Acquittal of cops charged in Ellis’ death was justice. Politics doesn’t change that | Opinion
Listen to MLK
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” — Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
The decision in the trial of three Tacoma police officers charged in the death of Manuel Ellis cleared all three. Twelve jury members reached a verdict. Justice was served.
Still, no sooner was the verdict announced than the bullhorns blasted the air with slogans like “No justice.” Some local leaders denounced the jury’s decision.
Our country faces more injustice and peril from politicians and community organizers with personal agendas — backed more by biased emotion than logic or concepts of the nation’s legal principles.
George Terhaar, Enumclaw
Check Putin’s power with support for Ukraine
America has long been a shining example of the good that comes from building a country based on freedom and democracy. People across the world who live under dictators have hope for a better future because Americans are strong and free.
We must continue our legacy of supporting freedom and democracy by supporting Ukraine. Under President Vladimir Putin, Russia is killing thousands of Ukrainian civilians. We cannot quit on our Ukrainian friends in their time of need. Doing so would strengthen the enemies of freedom and democracy everywhere, especially in Russia, China and Iran.
Make no mistake: Putin will continue his deadly march of force and war crimes and try to seize NATO allies’ lands. Every American must stand with Ukraine and our allies and say, “Not on my watch!”
Doing so checks Putin’s power and sends a powerful message to our adversaries. Dictators cannot bomb countries and their civilians into submission.
I urge Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland to support continued funding for Ukraine.
Marcia Jacobs, Sumner
Support the READ Act
On Dec. 10, we recognized International Human Rights Day. This allowed us to reflect on the progress we have made in advancing human rights and provided an opportunity to recognize the work that still needs to be done.
As citizens, we can unite and use our voice to influence decisions and policies. One of the many bills that need our attention and support is the reauthorization of the federal READ Act.
Reauthorizing the READ Act will extend the bill for an additional five years. In 2023, the Borgen Project concluded: “Currently, 58 million primary school-aged children globally do not attend school and 260 million do not have access to quality education. Gender discrimination in school contributes to the illiteracy of over 500 million women in adulthood as well.”
Access to quality education is a human right. You can use your voice to help children across the globe gain access to quality education by reaching out to your members of Congress.
As we look back on International Human Rights Day, we can celebrate the progress we have made — and also commit to using our voices to stand up for human rights.
Courtney Petersen, Tacoma