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| September 10, 2020 Shelton Mason County Journal |  |
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LETTERS, continued from page A—4
Let’s find the
things in common
Editor, the Journal, .
I found Robert Graham’s letter to
the editor on Sept. 3 to be more in-
teresting this time. I didn’t know we
had several things in common; we’re
both aviators, have worked with the
military, have received higher edu-
Cation, happily recite the Pledge of
Allegiance and have taught college
classes. First, I’d like to thank Robert
for his service to our country and his
dedication to our youth. However, I’m
confused by his letters. I try to write
a letter to the editor to educate or
inform. For instance, instead of just
calling us Democrats “stupid,” I think
it’d be interesting in hearing Robert’s
conservative thoughts about things
that we might agree with, such as
the dignity of work, truth, balanced
budgets, free trade, rejecting tyrants,
order and justice, rejecting the deifi—
cation of government officials, indi-
vidual liberties, Christian values (e.g.,
love your neighbor), and that com-
munism just didn’t work. As an engi-
neering professor, I learned that the
Sergeant-Carter-method-of—teaching
wasn’t effective. I’ve read research
that shows most students learn better
with encouragement and facts. I’m
still learning (Some from letters to the
editor) and I hope to never stop. That
comes from listening and thoughtfully
considering different points of view
than my own. Please Sgt. Carter
consider using your incessant letters
to the editor to inform us Gomer Pyle
Democrats, just like we were your col-
lege English class students.
Dave Daggett
Shelton
Back the Blue.
was a spectacle
Editor, the Journal,
Everything you never wanted to
know about Mason County was on
full display at the Back the Blue rally
in downtown Shelton on Sunday.
. The bullying, cursing and harassing
of peaceful participants in the Black
Lives Matter demonstration, that
took place one block away, was as dis-
graceful a spectacle of intolerance as
any I’ve witnessed. '
The only good thing that came of it
was that the destruction of property,
as foretold by Back the Blue support-
ers, turned out to be as fabricated as
the busloads of Back Lives Matter
protesters they said were coming in
from out of town.
Outnumbered by rowdy Trumpers
presenting themselves as patriots,
Black Lives Matter organizers exer-
cised restraint against a constant bar-
rage of taunts and insults, and kept
their message on topic. ’
Maybe it’s an East/W est Coast
thing or maybe it’s just the times we
live in, but I was brought up in a com-
munity Where big guys protected little
guys from being bullied by bad guys.
Unfortunately, what I witnessed yes-
terday was only one big guy standing
.» up for them: Randy Neatherlin.
Let me stop here for a learning mo-
ment: Make no mistake, I prefer Mr.
Neatherlin were never again allowed
anywhere near local government,
much less be elected to a third term
as a county commissioner. But when
it comes to putting himself in the mid-
dle of a potentially volatile situation
the man has my respect. And if that
statement seems at all conflicting or
confusing then this learning moment
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020 Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page A-5
Journal Letter Policy
The Journal encourages original letters to the editor of local interest.
Diverse and varied opiniOns 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
justin@masoncounty.com, dr0p it off at 227 W. Ceta St,
‘or mail it to PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
was for you.
As it turned out, there was no vio—
lence, no need to board-up storefronts
and certainly no need for the hyster—
ics fomented by the usual Facebook
trolls; local law enforcement did an
excellent job of keeping order, and
‘ there was no reason to call for back-
up, of any kind.
But while no physical damage took
place, it would be wrongheaded to
think no damage was done. Now, it is
what we do with that reality that will
ultimately determine if either demon-
stration was successful.
Tom Davis
Shelton
Proud patriots
in the streets '
Editor, the Journal,
Mine eyes have seen the excellence
of Shelton streets lined with proud
patriots. The Back the Blue flags were
waved enthusiastically. The Ameri—
can flags were held with pride. The
Trump 2020 flags were displayed with
confidence in our future.
The Back the Blue rally Sunday
was important. We want. our police to
know without question that we sup-
port them.
I did not see the Don’t Tread on Me
flag but on some business rooftops I
saw armed patriots. Why? Black Lives
Matter protesters arriving early, who
visited a local pub threatened, “We
will burn Shelton down.”
'With my own eyes (my mouth and ‘
nose were covered with a Trump 2020
mask) I saw black-garbed, BLM pro-
testers chanting angry chants scream-
ing bad words. They were outnum-
bered 20 to 1 (my connt) by Back the
Blue patriots.
I sure hope the Journal shows
the streets lined with patriotic flags
balancing the angry protesters sen—
sationalism. Our patriots rallied for
something, for our police and for the
safety of Mason County residents.
Irene Graham
Union
No place in protest .
Editor, the Journal,
Last Sunday in Shelton, there were
two political gatherings in the center
of town at about 2 pm.
The first was showcased as support-
ing Black Lives Matter. My wife was a
member of it along with about 150 oth-
er peaceful demonstrators. Most car-
ried signs promoting BLM and every-
body was pretty vocal chanting BLM
slogans. After a few speeches in cen-
tral Post Office Park the group began
moving (en masse) around the down-
town area (with me following behind
in my radical leftist late-model Honda
SUV). Half a block away the group
representing Back the Blue lined both
sides of the street at the town’s major
intersection. There were lots of large,
loud, jacked-up four-wheel drive pick-
up trucks,'with oversized “Trump” and
“MAGA” flags stuck in the rear‘fender
holes. To me, this group appeared to be
about twice the size of the BLM group.
