From the Edmonds Mayor: The Front Porch

Dave Earling

Okay, I’m going to date myself, but that’s okay because I’ve about had it! How many of you recall sitting on the front porch on a warm summer evening, oh so long ago, talking with your neighbors as they walked by? We talked about neighborhood issues, family plans and the “hot topics” of the day. We didn’t always agree, but the conversations were respectful. My parents’ home at 1607 West 5th, Spokane, Washington, next to the Melrose Grocery, had such a porch. Of course these days we seldom see much in the way of front porches, and if we do, there is generally little space to sit.

Like most communities back then, we had our local newspapers, the Spokesman Review and the Spokane Daily Chronicle, which provided us with a way to catch up on the news. And of course we had KHQ, KXLY or KREM for national and local television news. As I recall, the news was presented in a pretty straight-forward, objective manner, with an occasional interview. Two newspapers and three television stations… how did we ever survive? Oh yes and there were front porches and home telephones to “reach out” beyond the neighborhood (MAin 4-8710… I told you I would date myself).

There was no Internet; no blogs, Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat; no MSNBC, FOX NEWS, CNN, CNBC, FAKE NEWS, HLN, or any of the rest. We even had impassioned national elections with winners and losers, but then the nation, and the world, moved on. It was definitely a slower time.

Then there was Thomas Dewey, who went to bed thinking he’d won the Presidential election, only to wake the next morning and find that Harry Truman had edged him out. And how about when George W. and Al Gore dueled for weeks post-election; big upset, but we moved on.

This time, however, we can’t seem to move on. We are stuck. Here we are six weeks post swearing-in and four months post-election and we are stuck! Our boiling rhetoric, nasty comments, cynicism, supreme disrespect for neighbors, colleagues and friends seems unending. Well-respected columnists have tried to calm us, explaining how we got to where we are and assuring us it will all work out. But we are still stuck.

Some would contend we should watch or listen to the news regularly. Yet too often the news comes from sources which present it with a bias with which the listener agrees. That “news” then becomes the basis which accelerates the listener’s views, and that they feel most comfortable; and, once again, we are stuck.

I may in fact be in a great minority, but I still function best operating in a society that appreciates civility and respect. In a society which is at least comfortable with disagreement without confrontation, and in a society that is not solely focused on bringing some person, group or organization down. Life is a gift. We all need to remember the gift each and every day.

I hope to see you on the front porch…

— By Edmonds Mayor Dave Earling

  1. I’d be happy to meet you there! Thanks for the reminder that life is a gift. It’s easy to get stuck in the muck and mire when we have access to the news of the world in our pocket 24/7. Just read a great quote: “Time is not our own, and we must give a strict account of it.” (St. Turibius of Mogrovejo)

    How are you choosing to live today? Is it to foster peace or chaos? Will you love your neighbors or complain about them? You only have today. Will you live it well?

  2. Well said. We do need to bring back front porches and talking with our neighbors not at them. Common courtesy seems to be going the way of the Dodo bird. We can agree to disagree but do it with respect. Please let us bring back civility and front porches.

  3. Thank you, Mayor, for a great article. Yes, we need civility–especially when we disagree.
    And, I do remember the front porch and 3 newspapers and 2 TV stations and short telephone numbers. Talking to neighbors was a highlight of the late afternoon before dinner. My brother, sister and I were each “assigned” a neighbor to help out on a Saturday after our chores were done. We would rake leaves, go to the store, help someone dust, etc. We didn’t get paid–it was just expected that we helped those who needed help.

  4. You are an elected official who admittedly didn’t vote for either Trump or Clinton. I read and understand you are wistful for the 1950s, but if you think that people being passionately engaged in social discourse or activism need to “move on” I think you are in the wrong line of work.

  5. While I do concur that talking to each other is important, that is where our agreement comes to an end. I refuse to tell anyone who is marginalized to ‘get over it’.
    Anybody wanting to go back to the 50’s clearly is so comfortable in or unaware of their privilege that they may not be the best person to represent the ever diversifying community that Edmonds has become.

    1. Totally agree. This whole essay reeks of privilege, not everyone has the luxury to ignore horrible things happening around us.

  6. what if . . . ???

    the purpose of public “education” was to help people LEARN how to engage respectfully?

    and to help every person find the ways they best can contribute to society???

    instead of focusing on WIN!!! Be the Best!

    and, how to become completely dependent on – a screen and money

  7. Mr. Mayor: While respectful discourse and friendly over-the-fence talks are important to keep us together, why do you think so many people are marching and protesting and writing and donating? Can you not believe that these people have reached their limit and are actually upset for a reason? We are NOT stuck: These movements IS us getting over it! We don’t want to roll back to your sunny 50’s day where women were likely in the kitchen while you were fence talking instead of able to vote and have their voices heard. Can you not see that your neighbors, heck, your own constituents, are the ones who are asking for their voices to be heard and their rights to be respected? It does appear you are slightly out of touch with your own community and the times if the actions of our times are baffling to you.

    1. Thank you Katy for putting my thoughts into words! I felt so offended when I read the Mayor’s column yesterday, that I didn’t trust myself to reply.

  8. I don’t believe it’s that we haven’t moved on from the election. It’s the nearly daily reminder of how unfit he is, how he’s proving us RIGHT, confirming the fears we had about a Trump presidency during the election season.

    It’s not anger over an old wound, it’s new wounds. Often. And painful.

    It’s not sour grapes, it’s executive orders and appointments that dismantle our children’s education, the quality of our air and water, the integrity of our institutions. Every announcement he makes creates another activist, another person pushed out as “other”.

    It’s naïve and insensitive to think that WE as a nation are different this time, that WE can’t “get over it”. We aren’t different, HE is. A dangerous kind of different.

    1. I agree with Erin Way. There is a reason we cannot move on this time. We cannot smile and say it will be OK. This president, his chosen inner circle and cabinet are not OK. We must be vigilant or our country could be destroyed by this dangerous, unqualified man.

    2. Thank you Erin, the continued propaganda is also disconcerting. So many false claims, so much rhetoric is like the boy that cried wolf so many times, we just want to become immune. But, we can’t! Having said that, I do remember the days of sitting on my aunt’s porch and gabbing with neighbors and I still do those neighborly actions even today – especially with dog owners. We need to unite locally and I believe that was what the spirit of this column was all about as we must rely on one another to move through this new swamp.

