OPINION

Power to Speak Instead of taking down monuments, update them and focus on injustices of today murder.” Congresswoman Julia Brownley votes to fully fund the military-industrial complex, and this year went along with the Democratic leadership to give Mr. Trump everything he wanted in the bloat ed military budget for the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Yet the same politicians who support the mili ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Nancy D. Lackey Shaffer STAFF WRITER Kimberly Rivers CONTRIBUTORS Michael Cervin, David Michael Courtland, Ivor Davis, Emily Dodi, Alicia Doyle, Chuck Graham, Chris Jay, Daphne Khalida Kilea, Karen Lindell, Paul Moomjean, Mike Nelson, Tim Pompey, Emily Savage, tary murder machine are co-opting the Black Lives Kathy Jean Schultz, Alan Sculley, Kit Stolz, Mark Storer, Alex Wilson, by Bryan Rosen Matter message. Why are protesters so obsessed with removing statues — that don’t drop bombs or Leslie A. Westbrook, Kateri Wozny GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

The people who were responsible for the icans occurring in his day, it’s noteworthy that kill Black people — and not directing more energy Bret Hooper, Paul Braun, Elaine Cota bronze Father Junipero Serra statue being Father Serra actually stood up for them, and walked toward removing politicians from office? If statues SALES TEAM LEADER placed in 1989 outside Ventura City Hall to replace the original 1936 damaged concrete statue thought it was important. A beautiful piece of art was created. On July 15, 2020, the Ventura City Council all the way from Carmel to Mexico City to protest the terrible abuse by the Spanish colonial govern ment. There he presented a bill of rights for Native Americans. In 1775, when Mission San Diego de Alcalá was burnt down by Kumeyaay attackers and or memorials are made of today’s leaders, do they need to come down in a hundred years? Where does it all end? Lots of lip service is given by politicians to Martin Luther King Jr. and they love to “celebrate” Warren Barrett ADVERTISING SALES Barbara Kroon CLASSIFIEDS Ann Turrietta voted to take down the Serra statue. But their deci his dear friend Father Luis Jayme was tortured and him during the holiday. If our representatives really Advertising information, call 805.648.2244 sion may be appealed by a referendum or initiative murdered, Serra pleaded with authorities for lenient want to celebrate him, they can stand up against the Classified Ads | Display Ads of the people. It looks like a lot of people are going to be fighting over this, in the courts or on the treatment. “As for the culprits, their offense should be forgiven after some slight punishment,” he said. big moneyed interests, and do more to help people in need. For example, why doesn’t the Ventura City EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING OFFICE ballot. It has been a divisive issue at a time when “By doing so they would see we were putting into Council do more to help farmworkers around Ven 805.648.2244 unity is needed. practice the rule we teach them — to return good tura who are being subjected to toxic pesticides? warren@vcreporter.com (Advertising)

Tearing down monuments and degrading dead for evil and to pardon our enemies.” What of the mass incarceration that exists in our nancy@vcreporter.com (Editorial) people who can’t defend themselves is easy. Creat Symbolic gestures like removing statues may times, the warehousing of poor people and people aturrietta@timespublications.com (Classifieds) ing a better world is more difficult. Monuments do not have to be about beneficent figures. Whether be easy to do, but are also a diversion from the really important issues. Instead of wasting time of color in miserable conditions? Instead of removing statues, the government The Ventura County Reporter is distributed every Thursday in Ventura, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Camarillo, Ojai, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills. The one loves or hates Father Serra, his historical importance cannot be denied. Instead of tearing down a statue created in the past in a public area, a on statues, how about condemning the injustices occurring in the present? President Obama killed many dark-skinned needs to put its energy into making life better for people today, into supporting decent wages, and helping the poor get out of poverty. It’s notable Reporter is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. The Reporter may be distributed only by Reporter authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of the Reporter, take more than one copy of each Reporter issue. The Reporter is copyright ©2020 by Times Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part plaque can be put next to it, so the modern gener ation with its greater understanding can add to the story . A mini library with books about the figure people with drones in the Middle East. Most of them were bystanders. Would he have done so if there was a chance his own children would be what’s not on the Ventura City Council agenda: the proposal for creating a beautiful monument to the Chumash. It’s doubtful that will ever happen. It’s of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form or by any means without permission in writing by the publisher. An adjudicated Newspaper of General Circulation (SP50329). Submissions of all kinds are welcomed. However, the publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. A stamped, self-addressed envelope AD PROOF and the time period can be added. It’s important killed by a drone? Mr. Trump is helping the Sau so much easier to take something down than create must accompany all submissions expected to be returned. to understand the past so mistakes aren’t repeated, dis to commit mass murder against the people of Client: Mustang Marketing - Census something worthwhile. Ad Executive: Warren Barrett (805) 648-2244 and public monuments in public places give us Y emen. Let’s not forget the millions killed in the Please check this proof over carefully and indicate all corrections clearly. You will have a “1st Proof”, “2nd Proof”, and “Final Proof”. If we receive no proof after the 1st or 2nd Proofs, AD WILL much food for thought and help stimulate interest Iraq and Vietnam wars. Martin Luther King Jr. Bryan Rosen is director of Concerned Citizens RUN AS IS. If this proof meets your approval on the 1st proof, check off “FINAL PROOF (APPROVED)” box, date and sign at the bottom in learning. Let each generation create its own monuments. With so much brutal treatment of Native Amer in his speech “The Three Evils of Society” spoke against the military-industrial complex, saying “millions, yes billions, are appropriated for mass NOTICE: PLEASE FAX THIS PROOF TO (805) 648-2245 ASAP for Environmental Health, an environmental advocacy group involved in animal rights issues and in the effort to r educe pesticide use in the Ojai area. PRESIDENT Steve Strickbine VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hiatt ISSUE: 8/6/20