When people attribute outcomes to objects, I call it outcome attribution. A gun, for example, does nothing until a human interacts with it, legal immigration papers do not dictate a person’s work ethic and ownership of a Koran does not indicate a proclivity toward violent behavior.

The recent rhetoric on Vashon Island that cast aspersions upon fellow islanders based upon their ownership of guns and ammunition is behavior that falls in the same vein as these other forms of discrimination; it’s an attack on a person’s character based upon intolerance for diversity.

Emotions offer powerful information about ourselves. As such, emotions can help guide our decisions, but they do not concretely determine what is right or wrong, safe or dangerous. This is proven every day by people with phobias. Essentially, your fear of (blank) does not prove that (blank) is dangerous.

The man who said he “tasted vomit” when he saw a sign advertising Guns & Ammo (“Gun sales on Vashon a scary, bad idea for all,” Jan. 13) is experiencing a reaction that informs him about himself. It does not prove that this business is inherently immoral, that the advertising is inappropriate or anything else other than, “Gee, for me, that sign is very unpleasant to look at.”

A multi-cultural democracy requires tolerance and diplomacy, meaning we all have a responsibility to practice cognitive diligence, self-awareness and self-restraint. Radicalized ideology and extremism are catching, so watch yourself carefully. During this contentious election year (where some stakeholders will stop at nothing to win), it will take our very best effort to maintain a civil society.

This raises the question: Who will hold the line?

— March Twisdale