I was shocked that on Sept. 4 the Herald Opinion page printed the commentary by Mr. Axton on the homeless in Everett. While it is appropriate to print differing points of view on important issues, any article or letter that refers to a group of people as sub-human, e.g., vermin, whether they are of a different race, religion, or even a troublesome nuisance on our streets is not responsible journalism. It can contribute to violence against individuals who are part of the group that has been de-humanized.
I appreciated your printing a subsequent letter to the editor by Rev. Kirlin-Hackett but that does not rectify the original irresponsibility in my view. (“Let’s first begin with true civility.”)
I encourage Herald readers to read an in-depth article on homelessness in Seattle in the Sept. 9 edition of the Seattle Weekly. Especially interesting is the account of how Utah decreased the number of chronically homeless individuals by 91 percent in the last decade by adopting the Housing First model, which has also been successful in other places. Note that the head of Utah’s homelessness task force is a 75-year-old Mormon businessman.
I live in downtown Everett, am strongly supportive of local businesses, and appreciate the amenities that downtown Everett offers. Providing housing first to the chronically homeless is commitment we need to make and then implement as government, business interests, and the non-profit and faith communities working together. It won’t be easy but it will save tax dollars, enhance life in downtown Everett and support human dignity.
Carol A. Jensen
Everett
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