Misuse of police power is the real issue

In Paul Gottlieb’s article addressing law enforcement accountability bills (“‘Vigilantism’ a fear in wake of new laws, Peninsula Daily News, Aug. 8), several officials responded. Rep. Mike Chapman opined the sheriff and chief of police should be the deciders. Since community policing is a goal, residents with unfortunate experiences with or information about officers and deputies (either here or elsewhere), must be a part of decision making.

Chief Smith thinks Officers’ jobs are hampered. Legislative bills, proven effective or not, face the real-world test. To make blanket statements condemning all these important bills, discounts the reasons and incidents that necessitated their development.

Sheriff Benedict warns these bills undermine deputies’ duties. Does he think vigilantes will randomly hurt innocent people for nefarious reasons? Remember the disinformation last year about “Antifa” allegedly coming to Sequim to break business windows, followed by armed men intimidating Black Lives Matter demonstrators? This wild-eyed nonsense led to the Forks’ “Antifa” bus debacle — actually Spokanites looking for a camping spot.

Prosecutor Mark Nichols’ remarks the problem lies in two disparate groups: believers in the sanctity of life versus those wanting public safety. It’s not an either/or, but both. People live in this country to be free of prejudices such as religious and class discrimination; have opportunities to succeed; walk down a sidewalk without threats, and know their individual lives are worthy.

We, the people, spoke clearly in 2020 and this year after seeing and experiencing the uncontrolled misuse of power by some in the police.

Gayle Brauner

Port Angeles

Cooper’s latest piece a ‘diatribe’

Bertha Cooper outdid herself with her July 28 diatribe (“It ain’t over until … ,” Sequim Gazette, page A-14).

A perpetual Republican/Trump hater, she seems incapable of any kind of balanced thought process.

There really are other legitimate points of view on issues she calls out. About the experimental, barely tested vaccine: doctors and other medical personnel from around the world warn of this dangerous global experiment and refuse to take the vaccine. The CDC’s own VAERS reporting system has already accumulated more deaths and serious side effects from this vaccine in just six months than all other vaccines combined over the past 20 years (FoxNews, “Tucker Carlson: How many Americans have died after taking the COVID vaccine?”, May 5).

Remember, you will never get the true picture from the mainstream television/press, from social media or from a Google search. All are now useless sources of news information, nothing more than propaganda outlets for the Democrat party.

Regarding the Jan. 6, 2021 “insurrection”: most of these people were peaceful. Not one firearm was confiscated or used inside the Capitol Building. Why did Nancy Pelosi refuse to accept more security? Did she want chaos in order to pressure Pence to accept the election results that day, even though several states requested a further look because evidence was coming out about massive election irregularities?

And the Republican party the most dangerous threat to democracy? It’s exactly the opposite. The Democrat party has devolved into a radical, America hating party full of Marxist sympathizers.

There are other reasonable sides to Bertha’s column topics, but the Gazette seems incapable of finding a competent opposing writer. Why?

Greg Carroll

Sequim