Letters for June 14, 2018

Pitying Franklin

Re “Church, meet state” (Newslines, by Robert Speer, June 7):

Seeing TV ads for Franklin Graham doing his revival thing at Shasta District Fairgrounds brought several things to mind. I recalled a book, Caught in the Pulpit, and it reminded me of other books and articles by and about others whose dads were also in the ministry.

Many of them continued to preach for several years after realizing that they had become atheists. Most were assisted in career changes, but family and friend changes came with high prices. I have to pity poor Franklin for not being able to “fess up” to any doubts he may secretly have; imagine the worldwide impact of showing even a hint of doubt.

He may be able to maintain a shell of denial for now, but even some of the most hardened criminals eventually break. If he should eventually lose the mental toughness needed to continue preaching, who in his circle would watch for the telltale signs or even maybe recognize self-created life-threatening situations as a silent means of escape from such a mental weight? (Suicide does not seem to be an option; that surely would be a “confession.”)

I was hoping to find a better expression of “feeling” than pity, but it’s all I know.

Dan Fregin

Chico

Billy was no saint

Re “A divisive message” (Editorial, June 7):

Why didn’t you expose the following about Billy Graham?: 1) In a letter to President Nixon in 1969, he advocated the bombing of the dikes around Hanoi. The flooding of the Hanoi area would have killed a million Vietnamese. 2) Received a Section 8 discharge from the U.S. Army during World War II. 3) At the time of his death, his net worth was estimated at $25 million.

If the Jesus as depicted in the New Testament walked on earth today, Graham would be the first one to drive a nail into his hand because he would be a threat to his wealth and status.

Roy Crabtree

Chico

‘Violated constantly’

Re “Public discord” (Newslines, by Ashiah Scharaga, June 7):

Over 500,000 now live in U.S. public spaces, due to 40 years of regressive social and economic policy. The human rights of homeless people are violated constantly—with lack of shelter being a violation in itself. At our last Chico City Council meeting, many voiced clear opposition to the ongoing insanity of criminalizing behaviors necessary for survival.

Opposition to reinstating the sit/lie law was clear, compelling and welcome. But how many are aware of the following?: 1) It is flatly illegal for a homeless person to sleep in the public space: what is called “camping” is indistinguishable from sleeping. 2) Restrooms are locked eight hours of every day; anyone on the streets inevitably breaks laws against public urination and defecation. 3) Leaving a cart or bag unattended, for any length of time, is illegal “storage on public property.” 4) All greenways and parks are off-limits at night. 5) It is even illegal to tie a rope to a tree on city land. 6) All “violations” can be treated, at the discretion of a police officer, as either infractions or misdemeanors—meaning “offenders” can be either ticketed or arrested on the spot.

It is virtually impossible for a homeless person to avoid being ensnared in the criminal justice system.

Patrick Newman

Chico

Focus on the Dems

Re “Why I risk arrest” (Guest comment, by Cathy Webster, June 7):

I am thankful for any demonstration against U.S. militarism, but mostly the antiwar movement has been long dead, co-opted or is simply unwilling to think strategically.

I wish that those who oppose U.S. militarism would laser-focus their energy/demonstrations on the Democrats who have become the war party. If everywhere, demonstrators showed up at Democratic Party functions with signs “dripping blood” and quality info handouts, Democrats might begin to see the huge death and destruction, and debt, they so casually support.

I recently listened to a Radcliffe Institute program—“Toward a New Global Architecture? America’s Role in a Changing World”—honoring Hillary Clinton. The panelists were Hillary-supporting, foreign policy specialists. Their sanctimonious regime-change devotion and global elitism reinforced why I am glad Hillary is not president.

I remember how Hillary as secretary of state prevented the United Nations from successfully concluding a peace deal for Syria in 2012, before the carnage and the huge refugee crisis had seriously begun. She insisted that Bashar al-Assad must go first. This is Democratic foreign policy in action.

World reaction to Trump is creating a multipolar world that will thrive without U.S. Democratic Party-supported militarism, and its regime change policies.

Lucy Cooke

Butte Valley

Touché

Re “Blame indoctrination” (Letters, by Peter Bridge, June 7):

If letter-writer Peter Bridge has spent a single day of his life as a credentialed schoolteacher, or indeed even just an hour of his life in a teacher’s education course, I’ll eat my credentials.

