Letters to the editor for July 19
BLM versus blm
Recently, a local school posted a message outside stating “BLACK LIVES MATTER.” It was quickly taken down by an anonymous passerby. Both the posting and the removal have generated a lot of discussion on social media. Many were supportive of the message, while others felt it pushed a political message not appropriate for public schools.
It may all come down to a simple case of capitalization.
Black Lives Matter is an organization. Stating that black lives matter is not. A parent has a right to request that their child’s school not support a particular platform; indeed individual schools and/or districts should not endorse platforms.
However, the mission of schools is to guide students’ education in compassionate global citizenship. This includes noting and understanding issues within our community. Right now, the issue of racial discrimination demands awareness, education, and change. It demands educators emphasize that black lives matter. There is space to say it out loud without implying other lives matter less.
The line between educating and endorsing can become difficult to define, however the education of our children on this issue is clear. Black lives matter.
Andrea Brinkley, Lacey
Beth Doglio for Congress
I support Beth Doglio’s campaign for Congress because of her unyielding support for our community. When Beth was elected in 2016 as a state legislator, she hit the ground running, spearheading the effort to redefine how police use lethal force in Washington state. Beth had recognized our state criminal justice system was putting citizens’ lives at risk and worked hard to right it. Beth put her commitment to her community above special interests and fought for a more just state for every citizen.
Beth is showing this ethic no clearer than in her fight for climate justice. As a candidate who is intimately tied to the climate and labor movements, Beth understands what a just green transition needs to look like. Beth’s climate plan includes job creation, equitable resource dissemination, and forward-thinking strategies that will usher in bold progressive climate policies while maintaining stability for working families.
As a student of environmental policy and economics, I am concerned about the rate at which the climate system is shifting and the immediate effects being felt. The intersection of climate change and effective economics is a critical space for politicians to be making sound policies. Beth understands this dynamic and has the experience to tackle the issues most important to her community.
Please join me in voting for Beth Doglio for the 10th Congressional District in the Aug. 4 primary election.
Willa Jeffers, Olympia
John Hutchings is the real deal
When I first met Hutch, I was a kid and he was my D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer. I remember thinking what a cool grownup he was and how he made the program relevant and meaningful to a group of pre-teens, which was probably not the easiest audience!
Fast-forward a few years and again Hutch helped our family in his role as an officer, and again I remember thinking what an amazing person he was.
Each interaction has stuck with me over the past 20 years in a positive way. Now, being an adult in Thurston County, I have come across him several times at events and by loosely watching in politics.
I know that his solid personality and code of ethics make him a leader that any community would be lucky to have. It isn’t just how he conducts himself. It’s the way he ignites others around him to work hard, do the right thing, and rise up to his standards
I feel lucky that he is a commissioner in the place I call home, and I think we would continue to be lucky to have him re-elected!
Alena Dicke, Olympia