  9. I find this letter disturbing and disappointing. It’s easy for an affluent white gentleman to speak wistfully of post-war America, but it ignores the brutalities of life for so many non-whites, non-affluent, non-Christian, (and I will add non-heterosexual, non-sis-gendered), etc during that time. Our new president is similarly dismissive of the plights of those more vulnerable populations. For you to ask us to “move on” when so many injustices are perpetrated and/or excused– when our non-popularly-elected president tells outrageous lies and is not held to account for them– is both ignorant and immoral. I expected better of a representative of the fair city of Edmonds.

  10. If you mean move on and fight the threat to hard fought for civil and women’s rights, then I am all in! Yes, I will do my best to do it with respect and civility…..but it is a fight nonetheless.

  11. Ah, yes. The “tone”. And the media. Those are the real problems. Go ahead and sit on your porch, pining for the olden days and yelling at kids to get off your lawn. We have moved on to resisting the Republican agenda that’s focused on, in your own words, bringing people, groups, and organizations down.

  12. Dear Mayor,
    I would like to talk with you on the front porch any time. I will instead respectfully, without boiling, cynicism, nastiness, or rhetoric. disagree with your theme that “we are stuck.”
    In doing so, I will cite information for which there are facts in evidence, which any reader can discover for herself.
    Sir, we are not stuck. When I say ‘we,’ I refer to my friends, family, community, and Americans throughout the country who are horrified by the actions of this administration in Washington. We have lived through conservative presidencies before. However, you must admit we have never seen actions like Trump’s before, which threaten not only to divide us, but to degrade our very democracy. I refer to the presence of white supremacists (Bannon, Miller) and religious extremists (Pence) chosen by this president as his top advisors. These choices show his values and his thinking. I refer to confirmations of people wholly unqualified for the posts they bought, including Devos, Perry, and Carson. I refer to the confirmation of Steve Mnuchin as Treasury Secretary, Trump’s choice, who exemplifies the corporate malfeasance that led to the 2008 financial crisis. Remember, Goldman Sachs paid millions in fines to avoid criminal prosecution; so why choose your candidate from there? I refer to the lies he tells, even today, repeating that he won the popular vote because of widespread voter fraud, which has been widely disproven. Do we just disregard that? Or do we see it for what it is, an excuse to widen voter suppression. With all due respect, sir, I will conclude by asking you this question: do you have children, grandchildren, a family? I would love to hear your thinking about the kind of world you are leaving them when you have an administration so focused on enriching the fossil fuel industry that they openly intend to cut the EPA by 20%, repealing regulations that protect your family’s right to clean air and water. Are you aware that recent orders signed by Trump will mean wastes from coal plants and other industries can now be freely poured into our waterways? Please tell me what your children will tell their children about the animals that used to exist, but they are extinct now because a president repealed the Wildlife Protection Act? I challenge your assertion that “we are stuck,” because I feel you as an elected official are encouraging minimization and denial of the serious and potentially irreversible consequences to our children, our country, and our planet of the actions planned by this administration. I hope to encourage your readers to honestly and critically think about what is happening here; read and educate yourselves, don’t take my word for it; and if you care about our fragile democracy, then fight for it. Thank you for this opportunity to join you on the ‘front porch.’

    1. This is most beautifully said. I only hope those that need to, read it with the same thoughtful and educated approach with which you wrote.

    2. I agree wholeheartedly with what you said Leslie. Thank you. And I encourage you, Mayor Earling, to consider well these words.

  13. For me personally the act of resisting what is happening in our political environment is my way of “moving on”. I can’t sit by and watch marginalized groups be discriminated against and women’s rights be threatened. This is not business as usual and just a new Republican administration. This is different and it affects us all whether we believe that or not. How can we not fight back an administration that does not believe in climate change. This is not a normal time and I feel a moral duty to our earth and it’s peoples to resist this administration.

  14. Mayor Earling, it must be nice to reminisce about your youth, sitting on the front porch of your parent’s home, being neighborly as you grew up in the 1940’s and 1950’s. A time when men were men, women were in the kitchen, and blacks knew their place. For anyone who wants to see what it was like for our Mayor growing up, I’ll refer you to this article about Spokane’s ugly history with segregation: https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1997/may/18/breaking-down-the-barriers-segregation-is-an-ugly/

    Yes, back in your good old days, it must have been easy to move on, even when the president you voted for lost, since white men didn’t have much to worry about. Don’t worry about the fear and hate that the new president has re-awoken. Don’t worry about families being ripped apart by ICE raids. Don’t worry about the corporations making record profits while destroying the environment. Just move on, the status quo has been maintained!

    As a white male, like yourself, it would be easy for me to move on and not worry about things that don’t affect me personally. But that’s not the right thing to do. You wrote: “I still function best operating in a society […] which is at least comfortable with disagreement without confrontation, and in a society that is not solely focused on bringing some person, group or organization down.” Unfortunately, society is focused on bringing down many people, groups, and organizations, it just happens to be people that don’t look like you or me. If you can’t deal with feeling uncomfortable, even a little bit, when confronted by reality, perhaps it’s time that you moved on to a comfortable retirement on your porch and let a younger generation take over.

    1. Talk about a straw man you just built, or should I say non-religious affiliated, agendered, straw person of ambiguous racial background.
      The Mayor said nothing about keeping women in the kitchen or blacks in to ghetto.

      1. But that is what life was like in the 50s. The mayor doesn’t have to say it. He is exhibiting fond nostalgia for those times, when the reality was and still is that groups of people were marginalized and oppressed. Not equal and not included. It wasn’t acceptable then, and in 2017, it’s not acceptable now, and never will be as long as I draw a breath in this nation.

        1. Still a straw man, a person nostalgic for the 50’s doesn’t want to begin to oppress and marginalize people. The 50’s were a time of prosperity for many people. I would hope that those days can return, but this time for ALL people in this country, I’m sure the mayor would agree with my sentiment.

  15. Yes, there are some of us having a hard time ‘moving on’. Could it be because of the Russia scandal that will not go away and the salacious reports that have caused the downfall of Paul Manafort, Mike Flynn, and just today, Jeff Session in connection with Russia? Or perhaps it’s the fact that the head of the FBI is unwilling to fully cooperate or divulge anything. Especially in light of his late election attack on Trumps opponent in the election.
    Or perhaps, it might be the embarrassing miscalculation on his cabinet choices, one who self-identified as ‘unqualified”.
    Or maybe it’s Trump’s policies of harmful racism? Throwing thousands of people into panic?
    Or could it be his thoughts on wome,n that brought about the largest peaceful protest in our history?
    I can go on and on; repealing EPA regulations, the potential of dismantling of public education.
    Wow, darn me, where is my happy face? Shame on me for loving my nation and it’s people, even those who are marginalized . Just caring period, when I could sit on my porch and share inane pleasantries and watch this country crumble.

