Burke: What I’d write about if only circumstances allowed

By Tom Burke / Herald Columnist

A recent letter to the Editor took issue with my choice of topics, lamenting that “every other week (he, me) submits a column with the same old tired theme: Democrat good, Republican terrible.” The writer further suggested I read a good book, go fishing, or dig a clam to change my perspective and write something different.

I appreciated that letter, as it caused me to take stock of my writing, something every honest journalist regularly needs to do.

Now, in the past, I’ve written about music, stamp-collecting, Cab Calloway’s 1930’s “Hepster Dictionary,” Leavenworth, guns, Neah Bay, service vs. companion animals, poetry, The Big One, and more.

But recently I’ve focused on current events, especially the cult of Donald Trump, Republicans and MAGA and the complete failure of Republicans to govern; as well as the MAGA Republican effort to overturn and subvert not just elections but our democratic norms of government.

And why, this reader asked, do I so focus so consistently on the MAGA Republicans?

Here’s why:

Because Trump and the MAGA Republican cult is a violent, mortal, right-now threat to our essential well-being and constitutionally enshrined rights.

What other topic could be more important than that?

Need proof of the perfidy?

Look no further than the Big Lie, the Jan. 6 insurrection, and the Republicans continuing fantasy about what happened that awful day; or the fake electors plot engineered by Trumpists to overturn the people’s decision.

Or take Trump’s retention of government documents (especially the top secret stuff); how it was stored in bathrooms and ballrooms at Mar-a-Largo; and how MAGA Republican s have given him a complete pass for his crime.

Then look at how Trump and the Republican cult handled covid: lying about how serious it was, about the vaccine, about so-called “cures,” resulting in more than 1 million dead Americans.

Need more proof?

Republicans everywhere advocated cuts or worse to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; defunding the FBI; and passing laws making abortion inaccessible nationwide.

And please, don’t ignore Republican-passed laws restricting voting rights; their love of book bans; their gerrymandering to insure Republican dominance; their drive to eliminate aid to Ukraine; and their support of a Christo-fascistic plan to replace the Constitution with Christian biblical law.

So what, gentle reader, could be more important to write about than that?

Would I have more fun writing about a totally thriving Scout troop in Edmonds overcoming the challenges faced by the Scouts nationally? You bet.

Is my interest in Puget Sound, ships, boats and the environment fodder for future columns? Absolutely.

I am interested in semi-obscure sub-cultures, such as hobbyists who pan for gold, build model railroads, or fly radio-controlled airplanes; as well as the chaps who play cricket in our local park. Of course.

I’d like to write about the rodeo in Ellensburg or do a piece on Pacific Crest Trail through-hikers (such as my daughter-in-law who hiked the PCT from Mexico to Canada with her dad when she was 14); and why our Bothell senior center is so popular.

I could write more about “important” stuff such as prepping for The Big One; Second Amendment rights; or the Treaty of Point Elliott (where Pacific Northwest Native Americans were essentially swindled out of all of Western Washington).

State and local politics is a fertile field for columns; whether the Snohomish County Sheriff’s race, local school boards, county and city council contests, or who’s going to be the next governor or your local Congress critter.

Would I like to write about all of these things? Of course.

But — or should I say BUT! — the danger posed by Trump and Republicans at all levels of government, epitomized by the total functional breakdown — now three weeks running — in the Republican-controlled Houses, overwhelms other topics as I ponder how best to use my twice-monthly 900 words.

Now my letter-writing correspondent further suggested I read, maybe, a mystery or book on birding.

Well, in point of fact, I do read a bunch, and not just the “news.”

I read lots of non-fiction, mostly history from the French and Indian War up though current events (with an emphasis lately on WW II in India and Burma) as well as murder mysteries (Dorothy Sayers’s Lord Peter Whimsey is my favorite with Georges Simenon and his French detective hero Jules Maigret a runner up). And, for full-disclosure, I’m about 40 percent finished writing a murder mystery of my own, set in the North Woods of New Hampshire in a 1900 winter logging camp.

As far as birding is concerned I’ve got a decent life-list encompassing lots of our feathered friends found on the East Coast and a modest representation of Washington state birds; and our home library is well stocked with Roger Tory Peterson, David Sibley, et. al.

To conclude, I fully understand my responsibility as a “columnist,” recognizing how more-than-fortunate I am to have the opportunity to share my thoughts, and prejudices, with the wider world; and I carefully consider what I write about.

There is no shortage of either information or perspectives in The Herald. But until someone says, “Stop!” I’ll focus on what I see as the critical issue of the day and continue to call out the MAGA Republican cult as “terrible” (because they really do, do bad things) and the Democrats, who are trying to actually, you know, govern, as good.

And when, god-willing, things ease off a bit, I’ll get back to having more fun writing and folks can have, perhaps, more fun reading.

Slava Ukraini.

Tom Burke’s email address is t.burke.column@gmail.com.