Page 4 - Mid Valley Times 4-2-20 E-edition

Thursday, April 2, 2020 | A4 | Mid Valley TiMes Editorial & Opinions
Serving the Readers of the Reedley Exponent, Dimuba Sentinel and Sanger Herald.
A Mid Valley Publishing Newspaper
Founded March 26, 1891, in a two-story building on the corner of 11th and F streets, by A.S. Jones
Fred Hall — Publisher
In my OPINION Congress found wanting
in dealing with COVID-19
We've recently had a very good look inside the souls of the 535 indi- viduals who have been elected to the House and Senate with a mandate to look after the greater good of the American people, and they have been found wanting.
Character prevails in times of uncertainty
Rick Curiel — Sanger Editor Jon Earnest — Reedley Editor Dick Sheppard — Editor Emeritus
I'm not just talking about those in-
dividuals who took advantage of inside
trading information to quickly alter
their stock portfolio via information
gleaned from the committees on which they served.
The original concept of this “COVID-19 rescue” package was designed to return money to the citi- zens of this country to whom the money originally belonged. The intent was to provide a small cushion for furloughed employees during the great COVID-19 scare. This is very different from the Obama/Democrat bailout of 2008-2009 where the payout went to unions, banks and green energy start-up companies. Also, there were many solar panel and green energy scams. Need- less to say, it was wasted.
The 2008-2009 bailout wasn't much more than a scam because money (that would be taxpayer money from the government) going to support union activi- ties was generally “laundered” right back to the Dem- ocratic Party by way of donations. This time, it was originally intended to help out the neediest members of our economy — the working man and woman. That started out pretty well — at least until Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and their fellow Democrat lemmings began to stuff the bill with all sorts of pork!
One has to smell a rat when Pelosi returned to her throne in Washington with a bill that had an additional 400 pages over the original. For some reason, these are people who insist on an entire paragraph when one word — in plain English — would have done the job. One can only imagine the amount of chicanery that has been hidden through bureaucratese over the years.
A word to the wise. Before anyone gets all excited about money “coming from the government” remember there is no more bumbling group in the world than the bureaucrats in Washington D.C. who pretend to function in our interest. Do not believe that it is going to be expedi- tious. Anticipate its arrival with a bunch of red tape and forms generated by underworked, overpaid bureaucra- cies at all levels of government. They can't help them- selves, that's just who they are and have always been.
Over a long period of time, America has survived — yes, even thrived — after national disasters and ex- otic illnesses. That's just who we are. When the going gets tough, we always manage to steel our resolve, pull together and deliver the answers and manpower to ad- dress any need — no matter how desperate! The one thing we certainly can't live with is the tug-of-war be- tween the Trump administration and a media who still refuse to accept the results of the 2016 election.
Such animus is never productive, and becomes espe- cially counterproductive when the greater good of all Americans becomes secondary to a political agenda in determining winners and losers. One expects no less from politicians, but certainly the media should rise above such pettiness, especially when the stakes are so high. They either can't or won't.
The “pork” which predictably accompanies such a program will inevitably be there to pay off favors, but let's give it a chance to show results. This time, Wash- ington has made great theatre of the bailout money be- ing returned to the men, women and small businesses from who it was originally extracted.
Since we can both walk and chew gum at the same time, investigations and possible punitive actions against those senators who took advantage of knowl- edge and used it to avoid the stock market crash should begin immediately. One of our liberal senators from California is among that group. These people became wealthy in office. We should know how and why.
Fred Hall
I took my 93-year-old aunt grocery shopping the other day. We took gloves, hand sanitizer and alcohol disinfectant wipes.
While shopping, I asked her if she remembers a time in her life that was anything like what we’re living in now. Without hesitation, she responded, “Oh yeah, the Depression.”
It took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting that answer. I thought maybe she would have mentioned World War II or the flu pandemic of 1968. Her an- swer made me stop and think about the real effects of this pandemic.
My aunt was just a child at the peak of the Great Depres- sion, but she remembers it viv- idly. There wasn’t much to sus- tain many families back then. She remembers eating refried beans spread over a tortilla. “If we were lucky,” she reminded me.
My grandfather and my great-grandfather migrated to the United States in 1926, at a time when many Mexican na- tionals were fleeing their home country as refugees during the Cristero Wars.
