Editor,

It is my understanding that, once again, Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve is planning a protest of our brave troops training at OLF Coupeville on June 8, right smack in downtown Coupeville.

The same COER that could not be bothered to make a nomination for recognition of their taxpayer-subsidized agent Kristen Griffin for any historic preservation awards, the same COER that caused all this trouble and damaged Coupeville’s reputation.

I want to quote Coupeville Mayor Molly Hughes, who reached out to the reboot of COER in Sound Defense Alliance on public record email last autumn. She said, “I believe a big part of my job after the ROD [Record of Decision] will be to help the community cope, work with the base so operationally the increase is as painless as possible, and help settle everyone into our new normal.

“I know this is not what you want to hear from me but at some point we have to accept and move forward, remember the good things in our Reserve, and find work-arounds.

“The constant bad press, rallies, and campaigning against the military will give Coupeville a bad name.

“This will do as much to hurt our businesses and economy as the jet noise.”

I agree with Mayor Hughes, so I will spare readers of what I think of factions of citizens booing those who put their lives and health on the line to train to protect our right to protest our government on their accustomed training grounds used by jets since 1967. But I will say I have reason to believe Mayor Hughes has gotten a bit of a bum rap and should be listened to a bit more.

Joe A. Kunzler

Sedro Woolley