August 05, 2020

Seattle: A City in Fear Can Be Restored

Update:  Because of this blog, my weekly weather segment on NPR radio station KNKX has been cancelled permanently.  The KNKX statement has misleading information, with claims that are demonstrably untrue.

Update2:  There is a major error in the Seattle Times story.  My original blog never criticized the protesters or BLM activists.  My criticisms were limited to VIOLENT individuals who destroy property and hurt people.  Please read my original blog if you want to confirm this.  Some folks are choosing to misinterpret my words.

Update3:  There are two types of mobs.  First, mobs the hurt people and destroy property.  Second, there are social media mobs that attempt to destroy those they disagree with or attack different viewpoints.  We have seen both types of mobs here in Seattle during the past months.  Neither is good.
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Take a walk around downtown Seattle.  You will be shocked by a shuttered, dystopian city and made angry by the inaction and ineptness of its political leadership.   It is simply beyond words.


Sunday morning I took a two-hour walk across downtown Seattle and I was stunned by what I saw.
Block after block of boarded up stores, restaurants, and other buildings.  A city in lockdown and afraid.

Many stores and businesses were covered in plywood.  Some had impressive, three-dimensional triangular structures that I suppose offers more protection.  Really looked like the ramparts of some medieval castle.  Security guards were everywhere (see below).



The normal tourists and sightseers were gone, with occasional dog walkers and lots of homeless people, several of them sleeping right on the sidewalk with others raving to the sky about some unintelligible offense.

This individual appears to have passed out

Major stores and restaurants, including Nordstroms, the Gap, Old Navy, the Cheesecake Factory and Westlake Center were boarded up (plus hundreds more).



I swung by the infamous McDonalds on Third Ave-- infamous for both drug dealing and violence, and I could not believe what I saw:  an obvious drug deal going down right in front of me.   How did I know?  The dealer stayed on the corner.  Someone came over to him, handed over some cash, and the dealer gave him a small envelope of something.  The customer stashed it in his backpack and quickly left the scene.


What didn't I see on my two-hour walk?  Not a single police officer.  Not one police car.

A boarded up central core of a major U.S. city was being left to the homeless, drug dealers, and security guards.  Even the most notorious, crime-ridden corner of the city had no police.  The streets of the city had become a fearful abandoned place.

The high point of my trip was stopping at the Pike Street market, which although down was not yet out.  Some folks lined up to buy food and about half of the stalls were operating.    The Market has often been called the heart of Seattle and I was relieved to see it was still beating....faintly.


And then there were all the new buildings, many impressive and beautiful, including the Amazon campus.  Major parts of the city have been transformed in a positive way.  But now they are devoid of life and people, with fear of crime and riot redoubling the problems derived from COVID-19.


(NOTE:  the section below has been restored to its original.  A blog this week will go into much more detail, including the targeting of Jewish businesses)

Seattle has experienced a summer of fear and failure, with criminal activities reminiscent of Nazi Germany during the 1930s.  During that time, thugs broke the windows of Jewish businesses throughout Germany,  painted offensive statements on walls, and threatened all those who opposed them.  Now Seattle has had it Kristallnacht  and the pictures of what occurred  during the past weeks are eerily similar to those of 80 years ago (see below).  


Which of the above is 1938 and which is 2020?

Seattle's brownshirts have hidden within protest groups, attempting to destroy businesses both to deliver a political message of fear and to loot their contents.   Dozens of police have been seriously injured by bottles and fireworks, or partially blinded by lasers. Even in my neighborhood, graffiti calling for the killing of police have been sprayed at a prominent location.  These are not protests complaining about official wrongdoing.  This is wanton destruction, and no city can remain healthy if such anti-social activities are allowed to go unchecked. 

 "Progressive” merchants of fear have not stopped at destroying Seattle's urban core, but have tried to intimidate our city's political and civil leadership, by taking rancorous protests to their homes, bringing fear to family and neighbors.  Truly, the descendants of the fascists of Italy and Germany in the 1930s.

There has also been efforts to intimidate our city's political and civil leadership by taking rancorous protests to their homes, bringing fear to family and neighbors.

So how could a major world-class city, home to some of the most important businesses and academic institutions on the planet, allow itself to be crippled and demeaned this way?   How could city and state leaders allow the undermining of the foundations of physical safety and rule of law that are the basic prerequisites of any functioning society?


It did not have to happen.  It shouldn't have happened.  It is the result of ineffective, weak and destructive city leadership, particularly by the Seattle City Council. And they are now taking active steps to make it even worse.

The tragic death of  George Floyd occurred in Minneapolis, not Seattle.  The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is considered one of the most enlightened and progressive in the nation, with excellent leadership. There is no logical reason for defunding, nor any plan for effectively using the funds released by cutting SPD.

Seattle citizens had every right to express strong views in public about their concerns for our nation's black citizens.  But many of the marches and gatherings turned violent and destructive, breaking windows, burning cars, looting stores, and deliberately harming police who tried to restore safety and order.  Seattle police attempted to restrain the destruction using non-lethal tools (such as tear gas and pepper spray).  Undoubtedly, some peaceful protestors were caught in the maelstrom, but that is not the fault of the police, but of the violent actors (who were often tolerated and protected by the misguided city council).

Picture by Kelly Kline

Local political leaders such as the City Council and Mayor chose to downplay the violence, while the Governor acted like he didn't know it was even occurring.   Amazingly, the City Council attempted to handcuff the police by removing non-lethal crowd control tools.   And even worse, a majority of the city council called for defunding the Seattle police by 50%.  Why 50%?  No rational reason is given--just an impressive sounding round number.  Stunningly, some of our political leadership provided emotional support to those participating in violence and intimidation.

Any rational analysis suggests that Seattle needs MORE police, not less.  Police numbers have not kept pace with the increasing population, 911 call times have substantially lengthened, crime hot spots (like McDonalds and the U District) are not sufficiently patrolled, and my stroll downtown clearly shows a city unprotected by a police presence.  Violent crime is up in the city and our property crime rate is among the highest of major U.S. cities.

Some argue that new organizations could take over some of the load put on SPD.  Fine, but first prove that such capabilities can be created and are effective before reducing the protective umbrella of the SPD.  To do otherwise (as suggested by Councilwoman Sawant) is reckless and irresponsible.

Others argue that the illicit acts of a few (in fact, very few) police indict all police, and thus massive defunding is appropriate.  Not only is such an argument nonsensical, but strangely one not followed by the protestors themselves, who loudly trumpet that a few bad apples among the protesters (the ones destroying businesses, looting, burning cars, and injuring police) do not represent the "peaceful" protestors.  There is word for this: hypocrisy.


Ironically, defunding the Seattle Police Department would most seriously threaten the neighborhoods with the greatest crime rates, where many of the minority and low-income people of the city live.   But many "progressive" activists and City Council members do not care; for them, their political agenda or virtue signaling is more important.  Several want to push money to undefined "community groups", an approach reminiscent of the totally failing city initiative to deal with homelessness.

It is time to restore rationality and safety to Seattle.   The motions to defund the SPD should be tabled, and a broadly representative "blue ribbon" panel of community representatives, businesses, and political leaders should analyze the situation and come up with concrete suggestions for improving the safety and well being of our city.  Reimagining policing is fine, but it must be done carefully and in steps.

All political leaders in the city should clearly reject violence and destruction and fully support the SPD in immediately suppressing all riots and violence.  The Governor should volunteer to deploy the National Guard if needed.

With these assurances, the boards on windows of businesses can be taken down, and enhanced safety patrols of downtown Seattle and other sensitive areas initiated.


