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Page A-6 - Shelton-Mason County Journal Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020
LETTERS, from page
Gaming the system?
Editor, the Journal,
The last section of Lawsuit (No. 3:20-cv—O5423) is
Section VII Prayer For Relief, and Line 330 states
—- “Such other and further relief as the court shall
deem just and appropriate.”
These 5 May 2020 lawsuit words are from four
current Republican lawmakers (Drew MacEwen,
Andrew Barkis, Chris Corry and Brandon Vick) and
four regular citizens suing Gov. Jay Inslee over the
coronavirus stay—home order, contending the “emer-
gency has been contained.” The recent number of
new COVID-19 cases and total number of deaths
across the state says it is “not” contained.
Yes, MacEwen is indeed one of the plaintiffs and
he is currently a legislative representative for the
35th Legislative District and he is running again
for another term.
When I read the lawsuit, I got the distinct feel-
ing that these four lawmakers were “gaming” the
system to line their own pockets. These lawmak-
ers are in a position of “public trust” and it seems
by their behavior they have been tutored very well
by the “White House Tribe” on how to game and
scam the system for their own personal gain. The
plaintiffs also want a “jury trial.” Maybe by having
a jury it will solicit additional sympathy in order to
up the ante on their pain and suffering compensa-
tion. '
In the lawsuit, MacEwen contended that he
was lesing money every day due to the proclama—
tion. Well no kidding, Sherlock. So was every
single shut-down business owner across the state of
Washington. There was no mention of trying to get
compensation via a class-action lawsuit for these
tens of thousands and thousands of other business
owners in the lawsuit filed by MacEwen. I wonder
why? Maybe those other business owners that were
losing money just “slipped his mind.” I really have
a zero tolerance level for this kind of behavior from
an elected official. So readers, what is your toler-
ance level on this issue?
Earl W. Burt
Bremerton
Tell the truth
Editor, the Journal,
. The Republican Senate Intelligence Committee
published a 1,000-page report documenting how
Trump, his family and his associates conspired with
Russia and Russian intelligence agencies to rig his
2016 election.
Republican supporters did not hear of it on FOX
propaganda but it is fact: Republicans said it. They
knew and ignored these facts during the “impeach-
ment,” with one exception.
Earlier, Republicans admitted it in 2018 and
Trump’s Cabinet voted to support Trump’s no—tol-
erance policy. That was when they vigorously sepa-
rated children from parents and caged them.
My Republican neighbors kept telling me,
“Obama did it too!” Guess what, he never did.
So my advice to my Trump-loving neighbors, I
have one simple request: Tell the truth.
By the way, as of Aug. 28, 178,553 Americans
are dead, thanks to this president’s incompetence.
Sincerely,
Gregory Dallum
Grapeview
Sign of the times
Editor, the Journal,
The scores of campaign signs you see littering
up the Mason County landscape were put there by
Commissioner Randy Neatherlin’s north county
followers with near cult-like devotion, and for good
reason: when it comes to keeping rates for the'
Belfair Sewer System artificially low, Neatherlin
makes sure the rest of the county picks up the tab.
Neatherlin came to office on the promiseof a so-
lution to the county’s long—term debt obligations for
construction of the Belfair Sewer System. But that
promise turned out to be little more than making
sure the sewer rates in his commissioner district
remained low, even while he voted to increase the r
debt.
Year after year, N eatherlin voted to use the
county’s capital and economic improvement funds
to cover sewer shortfalls, and year after year the
state auditor issued the county a finding for failure
to institute a structured repayment plan.
Journal Letter Policy
The Journal encourages original letters to the editor of local interest.
Diverse and varied‘oplnions are
welcomed. We will not publish letters that are deemed libelous or
scurrilous in nature. All letters must
be signed and include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone
number, which will be used for'
verification purposes only. All letters are subject to editing for length,
grammar and clarity. To submit a
letter, email adam@masoncounty.com, drop it off at 227 W. Cota St, or mail
it to PO. Box 430, Shelton,
WA 98584.
Well, now we have a repayment plan, and it’s
to continue draining the county’s capital funds so
Neatherlin can get elected to a third term.
So what exactly has Neatherlin done for the
county? For starters, he helped bring the county to
the brink of default, facilitating the downgrading
of its credit rating; he reorganized operations to ac-
commodate his fast and loose management style,
resulting in a stream of revolving door employees;
he entered into secret negotiations to purchase the
former Olsen Furniture building, costing taxpayers
millions in renovations; he helped divide the com—
munity of Lake Nahwatzel against itself by voting
to allow special interests to rewrite the county’s
rural development codes; he disrupted rural neigh-
borhoods by voting to allow marijuana processing
operations in rural residential zones and he voted
to increase the county operating budget by 15 mil-
lion dollars over the past seven years.
Recently Mr. Neatherlin, by himself, cost taxpay-
ers $30,000 for a public records violation and in-
volved the county in a potential multimillion dollar
lawsuit.
