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Page 4 Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Oct. 20,
Five years, 261 columns, 1,300 messages
et’s take a moment for
L...
This column started
on the Journal’s Opinion ‘
Page on Oct. 19, 2017 —~ the
column you’re reading is epi-
sode No. 261. I’ve gone five
years and one week without
missing an issue, which isn’t
easy during those weeks
when you have nothing to
say.
That comment about hav-
KERK ERiGfiQN
THESE
TIMES
ing nothing to say is an ex-
ample of self-deprecation, and
I’ve learned over these five
years that self-deprecation is
a surefire way to win readers.
In fact, my self-deprecation
skills are superior to just
about anybody you know.
In addition to deprecation ~
and flawless attendance, I’ve
had just one published cor-
rection in 260 weeks. It hap-
pened last fall in a column
about just-elected Shelton
City, Council member Miguel
Gutierrez. I wrote, “He’s a
fan of a democratic socialist
— Maine’s independent Sen.
Bernie Sanders ...”
Iknow ~— and knew that
Sanders is from Vermont, but
as I was typing I had the face
of US. Sen. Angus King, an
independent from Maine, pop
into my brain. And onto the
page it went’. ..
Now when I see council
even know where‘Bernie
Sanders is from.”
I’ve had better moments. I
save emails and letters I get
from readers, and last week
I went through some of the
1,300 messages I’ve received.
Maybe of those messages
knock me for something, but
the rest are either compli-
mentary or address some as-
pect of their lives that my col-
umn made them consider.
“If you’re not making your
readers angry, you’re not do-
ing your job.” That’s a saying
in the newspaper editorial-'
and column-writing business.
By that standard,*I’m not
doing my job. But I figure we
have far too many people in
this nation writing to make
people angry, and anger
is such a routine and self-
defeating emotion anyway.
member Gutierrez, I'imag- Anger burns hot and uSually
ine his only thought is, “Oh, lacks follow—through.
that’s the guy who doesn’t
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Editor’s note: Julianne Gale is a can—
didate for state senator in the 35th Dis-
trict. This letter is being published as a
rebuttal to a previous. letter. Letters by
candidates for public ofl‘ice in Mason
County will generally not be published
except in response to previous letters.
Let’s talk
Editor, the Journal, ,
I’m writing in response to Mr. Dick’s
letter to the editor published on Oct. 13.
Mr. Dick, thanks for caring so much
about our community. I’m glad we
share acommitment to truth and our
community’s forests. In my Q&A on
,Oct. 6, I was limited to words per .
answer. Would you like to meet up to
talk things through at length? I would
be happy to thoroughly explain my
word choices and statements, as well as
address your points about DNR’s man—
agement of trust lands and the recent
Sheltonmnsmmtn lionmal '
usPs 492—800
POSTMASTER.’ Send address changes to Shelton-Mason ,
County Journal, PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584.
, Published weekly by the Shelton-Mason County Journal
at W. Cats 81., Sheltbn, Washington.
Mailing address: PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone: 360-426-4412 ‘
Website: www.masoncountycom
Periodicals postage paid in Shelton, Washington.
Making people angry is
easy. Making people think is
hard.
My favorite compliment
over these five years came
from a woman who told me
she keeps a copy of my book
of columns next to her bed so
when she has a panic attack,
she can read my articles. It
calms her down, she said.
I’ll take that over making
someone angry —— or having a
reader tell me that something
I wrote made her spit coffee
onto her computer monitor.
' I got an email from a read-
er who suggested I run for
political office: “I imagine you
might be aware that the way
things look right now, the
state representatives/senator
from the 35th District will be
recumbent candidates in the
upcoming election with no op-
posing candidates having yet
' filed. The deadline to file falls
between May 14-18. Have you
considered running for office?
Might you?” —— Jeannine
I forwarded the email to
Adam Rudnick, who was the
editor of the Journal at the
time. He wrote back, “You
hate making idle chatter.
People would ask you how ,
you were doing all the time
and you’d have to tell them
‘good!’ It would kill you.”
‘ Adam is an astute fellow.