A major problem for Seattle is the open sore of homelessness, where we allow many mentally ill and drug-addicted individuals to live in filth in city streets, parks, and lots.  Police do spend a lot of time dealing with these individuals, so let's find a better approach--what we are doing now is expensive , ineffective, and inhumane (I have ideas, but that will be in another blog).

Seattle is at a  crossroad.

We can continue the current path of discord and attack, and see a great American city face an inevitable, unnecessary decline.  Or we can follow a different path, putting political and personal agendas aside, listening to other points of view, ending all violence and intimidation, and restoring a civil, rational discourse. We can guide our actions with facts and information, not political talking points.

If you agree to this approach, please contact the City Council and the Mayor, with a request to stop all defunding actions and to try a more cooperative, rational approach.  Contact information is below:

Lisa Herbold: lisa.herbold@seattle.gov
Tammy Morales: tammy.morales@seattle.gov
Kshama Sawant:  kshama.sawant@seattle.gov
Alex Pedersen: alex.pedersen@seattle.gov
Debora Juarez: debora.juarez@seattle.gov
Andrew Lewis: andrew.lewis@seattle.gov
Teresa Mosqueda: Teresa.Mosqueda@seattle.gov
Lorena Gonzalez: lorena.gonzalez@seattle.gov

179 comments:

  1. Got a Trump ad popped up on your blog post, Cliff, apologies, but I gotta find another weather blog to follow. Best of luck.

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    1. The appearance of the Trump ad is solely based on what the ad server, probably Google, thinks YOU would be interested in, it has absolutely nothing to do with the content on Cliff's blog.

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    2. Just because trump ad popped up, likely nothing Cliff did so don't take it personally. BTW, I dislike that man myself and would love to see him gone.

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    3. And replaced with? ... a potato?

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    4. What an insulting and incredibly naive comment. Please inform yourself on how ads work with adsense.

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    5. Shouldn't you rethink your statement? He was cancelled because his blog post was reprinted by someone else, who has the bigger problem in this case? Apparently it's his company.

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    6. Ads are determined by the interests of the visitors to the blog.
      Cliff offers facts and arguments.
      Apparently facts and arguments are only of interest to Trump supporters.
      Trump opponents prefer slogans, insults, and screaming hate.

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  2. The Seattle PD is one of the most corrupt in the US. Even the friggin' FEDS *still* have them under watch.

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    1. Unknown...what evidence do you have for this? Your comment is totally false and without any basis...cliff

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    2. https://www.seattle.gov/police/about-us/professional-standards-bureau/settlement-agreement-history

      https://www.king5.com/article/news/what-the-federal-consent-decree-means-for-seattle-police-department/281-1c410cb9-206c-4ff3-b6b9-e085ffb88648

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    3. You have no basis behind your comment and why not reveal who you are?

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    4. @krugerlive ... Your assertion the Seattle PD is "one of the most corrupt in the US." is laughable.

      Your first link ...at seattle dot gov, apparently published some time before the events described here ...states "Seattle has made great progress and has become a national model for other Police Departments across the country."

      You seriously need to stifle your 'personal opinion/hatred as fact' nonsense.

      ...tom...

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  3. Thank you Cliff. What has happened to our city is so disheartening.

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    1. What has happened to the public consciousness in the past two weeks really scares me.

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    2. I would encourage everybody looking for answers about the riots and the ideology of the people causing violence check out James Lindsay. He’s a liberal academic who has been putting out great content about what these people believe and how what they believe is incompatible with liberalism: https://newdiscourses.com/2020/07/woke-wont-debate-you-heres-why/

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  4. Adam.... I don't select the ads. Adsense does based ON YOUR WEB INTERESTS. It thinks you are a Trump supporter. Do you go to his website or read about him a lot?..clif

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  5. Sam... you are not comprehending what I am saying. It is NOT the protests against policy brutality that is the problem. That is protect speech. It is THE VIOLENCE and DESTRUCTION. It is the attacks on police. It is the intimidation of officials and office holders. It is the implicit support of some of the political class. It is the spray painting of explicit threats. These are all very much like Krtiallnacht. And you know where that leads to. Go ahead and debunk if you can...tell me what is dishonest or ignorant in my blog...cliff

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  6. Do you consider yourself a nationalist?

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  7. Democrats are the problem not Trump.

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    1. That’s right. As strange as it may be, Trump is on the correct side of this issue and the Democrats are going completely insane in their quest to oust Trump. Not only did they wreck the tradition of peaceful transition of power, they’re attempting to encourage widespread destruction and mayhem in order to further suppress the economy and blame Trump. It’s madness, but what’s even madder is that a large portion of the population sympathetic to their views has allowed themselves to be brainwashed essentially into believing that what is happening now is good and normal.

      Real protestors for social justice, like MLK, like John Lewis, would find this violence and carnage unacceptable. MLK was called the America Gandhi. That’s the kind of protest tradition we must return to. It’s far more effective anyway. It would be simple to invoke these figures in our contemporary fight against racism, but no Democrats are willing to stand up for liberal western values anymore. Our society is in trouble if we allow the neo-marxists and critical race theorists to control a major political party. As well, their BLM party planks are 100% marxist in origin too.

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  8. Thank you for writting this. I've been reading you blogs since middle school and I recently graduated high school. I've lived in king county my whole life and absolutly love it here. But in recent years this place has become toxic, especially Seattle proper. I got into UW but declined their offer because I couldnt see myself happy in Seattle anymore. Inovation was replaced with iritation and drive was replaced with defund. I really love this place but I just have to let it go. I leave the state in two weeks, I hope to return someday. Thanks for getting me hooked on weather Cliff, see ya!

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    1. Thoughtful and well written, go far and prosper

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    2. I left in Aug 2019, well before the Covid and the rioting. I felt the area was toxic even then. Traffic was hellacious, waking up at 4am just to beat the morning commute into downtown, even though my work didn't start until 8am.

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  9. Yes Cliff, I blame our leaders for not leading. For letting their contempt for he who is in the White House blind them to reality. But I also blame all of us for letting them be negligent in their duties, for not holding them accountable to common sense. We need a society where there is peace and stability if we are to live and do business and prosper.

    If one side is elected, those causing the problems will be encourage and get louder. If the other side wins the election those same will be angered and get louder. It will only be when we and our leaders quit being blinded by our politics and protect one another regardless of their viewpoint that we will find a way forward. It will start with us, as you suggest, holding our leaders accountable and demand they do their job. I frankly am losing hope for the future, and this is at the feet of our leaders.

    It is time for we the people to take back our cities, states and nations. Not one party or the other, but we the people.

    Andy

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  10. Great article! Glad you're speaking the truth.

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  11. As I watched what went down in Seattle, it reminded me of what Hitler, Stalin and Lenin had done to its citizens. In the end, they eventuslly killed millions that opposed them. There is no doubt that Antifa and BLM are Marxist Communists, and one of Seattle's city officials.

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    1. The leaders of the national BLM movement flat out say they're Marxists. So does Sawant. Their answer to what they think is wrong with our country is socialism.

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    2. You are brave to say that. Keep watch, my friend. Your ability and willingness to speak freely makes you a target, unfortunately. Free speech angers those who disagree, those who wish to end your freedom of speech. Fear of being called a xxxx-ist keeps me silent, just as the Germans in the 1930's kept silent for fear of the "mob" that eventually siezed power and authority. They did it by way of threats, intimidations, disruptions, character-assassinations, name-callings, property destructions, and blamed it all on other political/national/ethnic groups. And I am now in a group that must remain silent, or be harmed. mort

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  12. So glad someone with an audience is speaking out about this. You will now be even more hated by the leftists but please know there are hundreds of thousands of people in Seattle that feel the same way. Thanks for giving them a voice.

