After burial disturbances at Point Roberts, community member points to collaboration and discussion to tackle region’s biggest issues
Ed.: The essays, analyses and opinions presented as Community Voices express the perspectives of their authors on topics of interest and importance to the community and are not intended to reflect perspectives on behalf of Salish Current.
What a shock to read about the desecration of the Lummi’s ancestor’s ashes and even more shocking to read that the firm knew exactly what they were doing. Not only that, I am disgusted the county let the information just sit on a desk while this was going on.
If you think this is nothing to get excited about, I would like you to think about a bulldozer driving through the cemetery where your grandmother is buried.
We have seen this play out over and over — when do we learn? It is really common respect, common caring for all our neighbors and lest we forget against the law to do otherwise.
This is particularly disturbing at a time when the tribes, the farmers and the county are coming together to recognize the values they share and the work that needs to be done to preserve fisheries and agricultural land as well as increasing affordable places to live.
As a part of their Sharing Our Water festival on Friday, Sept. 4, the Whatcom Museum, the League of Women Voters and Salish Current presented three panel discussions with all these different cultures coming together to talk about the seemingly intractable projects that we must all trust each other to find equitable answers to.
Good will permeated the room. Participants described their cultures, their values and their thoughts about the future they wanted to see here in the county and especially in the Nooksack basin. Words like “understand” and “respect” were heard often along with the challenge from all that “time is running out.” To share that precious water, there must be some to share. The audience came away thinking “at last.” New groups like Water for Whatcom and Water Wars (how to avoid) have ramped up the discussions and encouraged getting to know one another.
Please don’t let the insane actions by one firm and the negligible response get in the way. We can learn from one another. With that comes understanding and respect and the very best chance to recover our river and “Share Our Water.”
—By Jayne Freudenberger
Jayne Freudenberger is cochair of the League of Women Voters Bellingham/Whatcom County Climate Issues Committee. She has lived in Bellingham for 50 years, almost qualifying her as a native. She serves on the board of directors of Salish Current.