Letters to the editor for June 11

The Jungle degrades Henderson Inlet

The city of Olympia normally is committed to protecting important wetlands, and does not allow development in these areas because of the degradation of sewage, contaminated drainage and the negative impacts to the natural environment. A Class I wetland is considered a critical landscape, something to be preserved and protected. Jurisdictions mandate up to 250 feet of buffer around these wetlands to protect the quality of the waterways and inlets of Thurston County.

The homeless encampment known as The Jungle now squats in a Class I wetland, which lies between Pacific Avenue and Martin Way. It is the wetland that feeds Woodard Creek, which runs behind Ensign Road, Providence St. Peter Hospital, and Lilly Road housing developments, then crosses under South Bay Road and into Woodard Bay and the shellfish beds in Henderson Inlet. The encampment is directly connected to Henderson Inlet by Woodard Creek.

Woodard Creek has for the past several years been subjected to the raw sewage, garbage drainage and toxic effluent that this encampment generates. The city of Olympia has elected to abandon its environmental sensitivity in favor of the expediency of promoting the Jungle’s permanent existence within this Class I wetland.

I will remind people that Henderson Inlet is a Critical Area. The residents surrounding its waters pay extra property taxes to Thurston County for its protection. Why is this valuable natural resource being so imperiled by the irresponsibility of the city of Olympia? Why is the county not representing its citizens and protesting this irresponsibility? How can both jurisdictions so disregard their own rules and allow contaminated waters from the Jungle to degrade the water quality of Woodard Creek and Henderson Inlet?

Priscilla Terry, Olympia

Teach to give

During this time of uncertainty and social turmoil, we look for something that can give us hope and security. We may mistakenly search for extrinsic factors that will afford us status and societal recognition. Many people think that wealth, fame or power will bring inner peace and hope. Unfortunately testimonies of past “achievers” defy those superficial goals.

However, there is one characteristic that brings a sense of self-worth to any individual: give from the heart and your perspective will bring that true inner peace. There seems to be a lot of reasons for giving. Some give to receive, while others allot for recognition. But people that give so that they can see the joy and benefit to others are truly the happiest.

Parents who give to their children receive inner satisfaction and a feeling of worth. But if children are only the receivers, we are cursing them to a life of inflated selfishness. We need to provide our children with the opportunity to give to less fortunate people, an organization or a cause. The feeling a parent receives when giving to their child needs to be reciprocally shared and spread.

Congratulations to the parent who teaches their child to respectfully honor the rights and property of others, while sacrificing for people who are facing adversity. These young “givers” discover the means to reach the highest level of happiness, inner joy and self-worth.

James MacDicken, Olympia

The power of communication

Stylistic differences in communication across generations can be dramatic. My kids use words I don’t understand on platforms I don’t use. I’m sure my parents feel the same about me. This cross-generational difficulty communicating has big impacts when we, collectively, try to make sense of the world.

A key aspect of our democracy is civic engagement. How do we do that, though, when we don’t understand each other?

Local governments need to take initiative in facilitating our community conversations. We need to ensure that not only does everyone have access to information, but that we find ways to make sense of it together. Maybe this is asynchronously in chat rooms. Maybe this is in traditional town halls. Regardless, we need to meet the various needs of all citizens so that we don’t rely on communication methods that only work for some.

Will this be easy? No. But it will be worth it. Feeling like no one cares what we think when making decisions? This leads to distrust and disappointment. Feeling like we have achieved mutual understanding? That makes us powerful.

Katherine Sackmann, Olympia