Letters for October 13, 2016

Note to the editor

Again your newspaper is good for two things, Fish wrap and starting fires. Your political hatred of everything Republican, makes you incapable of reputable journalism. Hillary Clinton is nothing more than a socialist bottom feeder, who has nothing more than insults to keep her campaign running. I would think you would have some articles of her corrupt activity, and obismal record as Secretary of State in your paper. Instead you have stupid comic strips of Trump as if he is some kind of monster moron. Melissa the only moron im afraid is you, and people who view your paper as a viable news source. Again please spare us your incesent quest to demonize conservative values, and maybe we can start to make America great again!

Brad Pankratz

Orland

LaMalfa letters

I urge everyone to ask Doug LaMalfa three questions:

1. How are you going to explain your continued support of the Republican presidential nominee and his admitted sexual assault on women to your children, especially your three daughters? No, this is not “locker room talk.” It is talking about sexual assault and Trump “moving on” a married woman within weeks of his own third marriage ceremony.

2. When your children and grandchildren are having to deal with the results of man-made climate change, how will you explain your continued denial of the science that explains it and your pledge with the right-wing Americans for Prosperity to vote against any global-warming-related bill?

3. What is your explanation of the Third World policy of jailing your political opponents, which was espoused by the Republican presidential nominee in Sunday’s debate?

Being on the wrong side of all LGBT issues, abortion, voting over 60 times to repeal the Affordable Care Act and his support of the boondoogle at Sites and opposition to the bullet train project passed by a majority of Californians prove that Mr. LaMalfa is as unqualified as his party’s presidential nominee. Flip the house: Vote for Jim Reed!

Rich Meyers

Oroville

My shock and anger have not ebbed over incumbent Congressman Doug LaMalfa’s hit-piece mailers attacking rival primary candidate Joe Montes.

The pieces depicted Montes as a participant in fraud and criminal activity, a “Washington lawyer” out to “steal” the election. Outlandish figures depicted him as dishonest and deceitful, citing as “proof” litigation that had nothing to do with Joe.

LaMalfa’s mailers shocked thousands of voters and altered the election. Montes had neither the time nor money to expose these fliers as lies. Anyone who spends time with Montes recognizes him as an exceptionally disciplined citizen, well-grounded in issues facing our district. Although difficult to accept, legal counsel reminds us that in election theaters, guys like LaMalfa can write almost anything outrageous about their opponents.

By resorting to despicable tactics, LaMalfa revealed his true character as a deceptive, indecent politician. Upon reviewing his pathetic garbage, veteran political analyst Ed Rollins rated it among the most contemptible he’d seen in years. We should expect better. The town of Richvale and the LaMalfa family should hang their heads in shame over the slimy tactics of their homeboy.

To honest observers, it’s quite apparent LaMalfa is the fraud. Should we send him back to Congress? Or maybe vote our conscience for a change.

Wayne Cook

Chico

I attended the recent League of Women Voters forum where Democrat Jim Reed squared off with Doug LaMalfa, battling for votes for the U.S. House of Representatives. Reed has a clear understanding of crucial issues—in line with Bernie Sanders’ positions on social issues, women’s issues, food stamps, fracking and climate change.

LaMalfa spouts the same Republican lies about Planned Parenthood, fracking and climate change. LaMalfa denies that he voted for increased subsidies for millionaire rice farmers (including his family) while voting to reduce funding for food stamps for the most needy—but the record shows he did.

If Reed can rally the support of newly energized Sanders/Stein supporters along with Hillary Democrats, he has a chance to break the Republican grip on District 1 and move the U.S. House toward a modicum of sanity. Middle-of-the-road Democrats to liberals to wild progressives can come together on Jim Reed.

And a plug for Chico City Council, in my view: Chico’s best chance for an effective council is to vote for Tami Ritter, Karl Ory, Randall Stone and Ann Schwab. No matter how you plan to vote for president, Chico can get better with this experienced team!

Don’t sit out this election. Please vote!

Emily Alma

Chico

Two on Trump

As toddlers we’re taught adherence to the chess principle that players cannot maneuver their own king into “check.” An exception to this rule is the embarrassing game of conservative presidential campaigning. As forewarned months ago: checkmate!

Kenneth B. Keith

Los Molinos

Trump steaks, vodka, gambling, mindless entertainment (glued together with a trillion advertisements), jets and helicopters, royal weddings, royal offspring, mansions, golf courses, shitting on black tenants, pissing on the homeless, displacing the urban poor, etc.

Trumpery has been going on forever and the suffering for humans, animals and ecosystems accumulates. But the whole mess has been idolized and emulated in America: Individual consumerism is a scaled-down version of Trumpism and scaled-down only in proportion to our level of personal affluence.

But, what’s on the minds of Americans today? What finally engages and enrages us? Not the brain-injured woman sleeping on the sidewalk in front of Trump Tower. No, it’s The Donald and “pussy.”

The fact that we so strongly object to one facet of Trumpism, while tolerating or embracing a thousand others, that’s our real sickness. To pick an example from a mountain of examples: Until the plight of one steer, jammed into a feedlot (the fate of 99 percent of beef cattle) and standing in slop for five months—to produce that marbled Trump Steak—offends us as much as Trump’s predatory sexuality, we’ll never get it. It’s all one suffering. We are Trump.

Patrick Newman

Chico

Voters’ helpers

The Paradise Citizens Alliance is a nonpartisan organization. We do not endorse candidates for public office. We are pleased to announce that our recently conducted in-studio, taped interviews of most candidates for local nonpartisan, elective offices serving the greater Paradise community will be accessible for voters to view online at our website at ParadiseCa.org until the election on Nov. 8. These interviews constitute our “Election 2016 Speak Up Paradise & Vote!” campaign intended to provide voters with information about the candidates, their positions on the issues, and to encourage greater voter turnout.

