PLEASANTVILLE

[March 25 letter to Blaine City Council:

A while back, Blaine proposed changing its name to Blaine Harbor, presumably to become a tourist destination like Friday Harbor. Of course, Friday Harbor has the whale museum, ferry rides between the San Juan Islands, and lots of fine art. Still, it never hurts to dream, but Monday March 23 Blaine City Council entered the Twilight Zone, declaring themselves above the law by exonerating the Blaine Chief of Police for alleged wrongdoing because Chief of Police Rodger Funk and City Manager Mike Harmon decided he was not guilty.

No need to let the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC) complete its investigation of Funk begun March 9, 2026. Mary Lou Steward, Sonia Hurt, Richard May, Don Enos, Sarbjit Bains, Isaac Newland, and Jiggy Sorrell have essentially declared themselves judge and jury, declaring Funk innocent, and citizens who filed complaints with the CJTC guilty. 

In light of this latest in a long line of really stupid acts by Blaine City Council 2023-26, I propose changing the name of Blaine to Pleasantville.

In the 1998 film Pleasantville--starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels and Reese Witherspoon--"The story centers on two siblings who wind up trapped in a 1950s television show, set in a small Midwest town, where residents are seemingly perfect." Things go off the rails when the black-and-white town magically becomes colorized. 

"The town leaders, including the mayor, Big Bob, and others who remain black and white are suspicious of the recent changes and begin to discriminate against the 'colored' people... The town council establishes a code of conduct that, among other things, bans colored citizens from public venues and outlaws reading, rock music and using colorful paint."

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