Letters for February 1, 2018

Mother Nature speaks

Re “More on the march” (Letters, by Dan Everhart, Jan. 25):

Fresh off the Women’s March, a letter writer opines: “Millennia of aggressive economic competition, compelled by testosterone, forges a bleak dystopia of our grandchildren’s future.” That is, men are inherently destructive due to a “testosterone effect.” Such a claim regarding an “estrogen effect” would be considered sexist—or so one would hope.

I do agree we face a dystopian future, conjured by our evil twins: overconsumption and overpopulation. Fully gender inclusive American consumerism continues to inflict unprecedented environmental damage.

In 2017, U.S. vacation flights hit an all-time high, along with miles driven (3.2 trillion), new house sizes (now averaging 2,700 square feet) and animal flesh production, our No. 1 greenhouse gas emitter. On a per-capita basis, American men and women continue to stoke the fires of global warming at three times the world average.

The letter writer advises us to listen to our mothers. Mother Nature is speaking loudly: “Our time together grows short.”

Patrick Newman

Chico

Feds will block it

Re “New California?” (Newslines, by Evan Tuchinsky, Jan. 25):

New California? Sadly we will never see our fair state divided into new states. This has nothing to do with the will of the people or even the will of the state. Our federal government will do everything it can to prevent additional states in the union. For one simple reason: the Senate. Adding states means adding senators, and with the current balance of numbers, adding two more would disrupt their procedural schemes. This is why the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico are only U.S. territories. I agree the rural population of California remains unheard in the state Assembly and has minimal representation in the House, but trying to split the state just won’t see the light of day.

Rachel Hoffmann

Paradise

See this play

Re “Southern belle blues” (Scene, by Robert Speer, Jan. 25):

I highly recommend seeing The Glass Menagerie, by Tennessee Williams, at the Blue Room Theatre. It will make you laugh, make you cry, make you incredulous, angry and more. Director Amanda Detmer and her cast fill the characters with the full range of what the brilliance of Tennessee Williams infused in his writing. It horribly and beautifully exposes the clashing of values and gender roles embodied in the post-Civil War, so-called Southern gentility with the realities of modern-day St. Louis in the 1930s. Amber Miller’s design aspects perfectly complement the world of the play. Go, please!

Gail Beterbide

Chico

Core solution ignored

The mayor has unveiled his vision of a community court. While ostensibly about criminal behavior, it appears to directly target the houseless. Like any proposal in which the city is involved, it should now be vetted at council meetings, so all council members and, most importantly, the public can provide input.

I have numerous questions. Illegal camping was described as a misdemeanor or code infraction, but nothing was mentioned of creating new housing. Without a robust housing component, where do illegal campers go? Back on the road to another community, while that community’s unhoused cycle back here?

One barrier to employment for the houseless is their criminal records. A system that could result in new misdemeanors would only exacerbate the challenge of employability. Job training is a better investment.

The Jesus Center relocation was cited as a component of the plan. With completion of that complex likely years away, what shelter options will be employed for the immediate unmet need?

A community court program, developed with input from all members of the community, could certainly be one tool in our box of solutions for dealing with the symptoms of houselessness. But the core solution remains creating shelter options and affordable housing.

Scott Huber

Chico

Fake height

The cornerstone of a free society is an unfettered free press, one that reports all the news, including the comportment of politicians, the president included.

In an attempt to delegitimize the press, Trump rails against “fake news.” But that’s like the pot calling the kettle black. It’s widely reported that Trump, on average, lies five times a day.

Recently, some really astonishing news was released by the White House. Trump had grown an inch, whereas most men shrink an inch by the time they reach age 70.

Previous medical records and driver’s license classifications list Trump’s height at 6 feet 2 inches. Pictures of him with Obama show them to be the same height, and Obama is 6-foot-1.

Now we know Trump is obsessed with discrediting Obama, trying to undo every one of his legislative achievements and policies. So OK, I’ll give him the inch even though my own eyes don’t deceive me. But 2 inches? No way.

