Vandalism

Defacing a McCain sign was intolerant

The intolerance and hypocrisy on Vashon amaze us. We are deeply saddened because we love living here, and we love what Vashon has to offer.

Daily, we hear how accepting, tolerant and open-minded this Island is, only to be proven wrong by people’s actions frequently.

On this Island, open-mindedness seems to be synonymous with having leftist political views — meaning that anyone not considered “leftist” is close-minded.

Recently, a McCain sign was displayed at the 136th block of Vashon Highway on private property. Not even a week after it was put up, the sign was vandalized. Someone had crossed out McCain’s name and spray-painted Obama’s name in its place.

This is not accepting or tolerant by anyone’s definition. This is stifling another’s viewpoint. How open-minded is it to trespass and deface private property for the purpose of squelching another perspective?

Why are we living in a so called “open-minded” community where conservatives are forced to hide and fear that displaying yard signs will cause their family grief and property destruction?

This is not the first and only incident where someone had their opinion stifled on this Island. Kevin Bergin was a victim when his sign that thanked our troops for protecting the world was defaced. The vandals replaced the phrase “the world” with “our oil.”

We have yet to see any of the Obama signs defaced or vandalized, and there are quite a few. While we may not agree that Sen. Barack Obama is the right choice for president, we would never stoop to stifle someone else’s right to express that viewpoint. We demand the same courtesy.

How many Republicans does it take to deface an “Obama for President” sign on Vashon? We don’t know; it’s never been done.

— Kaelen Burton, Dave Burton

and Katy Mullen

Library

Move wouldn’t serve Island

How very sad to read that the King County Library System (KCLS) has decided to disregard the expressed desires of Islanders and move our library.

As stated, KCLS determined their criteria to be “plenty of parking and easy to find,” two things not necessarily on the top of our list.

How hard is it to find a major building on our Island?

I work across from our current library and every day I see lots of people walking to the building instead of driving, children who play in Ober Park before or after visiting the Vashon Library, seniors and those with few resources who live nearby spending time using computers, reading magazines and checking out DVDs.

If and when KCLS forces us to change locations, we will be locked into a site that is primarily accessible by car, at a time when we say we are trying to cut down on driving.

Walking to the library will not be practical or safe and not reasonable for the growing senior population that lives near town. Bus service will be sporadic and costly.

Many of our residents who depend on this resource will use it less and less.

Shame on KCLS for playing games with one of our most important Island institutions by ignoring our desires as a way to punish the Vashon Park District.

Numerous times the park district has indicated a desire to talk further with KCLS, but that institution has its own agenda.

When we voted for the library levy on the promise we would have increased facilities, we didn’t vote for displacement.

— Alice Larson