I found Donna Etchey’s May 6th editorial quite concerning.
It is clear that visitors will flock here if we reopen restaurants and other tourism-encouraging activities. We’re not even open yet, and Seattle Magazine has already run a deeply irresponsible piece telling people to visit Port Townsend. If we open up, we’ll see dozens of such articles. I know we’re already seeing floods of phone calls to local businesses trying to make reservations.
Your editorial claims that people can make a choice about “whether to be around people, stay home, wear masks and keep 6 feet apart.” But that isn’t really a choice. A retail or restaurant employee has the “choice” to return to work, or see their unemployment benefits end. Risk sickness, or homelessness.
An employee doesn’t get to choose whether to wear a mask; their employer does, and may or may not allow masks because they “scare customers.” They certainly can’t control whether customers do. They can’t stand 6 feet apart in a small store or restaurant kitchen. They certainly can’t choose to stay home.
The Leader has chosen to put its own employees at risk by refusing to allow them to work from home. If you care about employee safety, prove it. Give your employees the choice to work from home.
There is plenty we can do as a community, state, and nation to help struggling businesses. There is nothing we can do to bring back the dead.
Isaac Urner
Port Townsend