One heard chants of “USA, USA” and
blue backers sang the national anthem
and “God Bless America.”
I followed for about half an hour
as the two groups moved throughout
the downtown area. Soon things got
a bit less peaceful. The whole time, I
saw and heard some men and women
Trump supporters repeatedly shouting
“F***k you” at people from the other
side. Noteworthy was the presence of
men and women in camouflage cloth-
ing, wearing body armor and carrying
wanna-be assault rifles with pistols
strapped to their waists. One guy was
full gonzo tactical — clad all in black
with body armor, radio and riot baton.
Say what you will, that doesn’t scream
“peaceful demonstrator.”
Things seemed headed toward real
trouble when, fortunately, half a dozen
police and sheriffs’ vehicles showed up
with lights and sirens. That calmed
folks down. I’m sure that, there are
those “blue backers” who will assert
that the flags and anthems are just
good old—fashioned patriotism. I take
another view. In this case it was jingo-
ism in its simplest form based on hate
and division at a time when our coun-
try is already deeply divided and needs
to unite. These “patriots” seem to be
bent on stoking hate and division as is
advocated every day by the racist mi-
sogynist inhabiting the White House.
I came away upset: conflicted,
threatened, confused. Here are some
reflections: ‘
This was textbook First Ainend~
ment free speech, including the pro-
fanity. On that basis, I defend and
applaud it. As a*U.S. Air Force officer
I took an oath to support the Constitu-
tion and got shot at in its defense.
I find the wearing and brandishing
of military-style weapons at a public
demonstration inflammatory at best
and borderline criminal at worst.
The Second Amendment says: “A
well-regulated militia the right
of the people to keep and bear arms
shall not be infringed ...” Well, dear
‘ reader, these yahoos were not part of
any militia, much less a well-regulated
one. “Keep and bear” does not mean
“brandish at political demonstrations
in order to threaten or intimidate.”
I think the most disturbing part
was the show of weapons and the pres-
ence of self-styled “militiamen.”
Our country has 393 million civil-
ian-owned weapons and exactly zero
well-regulated militias.
Over and over, polls show strong
public support for increased gun regu-
lation, including background checks at
gun shows.
Perhaps it’s because I was raised by
English teachers, but I see a world of
difference between the meaning and
intent of the words: “infringed” and
“well-regulated.”
The experience was unsettling and
at the same time a clear example of
democracy in action. I am glad that I
had the chance to be there to see it.
Toby Kevin
Shelton
Deafening silence.
Editor, the Journal,
I know that most have not noticed
the poisoning of Alexei N avalny by
Czar Vladimir. The silence on the
part of King Donald and his court is
deafening. Now his majesty says all
manner of nice things about law and
order. This should be a no-brainer.
How could you possibly look bad by
condemning the noxious foreign re-
gime poisoning a political opponent?
' The act goes beyond authoritarian. It
is simply below the standard of com-
mon decency. Germany has already
accused Russia of the poisoning/Yet
his majesty is silent.
People have noticed his majesty
tolerates all manner of actions by
Russia. There has been no shortage of
speculation as to ties to Czar Vladi-
. mir. But let us pretend that none of
that exists. Instead, let us consider
what kind of person looks at that sort
of behavior and obfuscates? What sort
of American leader would break with
an ally on this?
Andrew Makar
Hoodsport
What is state for?
Editor, the Journal,
First: It is so sad to see and hear
so much angry vitriol being spewed
back and forth in these letters to the
editor. Week after week, otherwise
normal people attack each other with
hateful words. Americans should be
better than this. When did it become
OK to hate someone who disagrees
with you? To think they must be
stupid or beneath ordinary courtesy
because they see things differently?
Shame on you.
It seems to me that both sides of
the political spectrum have built up
caricatures of their rivals: dehuman-
izing them and justifying the most
horrible treatment of individuals,
as if we all have regressed to junior
high. We spend too much time letting
talking heads on TV tell us what the
“other side” is like and not enough
time getting to know our neighbors.
Second: I mourn for our country.
Misled and wrong-headed young peo-
ple ignorant of history are dragging
the rest of us down the road to anar-
chy and socialism, and we are letting
them. We are doing them no favors
by indulging them in their thirst for
violence. There is no justification for
destroying other’s property, endanger-
ing life and limb, or trying to coerce
solidarity to their cause with force
and intimidation. This violence must
stop. Washington state and mayoral
leadership has utterly failed in its
duty to protect its citizens from “en-
emies both foreign and domestic.”
These words were never more true:
“It is easy to think the state has a lot
of different objects military, politi-
cal, economic, and whatnot. But in
a way things are much simpler than
that. The state exists simply to pro-
mote and to protect the ordinary hap-
piness ’of human beings in this life. A
husband and wifechatting over a fire,
a couple of friends having a game of
darts in a pub, a man reading a book
in his own room or digging in his own
garden — that is what the state is
there for. And unless they are helping
to increase and prolong and protect
such moments, all the laws, parlia-
ments, armies, courts, police, econom-
ics, etc. are simply a waste of time.”
C. S. Lewis, “Mere Christianity,”
1952
Ask yourself: are my mayor, my
governor, my state representative or
senator doing their duty to keep me
and mine safe? Or are they aiding and
abetting the chaos with their weak
and indulgent responses to the riot-
ers?
Make your voice heard, hold your
leaders accountable. Write. Call._ Vote.
Brenda Windom
’ ~ Shelton
see LETTERS, page A-6
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