It was stunning, albeit unsurprising, to read that Trump had declared that there are only two genders, and that “trans” was to be removed from federal websites. But when my cousin …
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It was stunning, albeit unsurprising, to read that Trump had declared that there are only two genders, and that “trans” was to be removed from federal websites. But when my cousin directed me to the National Park Service’s Stonewall Memorial Monument page, and I saw for myself that the LGBTQ+ freedom movement I’ve been active in for 55 years had been reduced to the LGB (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual) movement, by a convicted sexual predator no less, I felt the breath taken out of me. How could one straight man — a man so insecure that he’s desperate to enforce white male patriarchy at all costs —singlehandedly attempt to redefine who my people are, let alone deny them health care?
I was so devastated that I was unable to work the entire day.
I’ve shared my feelings with a fair number of people in town, and over half of them have looked at me blank-faced, as though they had no idea what I was talking about. I get it. As my neighbor recently reminded me, we who are of one “identity” cannot ultimately know what it feels like for someone of a different demographic to be arbitrarily deprived of their identity.
Thank goodness I live in a city whose City Council has publicly affirmed trans identity and stood up against anti-trans attacks. That is one of many reasons why some segment of the population has been gunning for our liberal City Council and their own choice for mayor, David Faber.
But there are other reasons, too. Like Council’s push to open the so-called “open space” of the golf course to all Port Townsenders by making more of it always accessible to everyone, spearhead building a county pool no longer held together by band-aids, address long-term infrastructure issues and a few million potholes, and fund all the costs associated therewith.
I was as stunned as everyone else when I received the Feb. 5 paper and learned about both City Manager John Mauro’s high salary and plans for an 18-month downtown paid parking pilot program.
I can only imagine what it feels like for a very low paid member of City Council to discover their actions questioned in the pages of this newspaper. But as much as I feel for them — I truly believe they are devoted to the long-term health of Port Townsend and its environs — the reaction on the part of some members of City Council to the Leader’s recent coverage of plans to institute paid parking on a portion of downtown streets for 18 months, and of the salaries of John Mauro and others in city government, has been dismaying.
Slinging around accusations of “yellow journalism” and “sensationalism” on social media is far more than lacking in grace; it’s downright appalling.
On the same day that my last column came out, I received new “Media Coordination Guidelines” from the city. I may be a columnist, not a reporter — I am not privy to the stories The Leader reporters are working on — but I have written for enough local, national, and international publications to be on the distribution list for the guidelines.
I’ll admit my head was spinning as I read, “Media representatives are asked to email inquiries and place all deadlines in the body of the email, providing one to two weeks of notice for most stories.”
Not one to remain silent in the face of unconscionable assaults on the freedom of the press, which is a bedrock of our rapidly eroding democracy, I spoke at the City Council meeting on Feb. 17. In addition to explaining that no reporter can possibly know in advance every question that they may need to ask as deadlines loom — answers inevitably lead to more questions, and fluid situations require fluid, immediate responses — I urged some of the most virulent anti-Leader City Council members to take a step back, breathe, and ponder this paper’s coverage.
Instead of seeing The Leader as an adversary, perhaps they could view its pages as a mirror. They may not like what they see in the mirror. They may think the mirror is warped or cracked. But instead of throwing stones at it, they might want to see the outcry Leader coverage generates as a bellwether of public sentiment and a vital gauge of the consequences of their actions.
Clearly, I was not the only person who felt similarly. On Feb. 20, the city apologized to the media “for any confusion around our intent, and in particular, the timing or approach of the release of information on a central point of contact.” Simultaneously, it amended its media guidelines. Whether the new policy will enable the city and reporters to work together productively remains to be seen. But what I read thankfully strikes a more reasonable tone.
Now it’s time to see more reasonable responses, and more informed action from City Council. When we learn that not everyone on council was even aware of John Mauro’s salary, there’s a major issue to be addressed.
As much as that seems like the perfect place to end this column, there is one more issue to raise. In the Feb. 12 Leader, a letter writer used quotes from others to effectively deny that anti-semitism exists in the United States. So much for synagogue bombings.
She also claimed that cries of anti-semitism or mentions of the Holocaust are a “trick” and “smear tactic” on the part of American Jews to stifle criticism of Israel and its genocidal war against Palestinian people. If someone had written that chants of “Black Lives Matter!” are merely a screen to hide crimes committed by Black people, the Leader would have been flooded with letters of outrage. So why the silence in the face of such bull-waste?
Jason Victor Serinus is a critic of culture, music, and audio. A longtime advocate for rights, equality, and freedom, he is also a professional whistler. Column tips: jvsaisi24@gmail.com