Letters to the editor for Sept. 23

Of two minds about Cliff Mass

I thought it was a mistake when KNKX hired Cliff Mass, and now I think it was a mistake for KNKX to fire him.

In 2011, Mass lost his spot on the “Weekday” show on KUOW. Mass was asked to talk about the weather, his area of expertise. Mass wanted to talk about other things. Mass rabble-roused University of Washington students to try to force KUOW to let him have his way. My opinion: If you want to control what you talk about on the radio, get your own show.

Now I’m on Mass’s side. KNKX fired him for comparing violence during the recent protests to Kristallnacht (the destruction of Jewish businesses and synagogues by Nazis in Germany). While I agree the comparison might be over the top, I don’t agree that it was a firing offense. It seems KNKX management is more worried about losing donations than it is about defending free speech.

A few privileged white self-styled “anti fascists” did smash windows, burn cars, and intimidate business owners and employees, hijacking peaceful protests that were trying to bring attention to the oppression of Black people. A few violent so-called anti-fascists behaved like fascists, gentrified a movement that was supposed to be about Black people, and brought the spotlight on themselves instead of on the oppressed.

Mass said in public what many think in private but are afraid to say out loud for fear of being “canceled.” So KNKX canceled him. As a long-time subscriber, I am disappointed.

Carl Schroeder, Olympia

Mejia for County Commissioner

Carolina Mejia is the best person for Thurston County Commissioner, District 1, and her opponents know it. They know that they have no chance of beating her in a fair campaign based on the issues — issues such as sustainable development, respect for communities of color, and support of indigenous peoples.

So, like many within their party, her opponents seek to win with lies, dirty tricks, and attack ads. They know they can’t win based on the issues, so they have to win by some means other than the merits of their cause.

Her direct opponent obscures his residence in the county to gain an unfair advantage, while at the same time a friend of a former opponent tries to insult her with non-citizenship claims. Her adversaries might possibly believe in government, but they sure don’t believe in democracy. Carolina Mejia believes in a government that delivers democracy and fair play to all. That’s why I’m voting for Carolina Mejia for County Commissioner.

Bill DePoto, Lacey

Solar energy is a good step

Solar power, coupled with other renewable energy sources such as wind, has deep potential of powering our world in the new green economy. In many places, it already is.

My family owns a farm with a rooftop solar array and a battery backup system, which proves handy in sporadic power outages. With climate change-related storms on the rise, it’s good to have solar electricity stored in batteries for use, whether or not our electric utility is functioning. I encourage our lawmakers to incentivize battery-backup systems so that homeowners and businesses can have reliable, clean solar electricity during power outages.

Additionally, to reverse climate change we need to sequester much of the carbon we’ve already emitted. Thus, I ask our lawmakers to promote forest and wetland protection. These ecosystems store tons of carbon in the form of plants, roots and decayed organic matter. They filter water, oxygenate our air, and provide other essential ecosystem services, thus saving our county thousands of dollars on water treatment and other necessities. They provide critical habitat for wildlife and immense outdoor recreation enjoyment for humans.

Let’s preserve our state’s treasured ecosystems for their economic, ecological and intrinsic value.

Rebecca Canright, Olympia