Letters to the editor for Jan. 14
Lawmakers vs. students on COVID protocols
According to the Jan. 5 Olympian article, Senate Republican Leader John Braun said that with the testing, masking and distancing protocols that are in place, lawmakers should be able to safely meet in person.
His quote: “If we believe it’s working for our kids in schools, why on earth wouldn’t it work in the Legislature?”
I spent 22 years as staff in the Senate. I spent 19 years as a volunteer in elementary school. To answer Senator Braun’s question: If legislators behaved in school like they do at work, there wouldn’t be enough room in the Principal’s office for those who refuse to work well with others for the good of the whole. Many legislator behaviors would never be tolerated in schools. Students are learners but not just in books. They learn respect for their peers, to work out differences, to share and care.
Thank God for our devoted teachers who are guiding our students towards positive behaviors. If we believe it’s working for our kids in schools, why on earth wouldn’t it work in the legislature?
Mary F. Gray, Olympia
Talk is cheap
Thank you to The Olympian for reporting on plans by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Jay Inslee to begin a region-wide assessment of dam breaching on the Lower Snake River.
Gov. Inslee and Sen. Murray: You say you’re committed to preventing salmon extinction, but as we all know, talk is cheap. We are holding you to your promise. It is time for action. We have a short window of time to develop an actionable plan. That plan must include a comprehensive solution that breaches the lower Snake River dams, invests in tribes and communities, and funds the replacement of clean energy and agriculture services.
For the entire 20 years I worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service here in Washington, this issue has been on the table. Salmon have been dying and orcas declining at an alarming rate. There is no time left (or reason) to sit by and wait for more information or a different political climate. The time is now.
As representatives of ordinary citizens such as myself, I strongly encourage you to address this crisis immediately by approving a plan to remove the lower Snake River dams.
Mary Taylor Goforth, Olympia
The Senate must pass federal Voting Rights legislation
Recognizing the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we urge you to make passing federal voting rights protections your most important resolution of the new year. In 2021, 19 states passed 33 laws restricting the right to vote, and more are likely as legislators convene in 2022. Through gerrymandering, those same lawmakers seek to choose which voters they represent.
Americans value freedom, but right now, our country and democracy are facing an existential crisis that has little precedent. Here in Washington state, it’s tempting to take our strong election laws for granted. But that’s not true across our nation, especially for Black and brown Americans who are disproportionately targeted by state anti-voter laws.
Passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act is critically important in setting national standards to protect our freedom to vote and have an equal voice in our government. These important bills will protect our right to vote, end partisan gerrymandering, counter undemocratic and dangerous election subversion efforts, and help to eliminate the undue influence of dark money in our elections.
We urge you to contact the U.S. Senate urging passage of these bills even if it means ending the Senate filibuster. This is the only way to ensure fair districts and safe and accessible elections for the 2022 midterms. Failure is not an option.
Karen Tvedt, President, League of Women Voters of Thurston County
This story was originally published January 14, 2022 at 5:00 AM.