During my coursework in secondary education at Chico State I was never once subject to Mr. Bridge’s imaginary “extreme anti-American liberalism,” nor did I encounter the same at any time during my four years of undergraduate education.

His attempt to correlate liberalism with mass shootings echoes exactly the indoctrination that the NRA and other pro-gun advocacy groups are engaged in—in order to obfuscate the facts, and engender anti-intellectual bias in the unfortunately under-educated sector of our populace that seems to be growing at as alarming a rate as gun ownership itself. What is Mr. Bridge’s vision of a great America? One in which gun sales rise while IQs decline?

He arbitrarily concludes that “school shooters are young white males not because we let them, but because we make them.” Mr. Bridge: if you’re reading this, explain the non-difference between that cause and effect.

Joe Hlebica

Red Bluff

Shameful policy

Attorney General Jeff Sessions made his position clear when he stated, “If you cross the border unlawfully … then we will prosecute you, it’s that simple. … If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child may be separated from you as required by law.”

Shamefully, the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy has resulted in thousands of children being taken from their parents.

She’s not a drug-smuggler, a terrorist, a job taker. She is the 5-year-old with the dreams of a child, fleeing horrific criminal and political violence in Central America. She has come to America with her family. She’s a refugee and as such is recognized by the United States as having the right to seek asylum as specified by international and federal law.

In Brownsville, Texas, a former Walmart was converted into a detention center for migrant children, some younger than 4. Currently, there are 27 immigrant child detention centers in the Southwest. This barbaric immigration policy is being ignored by an unconcerned Republican Congress.

History has shown us that a lack of moral leadership has dire consequences. So the question is, America, is this the best we can do? I think not. Vote this November.

Roger S. Beadle

Chico

Never in my almost 80 years as a once proud American citizen would I have even considered that my country would be charged with human rights violations by the United Nations. But, as we now rip infants and toddlers away from their parents and put them in cages to await a (so far) unplanned fate, we have surpassed many of the crimes of those countries we once condemned.

I have little hope for the future of the “American Way of Life,” as I know too many proud citizens who turn a blind eye to this travesty and only worry about the availability of guns and that the cost of automobiles, beer and gasoline might increase.

W. Dean Carrier

Paradise

Walk a dog

Love dogs? Can’t have one right now? Volunteers are greatly needed to walk and generally love up local rescue dogs at Wags and Whiskers Pet Rescue in Chico. Temporary foster homes are also needed. Go to 156 Pillsbury Road, Ste. 155. Walk-in adoptions: weekdays 1-5 p.m. Events: Saturdays, 12-4 p.m. Call 895-8888 for more info.

Heidi Strand

Red Bluff

Attention, city management

I would like to request the attention of Chico city management to solve the rush-hour traffic delays that occur on East Park Avenue (between the crossing of Fair Street and up to Highway 99 and beyond). The heavy congestion is caused by traffic lights that are not synchronized, and make vehicles stop at every single one in order to allow cross traffic. Couldn’t we have something like the well-coordinated “green wave” of traffic lights across downtown on Main and on Broadway? I here compliment to the engineers who implemented those green-waves; same for the more recent roundabouts elsewhere that have improved the movement of cross-traffic where present. Thank you.

Liliana Scarafia

Durham

Three things

Re “Endorsements” (Editorial) and “Who’d play you in a movie?” (Streetalk, May 31):

I want to let you know I really appreciated your endorsements. The fact that I agreed with you on most helped, but your thoroughly thought-out choices helped a lot of people who didn’t have the time or the energy to figure it out for themselves. I also appreciate that you encourage people to do that for themselves.

On another subject entirely, I just want to share that I would choose Whoopi Goldberg to play me in a movie. I hope I display the same spirit that she does!

On yet another subject, I hope lots of folks will attend the Community Conversation on law enforcement on June 18, 6 to 8:30p.m., at the Chico library, sponsored by Concerned Citizens for Justice. Check “community conversation” on Facebook for more.

Emily Alma

Chico

Correction

A brief in last week’s issue (see “Shakeup at Stonewall,” Downstroke) incorrectly reported the date Thomas Kelem was hired as executive director of Chico’s Stonewall Alliance Center. He took that post in 2013. We apologize for the error, which has been fixed online. —ed.