Dear Editor:
This is a personal response to the letter and personal opinion of Mr. Phil Sawicki.
What is happening today in the Chelsea community is a reaction to problems and issues that have been around for many years. Yes, it involves racism.
Racism is not new to Chelsea, it exists here, and for some to publicly acknowledge it while others continue to deny it, helps explain why there is such polarized division.
In my experience, One World One Family is inclusive and supports the rights of all people, particularly those who are marginalized.
One World One Family is not responsible for racist behavior or the bullying and lies that are occurring at the school board and city council meetings, nor is it responsible for any decrease in civility.
By describing One World One Family with hostile language: “infiltrate, attack, battle, radical, divide, force and destructive” the word slander comes to mind, because that description is simply not true.
During the past year there were missteps made by police, council, school board members and others. However, there is now an opportunity for us to come back together, definitely not to be where we were before but to create something better.
In order to do this, we need to stop targeting others and spreading inflammatory lies. We must educate ourselves from every aspect of a controversial issue. We need to interact civilly with people who don’t share the same opinion, listen intentionally and respectfully ask legitimate questions.
I am grateful that there are thoughtful community members running for seats, who practice these types of behaviors and are diligently working toward building a city where everyone has a seat at the table.
Campaigns have the ability to be positive and focus on the individual running and their platform. We live in a small city and choosing to be negative only creates a deeper divide. Civility breeds civility. Please join me in support of those who are dedicated to the well-being and progress of Chelsea and all its citizens.
Dianna Kause
Chelsea
