In the guest column of April 8, Rita Weisbrod, Chairwoman of the Mulllis Center’s Operations Committee stated: “Our decision to eliminate this practice was made to better our mission to serve ALL seniors on San Juan Island WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, CREED, RELIGION OR NATIONAL ORIGIN, GENDER, SEXUAL ORIENTATION OR DISABILITY.” The need to make reference to the words (that are capitalized) is what is so troubling. These words used most often in reference to societal grievances are precisely what separates us and are especially unfortunate when applied to we residents of San Juan Island.

The reality is that Rita and other like-minded persons are actually separating us (actively seeking a very few willing to express offense) and therewith to “eliminate” national rites that otherwise unite us such as flying the American flag and prefacing luncheons with the Pledge of Allegiance. The result has been to split us apart over grievances that should never be allowed to rise a level of challenging national rites, let alone the general sense of comity among us residents of San Juan Island.

Albert Hall

San Juan Island