  16. Dear Mr. Mayor,

    I found your op-ed piece a little confusing. You say “I may in fact be in a great minority, but I still function best operating in a society that appreciates civility and respect.” And you said that as if those of us who have been protesting the policies of the new administration do not value “civility and respect.” In my opinion it is precisely our longing for a political era based on civility and respect that mobilizes us. In my opinion, this administration is the antithesis of respect. A man who brags about his ability to sexually assault women because he is rich and famous is anything but civil and respectful. A man who appoints an avid anti-Semite who has been accused, with evidence, of beating his ex-wife, again, the embodiment of disrespect and lacking civility. A man who appoints a woman who has never spent a day of her or her children’s lives in public schools to be the person with the most power over public schools, again, complete disrespect. Appointing a man who has developed his career by denying Black people the right to vote, to be the man charged with protecting the rule of law, disrespect. Policies that ban people from seven nations simply because they were born there, hundreds of thousands of whom are fleeing war, complete disrespect and disregard for basic human decency and civility. Sending ICE to people’s homes, looking for people whose only crime is being stuck in a broken immigration system, only to separate them from their kids… disrespect and absence of civility.

    I could go on and on but frankly it makes my heart hurt too much and blood pressure too elevated to know our present administration is ruling on a platform of complete disrespect, lack of civility, and disregard for human decency. I think you should be proud of your neighbors and constituents because we have spent many hours of many days trying to recover respect and dignity which used to be basic human values. Many of us are working to keep Edmonds a place where respect and dignity matter and it saddens me to know our mayor is not on our side.

    Sincerely,
    Julie Shayne, Edmonds resident, parent of two kids in the ESD

      1. Gail, reread the mayors message, he is clearly an advocate for maintenance of the status quo. That is not on the side of marginalized communities, women, the citizens of Edmonds who are horrified by the behavior of this administration in Washington…he has enjoyed too much privilege for too long to be able to understand and relate to the lives of other people, in fact the majority of people in this country who struggle every day. You don’t have to say “I’m not on your side:” you just write a column about how wonderful it is to sit on the porch and be respectful, minimizing and denying the human rights violations occurring around you.

  17. With respect, Mayor Earling, nearly everybody functions best in a society that appreciates civility and respect. Which is why it is so appalling that we now have president who clearly does not appreciate those things. Outright racism, sexism, disregard for the environment that we all rely on for survival, and a bizarre infatuation with totalitarian foreign rulers are now hallmarks of our country’s leadership.

    Life is a gift, but as is increasingly apparent, it can’t be taken for granted, and burying your head in the sand does nothing to change that.

  18. I often get nostalgic for the Edmonds of my childhood. Where, at 6 years old, we could roam the streets without a second thought until someone from the gaggle of friends got called in for dinner. But let me clarify: that it is but childhood I am feeling that nostalgia for. The rest is just geography. You see, sir, that pining for a time past, for a once upon yesterday, only causes you to not be in the present.

    That front porch you speak of has become facebook groups of people in this very community. From Edmonds Moms to Indivisible groups… the internet has allowed me to reach out and connect with individuals in my community who may not be my next door neighbor (read: of the same socio-economic and culture as I). Our porch is a series of 1’s and 0’s streaming through the very fiber under our streets.

    I am a little disappointed that such privilege is being shown from a man that is a representative of our community. It really shows how out of touch you are. I dare you to step off that porch of yours and walk down the street, to see what is actually happening with your constituents. If anything, with all due respect, you should be our champion at exercising our civil liberties and being more involved in our democratic process. But instead you chose to tell us to “get over it” and sit on that elevated porch, looking down your nose at us.

  19. Leave it to an old white man nostalgic for those 1950s when old white men ruled everything……The old boys club, certainly STILL around in many areas….and interestingly enough that “front Porch” was torn down by an industry made up of old boys club guys that tore down all of those for obscene profits above else……And now the lament…. We don’t need to “get over” HATE, RACISM, MISOGYNY, bigotry, Islamaphobia, etc. etc. What we need to get over is old white men that live in their small minded past and continue taking us backwards…….our President comes to mind and those that wish us to “get over” it and continue the current descent into hate……..This is the United States of America 2017, not 1952, and we’re never going back to those terrible times of hate for so many and total rule with many, many forms of discrimination and hate.

      1. Kevlar – invented by Stephanie Kwolek 1966
        Life raft – invented by Maria Beaseley 1882
        Circular Saw – invented by Tabitha Babbitt 1812
        Electric Hot Water Heater – invented by Ida Forbes 1917
        Engine muffler – invented by El Dorado Jones 1917
        Globes – invented by Ellen Fitz 1875
        Windshield wipers – Mary Anderson 1903

        We’ll probably never know how many women inventors there actually were because until the late 1800’s women couldn’t get a patent in their own name as it is property and women weren’t allowed to own property.

        In 1712 Sybilla Masters is believed to be the first woman inventor of a new corn mill but was denied a patent as she was a women. 3 years later it was granted to her husband in his name!

        1. Thank you Sara, I never knew these facts. Fascinating. I knew that in the art world women also had to show along with a man or under the guise of a man, but patents! Really fascinating –

  20. When air conditioning and television came along, and people of all races and both sexes — moved inside their homes from their front porches, and then into fenced suburban backyards (middle class white people) for socializing, we lost a valuable connection with our neighbors. They became strangers instead of friends. We all became more isolated. The whiners here are taking the mayor’s words far beyond what I suspect he was trying to say. I, for one, agree with him. The loss of “civility and respect” began many years ago, but has accelerated since Trump came along with his inflammatory rhetoric.

      1. Sir, you clearly have not seen the movie, Hidden Figures. It is about African-American women who contributed to our space program over the years with their brilliance. NASA hid their contributions and kept it a secret for a long time because of racism. Your notion that men invented everything is in accurate, and minimizes the contributions that women have made throughout history. I also object to your accusatory comment and I’m asking you to stop. That is not civil, and it is not respectful.

    1. Chuck, I agree that civility is often absent online. However, I want to add to my other comment that I was ecstatic to see the civility exhibited at the January 21 Women’s March I attended. I went to Los Angeles with friends and “marched” with up to 750,000 people. “Marched” is in quotes because we could not move for almost two hours. We stood shoulder to shoulder with respectful, resolute people. Not once, in five hours, did I see an angry, disrespectful person. Oh, and, we only saw about ten law enforcement officers the entire time. Later I read that there was not one arrest. The administration and others have tried to characterize the rallies and marchs as violent and angry; that is not the case.