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    1. What about this is crap? I am not seeking to start an argument. I simply want t understand your point of view

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  14. I will never read your blog again.

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    1. This is my first time reading his blog. Why will you never read it again? I am curious.

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  15. Thank you for speaking up about this.

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  16. Talk to the city council? I've tried it repeatedly. Might as well talk to a brick wall.

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  17. Seattle has the government, and thus the inane policies, it voted for. Time to wake up from the hangover and start over. Recall petitions, vote out the current clowncil and march on City Hall.

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  18. So appreciated your article! Thanks for reporting what many citizens are concerned about as well. I also saw the correlation between what Hitler did, especially when we were asked to report any businesses in non compliance with the governors mandates. Telling on our neighbors? Sounds like when the Germans were asked to report their Jewish neighbors. Glad others see these actions as red flags.

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  19. Double thumbs up on stating the truth. That takes strength and courage.

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  20. Seattle was awesome on the 70's when everybody was poor but housing remained somewhat affordable. It is now socially stratified: Ultrarich; skilled / employed middle class (I call them the new minority); people working 2 and 3 minimum wage jobs just to afford housing and food; druggies and homeless. These trends continue pushing more new minorities down the the economic scale. If you agree with that, ask yourself why is this happening and is it inevitable. I think there are two answers.
    First is our propensity to encourage growth, which is really wealth, without considering long term side effects. Second, we should be fixing causes of homelessness, rather than, just sheltering those who are. When we pose the wrong question, we're doomed to wrong solutions.

    If protester and political decision makers followed Ray Kroc's (McDonalds founder) advice "If you can't measure it, don't do it" more folks would move up the economic scale rather than down.



    ,

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  21. So you value property more than lives. Got it.

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    1. It is often a short jump from destroying property to destroying lives. Indeed, it already happened twice in Chop.

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    2. Wait.. Are you talking about the looters and rioters??

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    3. Destroying businesses destroys lives. Clearly no grasp of casue and effect in your words.

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  22. A lot of those businesses are closed due to C19. You may have heard of it

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    1. Of course. I am talking about the boarding up of store fronts, not closures. But to be honest, some stores that were open closed after the riots and damage.

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    2. please explain why you need to board up all of your windows because you are closed due to a virus?
      viruses don't break windows, start fires or vandalize.

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  23. Over the past 40 years we have defunded services that provide mental health support, homelessness services, drug programs, etc., and left the mess for cops to deal with. That isn't the cops fault. But they are not trained to deal with it. The goal is to let cops to deal with crime, and let social workers, homeless advocates and drug counselors work on these issues. To do that requires money. And so yes, if you take some money from the police and use it on this other stuff, you could come out with a better result.

    BTW, the Seattle Police are playing their own political game. Sending a letter out to businesses telling them that they wouldn't be protected because they police couldn't use tear gas? Keep in mind that they hadn't been using it for weeks--even though the law that banned its use had not gone into effect. They chose to stand by and watch windows get broken--and they admitted on two occasions that they watched a "group" of people with baseball bats and pipes "join" protests that had been happening peacefully for hours--and the police did nothing to stop the destruction. They chose to do nothing to create the very fear you are talking about. So that

    There is ample evidence that some of the violence was not connected to "progressives" but rather to people with far right ideologies. We have seen arrests of people for inciting violence that turned out to belong to right wing groups such as the Boogaloo Boys, and we know that some of them turned up in Portland. Your own political views are tainting your view on this.

    The Seattle Police Department has been operating under a federal consent decree due to previous use of excessive force. The fact that it has a Police Chief that is both a woman and Black doesn't make it "progressive".

    I would agree, police haven't adequately patrolled areas known for high crime. But would it surprise you to learn that only about 5% of all 911 calls have anything to do with violent crime? And because the 911 center has been run by the Seattle police Dept, there has been a lot of times when cops were sent out on calls that didn't need police. Which may be why they aren't adequately dealing with the issue of drug dealing at McD's. Or maybe it is easier to send cops out to deal with the #1 call that 911 gets: "I've fallen and I can't get up".

    Lets let cops deal with real crime. Lets not ask them to deal with the noise complaints (another frequent call). Lets not send them to do crowd control for the Seahawks, Mariners, etc. Let's pull them off traffic control around every road construction site.

    Lets have them do what we hire them to do: investigate crime and arrest bad guys.


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    1. BA, Great, constructive response

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    2. Do you believe MOST of the rioting was perpetrated by right wingers? Really? If so, please provide proof. There is none, btw. Now, a year and half on, no one is still making any such claims because it didn't prove true. Arrests, convictions, etc. Not to mention the pride some took in their anarcho-communist chaos. It is anarchy, rioting. Chaos is the goal of Communists to bring about a people's revolution. I don't believe the right wing currently has such an ideation.

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  24. Right on Cliff, thanks for speaking up!

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  25. Thank you...you tell the truth.

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  26. I so appreciate your essay. You continue to display being a change agent, and your comments are right on target. We need the mayor and city council to hire a mediator to lead us through the process we need to undertake.

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  27. I so appreciate your essay. You continue to display being a change agent, and your comments are right on target. We need the mayor and city council to hire a mediator to lead us through the process we need to undertake.

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  28. Cliff, kudos to telling the truth.

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  29. This post is fear mongering of the highest order.

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  30. Kristallnacht? Are you f'n serious? What an insult.

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  31. Thanks for speaking your mind. Everyone deserves to feel safe when they walk down their streets.

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  32. And with that, Mass’ 15 minutes are up and he can be discarded in the waste bin of history. A shame you decided to go out like this.

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  33. So many "commenters" vehemently attack the messenger and fail to address the message.

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  34. The best thing to do is get out while you can still get a decent price for your home. Liberal leadership will continue to lead the city down a path that leads to an untenable situation. Why subject yourself to such nonsense when there are plenty of other places in the country that are not a shit hole? We moved away from Portland in 2011 because I saw the writing on the wall. Liberalism is a disease. And it's bringing down city after city across the country, like dominoes.

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    1. Unfortunately stupid democrats are moving to Red states and bringing their stupidity. Stay in the hell holes that you created when you vote for Democrats.

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  35. If you voted for any of these people, it's your fault.

    The leadership of the Democrat party has empowered these marxists, socialists, and anarchists.

    People of Seattle ... you voted for this!

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    1. I have tried to find a candidate that is not subservient to the globalist agenda, to no avail.
      Are you aware of ANY candidates that are not against cars, middle-class neighborhoods and businesses, nice schools, and willing to put their foot down against delerlics and drug addicts?
      I haven't seen any.

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  36. Thank you so much, Cliff! I emailed everyone in your email list, and hopefully many others will too! If anyone is interested, there will be a Stop the Defunding of SPD march on August 9th starting at Seattle City Hall at noon. More info can be found here: https://stopdefunding.com/

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  37. Holy shit Cliff. You are so off base here. Thanks for the laughs and I enjoyed your weather coverage. Adiós

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  38. And just think, these are the good times. It'll never be better than it is today. 100% Dem nirvana, with Dem BLM and Dem antifa partying in the streets.

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  39. Thanks Cliff. While the reference to 1938 may be a bit of a stretch (I hope), I think overall you've made a number of very good points. I've also learned a lot by reading the comments. It seems we shall soon see the results of this experiment.

