Editor,

COER President Ken Pickard’s scud of a letter to the editor with a sexist warhead claiming Island County Board of Health member Jill Johnson was “embarrassingly shrill and disrespectful” for asking simple questions of the Island County health officer was an implosion worth waking up to.

Frankly, if shrill is, “high-pitched and piercing” and disrespectful is “show a lack of respect for; insult,” then what were the COER posters at the event I attended but embarrassingly shrill and disrespectful with intent to insult and intimidate?

In reviewing a video of the Island County Board of Health’s hearing on COER’s EA-18G noise complaints, Johnson stated she had “questions based on reading the material provided,” and the day’s public comment, but did not expect instant answers.

Johnson asked for instant acknowledgement of how important fighting obesity is, “Have we taken any steps to ban sodas? Fast food?”

In response, the Island County health officer admitted, “You cannot legislate people’s choices.”

Perhaps what provoked COER’s president was the Johnson question, “Have you, as the medical professional, required anyone to live in a specific location?”

After Dr. Thomas said, “no,” and therefore made Johnson’s point that it is a choice to live next to OLF Coupeville.

Johnson also made clear that, if “population health” data displayed “population impacts directly correlated to the jet noise,” the conversation could be reopened.

Since COER likes neither the questions nor answers, COER now collectively promotes the prejudice of misogyny.  Considering on May 25 I heard a lady’s voice on the OLF Coupeville radio frequency training to defend our freedoms, including freedom from prejudice.

Ultimately, COER needs to stop the bullying and realize that you cannot legislate people’s choices.

An alternative is that the next community confrontation regarding jet noise and health will have liberal application of the term “eminent domain.”

Joe A. Kunzler

Sedro Woolley