  21. This is no longer a political debate; we, America, are in a moral crisis and the
    corruption grows thicker each day. No longer the days of presidents past, this is a new
    Administration who has drawn the line in the sand by stepping on our First Amendment rights, by loading up his cabinet with white nationalists and deep-pocketed billionaires with no governmental experience, whose ego is so big he is blinded and cannot
    tell the difference between Facts and his own limited reality. Yes, elections past we could move on. But the buck stops here as we stand united to keep America great for our
    children. Yes, we can speak in a civil manner anywhere you like. But, are you listening from a place of good conscience and remembering you work FOR us?

  22. How Orwellian and group-think we have become… and PC…!!

    “Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.”
    – Will Rogers

  23. This time you speak of would have never allowed me the to purchase the residential and commercial property I own in this great town and I would likely not own and operate my own business without the help of a man. As nostalgic as the 50’s may be for you unfortunately that time was filled with oppression for others. Over my fence right now, here in Edmonds, I am talking to scared neighbors. Fearful that their marriages will no longer be honored, scared because hate words are being printed on their child’s elementary school’s bathroom wall, worried that their basic human rights will be violated. While reminiscing about your past is nice I say we take a long hard look at the present and let our actions and words guide the change that is so desperately needed.

  24. I am shocked, Mr. Mayor, by your editorial opinion. I hope you get to retire soon and retreat to your front porch.
    Living in American is a “gift” and we must do all we can to protect our country. I believe Trump is a grave threat to democracy, freedom, human rights, equality, and the environment.
    History has shown what happens when people refuse to stand up against hate-filled leaders and just sit on their front porch wishing for life “the way it used to be.”

  25. Wow! Did I miss something? I did not vote for Trump, nor do I always agree with the Mayor, but I interpreted what he was trying to say is that we need Civility and Respect. Each side shouting at the other accomplishes nothing. There are many things that need to be addressed and changed–but approaching it in a civil manner doesn’t mean one side or the other is “giving in”. We don’t learn very much when our mouths are flapping.

    1. I believe the timing of this piece Mayor Earling wrote was off and people are upset. Last Saturday around 400 to 500 people marched up Main Street in our little town. They marched against the ban on immigration among other things. The same week, days later Mayor Earling writes a piece on how we need to get over it and move on. I have lived in Edmonds for 55 years and had never been prouder of our town as I was on Saturday.

      1. Thank you Dawn, I’m new to Edmunds and I’m very proud to be a member of this community. Where was our mayor at that March? I don’t believe I saw him in attendance.

        1. I missed him as well. However, the Mayor of Shoreline marched with 500+ from Edmonds and surrounding communities, all sharing a positive message of inclusion. At the rally a few weeks ago (where 400 peacefully and respectfully stood strong for immigrant rights) the Mayor of Mukilteo stood proudly with Edmonds residents. While we may not be sitting on our front porches chatting, Suburbia is Rising!

  26. Civility and respect does not mean “keeping your mouth shut and being complacent in the face of injustice.” What a blatant display of insulated, ignorant, white male privilege.

  27. Well said. I didn’t vote for the guy, but do we really need to listen to four (or eight!) years of this nastiness? It won’t make him leave one minute sooner. I’m already tired of it.

    Want to oppose policies? Please do. It can be done without invoking Hitler or accusing your neighbors of being horrible people.

    1. John, Please correct me if I am wrong, but I have tried, and failed, to locate where anyone here invoked Hitler or accused neighbors of being horrible people…though I sure did notice quite a bit of policy opposition!

  28. Mr. Mayor, In those good old days, I am now 78, things were so much simpler. There weren’t Mayors who wanted to force us Lynnwood citizens into a Regional Fire Authority that would make us pay more taxes for inferior fire and medical services. Oh, yes, you are one of the folks who endorsed our mayor. There weren’t mayors who gleefully supported Sound Transit 3 that raised our sales tax, property tax and car tabs so high many people will be hard pressed to retain their car. Maybe that is what you want. If your too poor to afford your car tabs, just take the bus or walk. I understand you are on the Sound Transit Board of Directors and approved ST3. In large terms, when have you been discriminated against? When have you experienced hate speech? When have you been forced to sit in the back of the bus or to drink from a “Coloreds Only” fountain? I will bet that even in Spokane there was discrimination if you only knew where to look for it. We used to believe that respect, inclusion and civility was modeled by our presidents. It is hard to find those qualities in the current resident of the White House. Mr. Trump seems to revel in making himself feel important, larger than life, by disrespecting anyone who may have a different opinion. Is it any wonder people feel disrespected? Your words and his show, in my opinion, a lack of empathy for the average person who has not had the privileged life of a 1950s white man. Sad.

  29. Mayor Earling, I am not sure how you can say that “we are stuck” if you are a concerned citizen. I believe in holding elected officials accountable to follow the law and the ethics of the office and to the country they serve and, most importantly, the people they serve. This isn’t a partisan argument. I did not vote for the Democratic party, neither did I vote for the Republican party. I considered both Clinton and Trump unqualified as leaders. I did exercise my duty and privilege to vote, but did not feel like a “loser” when my third party candidate did not “win”. I have definitely “moved on” since the election and I am focusing on what is happening now. Today. Tomorrow. I utilize my democratic right to speak up and protest against actions taken by the government. It’s a bit cold to sit on my front porch, but I interact in other ways with my neighbors and the Edmonds community. And, I find our interactions to be quite civil and respectful, based on facts and inclusion. It sounds like it is time for you to “move on” out to your community and listen to your voters.

  30. Sorry I can’t accept the racists like you can, Mr. Mayor. How disappointing and just how delusional are you if you’re not as nearly angry as I am. Maybe you should try going out for a hike and stopping in Monroe Washington at a Denny’s and running into some white supremacists and fearing for your life — like I did in July? Oh wait you can’t because you never will know what that feels like. And yet you, safe in Trump’s America, can sit here and tell us that we are being uncivil. Well need I remind you what the Civil Rights era was like how people critiqued that it was too soon that people should just sit back and lay down and just move on because it’s better not to ruffle feathers right? If those same people listened to your advice and your subtle passive aggressive critique on how people ought to be civil and just tolerant of men who brag about grabbing women’s pussys and incite hate and fear for — not a race — but an entire religion that spans age, race, sexual identity. How dare you bring up your front porch when most of us didn’t have one. The America that had to use early start programs like Head Start because some of us were still learning English while you reminisce about your white America. Let me tell you – I know my neighbor’s names and I stand in solidarity with them because I’m blessed to live in the 32nd legislative district where we pride being an area that stands in solidarity with immigrants and those disenfranchised and I am ashamed to know that you live in the same district spouting your self-righteous nonsensical prose — so out of touch with the current reality today. I’m sorry that you can’t deal with the new technology and the way that people are acting uncivil because people are waking up to the fact that these racist and bigots didn’t just come out of nowhere, Mr. Mayor, they were under cover all along and they’re coming to the surface now and you expect us colored people and us women to just lie down and take it? Not. I don’t think so. You ought to be ashamed of yourself and apologize for this disgusting piece of privilege you just wrote. I don’t take pleasure in berating an elderly white man over the internet but you as a public trusted servant cannot expect a backlash over this over privileged piece of literature. Recuse yourself as our new Attorney General ought to, and I’ll wait for your apology.