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  40. I fail to understand how plywood over broken windows stops a virus.

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  41. Not good, Cliff. Not good at all. I did not realize what an authoritarian you are. I hope you can develop some humanity and understanding for those whose lives contain a whole lot more suffering than yours. I'll be glad not to hear your voice on KNKX any more.

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    1. Unknown, it is the other way around. The authoritarians are the ones Clif was speaking about. We live in an upside down world right now.

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  42. I wish you were running for governor.

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  43. This is an eye opener for me. Being a Bellingham resident and frequent traveler to Asia, I used to go to Seattle once or twice a month and made a point to stay downtown frequently. But since the Covid shutdown have only seen the Seattle riots on the news. If Cliff’s descriptions of downtown Seattle are accurate what a dark change from just six months ago.

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  44. But boarded up windows? Covid related?

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  45. Thank you for that Cliff! Your perspective is on point and honestly a breath of fresh air. Keep it up

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  46. I left Seattle almost 2 years ago. I worked for Harborview Medical Center. I left due work due to threats of violence directed at from a pro antifa coworker. My employer did nothing. I like Mr. Klein's article. My grandmother was a German Jew. I grew up listening to cautionary tales of what to look out for. My country America is exactly where national socialist Germany was. Using failed eugenics to divide people and threaten physical violence and death must stop.

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  47. Thank you Cliff. It's insane that posting the actual reality on the street requires courage. You have it in spades! ( don't know if that is a racist euphemism yet, but it was meant on the original definition, pre PC)

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  48. Hi Cliff
    I understand your ref to Kristalnacht... but then you and I have a special knowledge of those times. But, that analogy is very hurtful to certain people. Moreover, KrystalNacht was the culmination of years of government oppression of a particular class of people. I am sure there are more apt analogies. Other than that, I think your arguments are on solid ground.

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  49. I moved out of Seattle in 2004. The downtown drug dealers were brazen and winning the game. The homeless were sleeping on the sidewalks, and in the day the panhandlers were about every 14 feet of a walk, oh yeah, and the rents were rising fast.

    This was way before today's pandemic. I worked downtown when the big World Trade/ George Bush riot took place. The rough ones came in from other cities to destroy the very shops Cliff has pictured here all boarded up. My apartment windows rattled as made canisters were moving the rioters away from the Westlske area and towards the homes of Capitsl Hill.

    I like the Seattle Police and believe they do a great job with what they're dealing with. A city that grew too fast, with no good community planning in place, and high prices, and people losing jobs, and okay now this, a Pandemic that is invisible to see, that spreads easily and has a big possibility to take your life if you get it.

    Seattle the city, was fighting for its life before the pandemic and I guess we'll see what happens as time passes and its story unfolds. I know one thing. Seattle will never be the charming place it was in the 90s.

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    1. Seattle got way better in the last 10 years. Well, unless you resent all of the Amazonites who have taken over the south lake union area. But seriously, while homelessness is still a serious issue the city itself is way safer than LA or NY (both places I have worked).

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  50. I support your right to free speech and find KNKX's actions abhorrent. And you're the best weather broadcaster I've heard.

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  51. Cliff, I am so happy to finally see someone have the courage to take a stand and speak up about these issues in such troubling times. There is no doubt whatsoever that images of a boarded up Nordstrom Rack and Cheesecake Factory are truly frightening to some of us long-time Seattle residents. The comparison of these rioters to the perpetrators of Kristallnacht 82 years ago in Nazi Germany is indeed appropriate. We all know it can be quite a slippery slope. Certainly if we do not unite and stand up to these protesters NOW while we still can, they could easily be rounding up millions of their enemies and gassing them in extermination camps within a matter of years. And it goes without saying that the vast majority of the sane residents of our fair city do not want something like that to happen. Not here. Not now.

    Thank you again for sharing your thoughts and opinions on a wide range of topics here on your weather blog.

    -Mike Godwin

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  52. I am a public defender. I don't agree with everything Cliff says but I'm just glad to see someone from academia with a platform sing a different tune. The homogeneity in my little world is stifling. And I think a lot of people are scared to speak their mind. I've lived around downtown for over 20 years. Something is wrong and it's been getting worse.

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  53. I am a public defender. I don't agree with everything Cliff says but I'm just glad to see someone from academia with a platform sing a different tune. The homogeneity in my little world is stifling. And I think a lot of people are scared to speak their mind. I've lived around downtown for over 20 years. Something is wrong and it's been getting worse.

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  54. Cliff - I admire your courage to speak your mind. I thought it was a raw deal when KUOW cut the cord when you expressed legitimate concerns. Here we go again.

    The naiveté of Seattlites astounds me. The most dangerous thing I can think of is the power of human ‘group think,’ as opposed to independent free thinking. I have had associations with Russians professionally, and have witnessed how deeply ingrained political ideology can sway good sense and behavior to the detriment of individual wellbeing. Now I am witnessing the same trend in this city and this nation. To the right and the left, the polarization that I am witnessing leads me to think that more outrageous civil conflict is ahead. Regrettably, the more peaceful and harmonious among us tend to live a life of political inaction - which provides the fertile ground for the destructive malcontents among us to take control of the wheelhouse. It’s happening in Seattle.

    I believe that the time for reason and compassion have passed us by. I am starting to see that the Civil War has never been put to bed, and that events in Seattle may be the Fort Sumpter of 2020. I am at a loss as to what to do about it personally. As I witness a City Council that is staffed by rank amateurs who have no notion of the big picture and are bent on supporting lawlessness and upheaval in the service of ideological dreams with no actionable plans, it breaks my heart. Over the 35 years that I have lived here Seattle has grown without plan or homeostasis like a cancer. It has neglected its infrastructure and overall organic health - due to inept leadership without realistic vision. IMO there hasn’t been an effective Mayor since Norm Rice.

    The city has pegged its future on growth and density without regard to the unintended consequences, which we are experiencing now, i.e. discontent and animosity which is erupting in civil disobedience, with no clear vision as to objective or result. This has been in the making for a couple of decades, and is accelerating. The failure of civil discourse is symptomatic of other physical failures of the city, e.g. the failure of transportation, development management, infrastructure maintenance and improvement to keep pace with growth. This city is top heavy with dreams and weak on foundation and headed for a fall.

    It is encouraging to encounter a voice such as yours that has some sort of platform to point out the obvious to me. To have a civic government that is at war internally is not only ugly, but destructive for the city. I see the current City Council as petulant children who have taken over control of the household that have no sense or vision as to how to look after or run a city. It used to be a Council of inaction, now it is a Council of chaos and destruction that is not looking after the wellbeing of its populace.

    Thank you for your courage and outspoken conscience. I can only hope that your efforts reach the eyes and ears of the many and that it arouses them to action to take back the city they live in. To wit, I did not vote for any of the knuckleheads running amuck In the halls of City Hall, other than the Mayor, who was a choice of the least worse. I hope that it is not too late to restore responsible government in Seattle, but - except for the few voices such as yours - I wonder how it will be accomplished.

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  55. Keep speaking out, Cliff. Stand up for your country. Blessed be.

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  56. Thank you for speaking the truth about our city. You are on the right side of history. Unfortunately children are driving the city car right now.

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  57. Cliff, keep up the good work. Us centrists might be in the vocal minority, but there are more of us than people think.

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  58. Political intimidation should never be tolerated. It speaks volumes to the void of reason when you must strong-arm your opposition. It's passed time that rational people stand against the flood of "progressive" ideas that are anything but.

