One person ruined it for all

We’ve let another nut dictate how we will live our lives. The beautiful Interurban Trail, once wild and alive with the fruits of nature, is now barren on the freeway side and the tall firs at the south end by 112th Street are just stumps left in the ground.

I understand the reasoning behind why the city of Everett did it – with the terrible attack that recently happened to that poor girl. They’re just trying to eliminate places for attacks like this in the future. But the people who instigate these problems will just find another place to hide to continue their rampages. Cutting bushes and trees doesn’t protect us – only we can protect ourselves.

Even with the new changes, no one would have seen what was happening to the girl during the attack. I know, I walk my dogs on a daily basis in the morning on that trail. In fact, I was just there 20 minutes before this particular attack happened and neither saw nor heard a thing. My three dogs, running free, didn’t notice anything out of the norm either. This man could have picked anywhere to commit a crime like this – a busy city street or even going into someone’s home. Now the trail, once a bit of “country” in the city, has been desecrated.

If the city is going to cut trees and bushes down, why don’t they do it around nearby apartments, where you can find syringes and homemade crack pipes lying on the ground? That area seems a bigger threat to us and our children. What does it tell people when, upon entering the complex, you see a sign saying “This is a drug free and gun free community?”

I think it’s sad that someone can make people change their habits. The trail is nearly empty now. The joggers, bicyclists and walkers have gone elsewhere. The deviate has won and probably doesn’t know it – or even care.

Everett