Letters to the editor for Aug. 13
Voting for hope
COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement are dramatically influencing our community. “Times They Are A-Changing.” Despite the negatives, change provides opportunities and hope for a better future.
Education’s agrarian school schedule needs a tuneup. Summertime learning helps students at risk retain skills in a stable environment. Teachers need not waste September reviewing curriculum because of summer slide. A six-week summer break with longer vacations scattered through the year is a more efficient way to educate children.
Health care needs to be available for everyone. Financially punishing the sick is amoral and wastes money. Black and brown populations suffer tremendously because of the lack of availability of affordable care. There must be a way to keep our population healthy that is not linked to employment.
Unrecognized racism permeates our culture. The military mobilization of our police force breeds fear, separating law enforcement officers from the communities they serve. Recognizing that we have racial prejudices, improving police training and strengthening gun control laws protects us all. Police in civilized societies should not encounter citizens armed with military weapons.
Global warming continues apace. “Sheltering in” proves we can live with less. The pandemic has forced us to make thoughtful personal choices that will improve our planet’s health. We need an economy that’s phasing out fossil fuels.
Being a responsible citizen means voting for candidates that are future oriented and willing to work on essential changes. Pandora’s Box is open. Voting is hope.
Paula Finch, Olympia
Stop with the windows, make with the social change
In what universe is it a righteous act to break the windows of a Black-owned business to protest for Black Lives Matter?
On the evening of July 4, a mob of people went downtown to break windows, and one of the places with broken windows was Rumors Wine Bar, owned by an African American woman.
In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., riots are the language of the unheard. And since the day a police officer was caught on tape killing George Floyd, most Americans have either been riveted to the news or have been in the street making the news — protesting for police reform and other social change to address racial inequality. And that has involved a lot of broken windows.
Maybe it’s time to stop with the windows and make with the deeper work of social change. These small businesses don’t run our government — elected officials and involved citizens do. Like The Olympian editorial said, that involves a lot of meetings. Not as exciting as breaking windows, but less likely to damage Black-owned businesses and more likely to bring about real social change.
Anna Schlecht, Olympia
Why call them protesters?
The lead story on the front page of the July 6 Olympian said that at about 10:30 July 4, 40-50 people “tore through downtown” breaking windows, lighting fires, and defacing buildings with graffiti. The article calls these people “protesters” without telling us why. What were they protesting, and how do you know? What cause were they espousing, and how did they communicate it to you?
Based on the information in The Olympian, I would call them vandals or criminals. I believe real protesters make it clear what they are protesting. They use their protest action to bring attention to some wrong they want to right. They march in broad daylight to garner maximum attention to their cause.
Based on the Olympian’s reporting, this group did none of those things. So why do you dignify their actions by calling them protesters? Please reserve the word “protesters” for people who are working for positive change – for people who are working to make Olympia and America better. Don’t misuse that word to describe destructive anarchists, vandals and common criminals.
Carl Schroeder, Olympia