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  59. Cliff, I believe you're being punished because you hit a nerve. The Antifa crowd doesn't like being compared to Nazis, even though they are behaving exactly like the Brownshirts did. Your analogy was spot on, and the child mob and their enabler are enraged. Remember, the enemies of Antifa are ideological, just as it was in Germany and any other historical authoritarian takeover. Thank you for having the courage to express things as they are, and to name and confront the faces of contemporary fascism in the Pacific Northwest.

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  60. Cliff- while I don't agree 100%, I appreciate your opinion and thought you've put into your post. Seattle has a lot of problems than need addressed and the path forward is not an easy one.

    To the haters - I think you're the greatest cause of social problems we face now. If you don't agree with someone, instead of adult conversation and debate, you insult, ostracize, and drip with Nazi-esque hatred. Cliff is not creating policy. He's discussing issues and drawing comparisons as he sees them and welcomes discussions around the topic. Try being a little more open minded in the future. You could even try acting like your age rather than a spoiled 6 year old who plugs their ears yelling "lalala I hate you!" when you hear something you don't agree with.

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  61. I think if anyone from 2010 Seattle was instantly teleported to today, they'd be outraged. But over the past decade too many have been desensitized to living in an increasingly dirty and dangerous city. We got used to the encampments along the highway. And then we got used to them in our parks. And then we got used to stepping around needles on the sidewalk and rising property crime. Heck, I saw someone running out of a Safeway with an armful of stolen merchandise and no one batted an eye. So boarded up businesses and broken windows are now just the next thing that's normal. Just another day in the city. People who have traveled - or lived - in developing countries or war zones know that humans can get used to just about anything. It's both a good and bad trait, but one that's not serving us very well right now.

    So thank you for reminding us that it's not normal and it's not something to be proud of. Sadly it takes courage these days just to point out the obvious because, unfortunately, the only thing it seems we're not less sensitive to is any point of view that doesn't conform to our worldview.

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  62. Disappointed in KNKX’s decision to discontinue your podcast because you stated your opinion and showed us what is really happening in Seattle now. It is a wonderful and informative program. Perhaps you’ll venture a new podcast on your own?

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  63. Cliff,
    I am posting a copy of the letter I just sent to Joey Cohn, which I doubt will see the light of day otherwise.
    Mr Cohn,
    I enjoy NPR radio for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the alignment with my own moderately liberal bias, but especially because it is one of the few places where there is a serious attempt at presenting counterpoint. Richard Power said in The Understory, “the human species has a tremendous tendency to mistake agreement for truth”. Without counterpoint, we often fail to do the hard work - that is, to think. For that reason, I am a Supporting Listener and have contributed to your station for 25+ years

    I was surprised to see your letter of yesterday concerning Cliff Mass. I did read the original language before Mr. Mass edited his blog message. His comparison of the events in Seattle to Kristallnacht, which he attributes to small factions in the protest movement, may be offensive to you, but the analogy is not entirely without merit. When we ignore history, we make the same mistakes. Based on my own history of growing up in the South, I have deep aversion to racism, violence, and police brutality, and I have a low tolerance for predjudice. I did not find Mr Mass’s blog offensive. It was largely observational, full of opinion.

    The main point of Mr Mass’s blog was to criticize public government and leadership, a pretty American sentiment. What you did was to fire him for expressing his personal view on his own personal blog, not on KNKX. In my opinion, you censure him for his views. While I don’t think I would agree with Mr Mass’s more conservative politics, I find the mischaracterization of his comments and public denouncement to your listeners disgusting. Our letters are similar in that they both criticize leadership, in my case, yours. You are fired.

    Sincerely,
    Former KNKX supporter

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  64. Mr. Mass, of course this is your blog, so you can say/post what you choose. However, you have alienated some of your core audience who are mostly here for weather and science (I know I am). And, let's face it, this is not the first time. You are reminding me of the Judd Nelson/John Bender character in "The Breakfast Club", who cannot stop himself from talking his way into more trouble. Strictly for myself, I'm not giving up on your blog, but I will be more selective on which posts I read.

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    Replies
    1. How about the NBA and NFL.... most are there to watch sports but they are allowed And encouraged to practice a political action of disrespecting the American flag

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  65. KNKX? No big surprise. You told the truth. Screw them.

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  66. Kudos Cliff, you continue to be fearless in bringing up what everyone else is pretending is not happening.

    Sadly, Seattle is a write-off. To understand more look up James Lindsay https://newdiscourses.com/ Also listen to podcasts from Brett Weinstein about how this really erupted in 2017 at Evergreen State. Well meaning Democrats and good Liberals have let their institutions willingly become hijacked by postmodernists and neo-Marxists in Intersectional / Critical Theory disguise. So Seattleites have only themselves to blame for electing radicals like Kshama Sawant. There's nothing Progressive about letting people live on the streets like animals or condoning radical violence as a civil means of discourse in a representative republic. But you can't explain any of this to today's anti-intellectual indoctrinated radicals. They will just shout you down. The want silence, not solutions. Nice work Seattle voters! And all those teachers and administrators sat by and collected checks while our kids were being converted in to activists instead of thinkers. Only yourselves to blame.

    I've got two years before I can leave the West Coast forever. Can't wait! If you want to see the trend, look up U-Haul prices in Portland, Seattle, SF vs other cities like Boise. Smart people are realizing it's time to GTFO! The final nail in Seattle's coffin will be when Amazon has had enough and announces they are moving.

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  67. Just one more of the many reasons why NPR and Public TV should've been decoupled from the US taxpayer public trough decades ago. Their purpose is to promote a free exchange of ideas, but have turned into just another MSM hackathon outlets. Hang in there, the day of reckoning is coming for the true fascists who seek to destroy anyone not falling into lockstep with their own narrow worldview. Orwell meant "1984" to be a forewarning, not a how - to manual.

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    1. Yes, yes and yes. I gave up on NPR once The Tappet Brothers were gone. It has long been the deformed product of intellectual inbreeding.

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  68. Cliff - Incredibly, KNKX's decision to end your segment demonstrates that your Kristallnacht analogy was more than apt. Welcome to the ever growing club of the cancelled. Someday we'll come to our senses and look back at this episode with shame.

    I'll express my views to KNKX today when I cancel my sustaining membership.

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  69. Cliff, I read your original unedited blog and while I found the comparison to Kristallnacht a bit of a stretch I cannot argue with your concerns regarding our civic leadership and the faction(s) that seem intent on destruction of property and violence. The KNKX decision was premature and a missed opportunity for discourse on the state of our region and city. I hope the station reconsiders and offers you an opportunity to explain your position - and I have learned a lot about the weather from you :)

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  70. I've worked in Seattle for 33 years. The city has crossed the line into madness. Seattle is (or was) one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Just today, I saw a visting family with three young ones, walking down first Ave. You could see the fear and shock in their eyes.
    Seattle citizens, vote with thought, and please return Seattle to its beautiful glory!

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  71. Cliff, KNKX management exemplifies the utter insanity of the progressive left. Donald Trump is an idiot and will soon be relegated to the dustbin of American history. The Woke-wing of the Democrat party, however, represents a far greater threat to our country and our democracy that Trump ever will. Their maniacal focus on class warfare, gender, race and anti-free speech (I disagree with some element of what you're saying so I deem it HATE speech!) threatens the very core of our nation. God help us all.

