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Page A-6 Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020
LETTERS, continued from page A-5
RIP RBG
Editor, Journal,
As Americans mourn the loss of
our iconic fighter for justice, Ruth
Bader Ginsberg, it seems the vultures
are already circling. ,
Selecting someone to fill a Supreme
Court justice position is a sacred duty
and should require thorough inves-
tigation and thought and the time to
make a decision that benefits all of
the citizens of the United States of
America. It shouldn’t be a political
decision designed to get votes.
Why then did President Donald
Trump already have his short list
ready within an hour after RBG’s
passing? Why did Mitch McConnell
announce Republican support for
whomever Trump nominates, clueless
of whoever it might be? Ted Cruz an-
nouncing his approval of immediately
selecting a replacement and rushing.
through approval before the election
contradicts his 2016 opinion that re—
placing a justice so close to an election
was wrong. OK for Republicans but
not for Democrats? What hypocrisy!
If Trump is so sure he will be
re—elected, why the hurry? Why not
give this the utmost importance and
thought it deserves instead of rushing
through such an important decision
just to save his political hiney?
Even Ruth Bader Ginsberg knew
how important waiting to make a
proper decision was, her dying state-
ment reflected this “My most fervent
wish is to not be replaced until a new
president is installed.”a respectful
mourning period would have been the
proper way to proceed, but the ghoul-
ish behavior of our so—called leaders
circling to get their way once again
shows how much disregard these peo-
ple have for common decency, and the
citizens they swore to serve. I remind
everyone, including Trump, we are all
American citizens, not just votes.
Patricia. Hawley
Shelton
In defense
of Neatherlin
Editor, the Journal,
A small group is targeting Com-
missioner Randy Neatherlin. Their
letters to the editor, op-ed pieces and
road signs are filled with exaggera-
tions, name-calling, personal attacks '
and fabrications. Their claims are
clearly an unsubstantiated effort to
denigrate Neatherlin’s character.
However, their behavior says much
more about them and their characters
than it does their intended target.
Neatherlin has worked hard
through the years to serve all the
residents of Mason County, not just
those in District 1. Not all of any
commissioner’s decisions will satisfy
the desires of everyone in Mason
County. Neatherlin, however, is an
honest man who has tried his utmost
to benefit both the rural residents
and townsfolk within his county. He
regularly puts his reputation on the
line promoting actions he believes will
benefit all the county.
Recently, he put more than his rep-
utation at risk. He risked his personal
safety by standing between unarmed
protesters and armed, angry men in
an effort to prevent violence in down-
town Shelton. He strongly believes
that sides of the debate have the
freedom to express their views. But,
he equally opposes violence on any of
Mason County’s streets. ‘
Neatherlin is a man of conviction
and courage: He deserves all our sup-
port at the polls.
By the way, while Neatherlin was
putting his safety on the line. Where
was Ted Jackson?
Diane McLean
Allyn
Sign of hope
Editor, the Journal,
In the midst of rioting and protests
that make us fear for the future of our
country, I was reminded today of what
America is about.
My husband and I were riding our
motorcycle into Shelton on Labor Day,
Sept. 7, and it quit at the Johns Prai-
rie stoplight. The bike wouldn’t start
up so we pulled off the road imme-
diately and tried again. No luck, but
just as immediately a car pulled off
the road and a young driver got out to
ask if we needed help. When asked for
jumper cables, he said he didn’t have
any but offered to drive to Walmart to .
buy some. Instead, we asked him to
give the bike a push. A second vehicle
pulled over on Brockdale just then. Af-
ter looking in his truck cab, the driver
offered to travel just 2 miles home for
jumper cables. However, both men
agreed to push the bike and we got it
started.
At a time when life is tense due to
COVID-19, we need to remind our-
selves of the generosity of our neigh-
bors, those we live beside, and those
who share our community. Shelton
should make the news for that. Thank
you to the young men who helped us
today and to all of you who would have
, done the same if you’d been there.
That is what our country is about.
Proud to be an American,
Lisa Olin
Union
Protest reflections
Editor, the Journal,
There are two sides to the BLM
protests that were held in Shelton on
Sept. 6.
Most of the people representing
the Black Lives Matter side were
our friends and neighbors, and hon-
estly felt that they were protesting
for a good cause. Those who showed
up with guns, and some downtown
' merchants that boarded up their
windows, have been watching the
news and saw how quickly a peaceful
protest can turn into violence, with
property damage and looting.
I have heard that there were a few
black-clad antifa people present, their
goal is to infiltrate peaceful protests
to start violence, maybe the gun own-
ers deterred them.
If you believe that BLM is just an
organization working for justice for
Blacks that have been victimized, I
suggest that you do some research
into the group.
BLM was founded in 2013 by three
activists in California; two of them
are avowed Marxists and trained
organizers. The manifesto of Marx-
ism includes: Eliminate the nuclear
family, eliminate capitalism, abolish
prisons, eliminate private ownership
of property, eliminate the right of in-
heritance, defund the police, and de-
stroy past history and replace it with.
their own ideology. These are all the
facts that can be corroborated in any
search engine on the internet.
Also, they have extreme hatred of
Donald Trump. I am not defending
some of Trumps actions, but I have
lived through 12 presidents, begin-
ning with Dwight Eisenhower, and
have found that if we don’t agree with
the current president, we have‘the
opportunity every four years to vote
them out of office. I believe that was
the fate of at least three of the past 12
presidents.
BLM has raised millions of dollars,
nobody knows exactly how much, be—
cause they are not incorporated and
don’t have to disclose their donations,
or where they come from. According
to articles, about 70 percent of their
funds go to salaries and consultants,
the balance to finance protests.
