Marina sale possibility is concerning

I am among those concerned about a possible sale of the John Wayne Marina, especially because a comment in last week’s Sequim Gazette attributed to Port Commissioner Colleen McAleer, who significantly understates the number of those who use the marina.

The story says, “She added that while 300 families use the marina …” which I assume is a reference to 300 slips. What this does not consider is the number of people who use the marina who do not moor boats there. I’m one of those: I belong to the yacht club and participate in its rowing program, along with many others who do not have boats in slips. And if my husband and I still had a boat, we’d be launching it at the marina, because it was trailered rather than moored.

Referring to only 300 families benefiting from the marina also disregards transient boaters, restaurant patrons and those who enjoy the

open space — when coming to row, or for yacht club informational programs (which are open to the public and often attract standing-room only crowds), I often see people walking, with or without their dogs.

I raise the question of who uses the marina because private ownership means for-profit, and for-profit almost always means higher fees. As a new yacht club member, I was astounded at the existing rental fees for the club’s facilities, and given the number of current as well as potential club members, any higher fees would mean a significant burden.

Linda Carlson

Sequim

Kudos to Gov. Inslee

Thank you Governor Inslee, for standing our ground and staunchly facing the United States president on Monday, Feb. 26. Your words were blunt, factual and expressed long needed political outrage. Skipping political correctness and calling out the president face-to-face on his ludicrous support of arming teachers was succinct. Undeniable. As people like you refuse to cave, I continue to hope some good may be on the horizon.

Your statements against arming teachers: perfect. A+.

Your visit on “All In with Chris Hayes” (MSNBC, Feb. 26) further punctuated the critical need to rise above the N.R.A. and a president seemingly void of honesty, empathy or good faith (“The Art of the Con” as you equated). We must nonetheless find a way to achieve common sense and meaningful gun law reform. #NeverAgain

Your visit on “Hardball with Chris Matthews” (MSNBC, 02-27-18), well, your words so poignant that Chris Matthews did not even interrupt you … and that never happens. Nice job!

Standing ovation.

Janelle Stancik

Woodinville

Sequim High School, Class of 1980-something

Yes, Parkland is a teachable moment, but …

As a former high school teacher and coach, I have personal experience dealing with bullied teens. Today’s high and middle schools’ social culture is notoriously cruel: brutally exclusive cliques, bullying and social ostracism are mild terms for it.

Rather than students skipping school to protest against guns, the NRA and legislators, they need to take responsibility for their own actions that contributed to this massacre: their initiating and engaging in the “fun” of social cruelty against targeted peers.

While this never will excuse Cruz for killing innocents, students’ misguided protests are merely convenient cover for avoiding responsibility for their role in this retaliatory massacre: the bullying that contributed to his emotional instability. Students need to look in the mirror.

We need a national dialogue, which can begin locally, about curbing rampant social cruelty abuses in schools. Parents and students are well aware of the school climate of bullying; the emotional scars can last a lifetime. Most bullied students never snap, but being bullied leads to feelings of powerlessness, inadequacy and depression.

It needs to stop! School administrators, parents and students need to take action. The first step is to admit how powerful a force social cruelty/abuse is on the psyche of middle and high students. That is the key teaching moment of Parkland.

Let’s start wearing a burgundy-and-silver ribbon of awareness and commitment to stop rampant school social cruelty and abuse — those are Parkland’s colors.

Jim Dulin

Sequim