Here for immigrants
St. Vincent de Paul-Vashon (SVdP), which helps islanders in emergency situations pay for rent, utilities, food and other necessities, stands with our neighbors who are immigrants and refugees.
Our 17 volunteers will continue to serve those in need whether documented or undocumented because the charitable and advocacy work of SVdP is fundamental to our mission as followers of Christ.
Threats of mass deportations and forced family separations deny human dignity and are contrary to the Gospel.
Islanders needing help or donors willing to contribute can contact SVdP-Vashon at svdpvashon.org, 206.450.7577, or svdp.vashon@gmail.com.
San Vicente de Paúl-Vashon, que ayuda a los isleños en situaciones de emergencia a pagar la renta, los servicios públicos, la comida y otras necesidades, apoya a nuestros vecinos que son inmigrantes y refugiados.
Nuestros 17 voluntarios continuarán sirviendo a los necesitados, ya sean documentados o indocumentados, porque el trabajo caritativo y de defensa de SVdP es fundamental para nuestra misión como seguidores de Cristo.
Las amenazas de deportaciones masivas y separaciones familiares forzadas niegan la dignidad humana y son contrarias al Evangelio.
Los isleños que necesiten ayuda o los donantes dispuestos a contribuir pueden comunicarse con SVdP-Vashon al svdpvashon.org, 206.450.7577 o svdp.vashon@gmail.com.
Barbara Powell, President of SVdP-Vashon
Executive order is inhumane
Trump is trying to single-handedly gut the government — with a reckless, vague, and unconstitutional order freezing federal funding that will derail critical lifelines for Americans in need. Along with leaving millions of people without support domestically, this also greatly affects people who depend on aid from U.S. non-profits throughout the world.
As of now no one knows if this will stick constitutionally or not, yet we must be clear eyed about it knowing he means to dismantle this and many other valuable institutions.
For a few years, my wife and I have been connected to an organization called Center for Victims of Torture (CVT), based out of Minneapolis, that supports thousands of torture victims throughout the world. CVT notified their constituents this week that for them, “…this means the loss of funding for our rehabilitative care programs in Minnesota and Georgia, as well as grants that support our capacity-building work with more than 50 torture survivor centers in the U.S. and abroad. We are doing more layoffs today.”
I for one am appalled, saddened, and angry that so many vulnerable people, as well as our environment, are being torn asunder by these cruel policies.
I urge us all to speak out, write letters to the editors, and do whatever you can to voice your opposition to this order. And contact Senator Murray, who is the Vice Chair of the powerful U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations and demand that they take immediate action to reverse this inhumane policy.
Sen. Murray can be reached at murray.senate.gov/write-to-patty, or 202-224-2621.
The White House can be reached at whitehouse.gov/?s=contact or 202-456-1111.
Programs that could be cut under this administration include Medicaid, food assistance programs, financial aid for students, housing for homeless veterans, low-income heating assistance, cancer research and HIV/AIDS prevention and UNRWA-USA, who bring lifesaving services to families in Palestine.
Bill Jarcho
Take stock of fuels around you
Much media attention has focused on the wildfires in California. Rightly so for all affected, and it dispels the notion that the wealthy can insulate themselves from the shifting conditions of climate change.
What’s not in the headlines, but perhaps more ecologically permanent, is the overlooked spread of invasive species, the number two cause of species extinctions.
Once English ivy gets entrenched, it’s very hard to eradicate without eroding soils that are the sponge and filter for stormwater, the number one polluter of Puget Sound that bioaccumulates toxins in salmon and orcas. Left unchecked, expect an incremental “silent spring” when invasive plants and lawns replace native plants that better feed native birds, fish, and pollinators.
At the least, landowners should be cutting ivy off trees, because that’s when it goes to seed, “spreading like wildfire” to neighbors. Homeowners should control flammable invasive likes English holly, Scotch broom, and butterfly bush. Holly “seed rain” often gets dropped right next to a tree where birds perch, creating a ladder fuel that risks crown fires.
The experts say that there’s low risk that our island forest may burn, but if it does, your home doesn’t have to. You can get free home-protection advice from the King Conservation District by visiting kingcd.org/programs/better-forests/wildfire-mitigation. It is a non-regulatory agency separate from King County, so don’t worry about KCD getting into your business.
In addition, there are a few watering tips in the step-by-step section of seedrain.org that, in an emergency scenario, can help triple saturation rates of plants and soils around your home. If you’re told to evacuate, do so, but don’t leave a sprinkler on if you’re on a shared water system that may affect hydrant pressures needed by firefighters.
Steve Richmond
U.S. is doomed
Rounded up with no warning and no opportunity to decide what to bring with them. The unfortunates bring almost nothing. Will they be treated well or transported in locked freight cars with little or no food and water? Will the air be fit to breathe? Not 1943, but 2025.
We are a nation containing 80 million fools who have installed Donald Trump in the oval office. They have no clue that what he says is not what he does. He is installing billionaires in his government, not working people. He will work diligently, to commit acts more heinous than those of child-killer Biden. He will support the murderous Israeli government, being too simple-minded to know right from wrong.
Would it help for every citizen to mail him a copy of the Constitution? Would 330 million copies of the Constitution arriving at the White House have any effect? He was unaffected by the woman who called him out at his inauguration. He is as thick as he looks.
Surely we are being punished for the sin of taking our democracy for granted. We have ignored that we are armourers to the world. We have ignored that we have 750 foreign military bases. We have ignored that a two party democracy is no democracy at all. We have ignored that our elections are corrupted by money, a system thrust upon us by an unscrupulous Supreme Court. There is no debate that most of our congresspersons are the best money can buy. A college education is unattainable by the poor and much of the middle class of the country.
Being a citizen of the corrupt United States, I no longer believe that justice and mercy will follow me all the days of my life. Our nation has no future other than fire and brimstone. The question is not if but when.
Shelley Simon