Chuck Rough, Paradise Citizens Alliance chair

Paradise

Her picks for council

I urge you to vote for four highly qualified, experienced individuals for the Chico City Council: Karl Ory, Tami Ritter, Ann Schwab, and Randall Stone. Between them, they have 28 years of experience on the council, and Karl and Ann have each served as mayor. They are tireless public servants, working to improve the quality of our city in countless ways.

Their priorities are: improve public safety, maintain fiscal responsibility, job creation, provide more affordable housing and preservation of parks and open spaces. Our city is most fortunate to have these four outstanding citizens who are willing to devote countless hours serving our community, both as public servants and as private citizens. Together they will accomplish great things for Chico.

Debra Abbott

Chico

Candidate writes in

Re “High stakes” (Newslines, by Ken Smith, Oct. 6):

Thank you for your timely coverage last week of Sean Morgan’s dominance in fundraising for Chico City Council, at $50,000. My campaign for council is barely six weeks old and grateful that we have had a swelling of support, raising nearly half of Morgan’s total. I think in this election, it is a choice between myself and Mr. Morgan. I am for the farmers’ market, I am for moving the junkyard, and I am for returning commercial air service to Chico. I enjoy the endorsement of 10 former mayors, environmental and community leaders. I support Ann Schwab, Randall Stone and Tami Ritter. We need four votes to overcome the Trump/LaMalfa team at City Hall.

Karl Ory

Chico

‘No simple solution’

It took me nearly two decades to talk publicly about my brother’s death by suicide. He’d been diagnosed with schizophrenia and ended his life at age 20. The shame, guilt and sense of secrecy I carried all those years poisoned an already indescribable pain.

I don’t need to describe that pain. You’ve likely lost loved ones to suicide. You’ve probably wrestled with your own suicidal feelings. Mental illness in the form of severe depression is the world’s No. 1 mental health crisis. A main risk factor for suicide is having lost loved ones to suicide. It’s a vicious cycle. There’s no simple solution. But the more we break down the shame and secrecy, the more likely we are to keep ourselves and our loved ones alive and glad to be.

Join Chico’s seventh annual Out of the Darkness event for suicide prevention this Saturday (Oct. 15) at the City Plaza from 9 a.m. to noon. It’s free. We’d like donations (cash or cards) for T-shirts and raffle tickets. A Packers signed football is the winning item. All proceeds benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Let’s come Out of the Darkness as a strong, compassionate, united community.

Robyn Engel, Out of the Darkness volunteer

Chico

Use the money for good

Re “Pro-pot numbers higher than ever” (Sifter, Sept. 29):

As a student of social work, I must agree with [this survey]. The fact that pro-legalization percentages are rising is evidence that the culture of marijuana is changing throughout the state, and the laws should reflect the change.

Being a social work student, I know that the state of California is in desperate need of funding for social services, child welfare, addiction treatment and police services. Proposition 64 has the ability to resolve these funding issues by funneling the marijuana money back into the state, rather than into the hands of drug dealers and cartels.

Of course, there are downsides to Prop. 64, but as long as drug dealers are walking away with the profits, we all lose. Adults are already spending their money on marijuana—let’s turn that money into something good. Money doesn’t grow on trees, but it does grow on marijuana plants.

Tara Ames

Chico

More on Prop. 64

Both those favoring and opposing legalization want the same things: safe, crime free, prosperous, pleasant communities where they can earn a living while sending their children to good schools. Most of the opposition toward legalization stems from the problems brought on by illegal grows: abuse of public lands; poisoning and contamination of fauna and flora; diversion of water; trashed camping grounds; hideous booby traps, vicious dogs, and weaponry used to defend territories; shootouts with other gangsters; intimidated and sexually abused workers.

Neither group wants any of this. By regulating the industry, customers will be able to purchase unadulterated products of known strengths and properties, home owners will be protected, and assessed fees and taxes will be used to fund drug education and illegal grow eradication.

Eventually, the gangsters’ profit margins will dwindle to the point where growing is no longer viable. Opponents insist that the illegal grows will prevail, marijuana is not a legitimate crop, its instantiation will decrease property values, and the young will become addicted. Similar alarm was raised in opposition to the 21st Amendment, but those fears were not realized. Neither will outsized fears be realized when marijuana is legalized and, most importantly, sensibly and fairly regulated.

William Todd-Mancillas

Chico

Sensationalism undermines election

According to Gallup, Americans see our biggest problem as, overwhelmingly, immigration and its associated issues. These include race relations, terrorism, national security, moral decline and crime.

Ironically, despite Trump’s resolve to limit immigration and Hillary’s resolve to expand it, Hillary’s been maintaining a slight lead in the polls. This is no doubt owing to the public’s becoming distracted by media’s focus on irrelevant events in Trump’s personal life. That is, such as his lawful use of tax deductions and jocular remarks he made in a private conversation 11 years ago.

For the sake of America, I wish the media would assume the role of a responsible parent instead of that of a child. That is, by limiting its reporting to substantive issues instead of instigating, facilitating and perpetuating sensationalism.

Nathan Esplanade

Tehama County

Corrections

A story in last week’s Newslines (see “High stakes,” by Ken Smith) misidentified the Chico City Council candidate with the second-highest campaign coffers. That person is Karl Ory.

Additionally, in the lead news story (see “Two tales,” by Gabriel Sandoval), some figures were reported incorrectly due to a calculation error that counted some crimes twice. There were 109 liquor law referrals, 21 drug referrals, five aggravated assaults, one report of fondling and four rapes in 2015.

We regret the errors, which have been corrected online. —ed.