, it’s your sworn duty. W.R. Hendrix, Red Bluff On capital punishment Editor: Regarding Voices of Faith: Capital punishment published Saturday, April 17. This heading of this article is intriguing. Too bad the writer doesn’t really follow through with a clear delineation of which faith their view on capital punishment represents. I assume they are coming from a semi-Christian perspective since their references were from Catholic and whatever Unity Temple might be. The Reverend Pat Rush was quoted at the beginning of this article indicating the Catholic Church has long acknowledged certain rights of the state. The Rev. Rush then brought the paragraph to a close noting that leaders now have a different answer. The author went on to declare how American bishops are opposed to the death penalty in large measure due to empiri- cal studies which they claim indicate that capital punishment is not an effective protection for society. Right up front we can make a statement with certainty that a person convicted of a crime deserving the death penalty, if put to death, will no longer be able to harm anyone. Further, it matters not if studies conclude that it is better to continue incar- cerating murderers in regards to deterring others from killing. That is beside the point. The point is, God’s Word has a dif- ferent conclusion. There are so many errors in this article I can only name a few, beginning with the statement that each person has inestimable dignity. Nowhere in the Bible is this taught. What is taught is that each person is of inestimable worth or value (Luke12:6-8). Reference was made to a 2001 Vatican document, reason- ing that God alone knows how much time it takes malefactors to reform their hearts. The prob- lem is that men are unable to reform their own hearts (Gen 6:5, Matt 15:19). Only God can change the heart of a man (John 7:38, Hebrews 13:9), who is willing to submit to Him. Finally, the writer concludes that it doesn’t make sense to have a law that prohibits killing, then exact punishment by killing those who kill. If the writer submits to the authority of God’s Word, this statement is foolishness. God provides for punishment of evil doers (Romans 13:3-5, 1 Peter 2:13- 15) — even capital punishment, and none is more righteous than He. Finally, if all people submit- ted to God and His Word, there would be no need of punish- ment, for men would love one another as He commanded (John 13:34). William Del Casale, Red Bluff Your Turn Proper flag etiquette was lacking Editor: On Saturday, April 17, I watched the annual Red Bluff Rodeo Parade, as I have for years with family and friends. The parade was awesome and it was great to see the bands. But I must say whoev- er planned this event, needs to educate the flag carriers on the proper etiquette for flying the American flag in parade events. Myself and others in our group, including active duty, and retired veterans and their families, were appalled and disgusted by the Mexican flag being carried in the position of pride, in between two American flags, and held noticeably higher than the American flag. If, in the future, you have this question in coordinating these type of events, go online to, www.vfw.org for guidance. Also, please don't ask me or any member in our group, what we thought of the open- ing ceremony at the rodeo on Sunday. Stella Collier, Tipton 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. Sloppy pool of tizzy in the Gobi Desert Commentary Hard to feel much sympathy for the Republicans and the sloppy pool of tizzy they high- dived into. Perplexed as how to combat financial regulatory legislation, they are bouncing back and forth between a filibuster and a compromise like a ping-pong ball in a stainless steel shower stall. Their banker buddies have pushed hard to oppose any and all restrictions, placing the GOP in the unenviable position of having to defend Wall Street during an election year. Might want to practice by going to Sea World and rooting for the sharks to eat the dolphins in front of your kids. At first, the party-line strate- gy was to affirm a unified oppo- sition to the bill because it helped Wall Street. By regulat- ing it. Yeah. Okay. Well, nobody said it was going to be an easy sell. All 41 GOP senators signed a letter proclaiming steadfast opposition to any overhaul and if they had to shut down the process, they were prepared to do so. It was going to be Health Care II, pertaining to something that distressed their constituents even more than their health. This was about money. The banking industry then engaged in a full frontal assault: “It’ll hurt the economy.” You know what, if self-delusion were sand, these guys would be the Gobi Desert. What planet have they been living on for the last two years? Boys, do yourselves a favor; put down the Financial Times, pick up a local newspaper, and read about communities forced to cut such non-essential ser- vices as fire and police while you’re racking up bonuses larg- er than those communities’ shortfalls. Science has yet to develop instruments capable of measuring this kind of arro- gance. We need a new scale. Mitch McConnell and his ilk continued to give it the old col- lege try; the Senator from Ken- tucky was locked in a “bailout” loop, muttering, shouting, whis- pering it into Mrs. Senate Minority Leader McConnell’s ear. One unofficial estimate has him repeating the word “bailout” 3,847 times on April 19. A blatant attempt to tie into the GOP’s revisionist history of Wall Street’s bailout being just another example of Obama’s socialist agenda: conveniently forgetting that a Republican administration proposed the bailout and Mr. McConnell and all his friends voted for it. Great, something new to worry about — a collective moment. senior The game-changer award goes to the SEC, jumping into the ring like a wrestling cohort in street clothes, charg- ing Goldman Sachs with bilking investors out of a billion dollars via a CDO designed to fail. This scattered the arm-locked ranks like a keg of tequila with a leaky spigot rolled into an AA meeting. We, the vast Will Durst Raging Moderate unwashed public, wondered if they’re willing to screw their own customers, what untold horrors were held in store for us? The commission’s commis- sioners claim the timing was purely co-incidental. Unh-hunh. And chlorine-soaked wood splinters make for excellent eye swabs. The original idea for the New Obstructionists was to keep repeating the mantra that “guvmint is bad” and hope the voters never notice they have become their own best argu- ment. Yeah, sure, Washington is bro- ken. You bang on a monument with sledgehammers long enough, eventually everyone becomes blind from marble dust. But now the GOP has to stumble back into those ruins and somehow look supportive doing it. Hope they brought their swim goggles. Will Durst is a political comedian who has performed around the world. He is a familiar pundit on television and radio. E-mail Will at durst@caglecartoons.com. Check out willandwillie.com for the latest podcast. Will Durst’s book, “The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing,” is available from Amazon and better bookstores all over this great land of ours.