Letters for July 22, 2010

Keep the party going

Re “When the music came to Quincy” (Cover story, by Jamie O’Neill, July 15):

Thanks for informing and reminding me why my wife and I cannot attend outdoor music festivals. As a seven-year cancer survivor, my body is not strong enough to withstand the rigors.

I am reassured that, since I’ve had this type of fun multiple times, maybe I have had my allotment and am now on to different types of work and play, befitting my 60 years of life. I’m cool with letting the rest of you do your best to keep the party going. I’m definitely going to buy the Carolina Chocolate Drops based on your reportage.

Forest Harlan
Chico

This article was beautiful and fantastic. The Fourth of July weekend marked my first visit to the High Sierra Music Festival, and Mr. O’Neill’s words summed it up perfectly.

Nathan Anderson
Chico

More on Mulholland’s medal

Re “A Star-crossed tizzy” (From This Corner, by Robert Speer, July 15):

Let’s be clear about Rick Clements’ libelous attack on my military record in Vietnam.

Clements, of Paradise (with the help of John Gillander, also of Paradise and at the urging of some Chico political Republicans), submitted a letter to the Enterprise-Record accusing me, referencing another letter writer, of not being awarded a Bronze Star.

Over the years, if people ask if I am a veteran, I say yes, I served in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne and leave it at that, unless it is another veteran where discussions may go further.

Clements even implied that I violated the Stolen Valor Act. That is a serious but completely false charge, done for political reasons. Maybe we need a new federal law—the reverse of the Stolen Valor Act—so when people, including Clements, attack a veteran’s military record falsely, such a person can be charged (in addition to libel) for dishonoring a veteran.

In 1992 Republican Bruce Herschensohn was running for the U.S. Senate on family values, like a lot of Republicans do (in many cases they should not), and I pointed out that Herschensohn went to Hollywood strip bars. He admitted to it.

That is not the same as making false libelous attacks on veterans’ honorable military service and records.

And I am still waiting for apologies from those people who posted on the Enterprise-Record website attacks on my military service. Some claimed they were Vietnam veterans but did not post their names, conveniently. They need to go public with their names (and service in Vietnam) and apologize to me and to all veterans.

Bob Mulholland
Chico

I certainly did not intend to cause Bob Mulholland any grief by writing a letter stating that he had been awarded the Bronze Star for military service in Vietnam. I was very much hoping that his wife, Jane Dolan, would be re-elected as county supervisor because of her long-time support of environmental causes.

When I read a letter in the Chico Enterprise-Record denouncing Jane and her husband as un-American, I felt compelled to respond. Neither Jane nor Bob had ever mentioned anything about Bob’s military awards to me, but one of their longtime friends, also a Vietnam vet, had told me that Bob had the Bronze Star. I have a hard time taking someone seriously when they call a decorated combat veteran “un-American.”

Well, someone had to go and proclaim that Mulholland had never been awarded the Bronze Star without completely checking out the facts. I’ll bet they never make that mistake again.

Sharon Fritsch
Chico

Editor’s note: Ms. Fritsch’s original letter of support for Dolan’s candidacy, which the E-R published on May 12, was the first to make public mention of Mr. Mulholland’s Bronze Star.

PG&E and clean energy

Re “Utility giant: No on Prop 23.” (Downstroke, July 8):

It’s not surprising that PG&E opposes Proposition 23; clearly it’s a motive driven by business interests. Clean energy is the way into the future and a way to grow any profitable business in this economy. It’s one of the only sectors of our economy that is still growing, and is a beacon of hope for those who wish to alleviate this painful recession.

The title of the proposition is completely misleading: California Jobs Initiative? More like California Backslide Initiative. If we let Valero and Tesoro, the two huge Texas oil companies that are bankrolling this proposition, dictate how our state gets its energy, we have some serious problems.

Clifford Whitlock
Chico

Are we a Christian nation?

Most Americans consider America a Christian nation, as our founding fathers, the Declaration of Independence and our very Constitution are of Christian principles and moral teachings from the Bible. The main issue of the Muslim nations hostile to America is that we are a Christian nation, and therefore are condemned and considered an enemy.

The sad truth is, if being a Christian nation was a crime and America was tried in international court, would there be enough evidence to convict us? Especially when you consider the past 40 years of moral decay and our current rampant practices in crime, violence, drugs, alcohol, pornography, promiscuity, adultery, marriage failure, abortion and homosexuality.

We have allowed our leaders to pass laws prohibiting prayer in our schools or at public events like graduation ceremonies. We have allowed the removal of statements like “in God we trust” or “one nation under God” or the Ten Commandments from courtrooms and government offices, which makes the statement to the entire world: “We don’t want God and don’t believe in God.” Yet we call ourselves a Christian nation.

We now have elected a president whose citizenship is still in question, professed to be Christian prior to the election but is now giving indication of being Muslim, does not salute our flag, shows no support to the Second Amendment or our nation’s sovereignty, but shows favor to Muslim concerns and is leading our nation to turn its back on Israel. America! We need to get back to our Christian heritage and pray for our leaders and our country.

Dave White
Oroville

Downed by a dog

I am writing in with yet another unfortunate dog incident. I was in lower Bidwell Park four weeks ago, on a Saturday morning. I choose the early morning hours because leashes are not mandatory until 8:30. My dog has graduated obedience classes, is under voice control and sticks by my side.

About two miles into our morning run, we crossed paths with what I can only describe as an ignorant dog owner. He had his 80-pound lab puppy on a chest harness at the end of an extend-a-leash (which are illegal in our city parks but tolerated at a six-foot length). The dog’s rambunctious jumps could not be controlled, as the owner allowed his dog to get to the maximum length of the extend-a-leash.

Needless to say, the dog owner gave up and let go of what little control he had of the leash. The combination of the unpredictable retraction of the leash and the dog running away wrapped the rope-like leash around my calf and pulled my right leg right out from under me, dropping me on my left wrist.

I walked two miles back to my car and drove myself to urgent care. The x-rays there required an orthopedic surgeon’s attention, so on to the emergency room at Enloe. It took six hours and six doctors to reset my dislocated fracture and treat the rope burn on my leg.

I challenge every dog owner in the area to take responsibility for your dog. Educate yourself on your dog’s breed and understand the park rules. Please know that you share our amazing parks with thousands of other people and dogs. I would hate to lose the privilege of running with my dog in Bidwell Park because of other people’s ignorance.

Carin Hilgeman
Chico