Pastor confronts fire

  • Katherine Schiffner and Scott Morris / Herald Writer
  • Thursday, March 25, 2004 9:00pm
  • Local NewsLocal news

ARLINGTON — Pastor Jason Martin wants to put out the fire.

Two days after he awoke to a flaming cross in his front yard, Martin is praying that the symbol of hate will unite Arlington against racism and ignorance.

"You either put oil on the fire and cause it to burn, or you put water on the fire and put it out. I’m getting calls from angry people, and I want to put those fires out," said Martin, 38. "Arlington needs to come together and use this as an opportunity for change."

The cross burning is the latest and worst sign that "we have a problem," he said.

He sees the need for change in his singed grass, in the student he says told his 17-year-old son last year "I’ll blow up your house," and in racist graffiti scrawled on a wall in the high school gym in spring 2003.

It’s also in the tire tracks across his yard, damage he initially didn’t believe was racially motivated, and in a swastika police say was scratched into an unrelated person’s car on March 4.

"Arlington is getting a stigma of being a racist community, and it’s not a racist community at all," Martin said. "I still enjoy the community and plan on staying there and raising my family."

The cross burning, believed to be the first in Arlington’s history, outraged the city.

A candlelight vigil is planned, Arlington High School students talked about what happened in class Thursday, and the Arlington Rotary Club raised $245 for a reward fund to help catch the person responsible.

Laura Mills, who owns Shear’s Styling Salon in downtown Arlington, sent Martin a bouquet of red roses.

"I wanted him to know that what happened did not represent Arlington," she said. "He needs to see that other people really do care about his family and we welcome and embrace him."

Martin, his wife, Charmaine, and six of their children moved to Arlington from Marysville a year and a half ago. The Martins are among the few black families in the upscale golf course community of Gleneagle in south Arlington.

Of Arlington’s 11,713 residents, 132 identified themselves as black in the 2000 U.S. census. An additional 61 people said they were black in combination with another race. That’s about 1.6 percent of Arlington’s population.

The percentage is close to Snohomish County as a whole. The census reported that 1.7 percent of people in the county are black.

Arlington’s schools reflect the city’s census numbers. Of the 5,306 students in the district, 63, or 1.2 percent, are black.

Martin says the district hasn’t done enough to educate students about diversity. His son, he said, has endured racial slurs and threats and has considered switching schools.

"There’s been some steps toward resolving it, but it’s not enough," he said.

Police are investigating whether the cross burning is connected to the incidents at Arlington High School. But Chief John Gray and school officials say it’s too early to say whether students were involved.

Lt. Brian DeWitt of the Arlington Police Department said no suspects have been identified, but the department has received dozens of leads. The FBI is also investigating.

Arlington School District Superintendent Linda Byrnes said she hadn’t sensed that tensions were simmering at the high school.

"There is a group of individuals who are self-proclaimed racists, although it’s very small," Byrnes said.

Some are students, others not. Byrnes hesitated to guess how many there are, but said they seemed only loosely organized.

"What is a little different than before is they have not been as compliant when told to change their behavior," Byrnes said.

The superintendent emphasized that the students and the community are loudly expressing their outrage about the cross burning.

"Our message is very simple: You don’t get to be that here," Byrnes said.

She overheard some high school students talking about wanting to replace the burned grass on the Martins’ lawn.

"They don’t want (the Martins) to have to look at that anymore," Byrnes said.

Martin said he hopes to speak to students and has been invited to serve on the district’s advisory committee on education.

"I want to let students know what it feels like when something like this happens to you," said Martin, who founded and leads the Jesus Is Lord Life Tabernacle church in Marysville.

"We don’t hate this individual at all. I pity this individual, and we’re praying for them."

Wednesday was his youngest daughter’s seventh birthday. She got a pink and purple bike, and a lifetime lesson, Martin said.

"My children have never seen anything so hateful," he said. "We’ll remember this day. (But) we won’t remember it for evil. We’ll remember it for change."

Reporter Scott North contributed to this article.

Reporter Katherine Schiffner: 425-339-3436 or schiffner@heraldnet.com.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Pedestrians cross the intersection of Evergreen Way and Airport Road on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
In Snohomish County, pedestrian fatalities continue a troublesome trend

As Everett and other cities eye new traffic safety measures, crashes involving pedestrians show little signs of decreasing.

The Mountlake Terrace City Council discusses the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace public express ongoing ire with future Flock system

The city council explored installing a new advisory committee for stronger safety camera oversight.

Crane Aerospace & Electronics volunteer Dylan Goss helps move branches into place between poles while assembling an analog beaver dam in North Creek on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Adopt A Stream volunteers build analog beaver dams in North Creek

The human-engineered structures will mimic natural dams in an effort to restore creek health in an increasingly urbanized area.

Ferries pass on a crossing between Mukilteo and Whidbey Island. (Andy Bronson / Herald file)
State commission approves rate hike for ferry trips

Ticket prices are set to rise about 6% over the next two years.

Marysville recruit Brian Donaldson, holds onto his helmet as he drags a 5-inch line 200 feet in Snohomish County’s first fire training academy run through an obstacle course at the South Snohomish Fire & Rescue training ground on Monday, March 26, 2018 in Everett, Wa. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
Voters approve fire and EMS levy lifts in Snohomish County

All measures in Marysville, North County Fire and Snohomish County Fire District No. 4 passed with at least 60% of votes.

Stock photo 
Homicides dropped by 43.7% in across Snohomish County while violent crime decreased 5.4%. In 2024, the county recorded 12 murders, just under half the previous year’s total.
Crime down overall in Snohomish County in 2024, new report says

Murder and sex crimes went down in Snohomish County. Drug-related offenses, however, were up.

Everett
One person in custody after a stabbing Monday morning in Everett

One woman was transported to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.

More frequent service coming for Community Transit buses

As part of a regular update to its service hours, the agency will boost the frequencies of its Swift lines and other popular routes.

Funko headquarters in downtown Everett. (Sue Misao / Herald file)
FUNKO taps Netflix executive to lead company

FUNKO’s new CEO comes from Netflix

Inside El Sid, where the cocktail bar will also serve as a coffee house during the day on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
New upscale bar El Sid opens in APEX complex

Upscale bar is latest venue to open in APEX Everett.

The newly rebuilt section of Index-Galena Road is pictured on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, near Index, Washington. (Jordan Hansen / The Herald)
Snohomish County honored nationally for Index-Galena road repair

The county Public Works department coordinated with multiple entities to repair a stretch of road near Index washed out by floods in 2006.

More than $1 million is available for housing-related programs in Snohomish County, and the Human Services Department is seeking applications. (File photo)
Applicants sought for housing programs in Snohomish County

More than $1 million is available for housing-related programs in… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.