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  72. Cliff. Thank you for your weather expertise as well as your opinions. I may or may not agree with you but your voice is just as important as everyone's else's. And I applaud your courage and your convictions to further societal dialogue. I am with you and support you in the abhorrence of people who have this idea that if you do not agree with them then you are wrong. It is very, very sad that America and the world has come to this point. As a support of KNKX I am extremely disappointed that they handled this issue in the manner they did; perhaps in the end it is the right decision for the station, but not so abruptly. I will be expressing my disappointment with them: canceling your broadcast this week, yeah, I could have accepted that. But if KNKX cares about connecting and community dialogue, they should have done an in depth report as part of their news efforts. Their reaction was knee jerk. Like Dan above, I will continue to read your blog, for all its subjects. You might consider, however, changing your header to read "Cliff Mass Personal Blog" and revise your tagline a bit to be more of a setup, and then also to categorize your posts. And honestly, it might be time to get off Blogger and info a 21st century blog site, though that would take some effort.

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  73. I am with you in this one Cliff. Until Seattle becomes another Saint Louis and all the communist council members have moved on and the wealth has moved out will they realize the destruction that is now happening. Unfortunately and dissenting ideas are Brutally subdued in an authoritarian manner. It really is a frightening state of affair led that we are in when the city council condones and perpetuates this type of mob rule in the name of a cultural revolution.

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  74. I just don’t understand what people disagree with here?!? The pictures? It goes against your narrative that protests are peaceful and constructive? The drug deals aren’t really happening? This place and its people have totally lost it!! Everyone surrounds themselves with like minded individuals on social media and become brainwashed to the point of insanity.

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  75. Alex - do you consider yourself self a communist?

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  76. Time to retire this blog. Overall done some good. This most recent post illustrates stupidity.

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  77. It is shocking how KNKX has violated your first amendment right of free speech.... I perceive what you wrote about on your blog is the death of downtown Seattle....the city is indeed dying....people need to wake up and understand the reasons and discuss these, not muzzle someone such as yourself. It would be good for some of your detractors to go downtown and see what has happened to our wonderful city. Given what KNKX has done, and unless you are reinstated by KNKX, I will no longer be supporting that station.

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  78. Cliff, keep up the good work.

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  79. Sorry to hear that Cancel Culture caught up with you. You are as correct about the riots as you were a while back about the imbecilities of that fad for teaching math.

    This state is full of wannanee Savonarolas looking for the next heretic to tie to a stake and set on fire. If it's any comfort, there are plenty of people who admire your guts for seeing the obvious abd speaking
    out about it.

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  80. Keep it going Cliff. You have done a excellent job showing what these thugs have done to the city. Leaders and business leaders need to focus on the problem instead of the petty bs that just because the truth is spoken and someone feelings are hurt . they need to punish the thugs not law abiding citizens that work for a living instead of thinking they are intitled to hand outs . Cliff for mayor.

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  81. Thank you for your great weather blog. I am here to stay!

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  82. Cliff, Your comments could not be more accurate or appropriate, however troubling they may be. I admire your courage, and urge you to continue to speak out against our toxic and incompetent local government and the issues that are putting our beautiful city at grave risk.

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  83. Wake up Seattle, Wake up King County, Wake up Washington we are under a well organized attack hiding behind thousands of well intended protesters. It really is up to the protesters to remove these thugs from their alliance. The police have had their hands tied and cannot do the job for you. Stand up to these criminals and turn them over to the authorities, who will probably turn them loose, but at least their identity will be exposed.

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  84. i agree with the bulk of the message cliff. yes drawing comparisons to past historic events is imperfect but a red flag needs to be raised nonetheless. thank you for speaking up for those who can't.

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  85. I believe KNKX answered your question about why people stay silent. People stay silent because of retaliation.

    Also, the local leaders that have allowed the violence to occur are elected. We the people made the choice. This must be what we want.

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  86. Cliff, Thanks for taking time on your blog to share your thoughts. I also have noted this similarity in tactics between what happened in Europe in the 20's and 30's and what we are seeing today in Seattle. The ideologies are obviously very different, so I'm by no means trying to compare the ideological differences of the day...but the tactics are the same as you note. Destroy the livelihoods of the businesses and people whom you blame for the issues, and then do the same to the businesses and people that support them. This seems lost on the people organizing the protests and equally on our government officials, or more likely they choose to ignore it. The violence is having the intended effect. The majority is silent out of fear.

    I have been a part of the 'peaceful' protests on occasion in the past two months. More often I end up leaving when it becomes evident that some participants are actively intent on destruction or attacking the police. On occasion the organizers attempt to root them out, but more often than not, they accept their presence as an 'ally' and look the other way. I have seen first hand and the chants of 'I see nothing' when damage to property is happening. I have have myself and seen others been threatened with bodily harm for using my cam when the violence is occurring. Wonder why the mainstream media is not longer present at these? They can't keep them safe any longer for the same reason.

    Protesters and our government officials seem intent on thinking of the violence as simply property damage that is insured and can be replaced. They think nothing of the damage to the sense of community and how much ill will they are building among those of us that want to help solve the problems of the justice system, but completely stand against the violence.

    Your assessment of the violent protests, downtown, and similarly areas of Capitol/First Hills is spot on. Sad that people don't take the time to read your entire post and understand that you are not comparing the ideology, but the tactics. I am floored and saddened that public radio has removed you for this observation.

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  87. And so, the cancel mob takes out another voice it disagrees with. Disappointing? Of course, but hardly unexpected. I've disagreed with nearly every person I've ever known - hell, I disagree with myself sometimes, especially the self of 20, 30, 40 years ago - but it used to be that such disagreement would be cause for a discussion. You know, an exchange of ideas, views, facts, opinions, etc. It is disgraceful that KUOW and KNKX responded as they did. Tragically, the cancel culture people don't seem to realize that (as John Adams said), "A mob is still a mob, even if they're on your side." And inevitably, the mob keeps turning in on itself in its quest for ultimate purity, until no one is safe, and no idea free of suspicion (at the least). For whatever it is worth, you have my support, Cliff, even if I sometimes disagree with you. Take care, keep the faith.

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  88. I believe KNKX answered your question of why people stay silent. It is because of retaliation.

    Also, the local leaders that have allowed violence to occur are elected by "we the people." It must be what we want.

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  89. I stand with you. Yes, keep it going! Cliff for mayor is great!

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  90. Hi Cliff. I support what you said. I do believe one can support the protests and be against the violence. And I want open dialogue. I'm very disappointed in the radio show cancelling you and not willing to accept your explanation. It feels like they are not open to hearing other opinions. And it has convinced me to discontinue my monthly support of the station. Like many people I want balanced dialogue to move this country to a better place. Especially for minorities.

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  91. Professor Mass,

    Thank you for all of your educational and entertaining weather posts over the years. And your segments on public radio (both stations :-) ).

    I don't always agree with your politics, but I am open to hearing your thoughtful insights and opinions into happenings around Seattle. We're all in this together.

    FYI, here is an email that I sent to KNKX today.

    To: Joey Cohn and KNKX staff

    We have been members of KNKX for many years.

    We do not approve of your abrupt cut-off of Cliff Mass’s Weather segment.

    Should we abruptly cancel our membership and remove any further financial support from KNKX?

    We are thoughtful adults and we want to hear more about this conflict before we make a decision.

    We are not cancelling our membership today. We encourage you to dig into multiple aspects of this conflict, as you do with other issues that you report. Perhaps you will arrive at a more reasoned response than yanking Professor Mass’s weather segment away from your listeners.

    Best regards,


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  92. I am outraged at the cancel culture and lunacy that we are seeing these days. Free speech is under attack from both the far right AND the far left. I stand with you Cliff Mass 100%. I'm very angry at KNXK for canceling you. I agreed with your piece absolutely. It's a real crime what is happening in this culture where you can't speak your mind without being deplatformed or cancelled. It's scary.

