Letter: Multiculturalism, politics caused rut

I had to write to commend Ralph Mitchell of Olivehurst for his letter (”Once upon a time, Marysville thrived,” Nov. 3). Back in “’51” my dad brought me up to “Marsville” (as I call it now) when I was 14. It was a booming town, people were shoulder to shoulder on D Street. There was even a shooting arcade where I got to shoot a .22 at targets and got all bullseyes. You could buy guns over the counter too.

I hardly ever do any shopping in Marysville; I’m closer to Grass Valley anyhow. Yeah, Marysville looks like a ghost town - what with all the stores closed and with “for lease” signs on them. The Marysville Hotel is an example.

Rules, regulations, environmentalism, taxes, permit fees and property taxes, and liberals drove business and industry out of Marysville. Back in the 1950s Beale AFB was thriving during the Korea War (oh, excuse me, police action). Lumber mills, mining, railroads, canneries, ranching, etc., kept people employed and spending money in Marysville. Just a couple years ago the last few miles of track was torn out in Yuba City as shippers moved away. Now all you got are box stores selling junk made in China. Isn’t that wonderful? Mines, mills and factories are shut down thanks to the environmentalists, and jobs evaporated. Hardly any place for a white man anymore what with the illegal aliens, gang shootings and high unemployment. Isn’t multi-culturalism wonderful?

Yep, I remember how it once was. At one time a trolley system went throughout Marysville all the way to Chico. Thank your local politicians for it.

Jim Butler

Smartsville