Heroes?
To the Editor:
As I was reading the article about building a memorial monument to farmworkers with 2,000 names on it, a few questions I would like to hear answered popped in my mind.
It used to be such memorials were put in place for heroes or people who achieved something significant, perhaps life changing, to show future generations how greatness was to be achieved, or as a reminder of sacrifices what war heroes did for us, so I wonder what significance those 2,000 workers did to become role models for our children? And how are they different from thousands of people before and after them?
I wonder what changed, so we, instead of elevating a memorial to the farmer who risked his fortune and first grew oranges, avocados, strawberries etc., or making a statue of the first doctor who settled in such a remote place as Santa Paula or to someone who brought a railroad here, instead we are now giving such prominent pedestal of glory to laborers who for the money did only what they are being paid for? There work is valuable without a doubt, but if this is the greatness we want our children to achieve, God save us.
When kids can’t even count soccer goals anymore, so losing teams wouldn’t feel bad, when dodge ball is not allowed at schools to be played, so clumsy obese kids won’t feel bad, and then everyone is just getting rewarded for just attending.
This country is on its knees and it seems to me Obama’s dreamed up Socialism arrived.
“Hurray,” we are spiraling down fast, and not only economically.
Tomas Jina
Santa Paula
Tea, Tarts &
Library supporters
To the Editor:
Thank you to all who supported Blanchard Community Library in our April 17 fundraiser, Tea, Tarts & Art. The Board of Trustees couldn’t have made it such a fine event without your help!
Thanks to our set-up crew, Frankie Fierroz and Isaac Mendoza. Carol Hardison also lent invaluable support as we prepared for the event. Thanks go again to Frankie, and to Anthony Letteney, who helped put everything back where it belonged after the event was over.
Thank you to Dora Crouch, who donated the main body of art auctioned off Saturday afternoon. And thanks go to John Nichols and Mary Schwabauer, who also contributed auction pieces. And we can’t forget the wonderful contribution of Peggy Kelly, who donated her time and talents as our auctioneer! Contributing to our Silent Auction were Dora Crouch, John Nichols, and Debbie Johnson, who donated a certificate for one of her famous cheesecakes.
We also appreciate our local raffle donors: Santa Paula Health & Fitness, Tisa’s Spa & Salon and Alley Cuts, and Jennifer Skutley; and from Ventura: Caffrodite, Hair Free Forever, McConnell’s Ice Cream, Starbucks (Victoria and Telegraph), and Trader Joe’s.
Finally, thanks to all who turned out for our event. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Blanchard Community Library Trustees
Suzi Skutley
Beverly Mueller
Brenda deJamaer
Ed Geis
Ninette Reyes
Short and sweet!
To the Editor:
I wish to commend the genius who finally initiated a great new email for the City of Santa Paula, moving away from cumbersome ci.santa-paula.ca.us. Jaime M. Fontes (jfontes@spcity.org) is perfect -- along with many other things! “spcity.org.” How great.
Kay Wilson-Bolton
Santa Paula
Re: April 15, 2010 Tea Parties
To the Editor:
By many polls upwards of 55% or more did not approve of the new health reform bill that was recently approved by the majority in Congress and signed into law by the President Barack Obama. Many polls also show upwards of 75% of Americans do not like the direction Obama is taking our country. This is the reason the Tea Party phenomena has sprang and surged into a mighty force; this government is for “We the people of the United States” not the “elected people of the United States”. Unfortunately, the majorities of the current state and federal elected officials have prioritized their own agenda and have neglected the good of our country and now we have a dynamic grass root revolution in the making. On April 15, 2010, many concerned citizens participated in their free speech right by voicing their displeasure with the current Obama Administration at the Ventura County Government Center in Ventura. Many will agree that at the rate this present administration is spending our money, the United States will be facing a bankruptcy which some individual states such as our own California is already facing. About 20% of Americans are perfectly happy with the way the government is running the show but most of these folks are the ones who are benefiting the most from such liberal/statist policies. The upper 5% of taxpayers cannot be taxed to the point their net worth is less than is paid out in taxes; it is only common sense. I applaud the folks who had the courage of showing up on April 15th and exposing their true feelings regardless of the social fallout with their friends, neighbors and religious affiliation. As it turns out there are more people with the same common anxiety at our present government and we are doing something about it; we are voting them out in November 2010 and November 2012!
Andrew F. Castaneda
Santa Paula
