There are three statewide initiatives the Lewis County Republican Party is working to gather signatures: IL26-12, IL26-001 and IL126-638.
At the same time, there are recent reports of intimidation of signature gatherers and signers occurring. Our local party has adopted pillars that state parents direct their children’s education, health and values and that schools should teach truth, not ideology; that every election matters; and that transparency and accountability in our election processes are nonnegotiable.
As a result, these initiatives align with our local party’s values, and we encourage you to consider signing them in spite of threats.
Specifically, IL26-001 would reinstitute RCW 28A.605.005 and would list certain rights of parents and guardians of public school children, including rights to review materials and student records, receive certain notifications and opt students out of certain activities.
IL26-126 would require documented proof of citizenship to vote.
IL26-638 would require policies prohibiting students it defines as “biologically male” from competing with or against female students in certain interschool athletic activities that are intended for female students only. Students who choose to participate in such activities must provide a statement from the student’s health care provider verifying the student’s biological sex, based on reproductive anatomy, genetic makeup or normal endogenously-produced testosterone levels. These requirements would apply to individual or team athletic competitions.
Regarding reports of initiative signature gathering and signing intimidation occurring, they include name-calling on social media and disruptions at signature booths.
Gathering signatures doesn’t make anyone fascist or hateful. It’s a difference of opinion on policy. The matter can be solved at the ballot box. If you don’t like the initiative, don’t sign it, but recognize that our laws require and expect civility at all times.
Furthermore, Brandi Kruse, a popular Pacific Northwest podcaster, recently reported that Democrat elected officials are silent as initiative signature gatherers are increasingly harassed as they try to gather signatures by December.
Does the Democrat Party support and encourage intimidation of initiative gatherers by stirring up social media and more? The Lewis County Democrats have claimed on Facebook that gathering signatures is the same as hate.
Our laws state that gathering signatures is a constitutional right, as is protecting our children, which is important to the vast majority of people in this county. But instead of encouraging a civil process, the local Democrat Party encourages people to believe that signature gatherers are hateful bigots, and deviation from their stance is considered hate and therefore may be supporting partners in intimidating activities.
Activists have encouraged each other on social media to stand and yell at signature gatherers, with some suggesting that they create flash mobs to keep them from being able to accomplish their work. There have even been cases of petitions being stolen, defaced and torn up. The people organizing use phrases like “make them uncomfortable,” “It would be a shame to have a mocha spilled on their petitions” or “yell at these fascists.”
This is unacceptable behavior. For a segment of our population to feel they have the right to verbally abuse and intimidate someone who is participating in a constitutionally protected process is indicative of the militant nature of our political process by some people.
Harassment of citizens and destruction of property has escalated at times because of conflicting personal beliefs, escalating to assault and even murder in the national news. As long as we stay silent or accept intimidation, then violence also becomes acceptable and will become worse. Rhetoric with inciteful phrases such as “racist,” “fearmonger,” “Nazi” and “love thy neighbor” have been personal attacks to either intimidate, bully, suppress, make the person unwelcome and demarginalize because of their opinions.
“Judge not lest ye be judged,” is a reference to refrain and use of God’s or civil law to do the judging, rather than acting as vigilantes following their own lawless interpretations.
Please know the rules surrounding signature gathering.
First, the Washington Secretary of State has affirmed that signature gathering is a protected right under the state Constitution (Article II, Section 1) and encourages victims of intimidation to report incidents immediately to local law enforcement, as it undermines democratic participation.
Second, RCW 29A.84.250 is a Washington state law that prohibits actions that disrupt the signature gathering process through threats or intimidation. It states that every person who interferes with or attempts to interfere with the right of any voter to sign or not to sign an initiative or referendum petition (or to vote for or against such a measure) by threats, intimidation or any other corrupt means or practice is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
Attempting to discourage signature signing and gathering has occurred locally, both recently and in the past, not just on social media, but near signing booths in the public square and through local news media.
The era of doing nothing about it is over.
Let it be known that we will not tolerate harassment of any kind and will speedily report perceived offenses to law enforcement and even civil rights entities. At the same time, we expect our elected sheriffs, police departments, elected prosecuting attorneys and any municipality’s consulting attorneys to act on reported incidents, including applicable arrests, charges, convictions and fines.
We live in a volatile time. Although it may seem hard, it’s even more necessary than ever to stand for rule of law.
Encouraging fair elections, protecting girls’ sports and keeping parents involved in their children’s lives is a direction the Lewis County Republican Party is promoting.
Let’s all focus on following our laws and showing civility, especially when experiencing dissenting opinions.
Might does not make right.
President Abraham Lincoln famously revered this ancient phrase by stating, "Let us have faith that might makes right, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.”
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Greg Rohr is the elected executive chair of the Lewis County Republican Party. He can be reached at lcrparty@gmail.com. To learn more about the party, visit https://www.lcrpwa.org.
