Letters to the editor for March 13

More than a tune

I very much appreciated The Olympian’s coverage of the Peace in Ukraine event of March 6. It was dismaying, though, to read that my band, the Artesian Rumble, played “a tune.” The so-called “tune” was the Ukrainian national anthem. (The reporter could have asked us — we were standing right there.)

Artesian Rumble, an activist street band, has been a fixture in the Olympia community since 2017, showing up in support and encouragement of peace events, including the weekly peace demonstration held Fridays at Percival Landing. We don’t show up merely to entertain with “tunes.” We were there to add content and meaning to a solemn event; and perhaps inject a note of hope through music.

Juli Kelen, Olympia

Help Ukraine defend democracy

People in Ukraine are fighting for their democracy — as flawed as it may be — and for their lives. They are being attacked by a country ruled by a kleptocratic mob boss who jails or murders political opponents and journalists who investigate him.

I am disgusted that some people in this country have sided with Vladimir Putin and appalled at those who worry that our sanctions on Russia may cause inflation. Inflation? Really? You’re worried about inflation when people are dying to defend freedom?

We should be giving Ukraine every kind of material aid possible, and not just out of altruism or idealism. It is enlightened self interest to help Ukraine. We stood aside during Russia’s incursion into Georgia, and we stood aside when Russia took Crimea, and Putin was not satisfied. Bullies rarely stop until someone forces them to stop.

This is all reminiscent of the Allies standing aside when Hitler annexed Austria and threatened to invade Czechoslovakia. Acceding to Hitler’s demands did not bring “Peace for our time” then, and I doubt that acceding to Putin’s demands will bring peace for the world today.

Carl Schroeder, Olympia

Protecting Puget Sound protects shoreline and ecosystems

The Editorial Board’s article of Feb. 13, “It may be the little things that determine whether whales and salmon survive” noted that salmon and Orca recovery depends on supporting small fish and plankton at the base of the food web. Focusing on the food web is indeed important, and when we do, we begin to see how important our shorelines are to overall Puget Sound health.

The survival of these “forage fish” is significantly impacted by shoreline armoring with bulkheads and rock walls, which destroy spawning areas. A study by the Friends of the San Juans found that 74% of armor installed from 2009 to 2019 was unpermitted. This illegal armor wasn’t reviewed with regard for habitat and food web impacts.

A Puget Sound-wide survey of shoreline armoring is needed, followed by a review of permits to determine the extent of illegal, unpermitted armor causing harm to habitat. This year the state Legislature considered legislation that would do just this, Senate Bill 5885. The bill passed the Senate, but not the House.

It is essential that the Legislature fortify this bill draft to make it even stronger, and pass it next year. Until we determine the extent of shoreline armoring, we cannot protect the forage fish populations upon which salmon, Orca, and marine birds depend.

Sam Merrill, Olympia