We went to Kennewick to bring our son’s body home. This is what we found in your town | Opinion

Profound thanks to Kennewick

On Jan. 29, my wife and I traveled to Kennewick to bring our son’s body home to North Dakota.

We can attest this is an experience no parent should ever have to endure. However, along this arduous journey, there was some good we experienced.

Thanks to the people we had to work with to accomplish our task, we learned there is still some good in the world.

There were the sergeant and administrative assistant at the Kennewick Police Department (we apologize we cannot remember your names), Dennis and Reyna at the Benton County Coroner’s Office, and Joe McFadden and Kylie Howell at Mueller’s Funeral Home. The community of Kennewick is truly fortunate to have these people at your service.

My wife and I thank each of them from the bottom of our hearts for helping us navigate this situation. Their caring and compassionate demeanor and words helped to ease our suffering.

They are each not only a credit to their professions, they are a credit to the human race.

Douglas and Donna Sullivan

Is this stereotype right on target?

The stereotypical Trump supporter has been described as a white, rural, Christian nationalist. The stereotype resides in an economically depressed area. He lacks the education for a high-paying job. He resents immigrants and minorities. He believes they have been given unfair advantages and have replaced him.

He remains convinced the 2020 presidential election was stolen. He believes civil disorder may be warranted to restore America to greatness. Yet he has hope — Trump has promised revenge. He supports Trump’s America-First nationalism, believing it will remedy his grievances.

Trump’s initiative includes firing 50,000 federal employees, deporting immigrants en masse, merging Christian and government interests, accommodating white supremacy, withdrawing from NATO, eliminating aid to Ukraine, applying tariffs on foreign goods, and pursuing autocracy.

The stereotype seems unaware that similar actions have had chaotic and dangerous consequences. Global trade, its associated high-paying jobs and tax revenues could plummet.

The national debt, the cost of living and overall unemployment could soar, as could the prospects for sectarian strife and world war. Menial jobs formerly held by migrants would be unattractive to the stereotype.

America First is not the solution, nor is Trump’s recent hint of “cutting … entitlement programs”, e.g., Social Security and Medicare.

Russ Treat, Richland

Thanks for pay gap coverage

Thank you for covering the gender pay gap in articles on March 12, Equal Pay Day.

The American Association of University Women of Washington looked at gender pay gap data by legislative district this year, and found it ranges from 59 cents to 92 cents a woman was paid for every dollar a man was paid.

Why such a big difference?

As your articles noted, there are many factors that contribute to the gender pay gap and many potential solutions.

Claudia Goldin won the Noble Prize in economics this year for her work on the gender pay gap. She and others conclude that closing the pay gap will not be possible until we have a flexible workspace, paid leave and subsidized childcare, and policies that prevent discrimination in the workplace.

In 2024, the legislature took a big step forward in supporting flexible workplaces by passing SB 5424 flexible work for peace officers. A big shout-out to all our state legislators for passing this bill unanimously. Let’s continue to ask our legislators and employers to support policies to help close the pay gap.

Sandra Ripley Distelhorst, Edmonds