Klamath Courier: As I See It by Pat Ratliff

Klamath Courier
Fort Jones, CA
February 22, 2006
Page C1, column 3

I've noticed something recently. People seem to think they can just
change things to the way they want them to be, voice that thought
publicly, and then act like that is the way it always was.

Rewriting history isn't new, but it's sure being taken to new heights lately.
When it involves history or science, then we need historians and
scientists to step up to the plate and correct those errors. In
spite of what I may have told some of you, I am neither of those.

Sometimes the lies and untruths just involve words though. We have
people who study words, like English professors, but that involves
something different. We're not talking verbs or nouns or anything
like that. We need an authority on words, and there doesn't seem to
be anyone who will step up to the plate.

In the absence of that authority, I am going to do just that. I, Pat
Ratliff, am stepping up to the plate and will be the new official
word authority.

I need a title, something smart sounding to demonstrate my authority,
but not too-too much.

I think I will proclaim myself, in my new position, as Pat Ratliff,
Word Practitioner.

I'm available for seminars, for a small fee, and as the only Word
Practitioner around, I will also be available for court cases, as an
expert witness, should the need ever arise.

The first word clarification I want to make is something that has
been bugging me for a while.

The two words "Klamath Basin" seem to have a lot of different
meanings. I know what I've always thought they mean, but once the
governmental money train (known to some as 'Big Green') rolled into
town; there are people from places we've never heard of claiming to
be from the "Klamath Basin".

With the National Academy of Sciences beginning their study of many
things having to do with the Basin, I figure I can make things easier
for them to understand, and give them perspective as well as an
official ruling.

Henceforth and forever more, Klamath Basin means just what it always
did. Somewhere north of the Klamath Marsh, to Crater Lake, to Lake
of the Woods, to Keno Dam, Dorris to Macdoel to the Lava Beds,
Tionesta to Clear Lake, Gerber Reservoir to a few miles past Bly,
Sprague River and back again to North of the Marsh. If I missed you,
my apologies, let me know and I'll make an amendment to my
proclamation.

I know most of you already know the Basin as what I described, but
many don't. If you are a few miles outside the boundary, but your
heart lies here, then fear not, for I declare you a Basin resident in
absencia. You have all the rights and privileges of a Klamath
Basinite. Or would that be Klamath Basinian? I'll have to make a
ruling on that soon also.

The distinction I'm trying to make is that town, rivers and lands
downstream from us are not the Klamath Basin. They are in the
Klamath River Basin, of which the Klamath Basin is a part of.
I'm sorry, but those of you living downstream, will have to live
under your own designations, although you are more than welcome to
buy our T-shirt.

It isn't that we don't like you, or feel we're better than you. It's
just that we live in the Klamath Basin, and you don't.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTE: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, any copyrighted
material herein is distributed without profit or payment to those who have
expressed a prior interest in receiving this information for non-profit
research and educational purposes only. For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml