Letters to the editor
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Most Americans don’t want a king
As a woman in my seventies, I was lucky to live in a time and school that taught civics well as a basic part of education. I learned to respect and revere our Constitution and the separation of power among three branches of government. It protects individual freedoms, especially the freedom of speech and of the press, freedom to assemble, freedom of religious choice, and freedom to speak openly against government policy and actions without retaliation.
The current administration makes it dangerous to speak up against government policies and actions. This administration flouts the First Amendment of the Constitution by Department of Justice (DOJ) harassment of journalists and banning certain members of the press from covering Trump. Further, DOJ has initiated what certainly appears to be politically motivated investigations of other Trump critics (James Comey, Letitia James, John Bolton). The DOJ’s Interagency Weaponization Working Group exists precisely for finding Trump opponents to target for retaliation. The consequences of such retaliation are very real, to the targeted individuals and to the society that may silence its own dissent.
The Trump administration has tried to deny citizenship to American born children of immigrants (citizenship guaranteed by the 14th amendment), and invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport individuals without due process (ruled unconstitutional by federal judges). It has also frequently ignored judicial rulings, issued a spurious emergency declaration in order to use military force for mass deportations, and tried to seize control over federal elections. There has been no evidence of imminent danger that would make Trump’s new Iran war constitutional (Iran not on the verge of having a nuke, and no recent attacks on U.S. forces).
The above all exhibit a pattern of executive overreach only a despot or a king would exercise. But, like me, most Americans don’t want a king. We still believe in the Constitution as the supreme law of the land and that government should be by the people and for the people (not just for billionaires, big tech bros and AIPAC contributors). On March 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Zelasko Park in Aberdeen, there will be a “No Kings” rally as part of a peaceful, national protest against presidential overreach, disregard for the Constitution and the resulting undermining of democracy. We are the “Indivisible Aberdeen WA” group. We are on Facebook and Bluesky @indabwa.bsky.social. For notifications of our events: go to Indivisible.org, click upper right menu button, select “get involved,” select “find a group,” and enter “98520” in the search box.
Laveta Bowen
Hoquiam, WA
To the immigrant community of Ocean Shores
We want to speak directly to you.
Ocean Shores should be — and must be — a safe and welcoming place for you and your families.
Even as we acknowledge the painful truth that this land was originally home to Native peoples, and that our national story includes displacement and injustice, we must also remember something equally true: this country has always been renewed and strengthened by people who came from somewhere else.
You are part of that story.
Most of our families crossed oceans, borders, and hardships carrying hope for safety, dignity, and a better life. You carry that same hope. The willingness to welcome others is not a weakness — it is the source of our strength.
America became what it is because people from every continent brought their courage, determination, culture, and hard work. You help build our farms, businesses, schools, and communities. You contribute to our economy. You enrich our culture. When you are given the chance to belong, you don’t take from a community — you strengthen it.
Many of you came here fleeing violence, fear, or instability. You are parents protecting your children. You are families searching for safety. You are human beings who want what all of us want: to live without fear, to work honestly, and to build a future.
You deserve dignity.
You deserve compassion.
You deserve due process under the law.
You are not strangers here. You are our neighbors, our coworkers, and our friends. You contribute quietly every day to the social and economic fabric of Ocean Shores.
When you feel safe, the whole community benefits. People report crimes. Families participate in schools. Local businesses grow. Communities thrive. Fear does the opposite — it isolates, divides, and weakens all of us.
Affirming Ocean Shores as a safe and welcoming city is not about politics. It is about who we choose to be as neighbors. It is about whether we lead with fear or with courage. Whether we turn away or extend a hand.
Ocean Shores can reflect the best of this country — a place where you are treated with humanity, where your family can live without constant fear, and where we honor the simple truth that we all belong to the same human family.
You matter here.
You belong here.
With respect and solidarity,
Norm Frampton and John Arbuckle
Ocean Shores
Rep. Jim Walsh again?
Got my paper and thought it was rather coincidental that Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, was on the front page (again) and found something to complain about. Does he ever have solutions?
On the very next page the Tri-City Herald writes ”Both Grays Harbor and Pacific counties (are) among the poorest counties in the state.” That, my dear editor, is Jim Walsh territory. What is he doing for the population living in poverty?
We need leaders with solutions — not whining.
I have not seen any projects that Jim Walsh has brought to our community. I live near his home and do not see him there. Does he even live here?
Joni Hildreth
Aberdeen
