The Legislature is intending to enact, without a vote of the people, a law designating the razor clam as our official state clam. While digging for razor clams is a delightful hobby in Western Washington (and Oregon, and California), true Washingtonians know that our state is already better represented by another bivalve more endemic and rotund: the geoduck. In fact, a survey conducted by our public radio station KUOW (94.9 FM), showed that over 70 percent of respondents preferred the geoduck as our state’s official clam.
In spite of this overwhelming public opinion, the state House unanimously passed House Bill 1061, sending it to the Senate for confirmation.
Now is the time to act. Fellow 12th-Men, hipsters of the north, Puget Sound techies, farmers of the Far East, random rain-soaked hikers scattered across our plethora of trails, and everyone in between, join me in calling for the Senate and Gov. Jay Inslee to reject House Bill 1061. Take to your phones and call your senators today, write your local newspapers, search for online petitions, tweet (if that’s what you do), and share the message online. Let us plant a seed of hope that will sprout into a garden of activism even Ciscoe Morris would be proud of.
In a matter as sacred and permanent as our state clam, the people’s voice should not be ignored.
Shawn Cooper
Lake Stevens
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