Ta-Nehisi Coates

Mon, Jul 13, 2015, 9:50 am

Ta-Nehisi Coates is a black writer.  And his writing is about blacks living in the United States. I tripped over his name maybe a year ago as he is a columnist online for The Atlantic Monthly.  One of my favorite writers for many years is James Fallows, also with The Atlantic, and perhaps he mentioned Ta-Nehisi once.  I started reading Ta-Nehisi's posts and have found him a very good read, very intelligent, very committed to understanding as best he can the situation of blacks in America. 

Ta-Nehisi is coming out with his second book on Tuesday, July 14.  I have already pre ordered the digital version and will start reading him tomorrow.  The title is "Between the World and Me". In it he writes to his 14 year old son.  (Update: His son is 14.  Originaly I wrote his son was younger.)   So this is a writing approach for getting a difficult message into comprehensible form.  Not my conclusion.  Ta-Nehisi has written about his efforts.

We do not have many blacks in Bellingham and it might be a question why this book deserves attention.  Two reasons.  One is the question of why we have so few blacks in Bellingham.  The second reason is we are all Americans - citizens of the United States - and we have a national issue with our history of race, to put it mildly.  Ta-Nehisi has already shown an amazing ability to block the white noise and hear the real narrative being played out in America.  He brings brilliance to his writing and we can learn much from him.  And we need to.

- John Servais

Seattle Weekly on Bellingham

Thu, Jul 09, 2015, 4:38 pm

Nice article about Bellingham in the current issue of the Seattle Weekly.  It says Seattleites are moving to Bellingham in droves.  Well, more specifically it interviews older people who have recently moved here because Seattle is losing its charm.  Younger people are staying in Seattle because it is too hard to make a living here.  But those who are retired find lower cost of living and housing prices here. 

Fairhaven is featured quite prominently in the article.  Some comments marvel about the ambience.  And, indeed, Fairhaven deserves respect for being a relaxed location.  Little known - and not mentioned in the article - is the fact that every business in Fairhaven is locally owned and managed.  Even the Haggen grocery store.  Not a single Starbucks, Gap, Applebee's or any such.  There are a couple bank branches that belong to larger banks.  

The reason for this local control is that different property and building owners have, over the decades, declined to rent or sell to chains.  Starbucks has tried more than once to open in Fairhaven.  And someday this will end with some food chain opening on a corner.  But for the past 40 years, Fairhaven - with locally owned Village Books leading the way - has been an example of an urban village with local control.  

For a taste of Fairhaven ambience, check out these photos.  

- John Servais

Now for the City & Port

Mon, May 25, 2015, 11:19 pm

The Coast Guard, after a weekend of safeguarding citizens on the water, has graciously assisted Chiara D'Angelo off the anchor chain of Shell's Arctic Challenger and released her without laying charges.

According to the Defense Video & Image Distribution Sytem,

"“It was cold, rainy and she was starting to display signs of hypothermia,” said Chief Warrant Officer Charles Chavtur, commanding officer of Station Bellingham. “Boatcrew members were able to safely assist her down from the chain and gave her blankets and water. We brought her back to the station where she was evaluated by EMS and released to her family and friends.”"

"The Coast Guard respects the First Amendment Rights of people to safely and lawfully assemble on the water and is committed to enforcing the laws and regulations necessary to ensure the safety of the maritime public."

With the federal agency declining to prosecute, the ball is passed to the Port of Bellingham, a local agency that relies on the City of Bellingham's law enforcement and judicial system.

In the last case of "lock-down" protests over public resources at "Pit Park," the city viciously prosecuted protesters, driving many out of town.  They spared no expense to make the point that such expression was not welcome.

That was a different time, a different mayor and a couple police chiefs back. 

Sometimes difficult issues can be hard to express and harder to hear.  That's when those willing to shout into the wind are most valuable to society.  It's time for the city to declare if they will recognize divergent views and stand on our country's founding principles of freedom of expression.

We shall see.

Tip Johnson

Seattle media cover Bellingham Shell protests

Sat, May 23, 2015, 3:08 pm

Following up on Tip Johnson's post of Thursday evening, the young environmentalist protestors are continuing their efforts on Bellingham's waterfront.  Down on the Port of Bellingham's Whatcom Waterway - our former cargo ship wharf - Shell Oil has tied a huge oil exploration support ship, the Arctic Challenger. Friday evening, Chiara Rose D'Angelo climbed the anchor chain and tied herself in - about 10 feet or more above the water.  Not a safe place for a young woman even in warm clothes.  This morning she was still there and remains at 2 p.m. this Sunday afternoon.  Her beliefs have moved her to put her own safety at risk.  The Coast Guard, Bellingham police and port security have been present during the several day protest.

The apparent leader of the protest, Herb Goodwin, claimed yesterday that the Shell ship was planning to quickly leave Bellingham and a protest had to be increased to prevent this. This apparently inspired Chiara.  However, the ship has shown no intention of trying to leave.

Komo 4 and King 5, two Seattle television news stations, have posted short stories on Chiara clinging to the anchor chain.  We are told more internet web sites are beginning to cover this, so I will look to link. We at NWCitizen hope to bring you more coverage of this developing issue on our waterfront.

Thanks to Reese Semanko of Mount Vernon for use of his photo.  

Seattle's The Stranger has the most complete report on last evening.

The Guardian of London, England, now has the story, even if details are a bit messed up.