The realistic height of 6 feet 2 inches, along with his 239-pound weight, makes him medically obese, which is understandable due to his steady diet of cheeseburgers and buckets of fried chicken.

The White House doctor declared him to be in excellent health. Fake news.

Roger S. Beadle

Chico

More on a free press

A letter writer recently talked about the necessity of a “free press.” I, too, agree Americans need to be informed by a free press. But, more importantly, we need an “unbiased free press!”

The way we get our news is how we view the world. When we don’t hear certain stories, but hear others over and over, how do you think we will be influenced?

Today’s news isn’t the “free press” news of 50 years ago! Just a handful of conglomerates own the news outlets. A study of journalists’ registered voting practices shows most of them to be registered Democrats. While I hope they try to just “print all the news that’s fit to print,” printing only the who, what, when, where and why, I’m here to tell it is just not happening.

The evidence today can be found in the net neutrality fight. News we get over the internet must be kept open and free. Net neutrality extends government’s influence over the way we get our news and its content.

We must make sure the news we get is “free and unbiased.” Only then will Americans know the truth of anything. I recommend One America News for its content.

Loretta Ann Torres

Chico

Editor’s note: One America News is a small, far-right network that promotes President Trump’s policies and is favored by the administration. Among other things, it is a sponsor of the Conservative Political Action Conference.

Speaking of POTUS

Possibilities: Carson, Bush, Rubio, others. Boring! Sure, you’d still have conservative judicial appointments and tax reform. But what would we have missed? The wall, insulting war heroes and Gold Star families, golden showers, paper towels for Puerto Ricans, golf, Carrier plant layoffs, white nationalists with tiki torches, foul language, racism, sexism, mocking the disabled, fake news, biggest-button nuclear bomb contest, golf, bone spurs, tiny hands, climate calamity, more wealth for the wealthy, more have-not for the have-nots, golf, Access Hollywood tapes, Roy Moore, Russian bots, Vlad-bromance, pornography, government shutdown, non-collusion collusion, golf, revolving appointments (who’s in, who’s out?), oil wells off the coast, Stormy Daniels, golf, executive versus judicial/legislative versus Constitution, golf, wholesale-soulsale hypocrisy (politicians, Christian ministers), Deutsche Bank, money laundering, emoluments, alternative facts, FBI secret society, covfefe, golf, and so much more. And that’s just round one. Three, maybe seven, to go! What’s to come in 2018? Golf.

Lynn Elliott

Chico

Years past, the commander-in-chief and the National Football League were highly esteemed and passionately loved American treasures. Sadly, as of late, both have spiraled so deeply into the toilet they scarcely seem worth the time taken to flush.

Kenneth B. Keith

Los Molinos

What leadership! Crack down on immigration security?! Billions for the wall! Eleven shootings so far in January alone—innocents killed, maimed, destroyed in our own backyards, towns, schools! Are we/they not allowed security/protection from these terrorists?

Where is a national plan to protect Americans—white, black, brown, whatever color we are? Our lack of leadership from the president, Senate and House of Representatives—who do nothing to really protect the public—is shameful, totally wrong and not representative of the people.

Wake up, America, and demand representation, demand America’s safety from the evils from within, not “shithole” immigrants, as stated.

Brian Johnson

Orland

Of prayer and flat tires

My friend and I were headed to Oroville last Saturday morning, and all was going great when all of a sudden we heard really strange noises coming from outside her car and the car was rocking back and forth.

So, of course we pulled over to the side of Highway 99 toward the Durham off-ramp. We got out to inspect the car when we see her left back wheel was showing but no tire! The tire was completely gone—maybe a little tread on the end of the wheel.

Finally a tow truck driver comes after we call State Farm Insurance for a tow—and we are on our way. We just don’t know what is going to happen but we have the Lord Jesus Christ with us always. He promised to be with us always and He was on Saturday.

Also, a Highway Patrol officer stopped by—he was very kind and said if we needed he would stay with us until the tow truck got here. Selfishly, I wanted him to stay, but we were fine.

You just don’t know what can or will happen, so check your tires before you leave and pray asking the Lord, along with his angels, to be with you.

Sharon Chambers

Chico