Pasco’s marijuana shop plan is discriminatory, and other Herald letters to the editor | Opinion
Pasco’s pot plan ‘discriminatory’
Cannabis sales are highly regulated like alcohol and tobacco. So, why was east Pasco’s industrial zone the “only” sale location for which city council members voted when commercially zoned locations in West Pasco were readily available?
Pasco Council’s site selection is blatantly discriminatory. As such, their majority vote continues to stigmatize east Pasco in its historical “Apartheid-like” manner. Despite noteworthy housing developments and other visible improvements, east Pasco is the area of choice to concentrate local social problems… Thus, it remains one of Tri-Cities’ undesired residential communities because of this stigma.
At a recent Pasco City meeting, one official characterized East Pasco as accommodating for cannabis sales because of its, “industrial zoning, loud noises, junkyards, truck traffic and bad odors….” Not mentioned were the foundational causes and lingering consequences of governmental decisions that included the segregation of blacks, industrial waste dumping, World War II prisoners and tolerance of vice activities due to civic contempt.
Equal business opportunity would allow cannabis sales in west Pasco’s commercial zones. Aren’t arguments implying the ‘stigma” associated with cannabis sales are best located “only” in east Pasco neighborhoods malicious? Such discriminatory views, if codified by council, would amplify the perception and reality of continuing municipal indifference…
Dallas Barnes, Pasco
Attaining STEM goals creatively
During recent years, I’ve noticed, STEM proponents have expanded their push toward encouraging girls and ethnic minority students to pursue classes and careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
So as a previous Yakima Valley, Mexican-American physics and chemistry high school teacher, I would like to present an observation.
I’ve been a believer of STEM’s objectives since my 1950s high school years. Because I was never STEM pushed, I had to become my own math and science class counselor. Furthermore, during my years of University of Washington engineering classes, not one classmate looked like me, and not one female ever became one of my classmates.
But in 1980, Toppenish High selected me as their science teacher. I was allowed to add a special chemistry class, which contained the same curriculum as did the college preparatory class, but not as much of the complex math. Thus, the numbers of girls and ethnic minority students were doubled, and STEM’s goals of teaching the scientific method, metric conversions and chemistry lab procedures and skills were pushed.
With administration support, chemistry teachers themselves can help to provide STEM’s push. I know this to be true because we did so at Toppenish High 40 years ago.
Guillermo V. Castaneda, Granger
Make more public police discipline
The killing of Tyre Nichols is an absolute tragedy. I’m not sure that word even covers it. One thing I do know is that it could have been prevented. Maybe he didn’t behave right at some point just like George Floyd or even our own police … (shooting) in Pasco of Antonio Zambrano-Montes in 2015. It doesn’t justify killing them. I always hear “a couple bad cops” just stop it.
The complaints filed against officers will tell that story. Those complaints are always kept secret. Maybe now is the time those charges and complaints are exposed. I have no right to my violations, misdemeanors or crimes to be hidden. If we got to see the complaints on these officers I have a feeling they would not have been on the Special Memphis “SCORPIONS” Crime Unit. Let’s see those records and get rid of the “Bad Apples!”
Rick Wilson, Kennewick
Editor’s note: In WA state, police disciplinary records are publicly available. The Herald has obtained them through public records requests.