Interesting stuff. I enjoyed this letter.

The protesters in Olympia are misguided as they seek to interrupt the shipment of war equipment to or from Fort Lewis.

I remember pre-World War II and the military actions that followed and the feelings that spread throughout the country. We were a proud country. We had survived a desperate depression. Pride swelled among us, and we almost unanimously took actions in defense of our country following the attack on Dec. 7, 1941. I remember the pride of women who went to work because many felt it was their patriotic duty, not because they liked war.

We went to movies for entertainment not to protest the war, and many young men lied about their age in order to enlist.

But we are a different country now. Protesters even object to arresting illegal aliens. Somehow, when we are asked to make certain sacrifices, that is intolerable. Now, when we are asked to make a few sacrifices it does not fit the protesters strange standards. If we disagree with our government, we don’t write to our elected officials and present out views. Instead, we protest oblivious to the dangers we now face. How sad to see the conduct of protesters in the winter of my life.

America is a great country, and I thank God for it.

James E. Romero, Lacey

per NACOLE:

Recommended Minimum Training
for A New Civilian Oversight Board or
for New Members to a Board

Prior to reviewing or conducting investigations:  

Require 30 hours structured training in the following topics; and 20 hours reading materials read by the Board Members to prepare for training.

Make clear to Board Members that their positions require a significant time commitment, much reading and attention to detailed descriptions of incidents and evaluated in light of evidence and policies.

Recommended Schedule:

Day 1: 6 hours training

This is the first in a series of Washington State gubernatorial might-have-beens.

The first Governor of Washington was actually elected during the twilight of Washington's territorial days, Oct. 1, 1889 in preparation for Washington's statehood status, granted on the following month, Nov. 11. The election pitted two former territorial governors against each other: Elisha Ferry (Republican) and Eugene Semple (Democrat). The campaign lasted less than a month and there was never any doubt who the victor would be. It was a Republican year.

Eugene Semple was born in Colombia while his father served there as a diplomat. According to An Illustrated History of the State of Washington (1893), Semple was born "June 12, 1840, a son of James and Mary S. (Mizner) Semple, of Illinois. The father served as Attorney General, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Senator in Congress and Colonel in the Black Hawk war in his adopted State. But at the time of his son's birth he was United States Minister to New Grenada. He served two terms in that position, first under Van Buren, and then under Tyler. The Semple family have long been prominently connected with the affairs of the Pacific coast. James Semple, father of our subject, made speeches in the Mississippi Valley, as early as 1842, in favor of the claim of the United States to the line of 54† 40' north latitude. January 8, 1844, he introduced into the United States Senate a resolution requesting the President to give notice to his Britannic Majesty of the desire of the Government of the United States to abrogate the treaty of joint occupancy of the Oregon country. His brother, Robert Semple, was editor of the first American newspaper printed in California; was president of the Constitutional Convention of that State; and founded the city of Benicia. A half brother of our subject, Hon. Lansing B. Mizner, was a California pioneer of 1849, held many official positions, including that of Collector of' the Port of San Francisco; President of State Senate, and Presidential Elector and Minister to Central America. A cousin of the subject of this sketch, Will Semple Green, was one of the founders of the city of Colusa, California, and for thirty-five years has been editor of the Colusa Sun, in which capacity he has yielded a potent influence in public affairs. Another uncle, Colonel Charles Donald Semple, of Colusa, was one of the most prominent members of the California bar."