Having lived on Vashon now for 15 years, it has been my impression that debate and tolerance of viewpoints were a welcomed part of the community. On Friday, however, I was shocked by some islanders’ behavior.

At the corner of the post office, members of a group were stationed to promote and discuss their viewpoint. They were greeted in the five minutes I was there with “You should just leave the Island,” “You don’t belong here” and similar comments that were hurled from multiple people walking past as well as from drivers moving past.

As I thought about this through the weekend, I asked myself, ”Where has common civility gone?” Has the public forum to discuss and debate issues civilly disappeared? Is this tolerance? (I’ll tolerate as long as you don’t disagree with me.)

Have our politics divided us that we cannot be neighborly? I have hope that this was an isolated incident, but it also has me concerned.

— Wilson Hu