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  93. Excellent post, pretty much on-target. However on the update, the so-called "peaceful" versus the "violent" is a mistake. There are no peaceful protesters. There are passive protestors but, they are choosing to act as human shields for the violent and this are complicit in the violent acts. A shield is a tool of war. It's defensive but, choosing to be one is not a peaceful act.

    Similarly, the passive Mayor, the passive District Attorney, the passive Governor, and especially the City Council in their deliberate acts to hinder the keeping of the peace, are complicit in the vandalism, the destruction, the violence, and indeed the murders. It is abysmal dereliction of duty. Their conversations and clear organized collusion, and acts in concordance with these violent mobs are criminal acts which should be prosecuted. But, of course, the local Justice System is onboard so will do nothing. When the local government conspires against it's now citizens and businesses then certainly FEDERAL RICO statutes should be brought to bear. It's organized crime and terrorism.

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  94. Please speak your mind Cliff - you are right! Too many people have been censored for speaking the truth lately. Seattle is an horrific example of leftist policies run amok.

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  95. Cliff:

    I won't miss you on KNKX, because I will never be listening to that station again.

    The content of public radio in general and KNKX in particular has been appalling and getting worse for years. I would listen for a few minutes in the morning to hear what sort of propaganda others were being exposed to, and found most of it disgusting. This had ramped up to overdrive with the coverage of the pseudo manufactured "pandemic." Your Friday reports were one bright exception as a rational voice in an irrational wild, and I did look forward to them.

    Having now found this site, I will instead begin to monitor it.

    All the best.

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  96. I thought the (edited) blog post was spot-on, perceptive, timely and well-written. Your firing by KNKX is just another disgusting example of the cowardly Cancel Culture that has so poisoned our society. I hope the people at KNKX will someday be able to feel shame for what they have done.

    I would claim to be a listener, but actually I have drifted away from NPR over the years. They were once my default source for news. Now they are a dark, fetid swamp of self-righteous, grandiose Trump-hate. Your show was one of the only bright spots remaining. Now that you are gone, we are down to morning jazz and Birdwatch. It's a shame.

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  97. Cometh the hour, cometh theman. Thank you for the post Cliff.

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  98. Houston, TX here. Cliff, you have the support of people who have never heard your voice. What they've done to you is part of why KUHF (home of the much beloved Engines of Our Ingenuity) has been the least used pre-set on my radio for over a decade.I suspect you and I would disagree politically on many matters. But that's irrelevant. You being silenced by your radio home for telling the obvious truth is terrifying. I mourn the loss of NPR as a source of intelligent, in depth news. God bless and good luck.

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  99. Thank you for your honesty Cliff. Of course the Radical Left now wants to destroy you. They must silence accurate reports of what life is under their rule.

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  100. I'm alarmed at the doxxing and cancel culture trend. Not being able to speak out against violence, intimidation, or a political agenda is something we've heard about for eons in other countries, but the US has always offered a safe harbor from that.  Apparently, no longer.

    Some on social media criticizing Cliff quickly jumped to the erroneous conclusion that he's equating those fighting for social/POC justice with those who fought AGAINST that for the Jews...*of course* that makes no sense. Reading comprehension 101. Cliff was referring to the dozens+ in the mix hiding behind the social justice shield that are in actuality anarchists/anti-capitalists taking over a well-meaning movement.  Kshama's ilk.

    One trigger for the holocaust was an undercurrent of envy of the Jews. "They are too wealthy!  They have too much! They've rigged the system for their own benefit!" When that boiled over to looting, rioting, and destruction, the decent people (likely a bit envious of the Jews themselves) had been intimidated into letting it happen. Sounds familiar--a social justice movement initially rooted in the idea of "evening things out" that quickly goes off the rails and turns into something else entirely. And this time the whackjob political leader hijacking the movement and harnessing the undercurrent of envy isn't Hitler or Mao or Stalin or even Trump, but Sawant.

    The really complicated part is that we now have lunatic extremists on both sides: Trump in one corner, people like Sawant in the other.  Most decent, moderate Republicans and Democrats have been intimidated out of running for office. If cities like Seattle, Chicago, Portland, Minneapolis, NYC, etc. can't get this violence & property destruction under control--and people like Cliff aren't able to stand up to it without being "cancelled" --Trump wins the White House again.  The silent majority watches this all play out, and may very well choose Trump over anarchy.  Just look in the comments section of this weekend's NYT article on Seattle.  It touched a major nerve. A lot of people are waiting for their democratic mayors to reign this in, and if they can't...we get Trump again.  And perhaps a civil war.  Which is exactly what Kshama wants so she can secede from the union and start her "new society."

    Back to Cliff.  His big mistake, ironically, was being exaggeratory. He gets accused time and again of being a "climate change denier" when in fact that's not true at all...his argument in the past has been that in using fatalistic claims or exaggerative studies to get the masses to understand and grasp climate change, you lose them rather than convince them. In holding up Kristallnacht as an equivalent of the recent looting and rioting across the US, he lost people rather than convinced them because he was far off in scale. But perhaps not in motivation and root cause. 




     
     

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  101. Cliff thank you for your courage to speak out.

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  102. Thank you for speaking the truth. I am outraged by NPR's capricious and unkind action toward you for exercising your freedom of speech.

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  103. Stay strong, Cliff...and God bless! He will restore you to new gainful employment in due time. Know that your "Mass Appeal" isn't in vain. And...celebrate that you're free of NPR: (N)egate (P)olitical (R)eality!

    BTW...

    WHITE CATS MATTER!
    http://justsomething.co/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/justsomething-logo-30px-mobile.jpg

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  104. history repeats itself. who better than a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing?

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  105. Cliff:
    As a long-time jazz aficionado and listener of KNKZ and its predecessor KJAZ, since 1978 when I moved from the Bay Area, it makes me sad that the station has decided to "ax" you for stating the obvious about downtown Seattle and my resulting decision to no longer listen as well as terminate my monthly sustaining pledge to KNKX. Apparently freedom of expression is no longer allowed at a publicly-supported radio station in our cancel culture world. Therefore I am joining that culture by cancelling my pledge to KNKX and encourage other sustaining donors to follow suit.

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    Replies
    1. Fully agree. Do not just cancel your pledge, email Joey Cohn at KNKX and let him know actions have consequences. Many people embracing cancel culture may rue the day when they find themselves on the receiving end after a perceived slight to the social media mob.

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  106. I enjoyed this and I agree with yourmyour points.

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  107. Never head of your before hearing your story on the radio today. Kudos to you for speaking truth in an era where "cancel culture" wants to squash the truth altogether. This should bother EVERYONE. Sorry PBS axed you & I hope you keep your other job.

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  108. bravo Cliff, I acknowledge your comparison, as I stated the same thing weeks ago, comparing just as your did. An angry mob with a political bent, attacking who/what it saw as the threat; intimidation, and impotence of authority and lack of will, out of fear (or possibly pro-anarchy themselves), spray-painting of threats, and of course all the broken glass, your comparison was spot-on and the similarities are frightening. Mort

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  109. Excellent speaking out. It's all about valuing DIVERSITY: Viewpoint diversity. Diversity is defined today as progressive. If you're against diversity, then one must NOT be progressive. And in the opinion of the binary many, if you're not progressive, then one is conservative. Ergo, those who don't value viewpoint diversity and want to silence your opinion, must in reality be conservative. In a moment worthy of Pogo: Those who claim they're FOR protesters, yet want to silence you, haven't realized they're really trying to silence a protester. I'll interpret your piece as it takes holding 2 thoughts in the head at the same time: Someone who isn't protesting the peaceful protesters... who simultaneously IS protesting those who cause violence.

