In debate over Navy training, council should stick to its guns | Letters

Published 2:31 pm Tuesday, May 15, 2012

I was pleased to see that there was a good turnout of islanders at the meeting protesting the Navy plans (“Skepticism reigns over Navy plans”, Journal, May 9, pg.1)

This was, indeed, a remarkable scene: county council members of a tiny county in the state of Washington in debate with officers of the Pacific Fleet of the United States Navy.

The point of the debate being the skepticism of the islanders regarding the Navy’s assurances that orca whales will not be in any danger if the fleet maneuvers around the islands detonating huge explosives under water at various times.

Councilman Howie Rosenfeld said that if there was a conflict arising between the Navy and the whales, the whales haven’t got a chance.

The Navy officers of the fleet maintain that testing and training in these local waters are critical to the mission of the fleet. I think it is reasonable to discuss, briefly, more of the factors relating to the debate that were mentioned in the article and some important ones not mentioned.

When the naval officer claims that if the fleet can’t maneuver in these waters that the fleet’s mission cannot be fulfilled, he means that the fleet’s crews, “our boys”, will not be trained properly to explode ordnance to kill people in waters such as these in the San Juans.

Probably one of the most nefarious customs throughout the world is to ingrain in the minds of the new crop of young, pristine citizens each year that it is their solemn, sacred duty to take that step forward with their hands over their hearts, salute their national flag, pledge their souls to their home land and kill,kill,kill.

In most of the powerful nations, senators and legislators, and too many of the citizens, do not recognize their insanity. This is the insanity of refusing to acknowledge the sanctity of life. Without honoring that sanctity the people perish.

It is critical to us, and to those people over there, and to those sacred creatures under water. I sincerely trust that council chairwoman (Patty) Miller will stick to her guns when dealing with those guys.

Robert Weaver/Waldron Island