Letters for January 10, 2019

To watch, indeed

Re “Whom to watch” (Cover story, by CN&R staff, Jan. 3 2019):

I agree, the executive director of the Jesus Center is someone to “watch” in 2019.

With the firing of former Jesus Center Executive Director Bill Such in 2015 (see CN&R’s Oct. 25, 2018, guest comment), a red flag should have gone up. Now, three years into the tenure of the new executive director, hired by the business-friendly board that fired Such, we see the following: The director recently sat on the board of a downtown business booster association, while the Jesus Center morphed into an increasingly punitive place, avoided when possible by people on the streets.

Perhaps worse, under the banner of “consolidation”—hand-in-glove with a conservative city government—the Jesus Center has gone full tilt toward removal of our only downtown source of food and clothing. (To be replaced by what? At this point we have nothing more than a committee process, heavily influenced by the man who brought us containment expert Robert Marbut.)

The Jesus Center dazzles with marketing, but we ought to see through the smoke screen. The center now executes poorly on its traditional, core mission and serves the interests of the haves, as much as the have-nots. We should indeed be “watching” this very carefully.

Patrick Newman

Chico

‘Other rotten forces’

Re “U.S. in peril” (Letters, by Roger Beadle, Jan. 3):

I appreciate Roger Beadle’s awareness, keen mind and expression. His dislike of President Trump, however, is blinding him to other rotten forces and assaults to humankind embedded in Washington, D.C., long before Trump arrived.

I urge Roger and all CN&R readers to reach out to sites like Consortium News, Truthdig and Information Clearing House, where independent foreign policy experts have their work published. It’s a far cry from what the standard mainstream media NYT and Washington Post major investors allow the U.S. public to read.

Let me just say “hallelujah!” to Trump’s bringing our troops home from Syria. It’s the only way we can start healing the area and rectifying some blunders the U.S. has made since our invasion of Iraq. (Already, negotiations are going on among the Kurds, Syria and Turkey.) Learn more at: tinyurl.com/ussyriawithdrawal.

Linda Furr

Chico

Roger Beadle’s letter questions Trump’s courage, decency and strong moral sense.

Certainly Trump is demonstrating some courage in trying to “bring the troops home” despite the barrage of criticism from most Democrats, and the foreign policy establishment, its media and the military industrial complex, all intent on preventing Trump from ending U.S. military actions in Syria and Afghanistan.

Despite U.S. wars/regime changes having added $6 trillion to the debt, and having accomplished nothing other than wrecking whole countries, being responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands, creating more terrorists and millions of refugees now destabilizing Europe, and making the U.S. less safe and the world more unstable, most Democrats want the military actions to continue.

They bemoan the resignation of Gen. James Mattis, whose attitude toward fighting Afghans was, “It’s quite fun to shoot them, you know. It’s a hell of a hoot. It’s fun to shoot some people.”

Now that the Democrats have become the war party, I question their “strong moral sense.”

California has two congressmen, Ted Lieu and Ro Khanna, who along with Sen. Bernie Sanders support a more moral foreign policy.

Lucy Cooke

Butte Valley

A New Year’s poem

Talk less, listen more,

Not worry so much about evening the score.

Wish for a little, hope for a lot,

Grow in appreciation for the things I’ve got.

Work harder on improving my craft,

Read a book or two so I don’t feel daft.

Get back on the road toward better health.

Continue living simply while gaining modest wealth.

Help others in creative, effective ways,

Make better use of the hours in my days.

Take a walk when I think I need to run,

Focus on the perspective of the Three in One.

Own the peace I gain on the mat,

Purpose is important, need to stay in tune with that.

Welcome failures with maturity and wit,

Forgive myself, and others, for ignorant shit.

These goals made for my 2019,

I find them all to be remarkably keen.

Every single one an attainable win,

Bring on that ball drop and let the new year begin.

Morgan Dietz

Chico

Camp Fire talk

We escaped the Camp Fire amidst flames and smoke accompanied by hundreds of others who were dealt the same plight. What is really appalling to me, however, is this aftermath. I found door hinges in perfect shape, but am being told that guns and silver melt beyond recognition.

Anybody?

Amy and Frank Windt

Nevada City

Seventy-two years ago in 1947, I was Camp Fire Girl. I still remember the Law of Camp Fire, which has helped me a great deal in my long life. I thought it might be useful to share with the survivors of the recent Camp Fire, as well as the rest of us facing the challenges of the new year.

Seek beauty

Give service

And knowledge pursue

Be trustworthy ever

In all that you do

Hold fast onto health

And your work glorify

And you shall be happy

In the Law of Camp Fire.

Renee Renaud

Chico

Help the felines

Recently, I spoke at city council meetings for Shasta Lake, Redding and Anderson, and also before the Shasta County Board of Supervisors, hoping to increase awareness of the growing community cat colony problem. I discussed the magnitude of the problem, the lack of services dealing with it and offered an amendment to their animal control ordinances.

Shockingly, not a single jurisdiction showed interest. Instead, I was [besmirched] by an Anderson City Council woman following my departure (ustream.tv/recorded/117701299). Her only advice to a concerned citizen was, “If you don’t feed them, they will leave.”

Not particularly helpful.

Municipalities throughout the nation have adopted community cat ordinances including Baltimore; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Montgomery County, Texas; the District of Columbia; and Salt Lake County, Utah.

These starving, neglected and abused pets in our community send a loud and very visible message to visitors, businesses and residents alike. It says we don’t take care of our pets nor our communities and our elected leaders do not serve their citizens well.

Please contact your representative today and ask them to tackle this growing problem. City of Shasta Lake, 275-7400, greg@gregwatkins.info; city of Anderson, 378-6626, ncomnick@yahoo.com, city of Redding, 225-4447, jwinter@cityofredding.org; Shasta County, 225-5557, shastacountybos@co.shasta.ca.us.

Peter Stiglich

Chico

Correction

In his review of Mary Queen of Scots (see “Royal Flush,” Jan. 3), Juan-Carlos Selznick incorrectly identified actor Brendan Coyle’s role on Downton Abbey. On that show, he played the valet to the Earl of Grantham. The error has been corrected online. —ed.