TNT letters to the editor, 7/10/2021
Tacoma totem pole
Re: “Tacoma canceled city’s fake totem pole,” (TNT, 6/30).
The removal of the “faux” totem pole from Firemen’s Park is nothing short of historic vandalism. It might be fake as a piece of Native art, but it is genuine in every sense as representing Tacoma’s history.
The removal offends me as a citizen and taxpayer.
If it needs to be removed because it represents “a clear case of white cultural appropriation,” then the large Native Welcome Woman statue downtown needs to be removed too because it represents Puyallup tribal cultural appropriation of the art and beliefs of tribes far to the north.
The Puyallups didn’t create monumental sculpture like that. In addition, the “story pole” in front of Chief Leschi School should come down as another example of cultural appropriation.
It is sad that the Tacoma Historical Society has not stepped up to defend the totem pole, a venerable Tacoma relic.
With all the problems our city faces, including the human misery of homelessness I see every day, why do the TNT, mayor and City Council want to focus on a “problem” as puerile as this?
David Morse, Tacoma
Critical race theory
Re: “Mastermind of critical race theory uproar lives in Gig Harbor,” (TNT, 6/24).
Thank you for this article on right-wing activist Christopher Rufo.
I was not surprised that he has been employed at three extremist organizations. The Manhattan Institute, where he now works, has long advocated a far-right agenda on property rights, the economy and that the wealthy shouldn’t have to pay taxes.
They also advocate fiercely against public schools, Social Security and transparent election financing, often cloaking their their ideas in benign language like “economic freedom” or “school choice.”
Or, as in the case of Rufo, they deliberately use loaded phrases to describe the ideas of their opponents. By his own admission on Twitter, he is using critical race theory to manufacture controversy.
Despite the implications he makes, there is no secret agenda around CRT, except that of the wealthy individuals paying him to create one.
We shouldn’t take the bait. We should ask Rufo and his funders why they refuse to debate their ideas honestly and why they seek to sow division, fear and discontent instead.
I would wager it is because they know their ideas are not popular.
Melody Derrick, Gig Harbor
Capitol riot
Our country has a history of Congress acting in a bipartisan manner to approve legislation to investigate notable and tragic events that impact all Americans.
Examples include the Warren Commission to investigate the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, and the 9/11 Commission to investigate the September 11 terror attacks.
On June 30, the House voted 222-190 to establish a select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the US Capitol. All but two Republicans voted against that proposal.
Earlier, Senate Republicans blocked a similar measure to advance a vote on a bipartisan commission to investigate the insurrection. The reasons they gave lack credibility.
Republicans know that an impartial bipartisan investigation will likely implicate former President Trump and his supporters.
Many Republican office holders probably tremble at the thought that Trump and his supporters would campaign against them if they voted to support an investigation of an event that the House resolution calls “one of the darkest days of our democracy.”
Ken Panitz, University Place
This story was originally published July 10, 2021 at 12:07 PM with the headline "TNT letters to the editor, 7/10/2021."