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  110. and I use to think npr was unbiased! Ha that’s a joke! I’ll miss my naive enjoyment of such programming and I’ll miss your weather segment. But in truth and justice I go! Thank you for being a real human with diverse opinions and not just a puppet for a specific agenda or advertiser. Thank you for all you do!!!

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    1. Christie, NPR has straddled the political fence since...forever. Back when I worked for the west coast affiliate, NPR was dubbed National Petroleum Radio..that was in the 70's. Remember to watch the money...

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  111. I live in New York and just read about what happened. Thank you for speaking out. I fully support you.

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  112. Well said, Cliff. I support you 100%. I was proud that KNKX picked you up after KUOW dropped you for ‘speaking truth to power’. Now I see that they too are beholden to the cancel culture. ‘Plus ça change...’

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  113. Well said, Cliff, I’m behind you 100%

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  114. When the enforcement of laws is biased or inadequate to the point where citizens have given up on the government to protect them, they will form their own "vigilance committees" and mete out street justice in an unregulated way.

    There won't be just one group per area, working under a unified command with the goal of best serving their constituents by protecting them from drugs, prostitution, assault, burglary, robbery, rape, murder etc..

    There will be multiple groups competing with one another for the power to control these "businesses" and extort protection money from folks who want to live in the area. In essence, you'll have gang rule.

    If you think the cops are bad, try life without them.

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  115. Hi Cliff, I fully support your non-edited assessment of what is happening in Seattle today. I find it utterly abhorrent that KNKX has fallen foul of "Cancel Culture" and retaliated against you for your right to express your (very accurate) opinion. Ironically isn't this the station that you fought so hard a few years ago to save?

    The good news is that you don't need an archaic radio network to convey your expertise to the world. I would encourage you to set up a weekly podcast with your weather updates and leverage social media as much as possible so that we, the people dont lose out because of an angry mob.

    Please don't stop serving as a beacon of hope for the silenced majority Cliff. As a professor in the sciences you know more than anyone the value of debate, freedom of thought and the critical need to question assumptions, all things that are being challenged in this new era of radical leftism which is moving us closer to the Orwellian dystopia 1984. Today we saw some hope as folks were out at City Hall supporting our men and women in uniform ahead of the asinine vote to "Defund the Police".

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  116. Keep up the good work Mr. Mass. I’m sorry for the narrow mindedness of the leadership at NPR that took you off the air.

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  117. Poking the finger of truth into the PC hornets nest will get you stung.
    So Seattle defunds police despite recent Gallup Center for Black Voices survey shows over 80% of Black Americans do NOT favor reductions in policing. But mob rule is now the Seattle norm and now we must say goodbye to a great police chief.
    Your comparison is spot on.

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  118. We used to visit Seattle very regularly and enjoyed the wonderful city it once was. Start a legal fund Cliff! We support you.

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  119. https://newdiscourses.com/2020/07/woke-wont-debate-you-heres-why/

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  120. Seattle needs Jesus! Love your neighbor as yourself (regardless of political affiliation). Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love your enemy and pray for him. Bless those who curse you. Do not worry about what you will eat or what you will drink or what you will wear. Your Father in Heaven knows you need these things.

    Today is the day of your salvation. Repent of your sins, ask Jesus into your heart, confess Him as your Lord and Savior, and be baptized. He is coming soon to deliver His church from the wrath that is to come on the whole world.

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  121. It is interesting to me that the majority of commentators here support you, Cliff. I think there are Marxists assigned to troll sites and to give the impression that the BLM has broad support. A small group of Bolsheviks are overthrowing the USA, and by having control of media we believe they are a large organization of peaceful protestors.

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  122. Covid-19 doesn't cause shop windows to get boarded up.

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  123. Cliff - leave Seattle as fast as you can! You have no recourse because you can’t fight stupid.

    I’m amazed at the number of people replying to criticize your point of view. Apparently free speech is only for the liberals, BLM, and Antifa.

    It’s probably going to get worse- possibly bad enough to force a declaration of insurgency.

    I hope the liberal progressive leadership knows that the rest of the country’s rationale tax payers aren’t going to pay for the wanton destruction they are willfully allowing.

    Come to Texas and leave Seattle in the dust. 😊

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  124. You are blind to the truth. You wallow in the dark side until you seek the truth.

    Use the force!

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  125. I'm late in seeing your post but I applaud your honesty and bravery in a world that has little common sense

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  126. Wow! That’s quite a comparison by Dr Mass. I wonder if you know if he compared the BLM/Protesters or SPD/Law Enforcement as the modern day equivalent of yesteryears Nazis?
    As a 1st generation Jewish American, I also take exception when comparisons are made that conflate Nazi germany of the 1930\40’s with the current events,however awful and Unamerican, with those of these modern times under president trump.
    It only serves to trivialize the murder of the 6 MILLION.
    I’ll see if I can find his comments online,or perhaps you could forward me a link to it ?
    Emotions run high, and the station made its choice to censor and remove a valuable voice of science and climatology, who unseemingly wandered into the realms of social and political science.
    Perhaps Dr Mass deserves a 30 second on air spot for his apology and admission of an error in judgement.So we can all move on and get back to his and Bellamy’s Friday segment? Or as A-Rod put it, a “MISTAKE “.

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  127. Cliff rightfully compared the imagery of Kristallnacht with the optics of the destruction and broken glass in downtown Seattle. He did not state or imply that there was an equivalency of the events and times. Speaking personally as a Jew who has spent a great deal of time thinking of the Shoah (Holocaust), and the roots of fascism, I see some similarities between the intolerance on both the hard right represented by Trump and the radical left. Both use intimidation and both dehumanize the other sides. Cliff is to be thanked for his work, at least by me, as a citizen, teacher and scientist. He has zero to apologize for. I get that you wish to ensure that people do not trivialize the Holocaust. This was no such event in what he wrote. Read it carefully with eyes open.

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  128. Cliff, thank you for having the courage to tell the truth.

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  129. Excellent article, Cliff. But as you can see, there are a sizable number of commenters/voters who support the City Council. I don't, but they do and they won in Nov., 2019--fair and square, as far as I can tell.

    I also agree that intolerance for dissent is toxic.

    All of which unfortunately improves Trump's chances of getting re-elected

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  130. Thank you for telling the truth. God bless you with a better job and a better city because of it

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  131. All organizations, including protest marches, should be required to have either internal self-policing or external policing to prevent violent elements from co-opting their peaceful intentions. That protest organizations are not required to have a policing plan leaves them negligently vulnerable to the violence and property destruction to which Cliff objects. The requirement for protest organizations to have a self-policing or external policing plan should be legislated. Free speech does not organizational responsibility, nor should it license organization without protection against anarchy.

    For an example of how it has been done right, see the numerous articles about how Yolanda Deaver invited the Camden, NJ police to join a peaceful protest march after the killing of George Floyd.
    https://www.inquirer.com/news/camden-george-floyd-peaceful-protests-20200531.html

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  132. Wow - this topic Kristallnacht / Anarchists - I just found your article. I could change everything from Seattle to Portland and it read true. I agree there is a similarity between the two time periods, on many levels. Anarchists are repulsed because the see the similarity and must instantly deny. They broke over a half million in glass in their last march in Portland. Thoughts?

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Please make sure your comments are civil. Name calling and personal attacks are not appropriate.

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