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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
March 26, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
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March 26, 2020
 
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Page A-4 — Shelton-Mason County Journal Thursday, March 26, 2020 lmmUnity for the community Open government still this space, but a line from last week’s column not only fills me with regret, it fills me with rue. Much rue. Here’s the line: “Trying to demonize China for being the birthplace‘of this vims? Irrelevant.” Turns out, demonizing China has become painfully relevant_ ' for many people. Turns out, many in this country, the land of “It’s time for our nation to unite” and “We’re all in the same boat,” have a group of US. resi- dents they don’t want to unite with, a group they don’t want in their boat. Some people from China, and some people of Chinese ancestry, are reporting being hit and harassed in the United States, and around the Irarely regret what I write in Tagging a city, a nation or a con- tinent with COVID-19 endangers human beings. ’ People shouldn’t play ignorant with that fact. «But if it makes people feel better to attach a location to this virus, call it “the Earth virus.” Consider this: Another of our pandemics, the one caused by the human immunodeficiency Virus, is treatable today largely because of the work of one hu— man: Dr. David H0, a US. resi- dent and an immigrant from Tai-' wan. H0 is now devoting his brain power, thanks to a grant from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, to finding a novel coronavi- rus treatment. Don’t distract the future David Hos with this nonsense. And if we must insist on stereotyp- world, solely because of By KIRK ing, let’s stereotype all the features on their fac- ERICSON Asians as potential Da- es. In fact, it’s happening vid Hos. more broadly to many Asians I I I and people of Asian ancestry. Maybe the hitters’ and harass- ers’ thoughts are that their tar; gets look kind of Chinese, and that’s close enough. These attacks have gone vi— ral since the novel coronavirus spilled out of China, a fact that hadn’t fully registered on me. It should have registered. Hence, my regret. And rue. Type the phrase Asians coronavirus into your computing machine, hit the “News” tab and you’ll see. Insisting on calling this novel coronavirus “the Wuhan virus” or any similar variation — doesn’t get us any closer to the answers this virus requires. What it likely does is make some intolerant people focus on the foreignness of the word “Wu- han.” Prejudice has viral qualities. Prejudice feasts and multiplies among people who are scared, powerless and don’t have the imagination to consider being born as someone else. Just because it started in , Wuhan, China — or near there — doesn’t mean Wuhan needs to be there in the name. We un- derstand polio, herpes, rabies, scabies, the plague, measles, HIV, smallpox, influenza, pneu- monia, tuberculosis, hepatitis and malaria just fine without a geographic positioning reminder. SHELTON-MASON COUNTY Journal USPS 492-800 The news that Republican US. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has been infected with the coro- navirus and is now quarantined shouldn’t give anyone who’s op- posed to his political positions or his political party any pleasure. Let’s resist schadenfreude — 'the German word for “taking pleasure in someone else’s pain” — when people we don’t like or disagree with contract the novel coronavirus. Let’s be better. Or: Be best. Use whichever phrase your political persuasion desires. You might defend your grati- fication over Paul’s condition by believing that Paul got what he deserved because his thoughts and acts violated the concept of karma, the Buddhist and Hindu equivalent of “you reap what you sow.” But using the word “karma” to hammer someone . who is suffering is not honoring the spirit of karma. We all fall short. Taking pleasure in someone else’s pain invites bad karma for you, and I hope it’s not bad karma to point that out. I I I All of us are descendants of people who survived the many v pandemics‘ that have swept Earth. And so, here we are. I Contact Kirk Ericson at kirk@ mqsoncountyeom. nal is a member of the Wash- ington Newspaper Publishers Association, suescnlpnou mass: The Shelton-Mason County Jour- POSTMASTEFl: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason County Journal. P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. Published weekly by the Shelton-Mason County Journal at 227 W. Cota St, Shelton, Washington. Mailing address: PO. Box 430, Sheiton, WA 98584 Telephone: 360-426-4412 Website: www.masoncounty.com ' Periodicals postage paid in Shelton, Washington.- $52 per year ($43 for six months) for Mason County addresses and $75 per‘year ($55 for six months) outside of Mason County. Owned and published by Shelton-Mason County Journal, inc. received little, if any, notice amid the ever—growing concern of the spread of the coronavirus. March 15 through 21 was National Sunshine Week, whiCh celebrates open government and residents’ access to pub- lic records, documents, actions and delib- erations. The Washington constitution was written with the guarantee that Wash- ingtonians could know what their state and local governments are doing for or to them. It is troubling that during the week that celebrates open government, provi-- sions are being considered that could limit the public’s access to their govern- ment. As the spread of the coronavirus in- creases, we understand the need to limit public gatherings, but at the same time have deep concern of the lasting implica- tions it may have on our guarantee of an open government. ' Though few attend city council or county commissioner meetings (unless a topic directly affects them), the ability to do so and voice their thoughts is not something that should be disregarded. Even though our local government may limit the topics on their agendas to gen- eral business items, people still have a right to knowand participate in both the mundane meetings as well as the boister- ous ones. - We are thankful that both the City of Shelton and Mason County are aware of the open meeting laws and are looking at available options to ensure they do not Something occurred last week that important in times of crisis trespass upon the public’s rights. But our public servants are uncertain howto do that while maintaining public safety. The spread of the coronavirus presents a hazard to the public and their open meetings and there is also the lasting hazard to be considered. The loss of open government, even in the face of a medical crisis, would be a travesty to all and a loss from which ou society might never recover. 1 At newspapers across the country, and no less here at the Shelton-Mason County Journal, we know that the public’s right to open government is not on the fore- front of the public’s mind with the cur- rent state of the coronavirus. Nonetheless it remains as a priority to us. v We will continue to hold our elected officials true to their pledge to uphold the state constitution and open govern- _ ment, which it promises all citizens of this state. We will continue to ensure the people of this city, county and state are afforded their right to participate and that this situation does not compromise those rights for the future and future generations. And as always, we will continue to provide coverage of thelocal governments , and challenge any means by which they may willingly or unwittingly bar the public from participating in their govern- ment. ' Even in a crisis, this newspaper will not let the right of open government atro- phy and become useless. MAYBE SOME PEOPLE THINK COVID—19 CAUSES DIARRHEA AND PANICKED. Publisher: Tom Mullen Front office: Dave Pierik, circulation and ' All regular editorial, advertising and legal deadlines are 5 pm. the Advertising: classifieds manager Monday prior to publication. John Lester, general manager Theresa Murray, ad representative Delivery: To submit a letter to the editor, . Jon Garza email adam@masoncounty.com. Newsroom: 'David Olson Adam Rudnick. editor in chief Niel Challstrom Gordon Weeks. reporter Justin Johnson, sports/outdoors editor Kirk'Ericson. columnist/ proofreader Lloyd Mullen, photo editor Composing room: a , é William Adams, advertising and 1 technical support