Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader
Wednesday, June 28, 2017 • C 5
sp e a k o u t
What’s your favorite freedom? Folks in downtown PT speak out on eve of 4th of July
Photos and text by Kirk Boxleitner
Lauri Burke
Bellingham’s Lauri Burke she not only sees the freedom of the press as essential to America, but she also worries about its continued well-being. “I think moves are being made to control the press,” Burke said. “You have to have a functioning press for democracy to work. Everyone’s voices have to be heard, and especially after the recent election, I think I lot of people’s stories are not being told.” Rather than relying of social media, Burke recommended traditional news media for accuracy.
Daniel Jeffrey
Ethan Rousch & Diane Tourville Jeff Lombard
Tyson Villa & Kirk Bradley
Kalan Hatton
Port Townsend residents Ethan Rousch and Diane Tourville were reading in the sun together when they agreed that freedom of speech is the freedom they value most. “We’re both progressive liberals and ACLU members,” Rousch said. “We don’t agree with what the KKK has to say, but they should still have the freedom to say it.” “It’s important, regardless of what you believe, that you have a right to voice your opinion,” Tourville said. “I was disappointed when Berkeley decided they didn’t want to host that far right speaker [Milo Yiannopoulos]. I think of Berkeley as this very liberal campus.” “He’s a horrible human being,” Rousch said. “He is, but he still has a right to speak,” Tourville said.
Tyson Villa and Kirk Bradley happened to be visiting from Sacramento, but their opinions echoed the Pacific Northwesterners who identified freedom of speech as their favorite freedom. “If you don’t like your leadership, you can express that view without being arrested or thrown in prison,” Villa said. “Many of us are not fond of President Trump, but we can share our concerns and unhappiness about the decisions that he’s made.” “We really are blessed to live in a country where we can be independent and voice our opinions,” Bradley said.
Lee Brown
Lee Brown has lived in Port Townsend for 17 years, but it was only recently that he was able to use his minister’s license to marry two women in Bellingham. “The freedom of gay people to get married is so important,” said Brown, himself a gay man who prefers not to give his age, but admits to being older than he looks. “I’ve lived long enough to see things change a great deal. My own life is more settled, but I like that younger people can have those freedoms. They’re more free to be who they are, and more likely to be respected by their families and friends.”
Nicole Brown
As the Fourth of July approaches, The Leader went out onto the streets of downtown Port Townsend and asked passersby: What are your favorite freedoms, and why?
Oak Harbor’s Nicole Brown is no relation to Lee Brown, but as a selfproclaimed “lesbian who owns guns,” she can relate to at least part of his situation, and agreed with him about the importance of gay rights. “It’s nice to be able to love who you love,” said Brown, who’s served in the U.S. Navy for the past two years, and who grew up around guns. “I’ve been a gun-owner since forever, living in the middle of nowhere when I was a kid, so the right to bear arms also ranks pretty highly for me.”
While “the freedom to skateboard” might not be an enumerated right within the U.S. Constitution, Oak Harbor’s Jeff Lombard offered a well-reasoned defense for it nonetheless, as he and his friends enjoyed slices from Waterfront Pizza. “It’s like surfing on the concrete, and you’re not bound by as many restrictions as the rest of traffic,” Lombard said. “It’s a little bit rebellious, but it’s also a way of expressing yourself, like an artist. When you try to do tricks, over and over, and you fail to get it, it feels like a great success when you finally land it.”
Kalan Hatton lives in Quilcene, but pays regular visits to Port Townsend, where he can be found playing his guitar. It’s perhaps no surprise that he rates freedom of speech quite highly, although he credits one former high school world studies teacher in particular with using that freedom to broaden his horizons. “When people have the ability to speak how they feel, regardless of how it might be received, you can be exposed to perspectives you might not encounter otherwise,” Hatton said. “When my other teachers were telling me what a great guy Captain Cook was for sailing around the world, my world studies teacher was showing us films like Hotel Rwanda, and giving us the perspectives of other countries and cultures.”
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July EvEnts: July 1 • Luau on the Lawn 5PM to 9PM: Come enjoy our pig roast $35.00 / lb. or $25.00 / half pound with buffet of side dishes for your enjoyment. Music by: Geezers Gone Wild
Wishing you a Happy and Safe 4th of July!
July 4 • Lawn Party and Kegger on the Patio: Relax and enjoy the 4th at the Old Alcohol Plant. Tapas Tues: Five Appetizers / Five Wines. 4PM - 6PM. $50.00 per.
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California native Daniel Jeffrey has been exercising his freedom to travel, stopping by Port Townsend just recently, after spending his Christmas and New Year’s in Ireland. “As long as I have the money to do it, I make a point to travel where I’ve never been before, just to see new things,” said Jeffrey, who estimates he’s been to about 40 of the 50 states. “It makes me thankful for what I have at home, and it makes me appreciate how people are different in different areas. Traveling just makes me happy to be human and alive.”
Independence Independence Day Day As we pause to honor our country’s birthday, As wealso pause to honor our country’s let us celebrate our freedom. Webirthday, are free let us also celebrate our freedom. We are free to set goals, make choices and take steps to to set goals, make choices and take steps to prepare for the future we want to live. prepare for the future we want to live.
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