    Sincerely,
    Jin-Ah Kim
    32nd District Democrats – KCDCC Female Alternate

    1. Woah!! Thank you for speaking your truth! I appreciate your willingness to share your thoughts. Thank goodness for strong people in our community like you!

    2. Wow! Calling the mayor a racist is a extremely strong statement. Maybe it’s time for you to “sit on his front porch” and get to know him.

      1. “Sorry I can’t accept the racists like you can, Mr. Mayor”

        I didn’t call him racist — just someone accepting them. I expect an apology from you too

        1. You seem to think those who believe as you do, have a lock on being poor, living in a community where you are a minority, or have experienced hurtful language from those who are different from you. Perhaps you need to look in a mirror and determine if the hateful comments that come from you are prompted by racism, bigotry, or ignorance. You are certainly not going to change anything if your opening argument is to denigrate those with whom you disagree. As for 32nd District Democrats, I have found that bigotry knows no party.

  31. Mr. Mayor, you brag about talking to your neighbors and being in touch with them. From all the posts here, you haven’t been doing that. You are TOTALLY out of touch with us. Didn’t you see 500 marchers protesting peacefully last Saturday? If you had reached to us, you would have known that we are not stuck. We are just defending our water, our parks, our wildlife, our neighbors, our planet, our schools, and the future of our children. The one stuck in the past is YOU!

    1. What do you expect the Mayor to do, knock on every door in our city? Actually he has done that a few times. If you really want to communicate with him perhaps you should show up at one of the citizens’ forums that he holds 3 or 4 times each year, or even go visit him in his office.

      1. He should be where a large number of his constituents will be. And he didn’t show up at the march.

        1. If you pay attention you’ll notice that Mayor Earling attends more functions and gatherings than probably any elected official anyplace. And there are things that periodically take him out of town.

          By the way, don’t you live in Lynnwood and not Edmonds?

      1. Ron Wambolt, so because I live in Lynnwood I shouldn’t be part of this conversation? What a pathetic argument, my friend. Lynnwood and Edmonds are symbiotic in many ways (Fire Department, Community College, etc.), so I am interested in everything Edmonds. At the same time I am flattered that I intrigued you enough that you Googled me. So you should know by now that I am President of the Diversity Council of South Snohomish County, so that makes me even more interested in what happens in our corner of the world.

        1. My point about place of residence is that I believe that the Mayor of Edmonds is answerable to only those citizens.

    2. Rosamaria- I loved the message “Baby Jesus was an Undocumented Immigrant” that your friends held during the march last Saturday. Even more, I appreciated that you and your friends from Lynnwood joined with Edmonds residents to march peacefully in solidarity for ALL of our neighbors! It should go without saying, but: Edmonds welcomes you!

      1. Thanks, Laura. I love Edmonds. My husband and I love to walk by the Marina, our dogs love the doggy park and we think that the Edmonds Center for the Arts is a gem.

  32. Things have a way of staying stuck and festering when truth is missing. Truth is an old value that seems less and less important today. However, truth always comes out. Eventually. I suspect that once truth is brought to light, the overwhelming amount of time and energy being dedicated to suppressing it, can finally be dedicated to healing this nation and this world. It sounds like you would rather it be swept under the rug. . .

  33. After reading all of the above responses to the Mayor’s article, I have to say that I am proud to live in Edmonds. Keep up the dialogue. I am 74 and in the 50’s we were ignorant of local and national government’s injustices and deceptions of the citizens. We talked about the weather and gossiped about the neighbors. Ignorance was accepted and expected. In this day and age there is no excuse to be ignorant. As a beautiful young Black woman told me the other day, “ignorance is a choice.” So Mayor, you can choose to be ignorant but fortunately, Edmonds has citizens who know better.

  34. WOW! Unbelievable.. Such angry liberal bullies in this town..
    Of course their way is the only way.. Except that the Mayor is right, civility never goes out of fashion. Maybe you guys need to get out a little more often.
    Get over yourselves or just stew in your own anger for 8 years, I don’t care.

    1. Conservatives forget history in discrediting Trump protesters

      “… perceptions do not reflect what actually followed the election of our country’s first black president, much less the difference between why people are protesting Donald J. Trump’s presidency as compared to Barack Obama’s presidency.

      “Obama’s election in 2008 was preceded and followed by violent attacks and property destruction targeted against minorities.

      “Kaylon Johnson, an African American campaign worker for Obama, wasphysically assaulted for wearing an Obama T-shirt in Louisiana following the 2008 election. The three white male attackers shouted “F**k Obama!” and “N***** president!” as they broke Johnson’s nose and fractured his eye-socket, requiring surgery.

      “More frequently, Obama’s presidency was marked by effigies of our first black president hanging from nooses across the country, for example in Kentucky, Washington State, and Maine, or being burned around the world. What Trump supporters fail to remember is that following Obama’s election, property was destroyed across the country, for example in Pennsylvania, Texas, and North Carolina, and a predominately black church was torched in Massachusetts.

      https://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/305749-republicans-employ-double-standard-to-discredit

      And let’s not forget thugs beating up protesters at Trump rallies…

      1. Sorry Nate, not a card carrying conservative, not even very political.. if ya need a label for me, probably more a centrist Libertarian.

        I’m probably as aware of history as you, just not as sensitive to your particular thorns. I’ll file your and similar examples more under “It’s the History of the World” file.. that radicals have been comitting violent acts since the dawn of time. I didn’t see any balance on your list with left wing goons like J20, BLM, BAMN, Refuse Fascism, or any George Soros funded activities since the election. Maybe it’s just OK to bully or hit someone as long as they’re the “other side” and you label them a alt-right or right wing fascists or “Nazi”?. It seems to me that that all the angry whining crybabies seems more mainstream Dem this time… Not good for our future.. everyone remembers through time. Trump’s just another president (maybe he’ll be great maybe not), we’ve somehow made it through 250 years with checks and balances and an 8 year max. Get A Grip. And if you need to keep a Black, White, Asian, or Hispanic race scorecard, Obama’s election was significant, but I choose to follow many including MLK in judging people by their actions not the color of their skin. Voted for Obama first time, I think now he may be the worst president we’ve had in 50 years.

