Letters for May 6, 2010

More Tea Party talk

Re “Tea(d) off and talking about it” (Cover story, by Tom Gascoyne, April 29):

So, I think I will urge my Native American friends to form a protest group called The Tepee Party, go down to the Chico City Plaza and demand again (for more than 200 years now) that they want their country back.

Of course, they will want clever signs like “Obama: reservation chains you can believe in”; “Obama: not a real Native American”; or “Obama = Custer.” I wonder how much media coverage they won’t get. Not white or right-wing enough, I’m sure.

Beau Grosscup
Cohasset

This article reeks of bias against anyone who fails to fall into lockstep with the present administration. The author selects an expert who clearly is biased against anything conservative.

It demonizes the Tea Party. It demonizes the conservatives.

People tend to forget that our president, the speaker of the house, etc., keep blaming those who disagree, and accuse us of fostering violence and more, and yet they continue with their attacks against dissenters. They seem to have forgotten that they are the very ones who voiced their dissent during the 1960s.

They further attack corporate America. Yet they, for the most part, became wealthy from that very same corporate America.

After 21-plus years of defending America around the world, in war and peace, I continue to live up to the oath I took so long ago. An oath that many of our politicians ignore, just as they ignore the Constitution. After all those years of defending the rights of all, I feel like I am not entitled to my own opinions. That I am not a “true” American. Such are the reasons why I support the Tea Party movement, just as long ago I supported the “Silent Majority.”

Dave Willson
Redding

Just one question for the Tea Party people: Where were you when George Bush got us into the Afghanistan and Iraq wars? That’s where all the money went. There was a surplus when he took office, but it didn’t last long.

He also enacted tax laws helping the very wealthy at the expense of the middle class. He also started the financial-industry bailout just before he left office. OK, so where were you then?

Barbara Kaye-May
Richfield

I was on the scene very early for the Tea Party [demonstration] because my friends were the ones participating in the “Mad Hatter Tea Party.” I showed up fairly disengaged from any specific party. However, I witnessed the sign that has now been printed in the Enterprise-Record and the CN&R in its “amended” form, prior to its being remedied.

I couldn’t resist approaching the woman and asking if she was, in fact, a liberal infiltrator. She looked at me quizzically for a moment. I pointed out her spelling error. And she nonchalantly turned her sign around and asked me to edit it.

I then realized the extent of my folly. Had I let it be, every newspaper in town would have displayed her comical inaccuracy. As fate would have it, I alone seem to have the original version of her sign. So here it is for your review and interest [photo at left]. I’m sure you’ll understand why it was too amusing for me to keep my mouth shut.

Jen Gednalske
Chico

Where racism flourishes

Re “Have you experienced racism in Chico?” (Streetalk, April 29):

If you mean everyday racist chit-chat, it is us white or tan- or peach- or almond-colored Americans who experience it a lot. Because, of course, even racists need to be able to express their views and ideas to someone they can feel is trustworthy.

Harold Pringer
Chico

Some kind of greed

Re “Arizona’s bad bill” (Editorial, April 29):

Obama and his Democrats really don’t want to solve the problem [of illegal immigration]; they just want to keep the illegals in this country and keep them voting for Democrats. The business community also does not want to solve the problem; they want the cheap labor. So, what do we do?

Does anyone remember the Bracero Program? During WWII, most of our young men and some women were in the military, and our businesses needed workers. So they allowed Mexican workers to come to the United States and work in the various jobs where there was a shortage. The Mexicans were paid a salary and about a fourth of it was withheld. When their work time was finished, they went home, and the money that was withheld was given to them so they could go home and feed their families.

It seems to me that if we were to bring that program back everyone would be happy except for the politicos who want them to stay and vote the Democratic ticket. That’s a different kind of greed. But it’s greed nonetheless.

Richard A. Douglas
Paradise

Power of the arts

Re “Music man” (From This Corner, by Robert Speer, April 29):

Tim McDonald was an inspiration to many young people of Chico over the years, and to many people still involved in the arts today in our community.

My grandson Thomas played the young Tommy in Tommy and the Who, the last Chico City Light Opera production before it closed. The inspiration he received through his years of performing with CCLO made him into a young man today with many talents, and I feel Tim and CCLO were responsible in a big part for showing youth the direction the arts can give them.

Peggy Crane
Chico

Confusing the issues

Re “Immigration and overpopulation” (Letters, by Joe Abbott, April 29):

Overpopulation and environmental degradation are global problems, not to be confused with social-justice issues linked to migration across borders. Joe Abbott confuses the issues.

The United States has 5 percent of the world’s population, yet uses 25 percent of its resources. More than half of the people on the planet are responsible for just 7 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Blaming immigrants for overpopulation or pollution is a dangerous and false juxtaposition. The U.S. can clean up its own heavy carbon use—without criminalizing immigrants.

Mexican farmers are driven from their homes by American corporations that dump cheap subsidized corn and produce on the Mexican market. Think of the housing crisis on steroids. Corporate sweatshops go south for wage slaves, like GM in Mexico City. Who takes our jobs south? Corporations! Who hires illegals here? Corporations! Criminalizing and shackling immigrants forced to cross borders for survival is not about overpopulation. It’s about criminalizing immigrants. It’s reactionary, immoral, and misdirected.

Ed Schilling
Magalia

A Mother’s Day wish

In 1868, Ann Jarvis created a committee to establish “Mother’s Friendship Day” to reunite families that had been divided during the Civil War. She wanted to expand this into an annual memorial for all mothers, but she died on May 9, 1905.

Her daughter, Anna Marie Jarvis, with the assistance of a Philadelphia merchant named John Wanamaker, did indeed establish Mother’s Day as a national holiday, to be celebrated on the second Sunday in May. Her daughter felt it was important that all her mother’s efforts and sacrifice be acknowledged. She loved her mother and didn’t want the holiday to be thought of as what is has become today, another bit of Hallmark commercialism.

This past week, I’ve spent time with both Dorothy and Rita Perry. We shared moments of laughter and tears. I was touched the most, I think, riding the B-line bus with Dorothy, when she reached out to comfort another female passenger clearly in distress. Later that same day I also was privileged to watch her take time as she chose a beautiful gift for her baby boy. I just want to say to both of these ladies, Happy Mother’s Day and I love you with all my heart.

Anita Ellen Allbee
Chico