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Healing was goal in response to deadly apartment shooting The Mirror recently published an article critiquing our community’s response to the Pinewood Village Apartment shootings. I found it to be unfair. How do you help people heal? How do you give back a sense of safety to someone who has had it ripped away? When my kids are in danger, I protect them. When they are confused, I counsel them. When they are frightened, I comfort them. And no one second-guesses me; no one questions my motives or criticizes my performance. No one is offended that they aren’t allowed
Nandell Palmer
With the Legislature back in session and Congress in its typical disagreeable mood, I thought it might be helpful to review political terms you may be hearing. In politics, it is easy to misunderstand what’s going on if you don’t understand the terminology. And sometimes politicians use words that sound good, but might have a different meaning than you think. Their goal is to get you to support their viewpoint. Here are some quotes from politicians and some helpful clarifications. • “We need to get rid of tax loopholes” — If I used it to lower my tax obligation, it’s a good loophole. If you use it, it’s a bad loophole because I have to make up the difference in what you don’t pay. • “We need to improve government efficiencies” — This means cutting the government programs you don’t like, but that your opponents do like. • “We should re-prioritize government spending” — See above • “Wall Street vs. Main Street” — Wall Street are “bad guys” and Main Street are “good guys.” • “Activist judges” — These are judges who authored an opinion you don’t like. “Judges who understand the law” are ones who authored an opinion you do like. • “Job creators” — These are the saviors of our economy because they will employ us all.
Or they might be “greedy big business owners” who want to cut family wage jobs and keep all the profits to pay their country club dues. It depends on who is doing the talking. • “A reckless idea” — This is an idea you don’t like, but you want the listener to question the proponent’s sanity and fitness to go outside without adult supervision, so you add the word “reckless.” • “A cruel decision” — This is a decision you disagree with, but you also want the other side to appear heartless and uncaring, as if they were throwing grandma out in the street. So you add the word “cruel.” • “It is a reasoned, thoughtful approach” — This means that it’s my idea and I like it better than your idea, which of course, is not thoughtful or reasoned. • “This program has bi-partisan support” — That means we got a couple of members of the other party to vote for it by promising them something. • “This is a common sense approach to the problem” — At least it is to me. If you disagree, you obviously have no sense, common or otherwise. Remember these phrases when listening to politicians. Bob Roegner
BOARD
The Mirror’s editorial board: Rudi Alcott, publisher; Andy Hobbs, editor; Joann Piquette, retired and community advocate; Bob Dockstader, retired attorney; Joan Tornow, author, school volunteer and mentor; Bob Case, journalism trainer and former news announcer; Don Hyun, tech industry consultant. Contact the board: editorialboard@ federalwaymirror.com
Political terms and jargon 101 INSIDE POLITICS
EDITORIAL
I don’t know about you, but for the past few months, there seems to have been an Armageddon of sorts playing out across America: Sandy Hook, Boston bombing, Federal Way shootings, kidnapping victims in Cleveland, Ohio, and the list goes on. Honestly, at times I ask, what next? Whenever tragedies strike our communities and families, many of us are conditioned to think the worst. But the best elixir, I find, is for us to always harbor a heart of gratitude for the wonderful things that are taking place in our lives. We shouldn’t be robbed of the joys of seeing our babies step out for the first time to their kindergarten classes. Let’s treasure Tyrone and Sandra’s graduation. Get excited about your daughter’s upcoming wedding. Say thank you for that job promotion and good medical report. We should high-five the ardent support for one another and community. We ought to champion our local heroes who would risk life and limb for us without seeking any remuneration. The moment we do otherwise, we are giving credence to seeming distractions that atrophy our blessings. I find that good will always outweigh bad any day. And given enough time, you too will see how many of those so-called terrible things can literally foster a stronger community and a more cohesive family. The same place where that stinking pile of manure once stood, see now how it has transformed into a fertile garden, bearing fruits of love, hope, peace, industry, sustainability and fortitude. When in doubt, just ask Federal Way resident and King County Metro bus driver Anthony Woods. On a nice sunny afternoon, July 20, 2006, Woods was driving the #7 Rainier Beach bus at 3rd and Spring Street in Seattle when he heard a commotion: “He has a gun! He has a gun!” The Goliath-sized driver immediately stopped the coach, set the emergency brake, and put on the four-way flashers. At the back of the bus, he came face to face with a mean 16-year-old youth, brandishing a loaded 9-mm pistol, bent on robbing a victim’s digital camera. Call it bravery or whatever you may, but the thought of seeing multiple people killed inside the bus he commanded did not sit well with Woods. That’s when he sprang into action, temporarily tossing Metro’s rulebook out the window. Woods tackled the gun-toting thief, bearhugging him off the bus, then pinned him to the [ more PALMER, page 8 ]
WRITE A BLESSING
f e d e r a l way
OPINION
[6] May 17, 2013
Federal Way resident Bob Roegner, a former mayor of Auburn: bjroegner@comcast.net
● L E T T E r S - Y o u r opinion C o u nts :
To submit an item or photo for publication: email editor@federalwaymirror.com. Letters may be edited for style, clarity and length. to participate. They understand that, in this moment, my kids are the most important thing. Last month, our leaders looked tragedy in the eye and responded admirably. The City of Federal Way, our city, experienced a violent tragedy that claimed the lives of four community members and their assailant. There was danger, there was confusion and there was fear. The danger was quickly confronted, but what of the confusion and the fear? The decision was made to gather the residents of the Pinewood Village Apartments and family members of the victims, to lead them through a Critical Incident
Stress Debrief. In other words, our police department, fire department and public officials made themselves available to those most deeply affected by these events to help them begin the healing process — to deal with the confusion and the fear. Because the larger community was tangentially impacted, the first part of the meeting was open to any community member who felt the need to attend. The meeting opened with a moment of silence for the victims and a prayer for the friends and families who remain. The chief of police, the mayor and the deputy mayor
then addressed those who were gathered and spoke words of hope and comfort. Cmdr. Kyle Sumpter provided an overview of what had happened on the evening in question. And then, yes, those who were not residents of the complex or family members of victims were then asked to excuse themselves. Why? Because healing does not take place under the watchful eyes of strangers and the media, no matter how invested or well-intentioned they may be. And healing was the priority that night. Our greatest responsibility that evening was to those most deeply affected, and they needed a safe place to process together what had happened to them. They needed to know, at that moment, that they were the most [ more LETTERS, page 7 ]