I haven’t heard that any funds
collected in the name of Black Lives
Matter are going to better the lives
of people in need. It would be a much
better use of these funds, and the en—
ergy expended in protests, if it actu-
ally went to help those that they are
supposedly protesting for.
R.G. Parrett
Shelton
BLM IS eVII
Editor, the Journal,
I have never felt sicker than I have
over the cold-blooded shooting of the
two young Los Angeles deputies the
other day. This was unconscionable ,
enough, and is happening far too often,
but the Black bystanders, not offering
help, or calling 911, but laughing and
cheering while this young mother and
young man, both shot in the face, bled.
This crowd laughing and encouraging
them to die went beyond evil.
Furthering this disgusting behav-
ior, the BLM group at the hospital,
all black that I could see, jeering and
blocking the emergency room en-
trance, calling the sickest of obsceni-
ties, yelling for these young deputies
to die. How organized was this that a
group was at the ER shortly after the
deputies were shot in cold blood. The
Black Lives Matter activist,-Price,
spoke on camera, saying he hoped they
died. All cops should die. I wanted to
cry in frustration; what has happened
to our country?
I’m sorry, the lives of the Blacks
and whites that participate with this
anarchist hateful Black Lives Matter
organization don’t matter to me at all,
and I would urge good, well-meaning
people of every race to disassociate and
denounce this Marxist organization,
and the political party thatsupports
and encourages it, and we know which
one that is. Why else do these evildo-
ers get free rein to pillage and destroy
Democratic-run cities, and those ar-
rested get a get out of jail free card,
courtesy of vice presidential hopeful
Kamala Harris, who organized a bail
fund during the rioting to release all
the arrested anarchists and looters as
soon as they were arrested. Sick, all of
them.
This is not about color of skin or
Black lives. Black Lives Matter orgar
nization, founded by Marxists, funded
by communists, is an indoctrination of
evil that is infiltrating the minds of all
races, feeding politically and culturally
the divisiveness of hate and a reverse
racism. This evil has called for war
and targeted our law enforcement all
over the country.
‘ This will not go away. I watched a
. video of a Black Lives Matter march
as little Black children were encour-
aged to beat with sticks over and over
a paper mache pinata of a pig in cop’s
uniform, encouraging them to cry
“lynch the cops, kill the pigs.” Little
children. I see no hope for resolution.
Martin Luther King would hang his
head and cry.
Katie Groves
. Shelton
Hasn’t forgotten
inmates
Editor, the Journal,
Yes, all lives matter, but not all
lives have suffered discrimination. I
do “Back the blue” after my experi-
ences being a prison nurse/first re-
sponder for seven years.
However, I freely admit that I was
extra good to the Black inmates; they
received every kindness and educa—
tion I could offer. So over the years i,
I earned the trust and respect of the ‘
Black population. I could respond
to any emergency anywhere in the
facility without fear. I knew that hun-
dreds of inmates would have my back
and I frequently heard Black inmates
say they appreciated my presence at
the prison.
As I neared retirement, I was ap-
proached by members of the Black
Prisoners’ Caucus (founded 1972 in
Monroe) and invited to be a volunteer'
sponsor for their Circle of Life Gar—
den Project. I was honored that I had
their trust and respect and agreed to
volunteer after retirement. My appli—
cation was refused, to my shock. So,
I was good enough to work there, but
not good enough to volunteer there?
But it wasn’t about me; it was
about oppression of the Black Prison-
ers’ Caucus. All staff who stepped up
at that time were denied, not just me.
This shows one way that discrimina-
tion occurs in prison. I want those
inmates to know I have not forgotten
them. '
If the COVID-19 epidemic calms
down and lockdown is discontinued,
I would again apply to volunteer, in
this new era of change in support of
Black lives, hoping for a different out-
come. I conclude this letter with the
words of Dr. Martin Luther King, J r.,
words to live by, surelyz'
. “Through violence you may murder
the liar, but you cannot murder the
lie, nor establish the truth. Through
violence you may. murder the hater
but you do not murder hate. In fact,
violence merely increases hate
Darkness cannot drive out darkness,
only light can do that. Hate cannot
. drive out hate, only love can do that.”
Karen Skinner
Shelton
Republicans fail us
Editor, the Journal,
Four months ago, House Democrats
passed a comprehensive plan tohelp
Americans who have been devastated
by the COVID-19 pandemic, called
the HEROES Act. Senate Republicans
have refused to bring the HEROES
Act to vote on the floor or offer an
acceptable alternative of their own.
With unemployment levels not seen
since the Great Depression, millions of
Americans are being left to. suffer by a
party that refuses to govern. ~
It didn’t have to be this way. If
President Donald Trump and local Re-
publican leaders following his example
had taken the threat seriously, we
could already be back to normal. Our
allies around the world who took deci-
sive action against the pandemic are
already returning to their pre-COVID
' lives. On Sept. 13, Canada recorded
zero deathsfrom COVID-19 for the
first time since the pandemic began.
Instead, we’ve suffered more than
200,000 deaths from this pandemic.
And we now know from recorded
interviews between Trump and Bob
Woodward, that Trump knew how
deadly this virus was in the begin-
ning.
Why have we failed to contain
this virus while countries around the
world have succeeded? It’s a lack of
national leadership. Trump has once
again proven he is unable or unwilling
to meet this moment, and Republicans
both at the national and local levels,
continue to enable him. What can we
do? Hold them accountable for their
failures this November and vote them
all out.
Greg Sypnicki
IETTERS, page A—7
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