Support police civilian review board

We are all better off when our government operates under checks-and-balances. A three-member civilian review board of the OPA is an important check on local police actions.

When the civilian review board refuses to issue reports because they have been denied access to information or have no assurance of legal protection, as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has reported, it does a disservice to the citizens of Seattle.

I encourage everyone to support the civilian review board by attending the following public meeting and speaking in support of them:

PUBLIC HEARING

The Seattle City Council's Public Safety, Governmental Relations and Arts Committee will hold a public hearing on police accountability at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 600 Fourth Ave., in the City Council chambers.

Computer hijacked state poll

I certainly hope there will be an investigation.

The integrity of online polls has never been scientific nor reliable, but when people use unethical methods to influence government entities, they aught to account for their actions.

However, in this case, governor makes the final decision.

From the Seattle Times:

The online poll for the state's new quarter will start anew after robotic computer programs hijacked the voting system over the weekend.

Seattle Weekly reports on Knight Ridder buyout

Kudos to Seattle Weekly's Bill Richards for his insightful piece about the Knight Ridder buyout by the McClatchy Co.

The article provides great insight into the relationship between Knight Ridder and the Blethen family, the joint-operating-agreement between Hearst and The Seattle Times, and potential antitrust questions raised by the McClatchy Co. buyout of Knight Ridder.

Rather than risk violating the "fair use" clause by extensively quoting the article, I have included a link. Click here.

Seattle Times: Locally owned?

"Seattle Times: Locally owned and uniquely Northwest." At least that is what the Blethen family would like you to believe. But, the buyout of Knight Ridder Newspapers by The McClatchy Co. reminds us that it isn't true.

Seth Sutel, an AP Business Writer, reports that The McClatchy Co. will become the proud owner of 49 percent interest in the Seattle Times thanks to $4.5 billion buyout of Knight Ridder

The newspaper empire McClatchy's will have created will be the second largest nationwide in daily circulation. McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt said he plans to pay down acquisition debt by selling The Philadelphia Inquirer, the San Jose Mercury-News and 10 other Knight Ridder newspapers.

Sutel wrote:

Those properties don't meet Sacramento-based McClatchy's growth-market criteria -- or in the case of the St. Paul Pioneer Press, compete directly with McClatchy's Star Tribune in neighboring Minneapolis...

Knight Ridder's chairman and CEO Tony Ridder said in a statement Monday the "uncertainty is not over" for employees at the 12 papers McClatchy intends to divest, and "I regret that very much."

Times seeks court transparency

On Sunday, The Seattle Times published its first part of the "Your Courts, Their Secrets" series. It is compelling investigative journalism.

The Seattle Times will be headed to King County Superior Court to unseal many of the wrongfully sealed court cases. The information contained in these files could be vital to the public good. I would like to extend a big basket of appreciation to all the reporters who are working on the series.

Some of them include: Ken Armstrong, Justin Mayo and Steve Miletich

We are all Londoners!

The City of London was rocked by a series of blasts in an apparent terrorist attack. The explosions came only a day after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics and as the G8 summit was getting under way in Scotland. 

Today, we are all Londoners. Let the world know that the hearts and minds of Americans are with the people of London. I suggest sending flowers to Prime Minister Tony Blair's official residence at 10 Downing Street in London.

I think it is important for us to hold candlelight vigils, prayer services and to make outward demonstrations of support. I also encourage us all to call our friends in the United Kingdom. It is important for the surviving victims, their families and the people of London see that they are not alone in their grief.

Out of respect for the people of London, I will not post anything today other than updates about local events that have been called in response to the terrible attacks on London.

Local groups offer competing message for Gays

Focus on the Family will bring its message that there is "a way out of the homosexual life" to Northshore Baptist Church in Bothell as the regions lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community gather for "gay Pride" weekend. However, local groups are planning their own conference to send a different message: Your fine just the way you are!

The Parents Family & Friends of Lesbians & Gays (PFLAG), the Pacific NW Reconciling Ministries and the Religious Coalition for Equality will host, Love Welcomes All, at Newport Presbyterian Church in Bellevue on Saturday, July 9. The event will include experts on the harmful effects of "reparative therapy," parents of LGBT people who have struggled with the issue, and a former "ex-Gay" man.

A couple of the notable speakers include:

• Douglas C. Haldeman, Ph.D., a counseling psychologist and a member of the clinical faculty at the University of Washington's Psychology Department. He is also the current President of the Association of Practicing Psychologists, and a the recipient of a 2005 American Psychological Association's Presidential Citation in recognition of his work on behalf of LGBT psychology. Haldeman co-authored the APA's "Guidelines for Psychotherapy with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Clients" as well as the organization's "Resolution on Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation."

• Ron Poindexter is a former "ex-Gay" man who reconciled his evangelical Christian faith and his sexual orientation after seven years of "ex-Gay ministries" and "reparative therapy." He holds a Master of Divinity from Fuller Theological

Mainstream medical and psychological organizations have condemned therapy methods that claim to change a person's sexual orientation. On its website, the American Psychological Association states: "Even though most homosexuals live successful, happy lives, some homosexual or Bisexual people may seek to change their sexual orientation through therapy, sometimes pressured by the influence of family members or religious groups to try and do so. The reality is that homosexuality is not an illness. It does not require treatment and is not changeable."

For more information about the Love Welcomes All conference or to register, visit www.lovewelcomesall-wa.org or call Bellevue PFLAG at 206-325-7724.