Our View: Violence is not what our community will stand for

We believe we speak for our community in condemning the violence of last Sunday night. Four people at a family gathering on Super Bowl night in Linda were shot — one killed — in a drive-by shooting.

What difference could this condemnation make? We don't know. Maybe none, in terms of justice to be done. But it matters, we think, to us as partners in a community to make the declaration:

We condemn this violence.

This isn't what our community stands for: a stupid drive-by assault. We don't care what motives there were, who owed whom some vengeance or some challenge. Thugs drove through a neighborhood and fired into a group of people.

Bad enough. A group of people — our neighbors — including young children. Terrible. This is not what our community stands for and our community will not stand for it.

We condemn this violence.

Courtrooms should be dignified, reservedand as open as possible

We think that courtrooms should be calm, cool and collected. There should be an air of reserve, dignity and respect for protocol.

Justice is far too important to be carried out in an environment of disrespect for authority and disregard for process.

It should be very proper.

But it should also be very open.

Citizens should be able to know through words and, whenever possible and appropriate, pictures what happens in the places where the laws of our democracy are applied.

We're appreciative of Sutter County Superior Court Judge Brian R. Aronson's decisions in a couple recent cases to allow our photographer to take pictures inside the courtroom during proceedings. We can tell in words, of course. But seeing the people involved in the courtroom proceedings adds to our understanding of the seriousness of what happens there. Pictures help the words inform and instruct.

We believe photographers can be part of a respectable courtroom.

When you look at justice system accounts from countries in which there is low regard for human rights, where there is no democratic process, where tyrannical governments are protected, you see courtrooms as choreographed shows, or you don't see inside the courtrooms at all.

In a true democracy, when there's no special concern for decorum, courtrooms should be something we can all look at.

Our 49ers will be back; and hopefully witha little more maturity

Just five yards from championship number six… The San Francisco 49ers gave fans one heck of a ride this season. But if you've got the Super Bowl blues, buck up: this team will be back and there is plenty more to come, we think.

Led by a young, talented quarterback who played beyond his years this season, the team is built for success. We're already ordering in chips and salsa for next year.

Now, here's our hope: as Turlock's favorite son Colin Kaepernick grows, let's hope head coach Jim Harbaugh matures as a coach and sportsman.

His intensity is a trademark, but the constant complaining and sideline histrionics had some Niners fans covering their eyes.

Our team almost made the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. Almost: that's a tough pill to swallow, but there's something to be said about being gracious in defeat (especially against your older brother in the biggest event in American sports).

Harbaugh should see as clearly as any fan that a bright future lies ahead for a team that fell one completion shy of pulling the Lombardi Trophy out of a hat.