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Letters
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- Written by: Steven Lehman
I was disturbed when I heard Jim Comstock's claim during the Veterans Day celebrations at Konocti Vista Casino on Nov. 11 that he had been waterboarded as a part of his military training and that he didn't think it was torture.
Comstock's Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE) training did not subject him to the intensity or duration of the waterboarding torture of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and many others for example.
Was Comstock intentionally trying to blur the distinction between a training simulation undergone by highly motivated military volunteers and the grim reality of real waterboarding?
Comstock's message to the community was that waterboarding is a legitimate technique and no big deal. I reject his assertion and point to US law, the Nuremberg trials, and international treaties where the U.S. is a signatory to support the fact that waterboarding is a crime of torture.
Our nation must not go down this slippery slope by “legalizing” criminal acts in the name of expediency or national security.
It is too easy for a U.S. president or other high ranking official to find a career-minded attorney to construct legal theories for anything and then later say, “The lawyer said it was OK.”
Their actions have stained the integrity of the U.S. and have given powerful propaganda and recruiting tools to the enemies of the U.S. They have put our troops in ever more jeopardy.
Leaders like Jim Comstock have a moral duty to uphold the rule of law and not to erode the spirit or the letter of the law, especially Article 3 of the Geneva Convention.
Making claims that misrepresent the nature of this issue does not help us to understand the nature and consequences of these heinous policies but rather to confuse and confound the general public and thereby protect the perpetrators.
Crimes of torture have been committed by the U.S. government under the direction of top U.S. Government administration officials by their own admission.
The U.S. attorney general is obligated to prosecute those officials under the rule of law.
Steven Lehman lives in Lower Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Frank Rivero
I want to express my sincerest appreciation to the voters of Lake County. It is both humbling and exhilarating to be selected to serve as your sheriff-coroner.
With your continued support Lake County will flourish and I will do every thing in my power to make our communities among the safest in the nation.
To the many hard working volunteers, supporters, and individuals and organizations that contributed to my campaign, I count among my many blessings the privilege of having worked with you and now, to serve you as your sheriff.
There are a great many people to thank; the list of volunteers and supporters is long. I do want to give a special thank you to my core campaign team for their advice and execution of key strategies that ultimately proved successful.
In addition, there are countless key volunteers who did so much to help get out the vote, from walking neighborhoods with me to making phone calls on my behalf and so much more.
Also, to the many supporters who made contributions of money, your generosity made it possible to reach voters through the media and direct mail, an essential aspect of our campaign.
It is difficult to find the right words to convey my thanks. My hope is that in due time you will see the fruits of your labor in safer communities, an open and accountable sheriff’s department, and in the shaping of a welcoming and economically viable Lake County in which all citizens can take pride.
I will take office on Jan. 5, 2011. In the meantime, a celebration of our victory is being hosted by our Native American friends at the Konocti Vista Casino and Resort on Nov. 21, from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. This no charge event will feature live music, complimentary food and is open to everyone in the community. I hope to see you there.
Frank Rivero is sheriff-elect of Lake County, Calif.
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- Written by: Melissa Swanson
I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to the voters of Clearlake for electing me to a second term as city clerk.
I have worked for the city for almost five years, starting as office assistant and deputy city clerk, and was promoted to administrative assistant in 2006. I ran as a write-in candidate for city clerk that same year.
As city clerk, I am the elections official, the public records custodian, the political reform filing officer, and provide support for the city council. I make sure the democratic process is followed as compliance officer for the Brown Act, the Political Reform Act and the Public Records Act.
The city clerk also manages public inquiries and arranges ceremonial and official functions for the council and the city.
In 2008, I received the City Clerks Association of California’s Humanitarian Award and congressional recognition for my volunteer work in our community. I have been a member of the CCAC for four years, and a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks for three years.
In addition to my full-time position with the city, I am also a full-time student. In March, I will graduate with my bachelor of science degree in public administration.
My family has lived in Lake County since 1986. Three generations of my family live in Clearlake today. I attended Oak Hill Middle School and graduated from Lower Lake High School almost 20 years ago.
Like many of my generation, I moved away to attend college. I met my husband in college 16 years ago, and we raised our young family for a few years in the Sacramento Valley.
However, we wanted to raise our little boys in a better environment with the small town feeling that we were missing. When an opportunity came, we moved to Clearlake six years ago. We are raising our three children – ages 15, 12 and 3 – to have a sense of pride in their community and the beauty that surrounds them.
I look forward to serving the citizens of my hometown for another four years as city clerk.
Melissa Swanson lives in Clearlake, Calif.
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- Written by: Congressman Mike Thompson
Today we will honor and celebrate the tremendous sacrifices our veterans made for our great country. I hope you will join me by taking some time today to think about the veterans in your community and thank them for their service.
As citizens, it is one of our most important responsibilities to ensure our veterans are welcomed home with the full benefits and services they earned.
As a combat Vietnam veteran and co-chair of the Congressional Veterans Caucus, I believe we must maintain our strong commitment to providing our service members access to quality health care and economic opportunities.
Since January 2007, Congress added over $23 billion for veterans’ health care and services. Just this year, Congress passed the largest veterans health care funding increase in the 77 year history of the Veterans Administration (VA).
This essential funding has helped improve health care treatment and access for hundreds of thousands of our nation’s veterans. It means more medical services, better care and shorter waiting times for doctors' appointments. It provides an additional 15,000 VA health care workers, including 1,705 new doctors and 6,468 new nurses.
Congress has also provided additional funding to increase the number of Community Based Outpatient Clinics for the more than 3.2 million veterans living in rural areas who do not have ready access to VA hospitals.
We can also do more to remember the stories and sacrifices of individual veterans in our lives.
This year, I am urging our local veterans and students to participate in the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center.
In this program, young people interview and record the stories of war veterans. Their stories will become part of our national archives and kept in the Library of Congress.
To date, the program comprises more than 68,000 individual collections, which include audio- and video-recorded interviews, original photographs, letters and other historical documents from veterans of every war and conflict since World War I.
Any interested students, teachers and veterans, and anyone who would like to serve may contact any of my district offices.
Again, I want to personally thank those men and women who have served or continue to serve in our armed services. Also, in acknowledgment of November as Military Families month, I also want to give my thanks to the families of those who serve. Our country deeply appreciates all that you do.
Congressman Mike Thompson represents California's First Congressional District – which includes Lake County – in the U.S. House of Representatives.