As a Centralia native and longtime observer of Lewis County politics, I read Arny Davis’ recent letter with profound sadness.
I am a proud product of this community and sharply reject the intolerant bigotry infused throughout Mr. Davis’ letter, an extremist attempt to cloak the unprecedented, breathtakingly dangerous candidacy of Donald Trump as a moral good.
The clear subtext of Mr. Davis’ message is that the other side is so abhorrent, so tremendously evil, as to make risking our democracy, global alliances and all norms of common decency a worthwhile cause.
Just as when I was growing up in the area in the 1980s and 90s, the rural nature of the county and its associated values — hard work, pride in the beautiful Pacific Northwest landscape, generosity — is thriving.
I return to Centralia from the East Coast each year with my family. My two kids have loved sunset Olympic Club dinners by the train tracks, lazy walks through Fort Borst Park, long days at the Southwest Washington Fair and day trips to the mountains.
My roots in Lewis County run deeper than most. My mother’s ancestors came to the prairie near Toledo nearly two centuries ago, lured by the plentiful land and timber. My father, an immigrant from India, is just as tied to the community, having spent two-thirds of his life in the Twin Cities where he has been an integral contributor to civic life — from Rotary, to Centralia College, to United Way, to his decades-long career as a leader and mentor at TransAlta.
I was educated by the Centralia School District from kindergarten through 12th grade. I spent two college summer breaks interning at this newspaper, an experience more formative than I could have imagined at the time. Though I was on my way out at that point, the people I met — and the privilege I had in telling their stories — furthered my understanding of and affinity for my home.
Shame on Mr. Davis, the elected Lewis County treasurer, for branding his fellow community members as “demonic.”
For the past 19 years, I’ve lived in Washington, D.C., the vast majority of that time in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It’s not that different from many small towns in Lewis County and throughout the country. Kids run around on bikes and scooters, dogs play in the park and neighbors pitch in to lend a hand. But we happen to be about 10 blocks from the U.S. Capitol Building, a symbol that — believe it or not — typically just fades into the background of daily life on the Hill.
On Jan. 6, 2021, however, we were reminded that presumed safety hangs by a precarious thread in the wake of a leader who seeks only to breed division, foment chaos and impugn the humanity of his political opponents.
I urge those tempted by Mr. Davis’ simplistic views of everyday people to instead focus on our shared good fortune as Americans.
Because the future of our democracy is at stake.
Rashmi Sutton
Washington, D.C.