They helped build the rail- roads and began to see a bright- er future for their family here. But just a few years later, as my aunt recalled the story, they were standing near the very
tracks they helped build, near a train station in Visalia.
Because of the lack of work, the train was set to return many immigrants back to their native country in an endless row of carts.
Just minutes before board- ing a train back home, an Ar- menian man from Dinuba asked my grandfather and great- grandfather if they needed work.
“Yes,” they said.
“Come with me,” the man told them.
My grandfather and great- grandfather left the train sta- tion and began working for the Armenian who had a small ranch north of Dinuba, near the Alta and Griggs area.
“He would give us goat milk and flat bread,” my aunt re- called.
My grandfather soon moved his family into the heart of China Town in Dinuba, near Felix Delgado Park, or as it was known back then ‘Tortilla Flats”. My grandparents raised 10 children there, including my father – the youngest of the 10.
This year, if all goes well, we will be celebrating our 45th family reunion at Mooney Grove Park in Visalia, where members of the family reunite from all over California and the United States.
I don’t know
who that man
was at the train
station. I don’t
know if his
family is still
around. But I
know I speak
for my entire
family when I say how grateful I am that you extended such kindness to a stranger dur- ing one of our nation’s darkest times.
I want to remind you — character is what made this country strong, not wealth and not a booming economy. Though those things may be byproducts of a strong country, they are not the foundation.
During this time of uncer- tainty, it helps to reflect on the things that are certain in life — like kindness, compassion and charity.
The economy will bounce back, it always does. It may take a while, but we’ll get there. In the meantime, we all have a grand opportunity to come out of this stronger than we were before.
And it starts by looking out for our fellow man (or woman), for history has shown that char- acter has always made this na- tion great.
Rick Curiel is Sanger editor for The Times.
Rick Curiel
But, as always, that's only one man's opinion.
Time to pull together through COVID-19 crisis
The world is facing a very serious pandemic; the COV- ID-19 is not to be taken lightly. However, one needs to review previous influenza pandemics. The world has overcome in the past. Here are examples:
Plague of Justinian 542 to 542; 25 million died
Antonine plague 165 AD; 5 million died
Flu pandemic 1889 to 1890; 1 million perished
Third Cholera pandemic 1852 to 1860; 1 million perished Black Death 1346 to 1353;
200 million perished
Six Cholera 1910 to 1911;
death toll 800,000
Flu pandemic of 1918; 50 mil-
lion perished
Asian flu 1956 to 1958; 2 mil-
lion died
Flu pandemic 1968; 1 million
perished
HIV/AIDS 2005 to 2012; 36
million died
As you can see this pandem-
ic could become very serious. However, we live in the great- est nation in the world. We have some of the finest medical spe- cialists at our disposal.
There is no need for panic, ladies and gentlemen. We will find an antidote to alleviate this virus.
This is a test of our strength and stamina. Hold your course, keep your mind and wits about you. We will see our way through this with flying colors.
Nowisagoodtimetodo some soul-searching. Be thank- ful for what you have not what you do not have. There is a les- son in this. Think out of the box.
You have the essentials. That’s all you need.
We live in the greatest grow- ing region in the world. Be thankful of your farmers and ranchers that toil daily to put food on your table. These hard working ranchers and farmers are the salt of the world. Thank a teacher for the commitment to your children. Count your bless- ings. There are many.
I would like to encourage each and every citizen to write letters to the editor.
We are in this together, la- dies and gentleman. We need to be like a fine team of horses. We need to pull together for the bet- terment of our country.
Please write and let’s share our stories together, and we will find our way through this.
Bill Boos Sanger
Letters from readers
Letters Policy
MID VALLEY TIMES invites letters from the public on any topic of local relevance. We reserve the right to edit letters for clarity or brevity, and we reserve the right to NOT publish them if they could be deemed libelous or profane. Letters should be 350 words or less, and bear the author's name, address, and phone number. Letters can be mailed, emailed, submitted via our website, or personally delivered to: Editor, Reedley Exponent, 1130 G St, Reedley CA 93654.
QUOTE
“I used to wake up at 4 a.m. and start sneezing, sometimes for five hours. I tried to find out what sort of allergy I had but finally came to the conclusion that it must be an allergy to con- sciousness.”
James Thurber (1894-1961)
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