SHS grad supports GSA
With frustration and sadness, I read an opinion published on March 8 (Letters to the Editor, “Learn your biology,” Sequim Gazette, page A-10) chastising the intelligence and threatening the human rights of students in the Sequim High School Gay Straight Alliance.
As an early member of the Gay Straight Alliance and proud graduate of Sequim High School Class of 2014, I stand in strong support and solidarity with the Sequim High School Gay Straight Alliance.
I would also like to point out the problematic nature of targeting marginalized identities — especially when they are kids. Comments belittling and threatening students have no place in our community and we have a responsibility to protect and amplify the voices of kids and marginalized identities.
I would like to reiterate my staunch support for the Gay Straight Alliance at Sequim High School and know they will continue to fight for human rights in Sequim and around the world.
Joseph Landoni
Salem, Ore.
Acceptance goes long way
It was with great dismay that I read a recent letter to the editor titled “Learn Your Biology” (Sequim Gazette, March 8, page A-10), where the author disparaged the existence of a Gay Straight Alliance Club at Sequim High School.
Letters like these, and the fact that such blatant hatred was published in a public forum, show exactly why we need support groups like GSA in schools.
LGBTQ teens are bullied, cast out of their homes and ostracized. Suicide rates for LGBTQ teens are much higher than rates for other youths.
Forming support groups and networks where they can feel safe helps ease the pain and stigma of being labeled as “other.”
A little acceptance goes a long way. In fact, a study recently showed that after gay marriage was finally legalized suicide rates went down in LGBTQ youth.
If Mr. Ludke wants us all to study our biology, perhaps he should join us and read through the many studies that show there is nothing wrong, or abnormal, with homosexuality. Humans aren’t even the only species to show homosexual behavior. Many other species form homosexual relationships, with some even being long-term and monogamous (see: penguins).
I sincerely hope that the Sequim Gazette publishes at least one of the letters it receives in response to Mr. Ludke’s letter, as a show of support for all of their readers. I know that many have been sent.
Hannah Raphael-Chastain
Port Angeles
Poor judgment for the Sequim Gazette
I was pleased and relieved, to read the comments from our more understanding and open minded community members, in “Intolerance exemplified” and “Views are ‘unacceptable’” (Letters to the Editor, Sequim Gazette, March 15) by standing up for the Gay Straight Alliance Clubs and the youth of Sequim.
In Mr. Ludke’s “Learn your biology (Letters to the Editor, Sequim Gazette, March 8, page A-10) he chose to publish his beliefs on homosexuality and take a swing at our Sequim youth for forming a Gay Straight Alliance Club at the high school and middle school.
We live in a country that allows all of us freedom of speech and beliefs. Letters to the editor are designed to do just that, allow us to express our beliefs. Newspapers have a right to publish, however, they also should use ethics when deciding what to publish.
The Sequim Gazette chose poor judgment when it published the “Learn your biology” letter. The Gazette allowed a grown man to launch his beliefs with intent to harm at the youth of our community. This was wrong.
A proud mom of a GSA member,
Katie Dingman
Sequim
What is the rationale?
I am deeply disturbed and concerned to have read a letter to the editor in the Sequim Gazette written by Jerry Ludke (Letters to the Editor, “Learn your biology,” March 8, page A-10) which discouraged LGBTQ youth and their allies (the high school’s GSA). Regardless of our personal religious or political beliefs, do we not agree that it is unacceptable for adults to target kids in this way?
I seriously question the Gazette’s motivation to publish this letter which does not serve the community. I find it irresponsible.
Jessaca Ann
Port Angeles
Letter to editor seems like hate speech
I am shocked by the cruelty of the letter written by Jerry Ludke you chose to print in Letters to the Editor (Sequim Gazette, March 8, page A-10). Yes, that is a place for people to print their opinions. Yes, we all have to accept that everyone is entitled to personal opinions.
A community newspaper, however, needs to be more judicious about what letters to print, because the letter by Jerry Ludke is nothing short of hate speech. Not only that, it targeted a group of young and vulnerable community members. These teenagers are searching for their voice, discovering who they are and working to accept each other and get along regardless of individual differences. Then a very public figure like Jerry Ludke comes along and spouts hate, trying to disguise his opinion as “biology.”
As a newspaper, it is part of your civic duty to help support and protect our community’s youth and to not publish hate speech regardless of the age of the target. You need to think before you print.
Not all opinions need to be printed. I understand you can’t always pick and choose what opinions get aired, because you would most certainly be accused of bias at that point.
However, targeted hate speech needs to be filtered out.
You should be ashamed of yourself for printing that horrible letter that is harmful to so many people, especially the youth in your very own community.
Rebecca Wanagel
Port Angeles
Cooper is spot on
Thanks to Bertha Cooper in her opinion piece today (“As if it couldn’t get worse,” Sequim Gazette, March 8, page A-8) on health care … Sharon and I both couldn’t agree more. There is an appalling disregard for human dignity in the “business” of health care in our country.
We support the Affordable Care Act knowing it needs improvement but is still on the right track.
Roger and Sharon Briggs
Sequim
Swedish continues ‘mission of service’
I read “As if it couldn’t get worse” (Sequim Gazette, March 15, page A-8) with interest. As a past member of the board of directors of Providence Health and Services, I would like to share some perspectives.
The column rightly drew attention a series of Seattle Times’ articles about the Swedish Neuroscience Institute (SNI).
These articles describe a breakdown of an individual’s care, lack of leadership attention to concerns expressed persistently by caregivers and pursuit of financial incentives that may have compromised patient care. These are serious issues.
As a result, leaders have resigned and new leaders are returning SNI to the leadership and culture that has characterized Swedish’s history for decades.
What is lost in the Times’ stories and in the Gazette column is that history. Swedish and Providence were both founded by a few individuals who wanted to bring high quality healthcare to their communities.
This mission of service, with particular attention to the poor and underserved, has been the focus of these two wonderful organizations for many decades.
The partnership Swedish and Providence has with the hospitals on the peninsula has brought improved access to sub-specialists, a state-of-the-art electronic health record system and many other benefits.
If healthcare is reformed as described in recent legislative proposals, it will be much harder to provide high quality care to all our citizens.
More than ever, we will need Swedish, Providence and Olympic Medical Center (OMC) to commit even more deeply to their historic mission.
I am confident that Swedish, aided by its connections to Providence, will fix the problems at its SNI and emerge much stronger.
Big change is coming to healthcare. Community-based, mission-focused healthcare organizations must continue to be the bedrock of this country’s commitment to high quality care to all.
Our community is fortunate that we can depend on OMC, Swedish and Providence as we move into this unpredictable future.
Jim Roberts
Sequim