I received this from a
friend whose dad was dying:
“Just got off the phone with
my dad. The conversation
Washington Supreme Court ruling
about it. You (or anyone else interested)
can reach me directly at
or votejuliannegale@gmail.com to
schedule a time to talk.
With respect,
’COUture listens
Editor, the Journal,
Travis Couture has my vote. ‘
was kind of winding down
and it seemed like neither of
us could think of anything .
else to say, but it also seemed
that my dad didn’t want to
end the call yet, so I ended up
reading most of your column
to him and it definitely raised
his mood. He chuckled sev—
eral times, especially‘about
the not being able to rein- .
force one’s prejudices because
of tinted windows one. So,
thanks for helping us both.”
Jason '
Here are some comments
from. the flip side:
“I loved John Komen’s arti— V
cles and the many interesting
stories of history. I found your
articles entertaining and hu-
mo'rous. These last few weeks
I have found them aggravat—
ing. If I want to read and
hear regular bashing of my
president, I can watch main—
stream news, social media, or
read the bigger newspapers.
'(I liked that Mason County
Journal was mostly absent .
national politics. These po-
litical opinions should be for
public only, not regular col-
umnists.” CharEll
“Just shelled out 60 bucks
for the subscription to your
paper. Live in Bremerton,
property on Harstene (sic) ,
Island. Like your paper, be
cause it seems down the mid-
dle unlike that PC progres-
sive rag the Seattle Times.
But I guess you just couldn’t
refrain the DTS inside your
brain to feel like getting
naked and expressing the
hatred. I find it interesting
that people like you NEVER
put the blame where it be-
longs: CHINA!” Etc. Etc. Etc.
— Marty
“I read your article about
how you used to hate anti—
vaxxers so much you wished
them death, never minding
that the jab has killed over
11,000 people in this country
and seriously damaged an-
other 48,000 people. Never
mind that vaccinated people
can still get COVID and they
can spread it, too. Never mind
that ‘my body, my choice’ is
perfectly okay with killing
an unborn baby, but when it
comes to protecting oneself
from a vaccine that is not a
vaccine and hasn’t been test-
ed for long-term side effects
my body is now the govern-
ment’s choice.” Etc. Etc. Etc.
Kevin
“I’ve read Kirk Ericson’s
columns with enjoyment.
They have been interesting
because they’re slightly off-
beat and well-written. Until
this week, when he, unfor-'
tunately,, allowed himselfto
fall/into'the deep, deep mud
hole of political ‘morality.’
-— Bruce , .
Thanks for reading.
I Contact Kirk Ericson at
kirk@masonc0unty.com
°
The Journal encouragesoriginal letters to the editor of local-interest.
'
Diverse and varied Opinions are welcomed; We will not publish letters
that are deemedfilibelous or scurrilous in nature. All letters must be
'signed‘and include the writer’s name, physical address and daytime
Julianne Gale
Shelton
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; emailing it to editor@masonCounty.com is preferred. You may
also drop it off at W. Cota St; or mail it to R0; BOX‘430, Shelton,
WA 98584. Due to time'constraints, the publication .of handwritten or
typed letters may be delayed. <
I will never forget the night he
showed up to grieve with us over a
friend who was tragically killed in
an accident. When he supported my
daughter after she had been raped and
spoke kind words her heart needed to
hear. He gaveher value again. He lis-
tened to her. ‘ ,
I have been out knocking on doors
with him. Not only does he hit every
Owned and published by
Shelton—Mason County Journal, Inc.
The Journal is ‘a member'of the
Publisher: John Lester
Advertising: .
Theresa Murray,AdRepresentative .
door, but I don’th'ear him selling him—
self as much as listening to what each
person shares with him. He talks about
ideas he has to improve their situation
and then asks them what they think ~—
and accepts their feedback. He gives
out his personal cell and talks directly
with those he wants to represent.
Travis has a moral compass that I
Front office:
admire. It is not set on what to avoid
but where he can be involved and make
a difference. He has made a difi‘erence
to me, and he has my vote.
Dinah Griffey
Allyn
see LETTERS, page 5
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Dave Pierik. Office Administrator
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ll