Letters
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- Written by: Gloria Hovde
Now, by a slim majority, they’ve taken it away. We are no longer entitled to equal rights under the law. For awhile anyway.
Throughout the centuries marriage has come in many forms and with many restrictions. Marriage was a way to unite kingdoms and lands. Arranged marriages that forbid a person to choose their spouse are common in the world even today. Some places require a dowry.
For hundreds of years, women had few to no legal rights once they married. Married women could not make contracts, maintain their own names, file lawsuits, have full ownership and control of property, and in some cases could not maintain custody of their children after their husband’s death.
In 1948 the California Supreme Court became the first state high court to declare a ban on interracial marriage unconstitutional. Nineteen years later Loving v. Virginia ended all race-based legal restrictions on marriage in the United States.
And in May, 2008, the California Supreme Court struck down the 2000 law banning gay marriage:
“In contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual's capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual's sexual orientation – like a person's race or gender – does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights.”
This is a time to mourn a return to a past of injustice, self-righteousness and discrimination. A time when one group of people say they are entitled to more rights than another group of people. But history shows that prejudices gradually fall away and the society grows more tolerant and stronger. Take heart – we will marry again.
Gloria Hovde lives in Lower Lake.
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- Written by: Bob Cecile
Boat U.S., a major boat owners association, recently ran a story on how the man at the tiller of a sail boat that was rammed by a power boat doing anywhere from 30 to 50 miles per hour is now standing trial for manslaughter.
Bismark Dinius has been charged because he was not able to navigate out of the way of the 24-foot Baja Outlaw captained by Perdock. Lynn Thornton died a few days after the collision in which the powered boat rammed and completely catapulted over the sailboat.
The story I read also reported details of how local law enforcement may have participated in covering up for Chief Deputy Sheriff Perdock. Local residents reported that their efforts to render eyewitness accounts were rebuffed by investigating officials if their story sounded detrimental to Perdock’s case.
Lake County citizens need no further recitation of these incidents that have been covered in their local media. I wanted to advise them that a legal defense fund for Bismark Dinius has been established at the Sierra Central Credit Union in Roseville.
Bob Cecile lives in Ferndale, Wash.
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- Written by: Jo Bennett
There were book bags for $15 that would hold as many books as one could stuff in them. The silent auction featured some wonderful items from a gift certificate from Lakeview Market in Lucerne to a rendering of the Upper Lake Library. All funds raised go towards supporting the libraries of Lake County.
Friends would like to thank those who donated items for the silent auction, those that made individual donations, and most of all the volunteers that put this event together.
Clearlake resident Jo Bennett is a member of the Friends of Lake County Library.
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- Details
- Written by: Darrell Watkins
Yes, President Alan Siegel, First Vice President Sid Donnell and board member Sandra Orchi, sued the Record-Bee and the Little Boy for libel! The stage is set for a big showdown. Lake County, and indeed the whole world, should pay attention to this engagement. The Record-Bee and the Riviera Little Boy will fight for freedom against a mighty naked emperor and suppressive tyranny.
It won’t be at high noon, nor will it in the OK Corral. Guns will disseminate fiery flames in the Lake County Courthouse. Crackling sounds of gunfire will be heard and clouds of gun smoke will fill the room on Nov. 6 at 9 a.m. Through the haze, anyone brave enough to sit up front might just might catch a glimpse of the emperor’s ugly face and naked butt.
Wearing his usual old black clothes, the emperor will draw first. Filling both hands with shiny and dreadful guns of tyranny he’ll spray the room with shut-up-little-boy bullets. Those who come to see the show will hear libel screaming from lips but hear the emperor’s heart say, please don’t print anymore stories about my nakedness, Little Boy and Record-Bee. Unfortunately for the bad guys, dastardly deeds will not be ignored.
Used to having his way with the elderly and retired homeowners in the Clear Lake Riviera, the emperor will be surprised when the little boy shoots back. Taking aim with his Freedom of Speech Winchester 30/30, he’ll fire his right-to-challenge-a-government-action bullet straight for the heart of board President Alan Siegel. Drawing a bead on first Vice President Sid Donnell he'll launch a petition-for-redress-of-grievances bullet and knock him down. When Alan and Sid are on the ground, the Freedom of Speech Winchester will belch a final forbidden-intrusion-on-the-field-of-free-expression bullet in the direction of go-along-to-get-along board member Sandra Orchid.
Then, big freedom of the press Gatling guns of the Record-Bee will open up. A devastating volley of the-greatest-menace-to-freedom-is-an-inert-people shells will explode on the head of shut-up-little-boy President Alan Siegel. Participating in the political process by political commentary is to be encouraged in a democracy, not sued, the Record-Bee will say. Another battery will fire, in-a-democracy-the-state-should-not-be-able-to-use-the-force-of-law-to-maintain-its-reputation missiles toward first Vice President Sid Donnell. This used to be done in Europe where legal codes came from feudal codes designed to protect the king. Those who come to watch will hear the Record-Bee’s third battery fire its high explosive the-first-amendment-protects-citizens-from-seditious-law-suits bombardment in the direction of Sandra Orchid.
Finally, the little boy will bring out his tactical nuclear weapon, CA Code of Civil Procedure 425.16. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that there has been a disturbing increase in lawsuits brought primarily to chill the valid exercise of the constitutional rights of freedom of speech and petition for the redress of grievances. The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest to encourage continued participation in matters of public significance, and that this participation should not be chilled through abuse of the judicial process. To this end, this section shall be construed broadly. (b) (1) A cause of action against a person arising from any act of that person in furtherance of the person's right of petition or free speech under the United States or California Constitution in connection with a public issue … A shocked and awed audience will move back when the mushroom cloud rises over the villains. With indignation, the Little Boy will repeat, “It's against the law to sue for libel against “… any act of that person in furtherance of the person's right of petition or free speech under the United States or California Constitution in connection with a public issue ...”
The Record-Bee and Riviera Little Boy have other weapons in their arsenal. They may explode the bombs of abuse of process, violation of constitutional rights, violation of civil rights, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, defamation or other counter claims in law suits of the future.
People will cheer when the emperor’s iron curtain of silence is lifted from homeowners of the Clear Lake Riviera.
Darrell Watkins lives in Kelseyville. He and the Lake County Record-Bee have been named in a defamation and libel lawsuit by Sid Donnell, Alan Siegel and Sandra Orchid. The case will be heard in small claims court in Lakeport on Nov. 6.
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