When a friend bravely bucked the odds and financial uncertainty to move his small family away from Baltimore, we were excited. As they secured jobs, found housing and registered their kids in Vashon schools we watched with amazement and gratitude as our community pitched in.

When this young father became the victim of malicious (racial) harassment, then a second more violent assault by the same men, we were stunned and saddened.  After news of the incident spread quickly in our close-knit community and our friend was subjected more than once to accusations in public in the presence of his children that somehow he is “(explicative) up” our island, we could only shake our heads in shame.  A full two weeks after the initial police reports were filed, and as of this writing, the King County Sheriff’s Department has made no follow-up inquiries with the victim, nor has the investigating detective responded to his voice mail messages.  The local media is letting the investigation unfold before reporting further.

Leave race out of the equation and ask yourself these questions: What would you expect from your community, from your county sheriff and from the local businesses, including your employer and the press, if you were harassed and shot at by four men? What would you do if this series of events had happened to your close friend? We would expect more. We plan to keep asking questions.

If a man moves his family in search of a better environment in which to live and raise his children; if all he wants for his wife, for his kids and for himself is the freedom to prosper in the home of his choosing; if most of all he desires peace, does he deserve that any less than anyone else in our community?

— Lynn Davison, Judy Clegg, Rocky Jones & Rodney Moore