- John Servais

Riley

Fri, May 22, 2015, 10:35 am

A couple dozen folks, including political junkies, bloggers, editors and reporters, gathered yesterday afternoon at NY Pizza to bid Riley Sweeney a goodbye as he leaves political reporting and commentary behind to take a job with the city of Ferndale.  Ralph Scwhartz, a reporter with the Bellingham Herald, was there and has posted up a fun article about the gathering on his political blog at the Herald website.  

Permanent links to the Bellingham Herald and to Ralph and Samantha's political blog are in the right side column of NWCitizen, under the "Local Blogs & News" label.

Apple Pay Comes to Bellingham

Thu, May 21, 2015, 4:26 am

Apple Pay - and Google Wallet - are secure ways of using our credit and debit cards. Far more secure than using the cards themselves. As we all know, credit card info is stolen on a routine basis, forcing users to cut them up and wait for new ones, causing limitless aggrevation while working with banks and credit unions to get illegal purchases reversed. Credit cards in other countries are more secure, with chip technology being the most common security solution. Wall Street and the big banks have ignored this problem for decades because the losses are less than 3% and all the angst is on the users and small issuing banks.  

WECU - the Whatcom Educational Credit Union - has just implemented Apple Pay for all its members. It started on Wednesday without fanfare. All I had to do was scan my WECU credit card into my iPhone 6 - didn't even need to go to the credit union.  I tapped the app - passbook - and it coached me to take a photo of my credit card. The app then displayed the credit card number and info for my approval.  I tapped ok and it was done.  

Then it was time to test it. Walgreens on Meridian enables both Apple and Googe payment systems. For my first time purchase, the register clerk, Sawyer, helped me. It was simple, but I did not know whether to touch or wave the phone near the credit card reader. With advice, I held the phone near the normal credit card reader at the check out counter and my phone came alive - displaying the credit card. I held the top of my phone within an inch of the graphic symbol (top of this article) that was on the card reader.  A nice "ding" sound told Sawyer that I had successfully paid, and my receipt was printed. It took about 2 seconds. You can look for these graphic symbols on credit card readers the next time you shop. The process with a smart phone is much faster than using a credit card.  

You can scan in credit cards and also debit cards.  You can scan in Visa, MasterCard and others.  When it comes time to pay, you tap - on your smart phone screen - the icon of the card you want to use.  Very cool.  

Is this article news or an advertisement?  It is news - and a nudge to local business owners to enable it for payment. This important new tech process has very real benefits to everyday people. It is a secure way of using cards and you can still use your old credit card separate from your phone. Within a couple years we will all be using this system routinely. Apple deserves credit for initiating this. 

WECU was not the first locally. Wells Fargo has it, as does Key Bank. If you know of another local bank that offers it, let me know and I'll list it here.

And here are links to Apple Pay and Google Wallet. They have great illustrations and clear text.  

Delightful Article about Home Skillet

Wed, May 20, 2015, 8:24 am

There is a very small restaurant - 32 seats - in the Sunnyland neighborhood called Home Skillet. It serves breakfast and lunch. NWCitizen writers have met there many times for breakfast and to discuss local politics and articles-in-progress. The food is excellent, the staff just sassy enough to keep you alert and yet provide superb service. Dining there the first time is a fun experience. Weekends are over-crowded. All in all, one of those fine little businesses that help make Bellingham and Whatcom County nice places to live.

Today's online Bellingham Business Journal has a lengthy and wonderful article about Home Skillet, with several photos. It tells us about the special experiences and training the owners went through before starting the restaurant. They were cooks in one of the most unique places in the world with a very demanding clientele. I know, as my late brother, local dentist "painless Bill," was one of them. 

The Bellingham Business Journal provides daily local business news. I check it each morning and find they often have news before the Herald. The Herald business reporter, Dave Gallagher, worked there before being recruited to the Herald. Readers benefit from the competition between the Herald and Business Journal. There is a new link in the right side "Links" column that will direct you to the Business Journal. Of course, the link to the Herald has been there for many years now.  

- John Servais

Don’t Blame the Cops?

Wed, Apr 29, 2015, 11:27 pm

What credible evidence did Baltimore police have that gangs were unifying to take them out?  Or is that classified?  It provided a convenient excuse for the police to suit up in military gear to provoke a bunch of high school kids.

Parents and teachers report that "…police actions inflamed a tense-but-stable situation."  Police reportedly turned away school buses and prevented students from dispersing.  Was there a strategy and tactical plan?  Or is that classified?

In the National Review, a columnist blames Democratic policies and practices, suggesting racial arrest disparity exists because "Criminals make their own choices..", that "Meretricious “black rage” rhetoric…" props up "..not a revolt, but a crime spree."  The author admits police can be undisciplined, calling it political "..incompetence and corruption..", "..the product of the progressive wing of the Democratic party enabled in no small part by black identity politics."

Maybe we shouldn't blame the kids, blacks or the cops - or the Democrats. Sure, there will always be unruly children, undisciplined police and bad public management, but isn't it time to admit that the militarization of police has steadily made things worse?  Democrats don't have any monopoly on militarization.

When you can't see the difference between our civilian police force and soldiers in the National Guard, we've crossed a line that could be difficult to retrieve.  It won't get anything but worse without more transparency and vigorous debate.  Civil order is a delicate balance served neither by hooliganism or a police state. Only words can keep sticks and stones at bay.  Bring on 2016!

Tip Johnson