Letters: Student protest, Richland display and more | Nov. 19

Student protest a good example

More power to the Kennewick students who protested for regular classes. However, they didn’t pay attention to the excellent example set by the “adults” in Seattle and Portland. Rioting, looting and burning, along with the nation(al) media declaring it peaceful protests or basically just ignoring it, must be the way to go. Even Joe Biden declared the difference between peaceful protests and the recent looting and violence in Philadelphia. Too bad the nation(al) media won’t follow his lead. Oh well, maybe after the election...

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Pick compassion, understanding

A recent letter struck me with its invocation of a battle between good and evil playing out in our country right now, and while it’s not my place to label such a commonly held view incorrect, it has always struck me as something of a spiritual dead-end. If I can label a group of people evil, then I am faced with the choice of either tolerating them and evil, or of doing whatever I can to abolish them. In the face of actual evil, how can due process, mercy or free speech be justified?

Faced with that dilemma, I have to conclude the entire question is ill-posed. To place the spiritual battle exterior to oneself is to lose it. I’ve found, for me at least, the real struggle is turn away from judgment and hatred of those who disagree with me on important issues, and to do my best to never hold anyone beyond the realm of compassion and understanding. That’s not always an easy battle, but I think it’s one worth fighting.

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A good time to look at student skills

Online learning has been a hot-button topic in the Tri-Cities. Everyone has the right to speak up with their opinions. And, as a high school teacher, I see some issues that are not being discussed. This upsetting time gives us a chance to take a look at the skills our youth need to succeed in difficult times.

Can your student organize their time? Do they know how to get work done even when they don’t want to?

Does your student know how to advocate for themselves? Will they ask for help when needed?

Does your student see the importance of an education? Do they look for excuses why it is not working, or do they look for ways around obstacles?

Do they come to the learning ready to engage? In today’s world, they have to grab the education being offered to them.

I understand that some families do not have the ability to watch and enforce the learning happening in the home. Schools are working hard to make up the difference for these families.

But we all need to take a hard look at the skills our students need for now and for life beyond. How are we doing?

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Richland display was hateful act

Re: your story of Nov. 4 on Ronnarae Cowell: This whole “free speech” idea is being twisted out of all recognizable shape. Ms. Cowell did not speak in this case. She acted. She acted in a hateful manner, offensive to anyone with a conscience.

After reading the article, I know I am not the only one who was deeply offended by her actions. (Her speech made it worse.) Imagine if someone were to put up hanging pictures of some other persons or actual dead people? Perhaps a fetus, or pictures of slaughtered cattle, or cats or dogs hit by cars, because that person thought it was funny? Is that “free speech?” And the city official was “amused?”

The whole thing smacks of racism and politics, and confirms those nasty rumors that Richland is, indeed, not a tolerant town at all. Just as it was not tolerant back when it was first formed for the Manhattan Project. Free speech is not hate speech. This action is not free speech, and most of us know that.

Shame on you, City of Richland.

This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 3:10 PM with the headline "Letters: Student protest, Richland display and more | Nov. 19."