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Viewpoints: Letters / Opinions

Open Letter to Ketchikan City Council

By John Harrington

 

September 03, 2022
Saturday


Greetings All:

It is good to see the Borough Initiative has been addressed by the Acting City Manager, it gives me the opportunity to address the issues.

For the record this did not begin with the Drag Queen show. Last winter when a group of citizens asked me for advice, I approached the Library Director. I explained the parents’ concern about the sexual identity, gender identity and sexual indoctrination programs aimed at preschool and primary aged children. That these displays and programs were causing parents to cease bringing their children and grandchildren to the library. I asked her to change the focus of her programs from directed toward the children, but instead direct attention to parents on those same materials. She refused to do so. She did accept my request that she meet with parents on the issue.

So, when the Drag Queen show was announced, and it was again aimed at preschool children we became active again. If the Drag Queen show had been aimed at Middle School students, nothing would have happened. I again called this time to the Acting City Manager. I left a detailed message and asked her to return my call. She chose not to. Had she done so she would have been better informed. Indeed, she could have ended the problem. I would have asked her to direct the City Library to cease gender identity and sexual indoctrination programs aimed at children under the age of ten. If she had agreed to this, the initiative would not have been filed.

Now you have been asked to expend moneys to fight a campaign that didn’t need to be fought. You also have a way to remove much of the anger fueling this initiative. You as a council can direct the Library to cease the gender identity and sexual indoctrination programs aimed at children under the age of ten. I no longer control the initiative; it will be voted on. But you can remove this contentious issue and also make the Library a welcoming place for all the citizens of the community.

Please get the adults out of the way, let them argue about their issues and allow our children to be children for a few more years.

Sincerely,

John Harrington
Ketchikan, Alaska

Related:

Download the Aug. 18, 2022 agenda and view the archived video of the meeting.

Or Watch on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhxUcrXZ0Nc

 

Note to SitNews Editor: Attached are two letters that I sent to the city council. One on August 18 [this one], and the other today. Both are now public documents. I have heard from three of the council members. I was informed that both letters will be on the table tonight [09/01/22] , and will be part of the discussion.

 

Editor's Note:

The text of this letter was NOT edited by the SitNews Editor.

Opinions expressed are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Sitnews.

Received September 01, 2022 - Published September 03,2022

 

 

 

Representations of facts and opinions are solely those of the writers and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.

 

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