Page 4 - Dinuba Sentinel 6-28-18 E-edition

Opinion
A4 | Thursday, June 28, 2018
In My Opinion
Money is the mothers' D milk of politics
oes anyone believe that the changes in what is when hordes or rag-tag now being proffered as young people gather to educational material. I
Fred Hall - Publisher Rick Curiel - Editor
topple statues, break windows, destroy property and shout down conservative speakers with obscenities that their actions are spontaneous?
If you're anything like I am, you watch some of the inane protests and demonstrations which are featured, with some regularity, on the television screens of the mainstream media and wonder what is the organization or who is the individual that is providing financing for such incidents. Certainly newspapers and social media via the web are not exempt from exploiting this draziness.
There can be little doubt that they are well financed and put together by an experienced organizing force. Having lived more than a few years, I no longer believe in coincidence. Electronic news outlets are notified in advance and the public relations side of these ventures is in full swing.
George Soros is one of those individuals who has become notorious through their efforts to place their thumbs on the political scales via generous cash infusions, but there are several others.
Many, especially in California, are young men who have amassed an incredible amount of wealth through their enterprising internet activities. Tom Steyer, from the Bay Area, is utilizing his billions of dollars in available resources to carve a niche for himself and his twisted political vision. Many have gone to expansive lengths to use their windfall of cash to help fellow citizens but more than a few have been unable to resist the siren song of political change. Make no mistake that these people, as advocated by past President Obama would like nothing better than to “change America.” Truth is, most of love America as it is, warts and all!
This latter group has found fertile ground among the corrupted thinking of many of our young people who have been conditioned—through the educational system—to arrive at a similar thought process as the folks to whom we have assigned their education.
Today's youngsters have been so propagandized by their teachers and college professors because, at home, they were taught to respect those people.. I suspect that many of us who are much older would find it difficult to accept
Fred Hall
have a granddaughter, attending Fresno State, who has openly been effected by politically active professors.
I have no problem with their personal political biases, but
leave our children alone, expecially in the classroom!
For everyone of our kids, those early years of learning which should be dedicated to skills required to earn a living that will support a quality of life they want and deserve, have been usurped by corrupt individuals who, instead of teaching, are programming young minds.
George Soros along with Tom Steyer and their ilk would soon find that all that money they spend would be for nil once students were taught to think independently and logically. No longer would there be this endless supply of young people displaying such “lemming- like” behavior. So much for their protestations of being their own man or woman and an independent thought process on their part!
One of the most aggravating truisms of all time is that money is indeed the mothers' milk of politics. One has only to observe just how easy it is to buy the loyalty and obedience of our politicians by special interest groups. This coercion is so prevalent that at any given time there are thousands of lobbyists at work plying their trade of persuasion with our elected officials. Campaigns are won and lost by donated money by unions and special interest that swells the war chest of people who claim to represent us.
There seems to be no legal method to stem the financial infusion from these “Daddy Warbucks” kinds of characters under our current system of government. Our only defense is to be well and truly educated with an awarness that certain well-heeled individuals and groups have no qualms about attempting to manipulate the politics of this great nation.
But, as always, that's only one man's opinion.
Fred Hall is publisher of the Sentinel.
Guest Column
M
ank you, Dinuba
y commute down the 99 and onto Mountain View always ended at Mendocino Avenue, but I had no idea of the gem sitting beyond.
the most rewarding moments in all my years of writing was the reaction of the Manns family to our recent story about Hubert Manns who received his diploma from Dinuba Adult at age 54. My Facebook was filled with messages from the family
and they even dropped off a thank
you card and cupcakes to our office. I was thanked for “making Hubert proud of himself,”
which were incredible words to read.
And I will certainly miss my sports talks with
“Rick,” our daily visitor at The Sentinel. If you don’t know Rick, you can see him every morning riding his bike into the Downtown, making his routine stops. We’ve talked anything and everything to do with sports over the last three years, and he’s sure
to remind me that defense wins championships, and that Tom Brady has “the umph.” If you see Rick, make sure to fill my void with some extra sports talk.
This Rick is not to be confused with the Sentinel’s Rick - Rick Curiel, who will be taking over as the editor. Curiel is homegrown, born and raised in Dinuba, and even worked under the great Bob Raison in the past. I’ve been blessed to have a coworker like Rick to get us through unexpected changes. I know he’s committed to the paper and I know the Sentinel is in good hands.
Going forward, my new job will be as a sports reporter for an online media outlet. I have attended every home Fresno State football game since I was one year old, and now my primary assignment will be to cover the Bulldogs for a living. I will also get the enviable task of regularly interviewing Dinuba legend-in-the-making Marcus McMaryion.
