FALSE NARRATIVE?
I see that Paul Dillon ("Running Scared," 3/2/17) has adopted the language of the "Indivisible Team," a liberal group whose primary goal is to resist the Trump agenda rather than find ways to work together as a nation. Their video, Town Hall Resistance Guide, explains: "If they refuse to hold a town hall, hold your own and invite them... And let the local media know that your member of Congress did not have the courage to show up and face them."
Consistent with these directions, Paul Dillon and some other liberals continue to promote the false narrative that the reason that Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and other Republicans are avoiding town halls is because "Republican leaders are cowards." They don't want to get "called out." I wonder if Mr. Dillon even believes these ridiculous statements. Undoubtedly the current unwillingness to hold town halls is the rude, obnoxious, disruptive behavior of some of the attendees — booing, yelling, name calling, interrupting the speaker whether it's the elected official or an audience member that is saying something they oppose. Such town halls are not productive. Yet Mr. Dillon states that "these are real people who ... want to have a civil dialogue." Really?
Consequently, Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers and other elected officials are choosing to communicate with their constituents in other ways — Facebook, telephone town halls, meetings with small groups where people are genuinely interested in sharing their disagreements, frustrations and ideas for change in a constructive, non-combative manner instead of just using the time to yell, vent and create unproductive havoc.
While we certainly have many different philosophies, we also have many common goals but different ideas in how to reach them. Those who are really interested in finding unifying solutions will be willing to engage in civil discussions.
Gretchen McDevitt
Spokane, Wash.
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CORRECTION: A column last week ("Running Scared" by Paul Dillon) incorrectly reported that 5th District Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers referred to recipients of Medicaid expansion as "deadbeats" during a recent "Coffee With Cathy" event. The description was repeated to Dillon by multiple attendees, but their recollections were inaccurate.
