Letters

War

Anti-war protestors are the most violent

The inaccuracies that Ms. Simmons-O’Neill purported in the rallies/protests on the war issues (Enterprise, April 18) cannot go unchallenged. There was no violence as she so claimed, nor the “confiscation” of their signs.

These “angels” of hers often need police in riot gear to keep some semblance of order. These so-called “peace” vigils in Seattle had somewhere over 100 officers that had to deal with such behavior as being spit on, called racial epithets, having debris tossed, blockage of businesses and defecation!

There could have been numerous arrests, but the Seattle city leadership has “handcuffed” their police to keep the arrests to a minimum. These were groups consistently “protesting peace” not of civility, nor one that wanted anything to do with free speech and public safety. Surely the majority did not participate in the fracas, but did little to control their own. The free speech these individuals claim is decidedly “selective.”

In contrast, the 5,000-plus in attendance at the Support the Troops rally in Bellevue needed about three officers at any one time with nary an arrest.

There has been no announcement as Ms. Simmons-O’Neill would “claim” against criticism of the President, but the question of debate as to go to war or not ended when the war began and protesting only served to undermine the resolve and demoralize those serving.

These so-called “peace groups” launched an on-line and phone calling assault on advertisers to stop their advertising, thinking nothing of the damage to these businesses their actions were taking. This is America the last time I looked and debate is offering opposing points. I would question Ms. Simmons-O’Neill designs on debate when there has been far more coverage of the anti-war activities and barely a yawn towards the silent majority that supported President Bush and the war in Iraq.

DAN KESSLER

Edmonds

The anti-war people are the rude ones

The 4/18 letter from Simmons-O’Neill characterizes to me the “leftist” version of true free speech and a responsible citizenry. I am the “perpetrator” of the Support the Troops rally held in Lake Forest Park on Saturday mornings. I have been there every time, the first to arrive and at least one of the last two to leave. The only battery observed was by an anti-war signholder on one of our members. (She accidentally hit him on the head with her sign.) I was not incited by any radio station but by my disgust of the anti-war, anti-American, and anti-Bush demonstrators (not participants of a “peace vigil”) that I saw there on Saturday mornings.

After I spoke with Chief Peterson I have to tell why Simmons-O’Neill letter rankles. The SNOW Coalition campaign has been rife with untruth as a means to try and stifle an opposing viewpoint. We are not drunk, physically abusive, or even sometimes conversational. Obviously some passers-by may have been. What we are is proud, unashamed to be American, aware of the realities of world position, and not repentent to support an administration that has the guts to do the right thing to insure our nations’ safety and survival.

We are also responsible enough to have gone to the police and brought charges against someone(s) conducting assault and/or battery on us; publicly misconducting themselves by uttering obscenities; or using a deadly weapon (auto) in an attempted battery or just a threatening manner. I oppose Ms. Simmons-O’Neill’s anti-war position but it is her right to hold just as my support of the current administration is my right and I am eloquent enough to articulate why without having to try and defame those who oppose it but instead offer a series of logical arguments why we are right.

DONALD A. QUALE

Captain, U.S. Army (Retired)

Lake Forest Park

Forum response

Charter schools are not accountable

Mr. Evan Smith:

The most important factor in student success is parental involvement. Charter schools will change neither the number of involved parents nor the number of successful students. They will, however, serve to concentrate both away from everyone else.

From a conservative perspective maybe that’s a good thing: Let the commoners (those in the common schools) flounder, eat cake, or whatever while the golden few excel.

Charter schools are not accountable to local school boards, and can allocate funds as they see fit. Given recent corporate scandals you’d think we’d have learned what a lack of accountability does for an organization.

R. CUPLIN

Brier

Brightwater

Sewage plant is needed for SnoCo

Quite simply, the plan to re-think or re-organize Snohomish sewage treatment is demographically unrealistic for all areas, does not make Snohomish responsible for its own growth and consequences of that growth (sewage being one!), and puts burdens on systems already limited in capacities with growth needs of their own. (Seattle and Renton sewage treatment areas).

The choices of growth and development bring good and bad, exempting Snohomish from its fair share and reasonable responsibilities in this most significant case (stepping up fairly and treating their sewage, their population generates). To not do so, promotes unhealthy water quality practices for areas already meeting their responsibilities, and a lack of integrity by Snohomish in not stepping up to cleaning up after themselves…one of those “everything I learned in Kindergarten” golden rules!

I ask you to please stop the delays, the consequences are enormous for all parties involved! This must go forward with a treatment plant in Snohomish – delays will not change facts.

MONICA WOOTON

Seattle