        Are you guys so pompous and righteous that you think you have the singular truth and “correct answer”? The Mayor’s still correct, and if you don’t get it you won’t see another lib in the White House for a long time.

        1. You make some excellent points. It is generally not the “right” or the “left” who create the violence, but a radical minority of each, and it is unacceptable. My post was to remind of just that. But when you conclude with calling “all” (by implication) liberals pompous and righteous, or say that we “all” believe we have a singular and right answer, there you loose me, and appear to be in danger of slipping into the same pomposity and righteousness you warn against, or at least of using the sort of broad brush that leads those radicals to their stupid excesses.

        2. Pretty ironic that you admonish others that there is no one correct answer and in the same breadth suggest that the Mayor is correct.

  35. Mr. Mayor,
    To say I’m disappointed in your comments is an understatement. As mayor you should know who is living in this beautiful city and it appears you are only too focused on a narrow group. Instead I’d recommend actually connecting with your neighbors who are different then you. Neighbors who are of different ethnicity, religious background, sexual identity, and so on. You’ll find that all of these folks and so many more can’t simply ‘move on’. When every fiber of my being feels threatened by our current administration I can’t simply sit on the porch and watch it happen. I love Edmonds BECAUSE of its passion and openness. This town is one where I do want to raise my kids BECAUSE our community comes together to show solidarity and be a lever for change. I would encourage you to join us … as the past is just that, the past.

    -Heather

  36. I am proud to be an Edmonds resident and to be part of a passionate, vocal community that is standing up for human rights and our planet’s protection. The force of the current uprising of resistance is very specifically in response to Trump and his unprecedented attack on democracy and human rights. And it is not just Americans who are protesting–many people in countries around the world are also on the march, expressing their fear and anger at Trump’s cruel and ignorant policies. This is not just a matter of “sore losership,” as Trump likes to tweet. The world is in serious danger on multiple fronts because of Trump and his advisors like Steve Bannon, as they set the stage for devastation from global warming, racism and intolerance, authoritarianism, even (God forbid) nuclear war. If a responsible Republican who took all Americans and the global community into account had been elected–say Jeb Bush or John Kasich–this would not be happening. Democrats wouldn’t have preferred their policies perhaps, but they certainly wouldn’t feel that democracy itself is threatened. Trump is uniquely terrifying and requires a uniquely powerful, unremitting resistance. We will not be retreating to the porch anytime soon.

  37. In reading through this thread the third time, I began thinking about the “Post Election Stock Taking” course at the Creative Retirement Institute I am taking. At the first session the instructor went through a “textual analysis” of Trump’s inaugural address, quoting a few lines and asking participants for their reaction. There were some visceral reactions to be sure – and she then suggested listening again and trying to put oneself in the shoes of a Trump supporter. Her clear message was, where we stand on issues has a clear impact on how we relate and respond to statements. In my continued effort to process this, I thought about another course I took many years back on “Managing Conflict.” the instructor spoke about “triggers” – words and phrases used by someone that elicit an immediate and visceral reaction when another person hears them. We’ve all experienced this. The next line by the instructor was, when in such a situation make an effort to “pay attention to someone’s intention.” i will confess that in my first go through the thread, my visceral reactions were in charge. The second time through less so; and then, in the third, I read each post carefully and thought about and tried to understand what the writer’s intentions were. I doing so, one can see that writers have very valid concerns, valid points, and were expressing feelings and values that we need to honor. A challenge comes from the fact this is not a facilitated discussion, so it can veer off it a variety of directions. Starting from the initial column, I think good points were made and need to be validated as genuine expressions of concern. I am only one voice out here…but with this voice, I wish to urge us all to find ways to discern each other’s intentions.

    1. Only ine voice? Well, and a good one, too! I don ‘t waver in my rejection of the way things are going, but no one is convinced even to listen if you yell at him. AND I firmly believe that we all have many fears and needs in common. The discussion should be about means and commonalities, not in-your-face confrontation, which never solves anything.

  38. I agree that civility is a must. However, I have no intention of becoming “unstuck” over this election. Our country has come far since the 1950s in the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Movement, and in recognizing marriage equality, the rights of the LGBT community, and the need to save the planet, just to name a few. Equally important is the fact that this administration has made it clear that we need to defend not only these advancements, but the First Amendment and other parts of the constitution. I won’t become “unstuck” until I am confident that we are maintaining a U.S.A. for ALL.

  39. Mr. Mayor,

    I’m deeply disappointed with this letter. I understand how anyone will look back with nostalgia to their youth but I find it troubling that you do so without acknowledging the shortcomings of that era in terms of the rights of women and minorities, particularly in in the wake of the election. Moreover, your underlying point seems to hinge on understanding and empathy and yet you assert that those actively oppose this administration are “stuck.” I have counted myself as a Reagan Republican, a libertarian, and a progressive a various times of my life. Nothing about this administration is normal as much as I held out hope that there would be shift from campaigning to governing. Rather than being stuck, this election has mobilized a new generation of activitsts that has been almost universally orderly and peaceful in nature. The acts of violence by a handful should not denigrate the peaceful acts of protest and assembly of the vast majority. I also can’t help wondering why you don’t even mention the peaceful assemblies that have taken place right here in Edmonds over the last few weeks. Your silence speaks volumes. Nothing can be more American to peacefully protest an Executive Order that was cruel, overly broad, and incompetently executed, to demonstrate our support for our LGBT neighbors, or to march in support for immigrants and refugees.

    If you really want to capture the spirit of understanding that you describe in your column, I’d suggest that you try to engage with the large number of your constituents that have been activated to better appreciate where we are coming from. If you’re going to talk the talk, maybe you should walk the walk. Rest assured I’ll bend your ear the next time I see you at Starbucks.

    1. You mention inclusion a bit. It’s a free country; we all make our life choices and decisions and others will judge them as they should in a thinking society. You can’t force behavior or blanket acceptance for any particular group, ideology, or lifestyle choice. I “Live & Let Live” as a general rule and think the “golden rule” is generally sufficient for relationships, and don’t think it’s reasonable or my responsibility to support in word or deed things I disagree with.

      You mention Regan.. I’m thinking the ultimate communicator knew a few things about civility and would probably generally agree with the Mayor on that topic. He also knew a few things about capitalism, ending the Cold War, and providing us with a much safer world to live in. Unfortunately, many self-absorbed folks in today’s world don’t have the cautionary tale that was the Soviet Union. There are current examples including Cuba, Laos, Venezuela, North Korea et al, but don’t pack the lessons that the USSR did. And while capitalism isn’t perfect by any means, it certainly is the fairest. Rewarding those who think, plan, and work hard; and punishing those who don’t. By contrast socialism is much about those “who can’t or won’t” taking or stealing from those “who can and do”.. equal opportunity misery.

