April 2009

Dear Editor,

Climbing the great Wall
One step in front of
The other foot
Inching slowly up, up
Up uneven stones and steps.

Heart beating pumping
Oxygen starved blood
Puffing, thinking
Will my heart stop beating?
But overworking heart
Still pushing up, up
Up into the clouds.

Wondering. How did
Man achieve such feats?
What courage, what cruelty,
What pain endured?

Thousands and thousands of lives lost
Many many centuries
Ago. Did they even think of
Immortality as they worked,
Slaved on the Great Wall?

Thousands now climb these
Steps to slowly reach for the clouds
And stars.
Thousands push pumping
Hearts to see the limitless view and
Touch the clouds at the top of this
Great Wall.

Do they pause and think of the
Builders of this Wall?

The nameless traveler, thank all your
Nameless builders for this magnificent
Great Wall.
Thank you, thank you for
This incredible experience.

Annie G. Tigtig
North Admiral

Dear Editor,

I read with great interest about the proposal to extend the Water Taxi to yearlong service. Quite frankly, I have grown tired of the coverage of the Water Taxi issue. I am rather shocked that neither elected officials nor the media have provided appropriate scrutiny to the Water Taxi as a transportation alternative. It is time to assess whether this taxi is something more than a gimmick and actually addresses any real transportation needs.

The March 18 Herald article on the Water Taxi stated that the Water Taxi allegedly handled 182,000 passengers in 2008. That number is essentially meaningless. The real question is how many trips per day and at what cost the passengers were handled.

Dear Editor,

Thank you for making each week a little easier to handle. Once I have retrieved our issue of the West Seattle Herald, there is no such thing as “getting to my recliner fast enough!” Great job folks…

P.S. – Not to forget your great news carriers! Never a missed paper, and always well wrapped and dry. Thank you kindly.

Harold and Shirley Higgins
West Seattle

Dear Editor,

On March 14, I attended one of the Town Hall meetings held by our state legislature. The large citizen turnout indicated how many issues and concerns are at risk to fund people’s needs and services in our community and state.

My concern is education. I have been a staff member at Garfield High School for the past fifteen years, 10 years as the library assistant and the last five as the career and college center specialist. Funding for both positions have now been cut by the school district.

I have a masters degree in whole systems design and my CTE (Career and Technical Education) teaching certificate through Central. Along with my colleagues, I bring a great deal to my high school. I meet and e-mail with the Center Specialists at Chief Sealth and West Seattle High Schools frequently. I am planning retirement this year – so this letter is not about keeping my job – this is about the services provided by the career and college centers in our high schools.

Dear Editor,

How does one thank such a wonderful community for their outpouring of love and support that they showed to my family and I, through the fatal shooting of our son Steve Bushaw in the Junction on Feb. 1, 2009? Thank you, for all the flowers, cards, teddy bears, soccer balls, and crosses. At this time it’s so hard, but we want the community to know we appreciate it all.

I first want to thank Talarico’s Pizza for their care and love they showed my son; their love and support they showed to my family and I. And for the beautiful memorial they put on in their restaurant. What great food, a nice place to have in West Seattle. Thank you.

Husky Deli, for their great trays of meats and cheeses, and fruit trays, and their support. Thank you.

Menashe Jewelers, for their love and support, thank you.

Puerto Vallarta, for “just being a great restaurant,” thank you.

For all other businesses, just thank you! Thank you!

A couple of weeks ago we printed a letter from a local pastor in which he declared that homosexuality is "destructive" and against the teachings of God.

Within hours of the paper hitting the newsstands, we got calls from angry readers demanding to know why we "constantly publish" homophobic letters, a call from someone demanding that we cancel their subscription, but in their blind anger, forgetting to tell us who they are before they slammed down the phone and later, a few thoughtful letters countering the original letter from the pastor.

Some people accused us of insisting on "publishing these anti-gay letters." We printed their letters last week.

For those who agreed with the pastor, we do not expect to change their minds. For those who think he is a nutcase, we will also change no minds. Part of our role is to provide in the letters and columns of the paper a forum for dissent. The views of the pastor are not the views of the paper or its editor. The words in your letters are yours and yours alone.

But this is an editorial. This is my opinion.

One woman pledged to check directions before leaving the house, another pledged to commute by bicycle even in the rain. Someone pledged to teach an adult how to ride a bicycle, yet another decided to lobby for a car-free area.

The business of licensing “Undrivers” was very brisk at the recent Green Festival for the 30 volunteers of Sustainable Ballard’s “Undriving” Program.

The crystal ball doesn’t reveal what invention or idea originated in Ballard will prove to have the greatest historical reach; will it be Bardahl’s oil product or the specialized coffee maker known as Clover? Or will the Undriving Program become a national and international model that puts Ballard on the un-map of the future?

Since its inception in 2003 Sustainable Ballard has proved an informal organization can educate (festivals, workshops) and get things done (bike racks) “while having fun.”

Several months before their 4th Sustainable Ballard Festival members were brainstorming a booth geared to reduce driving and car reliance. Julia Field recalls suggesting an “Undriver” Licensing Station where anyone could receive a license.

Dear Editor,

I applaud you and the concept of the new clinic. The for-profit health insurance companies are the main problems in the public accessing health care. But I presume that your clinic is not able to handle those that cannot afford the fee to belong to the clinic. In other words, the poor, and so many middle class families still cannot access care through your facility because they cannot afford it. Am I right? Ultimately, single payer, universal health care is the way to achieve fair and equitable access for all.

Doug Bungert
Former Chair and Director,
Health Care For All California,
Ventura County, CA

I have a confession to make. When I was a freshman legislator in 1995, and thrilled by a terrific season of Mariner baseball, I voted for the bill that funded the new stadium.
 
You may remember that the people had narrowly defeated a tax package for the stadium. However, the Mariner’s legislation, which I supported was based on a different tax package, one that was mainly paid by those who went to the games, and by out of town visitors. I naively thought that the voters would embrace the new and different revenue plan. Wow, was I wrong!
 
That lesson has stayed with me for almost 15 years now and it is one that I recall when thinking about how to vote on the Viaduct replacement proposal (SB 5768).
 
This legislation calls for the replacement of the elevated viaduct with a costly proposal favored by a group of stakeholders—a bored tunnel. It was only two years ago (March 2007) that the people of Seattle voted by 70 percent to oppose a tunnel. That is a supermajority of opposition in anyone’s book.
 

Supposedly April showers bring May flowers. For us Seattleites, April tells us that the brutal bone-chilling winter has come to an end. We revive our hopes for warm days and plan fun activities that don’t involve sitting around inside.

Let your springtime festivities begin with the Ballard Art Walk. On the second Saturday of every month from 6 to 9 p.m., Ballard businesses, galleries and studios, mostly along Ballard Avenue and Market Street, participate in featuring mostly local and national artists.

Coordinated by the Ballard Chamber of Commerce, a map and list of participating businesses can be found on the chamber's Web site. Some businesses serve drinks and appetizers or host a special event for the evening.

See a work of art that you want to own? The host business will have the artist’s information and contact available, as most work is available for public purchase.

It’s a two-in-one stop shop, really. Invite family and friends for a whole evening of entertainment. You’ll see artwork while you shop, eat, and drink.