Letters to the Editor for the week of 3/11/20
Guidelines for letters
All letters must contain an address and phone number. Only one letter per week per person will be published; only one letter per person per month regarding the same topic will be published. Feather Publishing does not print third-party, anonymous or open letters. Letters must not exceed 300 words. Writers responding to previously published letters may not mention the author by name. The deadline is Friday at noon; deadlines may change due to holidays. Letters may be submitted at any of Feather Publishing’s offices, sent via fax to 283-3952 or emailed to [email protected]
Dogs on loose
To the owner(s) of the two dark and one “white” dogs that are running loose in Portola. You should be ashamed of yourself.
When the white dog bit my wife it ruined her day (she was bitten at 11:30 a.m. and she returned from the Reno ER at midnight), it ruined her next two weeks (she must return to Reno three more times for rabies shots), and it ruined her enjoyment of walking in the area (she frequently walks the Lake Davis road to the cattle guard and across town to the post office).
Now she is afraid to walk the otherwise safe streets of Portola and she doesn’t frighten easily (she is still looking forward to her second meeting with a mountain lion while walking alone in the Lakes Basin).
You should be ashamed of yourself for letting your dog(s) run loose.
John Barker
Portola
Pot of gold
As an admirer and purchaser of several jewelery pieces artfully designed and beautifully crafted by the talented husband-wife team, Ken / Debbie McMaster, I wish them the very best as they embark on this latest phase of their “life’s journey.” Not only are they each creative and knowledgeable as accomplished jewelers, but both are truly personable, thoughtful, and gracious individuals. Whoever purchases this thriving business will truly inherit a ‘pot of gold’!
Terryl Buntrock
Fairfield
Infringed
I’m feeling infringed as in the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. The recent change that’s got me feeling infringed is not a new federal or state requirement; it’s a Plumas County Deputy change to the conceal carry permit requirement. ie. Shoot 36 rounds with 100 percent accuracy or start over: six rounds at three yards, eight rounds at five yards, 10 rounds at seven yards and 12 rounds at 10 yards. Â
I’m in my 70s and not every part works like it use to. To the point, I can not shoot more than about 15 rounds in a hand gun of anything other than a .22. My hands and wrist are not good. Can I hit the target? Not a problem, but shooting that much would cause me more pain or worse break my hand. It use to be shoot five rounds at 21 feet and keep it on a piece of paper. I don’t see the point of the 36 rounds per handgun on your permit. Are we training to go in the military or be a police officer? Most defense situation occur under 21 feet. I’m not planning to start a war. I’m hoping our yet to be elected Sheriff changes the requirements back to what they were. I’d like to see this as part of his campaign. Until then I’m 70+ and disarmed.
Ed Ferguson
Grizzly Ranch
Editor’s note: We checked and the requirements as listed are correct, but according to former Sheriff Greg Hagwood, who instituted the standards, accommodations are made for those who are elderly or have medical conditions.
A way forward
An insightful and helpful addition by Ken Donnell to the Corona virus conversation. Thank you!
Heidi Wakefield
Greenville
Crazy or sleepy
Independents and conservatives in California are not any happier this Wednesday, than you were before Super Tuesday. In fact, you may be feeling a bit more disenfranchised. Many freedoms you had as a child growing up in California are now gone as an adult. Of course, the Socialists are beaming from ear to ear; they won another glorious victory for the people.
The term “de facto one-party state” is used to describe a dominant-party system that, unlike the one-party state, allows (at least nominally) democratic multiparty elections but the existing practices or balance of political power effectively prevents the opposition from winning any elections.
California is a “de facto one-party state.” The State elections held last Tuesday could only solidify the power of competing Socialists within their own Party. “Change” would only happen if a Socialist Party member retired or moved to a higher office. The continuing “de facto” policies, cronyism, laws, graft, homelessness, fires, taxes, fees, have not changed. The California Primary brings to mind the movie “Ground Hog Day.”
Look at it this way, if you were happy with Super Tuesday’s de-facto, so called “elections” in California; you will love sunning yourself on the beaches of Cuba and Venezuela.
As of this writing prior to Super Tuesday’s voting, Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer, and Pete Buttigieg have dropped out of the Socialists race for president.
The Real Clear Politics Polling data show socialists Bernie Sanders with 28.5 percent, and 60 delegates and Joe Biden 20 percent, with 54 delegates. Lastly, they have Mike Bloomberg 15 percent, zero delegates, and Liz Warren 14 percent, 7 delegates.
Will crazy Bernie voters support sleepy Joe, if he is the nominee? Will sleepy Joe supporters vote Sanders? Friends, it’s a race to see who is first loser to President Trump in November.
Trent Saxton
Lake Davis
Real public school reform
Long before we allowed the privatizers to steal a substantial portion of our public school funding, on the false pretext that our schools were failing, we were overdue for a periodic review of the accumulated weight of years of bureaucratic interference. Charter schools have done no better, despite their dismissal of certain public school regulations. Public school education should assist in the development of our minds and our knowledge. We are all self-educated. The following are a few suggestions for changes — changes that will almost certainly never be made.
Drop the minimal federal funding, and return to full state support and control. Focus on teaching our children how to think, rather than merely indoctrinating them in what to think. Drop at least 90 percent of all tests. Retain those tests that determine a need for remedial aid, and those that are necessary for advancement. Eliminate all letter grades. Reevaluate the need for algebra and higher math for those who will never require them and for those who have yet to fully grasp basic math. Abandon the above/below average dichotomy. Never settle for abbreviated versions of ‘classic’ books. Limit all initial essay writing to 300 words. Focus on self-competition, rather than competition against a random group. Eliminate test-based statistics. These serve insecure politicians and administrators, but not students. Encourage broader educations and wider perspectives. Promote greater use of curiosity as motivation. Develop skepticism of ‘official’ statements, and critical analysis of unvalidated information. Utilize advanced students as remedial teachers. Teaching is itself a practical means of learning. We should remember that a teacher can only provide motivation, expand interests and allocate material for developing minds. The teacher cannot learn for the student.
Wallace B. Eshleman
Quincy