      It’s clear to me that many living on this and other tiny blue liberal island enclaves have their head in the sand about the red sea of the people that surround them, denigrating them in the mainstream and social media. Pretty sure those tough “flyover” country folks can survive without you, not sure you can survive without them. Wouldn’t be surprised if Vlad Lennin, Joe Stalin, Leo Brezhnev and the boys are all chuckling a bit from the grave about their most western state, the Soviet of Seattle. Current national and local dem leaders taking mainstream dems down a bad road. Pelosi’s head is spinning. Bernie is a socialist Jimmy Carter. Michael Moore is a raving loon. And is Madonna and the other vulgar and classless folks at the women’s march the best example that womanhood can offer??! Saw a lot more class and women I’d be proud to call my mom, sister, or wife at the pro-life march. And was picking possibly the most hated candidate in history really a good move? I wouldn’t trust Hillary to lead me to the grocery store, and would vote for my 8 year old neighbor before her. Libs got no one to blame but themselves for Trump. Melodrama and political theater won’t change it.

      A little vocabulary and simple differentiation enrichment to help the confused..

      A) Legal.. When people march through the streets with “We Support Immigrants”, Sanctuary City or some other similar messages, I’m embarrassed for them. Ive traveled many times to Latin America, enjoy and respect their culture, and like most Americans, appreciate the richness that is our immigrant heritage. But please, please learn to differentiate with the hugely important word LEGAL. This mainstream Dem message is ignorant, purposefully disingenuous, and encourages Illegal behavior. It throws the folks that snuck across the Rio Grande in with the legals, insulting and making a mockery of the people who did it the correct way and jumped through all the hoops. Dreamers..?! Everyone in this world has dreams, before P.C. we accurately called them Illegal Aliens. America’s a land of laws, part of what makes us great. If you prefer optional laws, or obeying when it suits your view, check out Liberia, Yemen, or other “Failed States”.

      B) Radical.. I’ve traveled to a few Muslim countries in the Arab world and Asia, and found the moderate Muslims both there and here to be extremely friendly and great people. Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Muslims and other groups or religions have radicals, and unfortunately the Muslims have a big problem with theirs. When you have a group of people who purposefully target and kill innocent Men, Women, and Children, you have an big issue. In most countries outside the Muslim world, and a few inside, this is unacceptable behavior and these radicals are removed from the general population by various means. With few exceptions, these Muslim RADICALS are the source of bombings or other terror around the world. Here there are a million points of view, but you generally are not the victim of someone who blows you up at the supermarket, the mall, or on a walk if you disagree. While the vast majority of Muslims aren’t terrorists, unfortunately most terrorists are RADICAL Muslims.

      C) Disagreement.. Libs have hijacked the word hate, to them meaning anything that is ideologically disagreeable or distasteful to them. Disagreement isn’t hate, have some class, civility and suck it up already.

      One thing that strikes me as lost in this whole discussion is age and wisdom. The Mayor’s not a teenager, and didn’t get where he’s at by being an idiot. I’m guessing that he has more years of adult experience than the vast majority of the posters have been alive. Seems he’s is interested in bridging ideological gaps, wisdom and trying hard to to pass some on. Maybe “blind squirrels” don’t need or value wisdom, and many think they know it all at age 20, 30, 40 etc.. Whatever you think, having some class and a little civility is the conduit between “you” and “them”. I’m glad I don’t have the Mayor’s job, I’m sure I wouldn’t be as civil as he is..

      Enough politics! Said my piece, agree or not, all done.. putting down the Mike.

      1. Just a general reminder to all that our policy requires no more than three ALL CAPS words per post. If it’s a few words over, on the first offense, I will change them, but after that will delete posts that contain more than three all caps words, as I don’t have time to go in and lower case them all.
        And let’s try to avoid the name-calling, like cry-babies, whiners, etc. Surely we can all do better…

  40. These times have certainly provided plenty of “coaching” moments with my daughters. Knowing the Mayor, there is no question in my mind of his intent – which is to encourage us all to hear each other out – but to do so in a civil and respectful way. I believe this is something we all teach our children and that our educators teach as well.

    And to breathe. To truly understand the other perspectives.

    One of the greatest lessons my history teacher had me do was to “argue the other side” of my position. I was “absolutely” fixed on my position so my teacher challenged me to “argue the other side.” Best lesson I ever had. It made me pause and, like Bob’s comment, explore intent, perspective, and discover facts that I hadn’t yet uncovered.

    Let’s not divide Edmonds. Let’s engage in civil and respectful debate (as the Mayor suggests), but let’s also recognize that the nation has elected it’s President – and truly, if my daughters were to come home and complain every day about some classmate that was elected student president, I would challenge them to find a way to work with the individual – or strategically work to beat him or her in the next election. I would not encourage them to take to the streets and shout him/her down at school – this is truly unbecoming behavior…and is more of a tantrum than a solution. I would quickly tell them – it is time to move on.

  41. I am not ‘stuck’, Mr. Mayor. I am part of the resistance. This resistance can be civil and respectful. But without people championing and demanding change, change doesn’t happen. We need to stand up for the people, the country and the planet. We need to stand up for people that can’t. We need to stand up for common sense, science and climate change. That is not being ‘stuck’. Our new president is not a respectable man — as we’ve seen on video. I am very disappointed in your column. I am tired of the privileged few who don’t understand this and think we should just ‘move on’ after the election. When I see you at Starbucks, I’ll be the one wearing the “RESIST” t-shirt. My mission: kindness, empathy and equality. Those should be important to Edmonds as well.

  42. In the comments above, the Mayor has been compared to a racist, who obviously wants women to be barefoot and pregnant, and has done everything in his power to try to roll back rights of anyone or any minority that may ever dare venture into our fair town of Edmonds. What a narrow point of view. Reread the article. I caught dignity and respect – and some wistful reminiscing of when problems were debated, discussed, protested, but we moved forward from electioneering and rhetoric to action. Did the mayor say anything about protesting and how it shouldn’t be that way? Did the mayor say anything about his, a woman’s, a minorities place in the world? Did the Mayor even hint, in the slightest, that he longs to drag us all back into a world where there were less rights for everyone? Point it out – in a specific sentence – where the mayor implied, said, or even came close to doing anything like that. It may have had that emotional impact on you, it may have even caused you to think a little bit, but does it say that. Do we have a conspiracy wherein the Mayor is writing in a secret code that implies we all must be silent and sit on our porch?