But as I said, that’s just for starters, because in
the middle of a public health crisis, growing social
unrest and the most important national election
of our time, Neatherlin thought it the perfect time
to solicit support to bring the 2020 version of “,AD-
AGE” to Mason County.
Tom Davis
Shelton,
Embrace the struggle
Editor, the Journal,
Dear Mason County neighbors,
In response to those in our community and coun-
try who believe our nation has no problem with
racism, some of us firmly disagree and feel called to
speak up.
When Americans began to protest following the
death of George Floyd, some here in Mason County
sought to become better informed about racism in
America. We are listening to the stories of Black
fellow-citizens, told painfully, honestly, mostly with
kindness and understanding toward white folk who
have unwittingly added to their struggles. We are
re-learning the history of our country by attending
to the lived experience of Black, Indigenous and
People of Color. We are beginning to understand in-
juries and injustices of which we’ve been unaware.
We recognize that our lack of familiarity with Black
Americans’ suffering under white supremacy does
not invalidate the truth of what they have endured,
nor allow us to avoid our responsibility today.
For veterans in the anti-racist fight and those
new to the struggle, the journey to confront and ad-
dress our country’s racism is the hard, brave road of
patriots leaning into integrity and owning up to the
highest promises of our national creed. Dear white
neighbors, this moment invites us to be still, listen,
show compassion, and take action to ensure “liberty
and justice” are realized for all. This is the road to
real and lasting greatness. We are committed to it.
Sincerely,
Brenda Satrum, Shelton
Ronald Glowen, Shelton
Tanya Mercier, Shelton
Joni Baker, Elma
Margaret Riordan, Shelton
John Skans, Mason County
Sandra Michalec, Olympia
Polly Hankin, Shelton
Val Paulson, Grapeview
Stephanie Paulson, Grapeview
Chris Chitwood, Lacey
’How Democracies Die’
Editor, the Journal,
The book “How Democracies Die” presents case
studies of democracies that have failed in challeng-
ing times, and those that have survived the chal—
lenges.
‘ This book makes it clear that every American
should feel a responsibility to uphold our democ-
racy, which means learning about the situations
where a democracy has been taken over by authori—
tarians and others where the democracy prevailed.
There are four warning signs indicating that a
democracy is in trouble. They are when the lead-
ers:
1. Reject rules and norms
2. Deny the legitimacy of opponents
3. Encourage violence
4. Attack civil liberties, including protest and
media
The book “How Democracies Die” presents ex—
amples of what occurred in democracies that have
failed historically, such as Nazi Germany and more
recently Hungary. It compares actions in failed
democracies with more recent examples of democ—
racies that have been attacked but have survived
such as Austria and Finland”
As a student and teacher of history, I urge ev-
eryone to read the book’s case studies and then
reach your own conclusion about the state of our
democracy. Please do not rely on talking heads
and sopial media but think for yourself. It will take
some time, research and study on the part of each
of us to determine if the warning signs of a failing
democracy are present. Isn’t that effort the respon-
sibility of citizens who want to live in a democracy?
Nancy Snyder
Shelton
What is greatness
anyway?
Editor, the Journal,
Is a nation great when the percentage of income
and wealth steadily flows from the bottom 90%
to the top 10%, with the greatest going to the top
1%? Is a nation great when it is perfectly happy to
sacrifice its environmental future for today’s grati-
fication on the return of the stock market? (Come
to think of it, is that even particularly conserva-
tive?). Or is greatness measured by keeping one’s
current plan even if it means allowing others to go
without? Is it great to pursue policies that alienate
portions of the population to the point that they
cannot bear their own law enforcement?
We had the Greatest Generation. That was the
generation that took a nation from the depths of
financial collapse to being the foremost nation in
the world. They were the generation that fought
for the promise of the Four Freedoms, which would
be derided as socialism today. They were the most
liberal generation in history and the only genera-
tion where wealth actually flowed downward and
not upward. They were a generation that was
asked to sacrifice for a better tomorrow that they
could not see but used their government to create.
And look what their progeny has wrought.
What is greatness? I think it is having high ide-
al and goals and. living up to them. Do you want a
just society? Look at where you fail and correct 'it.
Want a prosperous society? Then build one worthy
of the 22nd century and stop trying to reproduce
the 20th. Do not be afraid to look at the ecological
warning signs flashing before you. Stop looking
at transforming to an energy-efficient society as a
pipe dream and recognize that we will have to get
there sooner or later. And count the jobs that it
will create to rebuild a nation that can carry great- * I
ness to the generations that follow.
What made America great was our coming
together to accomplish great things. Pushing for
individual selfishness is not great. That is every
empire in history and there is nothing exceptional
about it. I suggest that we leave the lunacy of ide-
ology behind. Look at the world through the lens of
reality. Stop rejecting solutions and vision because
it does not fit what the greedy among us sell as a
false freedom. Now that would be great.
Andrew Makar
Hoodsport