PALESTINE

To the Editor,

Perhaps you’ve seen us outside Safeway, at the Upto wn Farmers’ Market, downtown on Water Street, or at the Chimacum Corner Store. Earlier this month we held a lit “ceasefire now” banner at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

Long before Oct. 7, and due to Israel’s tight siege, Gaza was declared a humanitarian disaster by the UN. 2.3 million people (many expelled from Israel) live in Gaza, hemmed in on all sides in an area no bigger than the Quimper Peninsula. Israel deprives them of clean water, food, healthcare and electricity, allowing only symbolic trickles of humanitarian supplies to enter.

Since the horrific attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, which killed over 1000 Israelis, Israel, with our government’s support, has killed 22,000 people, including over 9000 children and 2000 elderly. Injured children must have limbs amputated without anesthesia. The number of people under the rubble remains uncounted. The multigenerational trauma is immeasurable.

Israel receives nearly $4 billion of our taxes each year, which supports this slaughter, making us accomplices. Congress is now considering giving $14 billion more, allowing far more people to be killed. What can we do about this?

We’ve made hundreds of calls to Representative Kilmer and Senators Murray and Cantwell urging them to vote against additional billions of dollars for guns and bombs to kill more people in Gaza and to join the 63 members of Congress who have called for a ceasefire. So far they have not done so. 

We lobbied the Jefferson County Commissioners and the Jefferson County Board of Health. Both bodies approved resolutions calling for an end to indiscriminate violence.

Signed:

Aleta Greenway, Carla Main, Courtney Morales Thrall, Daniel Rosenberg, Daphne Wysham, David Gordon, Dorn Campbell, Doug Edelstein, Doug Milholland, Frankie Rafferty, Hendrik Taatgen, Isabel DuBois, Jason Victor Serinus, Kate Kinney, Kathy Stevenson, Kim Carver, Kim Gordon, Linda Gallaher, Lori Bernstein, Marga Kapka, Meg Lumsdaine, Meighan Doherty, Mike Morrissey, Nancy Milholland, Norma Fried, Oliver Hyde, Patrick J Johnson, Peg Hunter, Rich Renner, Robert Komishane, Roberta Lindeman, Scott Seymour, Shannon Ryan, Swerv Wizely

CONCERNING CONFEDERATE

Good evening. Local concerned citizen here. I just wanted to check in and understand why there is a picture of person wearing a Confederate flag in the paper so blatant. Some minor background: I am a Black woman, and when I see the Confederate flag openly being celebrated it’s the same as seeing someone wear a swastika, and in some ways it’s worse because people often deny that it has anything to do with slavery and or racism. I find it very inappropriate to open my local newspaper and to find such a photo. I don’t feel safe in my own home when I see such things. Nor do other members of my community. And I mean this in the nicest way possible: There are many tiny houses on wheels in PT. Thank you and I hope you’re willing to do something about that awful image moving forward.

—Rene Rogowski

I am disappointed and horrified to see a Confederate flag in The Leader in the article titled “Port Townsend celebrates its first ‘Tiny House on Wheels’” in the 12-27-2023 issue. This flag is widely denounced as a hate symbol. Read National Geographic’s article on how this flag came to represent racism. California, New York, South Carolina, Mississippi, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Walmart, eBay, Amazon, and NASCAR have all taken action to remove this symbol. I suggest you do the same.

— Willa Moore

Hello, I was surprised and saddened to see a Confederate flag featured so prominently in your paper. As someone from the South it is especially disturbing to see this here in a place allegedly known for tolerance. If the person in the shirt was truly ignorant of the meaning of a Confederate flag it should have been caught by the photographer, editor, or anyone really. To publish this says that the Leader doesn’t care about the legacy of this flag, or worse, supports it. 

— Melody Pace

Really uncomfortable with the PT Leader sharing in the news a man with a Confederate flag hoodie on when sharing about tiny homes. It makes me think that the PT Leader supports racism in our community. This is not what I want our community being represented as. The Confederate flag is a symbol of hate and racism.

— Sierra Roush

Saying Goodbye

To Editor;

It’s so difficult to know when to let your dog go. After almost 14 years together I am letting go of my curious, sweet natured dog named Izzy.

She has shared long walks with me at the beach, listening to the birds and smelling the flowers and plants. Her deep awareness of the forest has shown me wonderful sights, making me slow down and just look.

We both have had struggles along the way but she has always kept her energy and passion for exploring alive. Letting many children pet her and read to her in the Read to Rover program and library was special.

I knew I could always trust her. It was a rare friendship after I adopted her and it took time and discipline to discover what works for both of us. She loved listening to me play piano and I enjoyed the way she wagged her tail each  morning, telling me it was time to get up and go for a morning walk.

I know other dog owners who will appreciate how hard it is to part with their companion. I am grateful for her life and know she will remain in my memory as long as I keep living. She was a rare beautiful being.

Bless her journey and all the friends and vets that  cared about her.

Nan Toby Tyrrell

Port Townsend