    I don’t think the Mayor needs any additional support from me, but I am going to lend it. The prognostication and indignant supposition in many of these posts reflect why centrist Dems (like myself) may have not voted for the candidate of choice. To argue with someone who is espousing civility and respect, and, through his actions, has done nothing but promote the same in our town, is a bit like some of the signs I read at the protests. (F Trump – nice, classy, stuff. Very high brow.)

    I welcome the protests – but yes, he is your President. Just like it is your Congress, your Military, and your Judicial system. Yes, all of them, if you are an American, are yours. Complain about them all you want – it is your right. Make a mockery of them all you want, it is yours. Denigrate them all you want, it is yours. If those things bring about a greater nation, strengthened by the efforts of the movement, that have resulted in tangible and inclusive laws – do that. Very rarely has that ever worked. Diplomacy is BS, but it works.

    What I would like to think the mayor is saying is that we are stuck in the political rhetoric that surrounded the election. Stuck in tweets, stuck in mudslinging, stuck in placing blame. Now, myself being a white male, may get accused of suffering from privilege, and all of the other things that have automatically been assigned to the mayor for being a white male – but to me, that seems to be a bit of the pot calling the kettle. The Mayor made no claims about political alliances, or beliefs – he mirrored the same frustration that just about every one on this post is putting out there. There was a time when dialogue and debate outwitted Twitter and a talking head (pick your choice of one, because every side has plenty – that, because of their position, are obviously always right). There was a time, even in my lifetime, that we all believed in the separation of powers, and not everything was a political move – hell, even today, we still have that separation, and, so far, that seems to be working. (Refer to the first executive immigration order).

    There is nothing wrong with being a part of the resistance. When that resistance becomes well defined (much like the Tea Party did) perhaps it will have a lasting effect (like the civil rights movement, the Women’s Rights movements, the Healthcare movement). For now, yes, the publicity is on the back and forth vitriol, and that hasn’t helped much or furthered “the cause” (again, pick one cause that seems to be moving forward and progressing that isn’t “stuck” because of the progress we are currently making in productive dialogue between groups).

    For everyone who believes that Trump is the only President who has ever issued pretty poor executive orders – read a book. The entire West Coast was declared a military necessity by the same President who brought us many of the social programs today (Japanese Internment was the result, btw he was the same President that said it was illegal to own gold, and started the Nuclear Arms Race). Bay of Pigs is another good decision by one of our American Heroes. We get our Indian Reservations from Executive Order. Sure a couple of old examples, but pick your favorite President, then read those proclamations, executive orders, or other presidential actions. There are many more – each President uses their power, and the consequences (even though much of the prognostication above seems to think that this particular President is going to drive us to the brink) are what History defines. We do not have to sit idly by and watch, (most do), and we do not have to agree.

    What we, I believe the Mayor has said, and the way I have read it, should do, is to move beyond the rhetoric and do the hard work that always accomplishes more than name calling. Stealing from a great teacher and follower of civility and respect “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation.” I tend to believe that civility and respect are the first step in that evolution, and exactly what the Mayor is speaking of in his article, and frankly, that should go beyond the front porch into every part of the life we lead.

  43. Thank you George Bennett. Lots of common sense in your comment.
    But as one of my best teachers said “Common sense isn’t very common”.

  44. Dear Mayor,
    I found your op-ed regarding The Front Porch disturbing and enlightening at the same time. As a 55+ resident of Edmonds and a 3rd generation family member your comments put into perspective what I have recently observed and experienced in Edmonds. I have never been political or written my opinions prior to this but I find it extremely necessary during these troubling times.
    How you have enlightened me is that I see the old white man club is alive and going strong in Edmonds. It comes from the top and has worked its way down through yourself and the Chief of Police. Your statements and references confirmed my suspicions after I read the article regarding Officer Sackville and her subsequent departure. I was disappointed that Edmonds would treat one of our finest Officer’s with such disrespect and retaliation. I met Officer Sackville approximately 8 years ago, after I was a victim of a crime in Edmonds. She treated me with respect and professionalism. I continued to stay in contact with her and am aware of her many awards, commendations and outreach to the Edmonds community. She was one of the best and brightest. Officer Sackville was involved in training many of our new Police Officers and was well respected by her peers. Unfortunately, we have a few individuals who are of the same mindset as yourself in positions of power who have been protected by the likes of yourself and Chief Compaan. We have many excellent Officer’s in Edmonds but they would be hesitant to come forward after Officer Sackville’s experience. The morale has deteriorated and our great city of Edmonds has lost one who’s mission to protect and serve our community has been forced out of town. We also must acknowledge that Officer Sackville was the victim. In this day and age we should not still be hearing about discrimination and lack of inclusion. It recently has come to my attention that there is another lawsuit pending from a female employee.
    I was pleasantly surprised by the comments from so many citizens who live in this beautiful city regarding their unwillingness to go back in time to the 50’s era where discrimination and hate were so prevalent. Our town of Edmonds deserves better. The demographics has changed in Edmonds and it can be heard through the comments to the Mayor’s editorial. We need to “drain the swamp” – it is time for a new era and management. I would suggest that Mike Nelson may reconsider and run for Mayor – his platform focuses on the environment, public safety and inclusiveness. Just what Edmonds needs now.
    Mr. Mayor, Chief Compaan please retire and let’s look to have more progressive and inclusive leaders running our great city.

  45. I totally agree with your assessment. I feel badly for the MANY outstanding officers in the Edmonds Police Department who are professional and inclusive, and there are so many!! The few offenders at the top are tarnishing our wonderful city. Regarding the Sackville discrimination case, my opinion is that a settlement on the part of the city implies guilt. A settlement means that the city has opted to pay this problem away. This discrimination is alive and well and unless the offenders are removed, the problem persists. Let’s collectively step up and face this issue as a city who is proud of our forward thinking and passionate about building our diversity. I am ALL for porches and being neighborly, but if you never leave your porch, you’ll never make a stand!!

  46. I would like to point something out. A “settlement” does not necessarily imply guilt or cover-up. Many times it is done because pursuing it would be too costly for a city, company or individual. In this case, it would be using taxpayers’ money.

  47. Dorothy Sacks I would like to point out that some of us are intimately aware of the pervasive sexual harassment and discrimination occurring in little Edmonds from the police department on up to HR. Two women have been paid to “go away” and soon a third will follow. While a settlement does not always imply guilt but rather it low cost option, 3 settlements certainly will raise eyebrows.

  48. Maria:
    Thank you for your response. I was merely making a statement; not opening a back-and-forth.
    What you are mentioning is another issue altogether.

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