Letters for September 9, 2010

The law’s got it wrong

Re “The cannabis conundrum” (Cover story, by Meredith J. Cooper and Melissa Daugherty, Sept. 2):

What an embarrassment. Breaking into loving homes, confiscating bogus “evidence.” I am so sick of hearing about pot raids. What good does any of this do Butte County?

Congratulations, you sent hundreds of qualified patients to neighboring cities to buy their medicine while crippling the local economy. Nice one.

Robin Indar
Chico

When is local law enforcement going to get it through their thick heads that the laws against selling pot were created in our failed war on drugs to cut off the supply of cannabis? In this new post-Proposition 215 era, when we are actually here to ensure the supply of the herb for qualified medical patients, the laws are totally obsolete. Cannabis collectives/dispensaries must be allowed to be run like any other business, and to claim otherwise is foolish and myopic.

Cannabis advocates have been kissing butt for decades to get to the point where we are now, but it’s time we put our foot down. With a couple of very recent California appellate court landmark decisions that ban the underhanded practice of local district attorneys ignoring state attorney general guidelines under the threat of passing off the case to federal prosecutors (who were allowed to ignore California law), we can all safely stand up to this belligerent police behavior. Please contact your local collective/dispensary to see how you can help in the fight for your right to control what you put into your own body.

Robert Galia
Chico

Whose bad dream is it?

Re “Nightmare in the hills” (Newslines, by Melissa Daugherty, Sept. 2):

Ninety-nine percent of this article is untrue! There is only one menace in that neighborhood, and the whole neighborhood knows who she is! The photo in the article shows Mrs. Vance standing in front of a road where a grading and well permit have been obtained through the county, not a grow site, as the article says.

Ken Davis
Yankee Hill

Editor’s note: The story does not say that the photo in question is the site of a marijuana garden, but rather the place where Mr. Davis’ neighbors say he trespassed and damaged their properties.

Until pot is made legal, we will have this problem. I too live in Deer Peak Lake Estates, and I have traveled Lower Gulch Road and seen with my own eyes the damage to the watershed and the terraces and the weed. Butte County’s guidelines on the district attorney’s web page referring to a collective/cooperative say, “Qualified patients and/or primary caregivers are allowed under California law to associate … in order collectively or cooperatively to cultivate marijuana for medical purposes.” No other definition is given.

Make it legal and all these problems will disappear. The last thing these people want is for it to be legalized, for the obvious reason: no more cash crop, baby!

Timothy Emmett Thompson
Yankee Hill

This is the most irresponsible article in the history of this paper. You have proved that you are clearly as willingly ignorant as they get. If you would have conducted any manner of responsible reporting you would find out that Miss Vance is in fact the odd one out and the source of most of the problems in the neighborhood.

You singled out one irresponsible individual that by no means represents the whole of the community. Good luck, id-jut, you should be a bus boy, not a reporter.

Zak Smith
Yankee Hill

Student appreciates article

Re “The new segregation” (Cover story, by Leslie Layton, Aug. 12):

I just wanted to compliment your coverage of the complex issues around charter schools vs. the public school district. I try to keep my opinions off the news page unless I am being formally interviewed, given my status as a member of the CUSD Board of Trustees, but in this case I am actually motivated by one of my students.

As you know, campus has been in session for only [a short time] and the students in my Intro to Sociology course (SOCI 100) had the task of finding a news story that related to sociology, either by comment or by subject matter. One student chose this article and was able to note the rich mixture of data sets and the scale of conceptual conflict.

It’s so great that already your news analysis is inspiring students to look deeper into local issues, which also reflect state and national public policy agendas and questions. I thought the article was excellent myself, but am very impressed that one of my students was appreciative of its richness.

Kathy Kaiser
Chico

Get rid of these morons!

Re “School’s in session” (Newslines, by Howard Hardee, Aug. 26):

How long will the university allow the outrageous behavior of Chico State students to continue before some significant and consistent consequences are imposed? I assume the students must sign some type of behavior contract upon enrolling; if so, it should be strictly enforced.

Assault or battery, resisting arrest, failure to disperse, inciting a riot, drunk in public and any other significant violations should result in arrest and a night in jail if possible. A second arrest should result in a suspension and a longer stay in jail if possible, and the third in expulsion.

If the university would show some backbone and rid the campus of a few of these morons, other students would be more likely to behave appropriately. There are plenty of serious students available to replace the ones who are removed. The university perpetuates the problem by seemingly taking an “oh well, students will be students” attitude toward the problem.

It is way past time for the university to step up. This type of behavior is completely unacceptable. Paul Zingg, are you listening?

Stephen Muser
Chico

Apples and oranges

Re “The really big rips” (From This Corner, by Robert Speer, Aug. 5):

Please remember that Butte County’s cost of living is not comparable to the Sacramento market’s cost of living.

Also, comparing the salaries between public and private enterprise is like comparing apples and oranges. Public-employee wages are paid by the taxpayers. Private-company wages are paid by generating profits. The taxpayers do not get to vote on public salaries. However, shareholders can have their say by executing their voting rights during annual Corporate Board elections.

Jane Oliver
Chico

The value of Camp Okizu

Re “Camping with Cancer” (From This Corner, by Robert Speer, Aug. 19):

Thank you for writing a great article about Camp Okizu. This was my son’s sixth year there. He came home a bit sad because one of his close buddies at camp had passed away. It is still his favorite camp, and he always looks forward to going each summer.

In a few years he will become a camp counselor there. He wants to give back for all they have done for him and the other kids who attend each year. I pray your article will bring in some great donations to help with all the expenses they have.

Sandy Hershey
Hollister

Go take a hike, Jaime

Re “What’s the big deal?” (Letters, by Jaime O’Neill, Sept. 2):

Jeez, Jaime, who does the author need to be before he can proffer a bit of friendly, useful advice on life, living, and the wilderness? John Muir? Chief Joseph? How about just a guy who has a newly found respect for the wilderness experience and wants to wax a wee bit philosophical?

In all your editorial rantings, Jaime, I’m sure you’ve never pontificated out of turn! Take a chill pill, sir, or better yet, go take a hike.

Scott Shaw
Paradise