The Issaquah Press
A4 • Wednesday, July 15, 2009
OPINION
County executive election is critical PRESS E DITORIAL
T
welve years ago, as King County voters prepared to elect a new executive, a big issue was all about the need for more ball fields. And rural residents were threatening to form their own county in protest of land regulations imposed on property rights. Ron Sims promised a lot of ball fields and a little of everything else. He won the election. My, how times have changed. The county has encouraged cities to take over many of the parks and ball fields it built but couldn’t afford to maintain. A court ruling rescinded much of the county’s critical areas ordinance, putting rural land use issues in limbo. The economy has tanked, leaving local governments scrambling and King County in a world of financial hurt. Audit reports show the county’s accounting system to be untrustworthy. Heck, the county can barely operate decent animal shelters. This year, voters will be looking for a county CEO that understands fiscal management — and how to get the county to a balanced budget. We also need a new executive that has a vision, not just more of the same. He or she will need to know how to bring different viewpoints together to create goals for transportation, natural resources, solid waste, human services and more — and then outline the steps needed to get us there. As the summer primary election among the eight candidates (six considered serious) heats up, voters should listen carefully. Which one best understands how to create a business environment that will help create more jobs? Who will be best at creating dialogue that leads to solutions and compromise? Will we continue to have an executive who accepts the multiple complex layers of a bus/rail/ferry system or will he/she have the know-how to get us to one transportation agency? The King County executive election gives us a chance for change. Ballots will be arriving in the mail the first few days of August, narrowing the field to two candidates while most voters are still layering on the sunscreen. Let this year be the exception. Voters, start paying attention now. Look beyond the sound bites to be sure your favored candidates know what they are talking about, not just “connecting” with you to get a knee jerk vote. Then, be decisive, and tell your neighbors and family of your choice. The first step to a better county government starts on Election Day.
O FF T HE P RESS
Things I learned at the record skinny-dip attempt
Q
uestion: What do you wear when you go to officially count naked people who are trying to set a world record? Answer: It really doesn’t matter what you wear when everyone else is naked. That’s one thing I discovered last weekend when organizer Dawnzella Gearhart invited me to Fraternity Snoqualmie to be an official witness to the group trying to set a Guinness Book of Records record for the number of people skinny-dipping. (There were 186 there and many of them were thrilled to bare all for the certificate they got at the end of the dip.) Among the other things I learned were: It might be embarrassing for you to encounter someone you already know from a professional setting in the buff on the weekend. (I worried about this before going there.) It is far more embarrassing for the other person than it is for you, as I learned while he looked at me with huge, astonished eyes and I did my best to look away while saying hello.
Food bank lunch
See DIPPING, Page A5
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kind, tolerant and hesitant to condemn others. Reality is in fact in direct opposition to Wilder’s assessment.
Join us in feeding the hungry — a fulfilling, joyful experience Thank you for the story a few weeks ago about the lunch we provide for folks outside the Issaquah Food Bank on Thursdays. We’re glad you shared it with readers. Our hope, though, isn’t that people know what we’re doing for its own sake, but that some other groups of friends and neighbors might join in the joy of serving a lunch on other days of the week. We cannot fully express the gratitude and sense of community we experience each week in our hour with those who come for lunch. We’ve gotten to know most folks by name, and now can greet each other happily as we see each other around town. It is no longer “us” who have food and “them” who don’t, but simply folks sharing some abundance with one another. We cannot encourage strongly enough folks to form their own groups to offer a lunch on one of the other days of the week. It’s mostly a matter of tossing something extra into the cart while at the store, spending a few minutes making sandwiches or a pot of chili, and a few folks bringing it down and sharing it around. The reward is so much greater than the cost. If you want to see for yourself, just come down any Thursday between 11.45 a.m. and 1 p.m. and join in the fun!
People get
really comfortable in this environment quickly. So much so that they will scratch and do all manner of things (that you wouldn’t Kathleen do while R. Merrill clothed) while Press Editor looking you in the eye and talking to you. You can’t tell who drives a new Mercedes or a rusted out Ford. You can’t tell the doctors from the homeless. People at Fraternity Snoqualmie are really friendly. Entire families were there, with every member in the buff. You’d make a lot of money if you could set up a sunscreen booth out there. Seriously, everyone seemed to be happy and having fun. There was music and dancing, swim-
T O T HE E DITOR
Wes Howard-Brook Issaquah
Freedom of religion
There are many facets and opinions regarding religion I feel compelled to respond to the letter by Becky Wilder in the July 1 issue. My first reaction to Wilder’s disjointed rant was disappointment that it was published at all. The Press should apply at least a semblance of its dedication to accuracy to its editorial page. My thought immediately following was resentment of the apparent misappropriation of the term “Christian” to describe evangelistic (read “megachurch”) groups to the exclusion of the multitude of religions devoted primarily to worship of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah of the New Testament (and sharing the Old Testament with Judaism). Wilder needs to be reminded that most adverse reaction to the so-called “Christian” conservative evangelist movement stems from the intolerance displayed on its behalf by groups such as the Westboro Baptist Church, sponsor of www.godhatesfags.com. The abominations of such self-righteous splinter groups could be discussed ad nauseum. Instead, we need to bear in mind that most residents of the U.S. are religious,
Steve Scott Issaquah
Boy Scouts
Youth organization discriminates, so city shouldn’t commend it In a recent City Council meeting, Mayor Ava Frisinger announced that she had sent a letter of commendation to a boy for reaching the rank of Eagle Scout. It is offensive that our city government is officially recognizing the activities of a discriminatory group, such as the Boy Scouts of America. The BSA prohibits homosexuals and atheists (both boys and parent volunteers) from participating. For example, a few years ago, the BSA expelled an Eagle Scout in Port Orchard, because he was an atheist. Thus, many Issaquah residents “need not apply” for BSA membership and can never receive a letter of commendation from the mayor for being an Eagle Scout. In 2002, the City Council passed a resolution that proclaimed Issaquah a hate-free zone. The resolution stated, “We unequivocally condemn all discrimination.” And yet, city officials applaud when a resident reaches the highest rank of a discriminatory group? Yes, the BSA is a private group and is therefore legally allowed to discriminate. But that doesn’t mean our government officials should praise success in a group that ostracizes certain Issaquah residents. And someone will be tempted to respond that failing to acknowledge such accomplishments will punish youth. However, many entities — including dozens of United Way chapters, many corporations, the state of California and cities such as Chicago — have stopped supporting the BSA. It’s not because they don’t like kids. It’s because they don’t want to aid and abet discrimination. The city of Issaquah should abide by its own anti-discrimination resolution and condemn discrimination, not commend it.
Matthew J. Barry Issaquah
Issaquah Alps
Thank you to volunteers who improved hiking the trails on Squak Mountain I recently hiked up Squak Mountain to break in a new pair of boots, and was pleasantly surprised at what I found. The Mountains to Sound Greenway has done some major trail renovations. No more squishy mud holes, no more creeks running
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down the trail, fewer ankle twisting rocks and, best of all, better signage — no more getting lost. Many thanks to the greenway and its volunteers for their great work. And while I’m at it, thanks to all who maintain trails in our area, including the Issaquah Alps Trails Club, the Washington Trails Association, and especially to the individuals who donate their time and money. I’ve always thought of Squak Mountain as one of Issaquah’s crown jewels. The improved trails have added to her luster, and now she truly shines. Go take a hike!
Sandy Nygaard Issaquah
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