Outside voices
Two recent events sparked discussions about whose opinions are important: the NRA convention and the unfortunate damage and theft at Fred’s Guns.
“Where are you a transplant from?” one hostile white woman asked lately on a local Facebook page.
Born and raised in eastern Washington state, I found this response biased and sad.
Americans are transient, traveling around our amazing country.
All white people are transplants to this continent, my family included.
Believing people are more entitled to an opinion because they’ve inhabited a community all their lives is absurd. Communities receive beneficial energy, ideas and money newcomers offer.
However, I appreciate locals who stay put in one place.
They, like my relatives, dedicate themselves to maintaining infrastructure, city government, businesses, labor, taxes and stability.
An outside voice, as the NRA, influences community members and politicians negatively.
We need to be concerned.
The NRA, once a reputable organization, now lobbies for gun manufacturing corporations.
It disingenuously uses the Second Amendment to bludgeon people who question their motives and influence.
Its alliances with Russian donors and agents, and far right individuals, raises alarm about the NRA’s new focus.
Fred’s Guns wrapped a huge banner on its business deriding Dick’s Sporting Goods for not selling AR-15 assault rifles.
In was in plain sight for our susceptible teenagers, the mentally ill and the hatefully misinformed to see and thus be persuaded.
A crude, culpable marketing scheme.
Most residents want common sense, happiness, civic involvement and safety for our whole community.
Even us not born here.
Gayle Brauner,
Port Angeles