Updated to correct the name of the Cuban leader — Raúl Modesto Castro Ruz
Edmonds City Councilmember Strom Peterson launched his campaign for a second term Thursday night, with a strong message for supporters — many of them local small business owners and Edmonds Chamber of Commerce members — who crowded into Arista Wine Cellars.
“Maybe it’s time for Edmonds people to get in a little bit of trouble,” said Peterson, owner of the Cheesemonger’s Table restaurant and cheese shop in downtown Edmonds.
For context, Peterson explained that he and his wife, Maria Montalvo, recently went to Cuba, where they heard a major speech by Raúl Modesto Castro, brother of long-time Cuban leader Raul Fidel Castro, in which Castro said it was time “for Cubans to start getting in trouble again.” The message was “really about not accepting the status quo,” Peterson said, noting that Cuban locals they spoke with agreed that Castro’s speech was an acknowledgement of Cuba’s problematic bureaucracy.
Both Peterson and fellow Councilmember Frank Yamamoto, who introduced Peterson to the crowd, acknowledged the difficulty of often being a two-person minority voting block out of seven during contentious Edmonds City Council meetings.
Getting in trouble “doesn’t mean being rude or combative — quite the opposite,” Peterson said. “It’s speaking up in a positive voice. If we had this kind of turnout at city council meetings or this kind of turnout at other public events I think we would see a sea change.”
Peterson, who served as Edmonds City Council president last year and so far is running unopposed, said he is committed to supporting local small businesses and the arts, “keeping an eye on the environment” and increasing public safety, which happens when “people are proud of their community and willing to look out for one another,” he said.
He encouraged those in the audience to reach out to customers, neighbors and friends — even those they don’t know well — “and see if they are paying attention to what is happening in Edmonds,” Peterson said.
“But until we all start really getting involved and starting to speak up, just a little bit, just that little bit of trouble, I think we’ll be spinning our wheels,” he added. “It’s about showing up on a Tuesday night or writing a letter to the editor, getting out there and supporting what you believe in. We believe in our community, we believe in ways to improve it and we need to make sure other people know it.”
You can learn more about Peterson on his campaign website.
Sorry, I must respectfully disagree. We don’t need to “cause a little trouble” that will only serve to further polarize our community. We need to identify commonalities that allow us to bridge divides and compromises that address concerns of opposing interests. Only in this way can our representatives demonstrate leadership… moving beyond the status quo while preserving and building upon Edmonds’ traditional values.
Solid points Dr. Senderoff.
Related to citizen involvement – It would be interesting to know the true impact of showing up on a Tuesday night, emailing Mayor and Council, writing letters to the Editor. etc.
Based on the high percentage of my emails that my elected officials fail to respond to or even acknowledge, I fear citizen involvement is under appreciated and sadly,disrespected.
Returning to Dr. Senderoff’s point, I support the concept of our representatives demonstrating leadership. I believe the related LEADERSHIP opportunities are huge.
Obviously Mr. Senderoff didn’t grasp the context of the phrase “Cause a little trouble.” event though Strom specifically said it wasn’t about being rude or combative. By saying “quite the opposite” I do not see how one can construe this as advocating further polarization.
Indeed, in this time of polarization and knee jerk responses it is exactly this type of discussion that is needed to bridge divides and seek compromises. I find it ironic that in his not grasping the message, Mr. Senderhoff gets the concept.
Mr. Young (re: 3),
The expressed acknowledgement of “the difficulty of often being a two-person minority voting block out of seven” implies that partisan interests were being fomented in reference to “causing a little trouble”. Simply stating “not being rude” when referring to how one might “cause trouble” does not exempt the polarizing theme of this message; at least to those that follow issues facing our City. While I did not attend the event, I see nothing within this report that suggests a theme of bridging divides which was my point. I stand by my comment that we can move beyond the status quo while preserving and building upon Edmonds’ traditional values. But this requires us to start speaking with each other, not at each other.
– Dr. Senderoff
Ridicules!
To bring ideas from Cuba, that has yet to overthrow Communism, while their masses do everything they can to get into the USA, and insert their theme into local politics is not OK with me . We have already fought, and continue to fight, for our FREEDOM.
Time the Cubans and the rest of the unfortunates fight their own revolutions instead of seeking asylum and welfare in our country only to hate and bomb us.
How did you arrange your trip to a communist country?
You will not get my vote Peterson and I will actively work against your campaign.