Letters to the editor for Dec. 7
Don’t give up water, air and land for bottling plant
Why would the taxpayers in Thurston County want to give away their precious land and water resources to be left with noise and excessive truck traffic, air pollution from plastic manufacturing, destroyed habitat for endangered species, and a depleted aquifer, all to benefit a private company that has been named the world’s number one plastic polluter, Coca-Cola, and its subsidiary, Swire?
It is not clear what the terms of the rental agreement are, nor the exact siting of this project, nor a multitude of other critical details. Yet, there’s a possibility of a potential 75-year lease being approved by Port of Olympia Commissioners on Dec. 12.
We urge Commissioners Iyall, Evans-Harding and Downing to say “no” to the Swire Coca Cola lease in Tumwater. Further research, public input and a SEPA environmental review should be carefully considered to protect our land, air, water and ecosystems.
Maureen and Kent Canny, Olympia
Be proud of local Nutcracker
As relatively new residents in this area, we did not know what to expect from the Studio West Dance Theatre production of the perennial Christmas ballet The Nutcracker. Knowing it was a student performance we assumed our most supportive attitude, prepared to overlook less than professional standards.
But we were most pleasantly surprised to enjoy a delightful production with clever but efficient staging, lovely costumes with no obvious “shoestrings,” charming choreography and very good dancing. It lifted us right into the Christmas spirit, and we are so glad we were able to attend.
Olympians can be proud of this local Sugar Plum, and if you missed it, make sure you go next year!
Diane K. Mitchell, Lacey
Stand up to racism in our community
I read the Dec. 2 front page article in the Olympian, “Parents against Reed appointment demand entire school board resign,” with anger.
One misguided individual, Alesha Perkins, has taken it upon herself to be some kind of arbitrator for what we want to see in our community and decided that the decision to appoint Talauna Reed to the school board was a bad idea. She cities comments that Ms. Reed made in the past pointing out the very real issues that face our community as justification for ganging up on her and the rest of the board for giving her a place at the table. Ms. Perkins thinks her point of view represents what we want to see in our community. It does not!
I have lived in Olympia since 1978. My child went to Olympia schools. I worked in education 1990-97 and my husband did as well in the neighboring North Thurston Public Schools, which is much more racially diverse and much more aware and inclusive than Olympia schools.
It saddens me to think that instead of working to overcome our lack of sensitivity as a district to the issues that face our students today, that this woman’s efforts even managed to gather 800 signatures on her petition. We need to stand up to her and those like her and call it out for what it is: a racist attempt to impose a white supremacist agenda on our schools.
Tanna Lambert, Olympia
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