I do hope that I can maintain many of the friendships I have developed here in Dinuba and stop into town for the can’t-miss events like the Cinco de Mayo Festival.
And I’m sure my future visits with my grandparents will likely take us back to Mountain View for a trek back to our favorite Dinuba eateries.
Jackson Moore served as reporter for the Dinuba Sentinel since June of 2015.
e world outside
That commute was from my hometown Fresno
to visit my grandparents in Kingsburg. But approximately three years and a month ago I kept traveling east for my first stop in Dinuba to interview with the Sentinel.
I was fortunate that former Sentinel editor Linda Renn offered me my first full-time job, fresh out of college. For the last three years I have worn several hats, primarily as the news reporter assigned with covering city council meetings and local happenings. For the past several months I have filled in for the editor’s role, covering school board meetings and just about anything else you can think of in town.
However, after three years I will be leaving for a new job opportunity.
It has been difficult to say goodbyes. I have been blessed with wonderful coworkers here at the Sentinel - not to mention the wonderful folks at Mid Valley Publishing in Reedley that make our papers possible. They even put on a luncheon to honor another company employee and myself who were moving onto new jobs - something most people I tell are surprised to hear.
When I think of Dinuba, I probably won’t think much about the time I spent behind the computer, however. I’ll think of how thankful I was when the Valley air cooperated on my morning commute to unveil the best view in the Valley - the “Mountain View.” I’ll also think of the Dinuba Emperors and their “Green Mile,” the festivals and events in town, and the many gatherings and stories I was fortunate to cover. I’ll also think of the countless hours I spent in the class of 2017 Leadership Northern Tulare County, which made me feel ingrained into this community and will keep me involved for years to come.
I’ll think of the wonderful people I met in this community - both those I developed relationships as I saw regularly and those I may have only met once for a story. Unfortunately, as I learned while serving as editor, there isn’t enough room to name everyone.
I will mention a few highlights, however. One of
Jackson Moore
I’m often amazed at how life’s curveballs can be just the pitch you’re looking for, not even
knowing, just by taking a swing at it. I’ve been writing sports for the last year-and-a-half, so please excuse the baseball analogy.
Twenty years ago (back in the 1900’s for you young readers – if you’re
out there) while still a student at Fresno State, I read an ad in the local newspaper in the Help Wanted section. My hometown newspaper, the Dinuba Sentinel, was looking for a reporter. At the time I was enthralled in a newfound passion, writing. I spent many late hours on my computer writing, not for any particular assignment, but rather just to write.
When I read the ad I thought it would be an incredible opportunity to go back home and write for a living, and for my hometown newspaper to boot.
And so, I took a swing at it.
For the next three years of my young adult life, I covered local news under then Editor and owner Bob Raison. I learned a lot in those three years, not only about journalism, but also about the town I live in - the community I’m proud to call my own.
By means of a press pass and through the lens of a camera, I got a front-row seat to perhaps the biggest underrated show of them all, the world just outside our door.
I loved my job writing for the Dinuba Sentinel. Even after having spent more than a decade in the legal field, first as an investigator and finally as a hearing representative, I often told people that, though I made far less writing than I did in civil law, I was much happier doing what I loved to do – and that was write.
So when the opportunity presented itself again to write again for my hometown newspaper – and sports, something I am also passionate about, I knew the time was right to take another swing.
And it was the right time for me and my family. A year prior to returning
I was blessed with the greatest gift I
Rick Curiel
could possibly imagine, the gift of my daughter Liliana. And though a big part of coming back was rooted in my love for writing, I would be remised if I did not admit
our door
that the biggest part of the lure was the opportunity to spend
more time with my daughter.
But never did I think that my return
to the Sentinel would one day turn into me taking over as Editor. It was the furthest thing from my mind. I really saw my return as an opportunity to do what I love and spend more time with my family.
Now, here I am, the Editor of the Dinuba Sentinel. I come to you first
as a native. I was born here in Dinuba in 1975, literally a stone’s throw away from where I reside. My father was also born here, in 1940 at original Alta District Hospital (on the northeast corner of Alta and El Monte). And my father’s family has been here since the late 1920’s.
I attended Lincoln Elementary School, Washington Intermediate School, graduated from Dinuba High School in 1993 and studied at Fresno State.
I live here in Dinuba because this is my home. My roots are here and there is no other place in this world I’d rather call home.
As Editor, please know that I will strive to make the Dinuba Sentinel the best representation of this community. I’m excited about the challenges my new role presents, and my hope is to give you a newspaper we can all be proud of – like this great community.
And if you’d like to share this community’s greatness, please don’t hesitate to call or swing by. The door is always open.
Rick Curiel is Editor of the Dinuba Sentinel. He can be contacted at editor@thedinubasentinel.com
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