ROBERT PARKER, Deputy Director of Mendocino County’s Transportation Department, addressed the Supes last week on behalf of “Rediscover Freedom,” making it clear that he was speaking on his own time. (As a top County bureaucrat, Parker can come and go as he pleases, so what's the diff?) But Parker was all about explaining the obvious, that County roads are deteriorating and that the eventual cost of repair will be greater than keeping up with routine maintenance. Parker occasionally addresses the Board, and whenever he does, he says he's talking on behalf of “Rediscover Freedom.” Thinking it was another far right fringe group we tapped in the key words and sure enough, there it was — “Rediscover Freedom: the campaign website of Robert V. (Bob) Parker, write in candidate for Assembly in 2006 against Patty Berg.”
“REDISCOVER FREEDOM,” as it turns out, is a fringe group of one (1). There have been no updates or additional postings since the original one where Mr. Parker announced his quixotic write in campaign against Berg some number of years ago where he explains: “I'm entering the race at the ‘eleventh hour.’ However, it was only quite recently that events occured which caused me to leave the ranks of the ‘Silent Majority’.” Parker does not say what those events were. Perhaps he had just learned that Patty Berg (like every state and federal representative for the Northcoast for the last several decades), was selected by a small group of self-annointed Democratic Party insiders who don't think like he does. And what does Mr. Parker think?
ACCORDING TO THE WEBSITE, “The 'Rediscover Freedom' campaign platform — which offers a political agenda that critically differs from that of Ms. Berg — has four legs: 1) Support our Troops; 2) Return to our traditional values; 3) Require open and honest government; 4) Achieve campaign finance reform. Support our troops and God bless America. Sincerely, Robert V. (Bob) Parker.” Here in Mendoland, where history starts fresh every morning, you can also create an "organization" that reflects your personal point of view and then speak on behalf of it any time you like.
SUPERVISOR PINCHES later noted the large infusion of federal dollars into the County road system that came about as part of the federal stimulus program and an earlier state proposition, making the somewhat questionable claim that County roads are in good shape compared to earlier years. Pinches also praised (deservedly in our opinion) the County road crews, saying they get a lot done with the resources available.
AUTHOR Donna Rankin Love, born with crippled feet, has walked 5000 miles for peace. She will speak at Gallery Bookshop in Mendocino on Friday, September 21, at 6:30 p.m. Through her three books, all published since her 80th birthday, she will inspire her audience. Her first book, Tell Me a Story, started as a Christmas gift for her family. The 42 short stories comprise a memoir. Love discovered that memories and short stories are a perfect match – and writing memoirs can be less intimidating. Love reminds us, “You don’t have to start at the beginning.” To Make the House Complete chronicles 14 years as Love moves into four houses and a marriage, each needing work. Ranging from two casas in Mexico to a farm house in Oregon to a beach cottage in Capitola, California, plus a 10-year second marriage, she recounts her efforts to make them, and her life, better. In the end, she’s keeping the cottage. Walking for Our Lives tells of three historic peace marches of the 1980s totaling over 5,000 miles. The first involved walking 3,700 miles from Los Angeles to Washington, DC in the Great Peace March of 1986. The following year, 230 Americans landed in Leningrad (St Petersburg) and walked with 230 Soviets to Moscow. Then Soviets traveled for a peace walk in the United States. Love says, “I grew from a complacent homemaker into a passionate peacemaker, and into a life where anything is possible and one person does make a difference.” Donna Love believes, “Writing memoir contributes to personal peace, peace within families, and in communities.” She will discuss memoir writing, read excerpts from Walking for Our Lives, and sign purchased books.
Be First to Comment