Letter: Residents are suffering from Navy’s ‘sonic abuse’

Editor,

Re: three letters in the Wednesday Jan. 30 South Whidbey Record Opinion page.

One important letter addresses the ongoing poisoning of groundwater by the Navy.

I want to make a very clear point here. If this poisoning were being perpetrated on America by some foreign power, the United States military would have already ordered a “proportional response,” and it would be safe to assume that this would include missiles, bombs, fighter jets, maybe some lobbing of ordnance from out in the local waters with lots of dead citizens of this foreign power, also known as “collateral damage.”

Obviously, the Navy isn’t here to “defend and protect the Constitution of the United States” for the people around any Navy base in America.

The other letter from a woman in Langley is from the school of “if you can’t handle a little noise a few days a week. Well just move.”

This attitude of “my patriotism trumps your patriotism” is beyond the pale.

Perhaps she would enjoy a house share with the people who are treated to this “sound of freedom” sonic abuse that her fellow citizens in the proximity of these monstrosities enjoy day after day.

The third letter is from a guy who doesn’t live in the proximity of this military abuse but is a big supporter of the Navy on Whidbey.

This guy has the gall to say, “thanks to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island personnel and local first responders for protecting our right to speak out.”

Yet he states “and I value public input. However, I would caution against reopening the public comment period.”

To me this says, “Citizens, your opinion is important, but just shut up and keep quiet, you’ve said enough.”

Unlike the writers of second and third letters referred to above I happen to believe the people of the United States, and their right to free speech is sacrosanct.

The military is here to defend and protect the people of the United States and when that same military abuses the people, you call them out.

Make no mistake citizens, this is sonic and environmental abuse.

Dan Freeman

Clinton