“Small d” democratic moments

The La Conner community – actually a subset of parents, staff and residents of the school district – spent most of Saturday listening to and questioning candidates for the district’s superintendent position. Some folks returned Monday and Tuesday to provide input to the La Conner School District Board of Directors before a new superintendent was chosen today.

Last Wednesday evening another portion of the community, again parents and residents, met with Town elected officials and staff over Zoom to discuss the purpose and shape of the new 24,000 square foot park on Maple Avenue that will be next to the new 10 home development. That was a spirited 90 minute exchange.

Both of these community engagements show a commitment to the process of living together and shaping a common future. No decisions were made at the end of any meeting. Park Commissioner Ollie Iversen noted, “tonight is not a night for decisions, it is an input night” and Councilmember Mary Wohleb emphasized having an open process and getting everyone involved over a months long period leading to recommendations for the Town Council to consider.

Next Thursday, April 7, the La Conner Library will be asking for your support during the national, third annual Library Giving Day. A new library would not be going up on Morris and Sixth streets without this community’s involvement and donations.

This is what living in, participating and supporting the places we call home looks like, whether it is a 900 person Town of La Conner, the 1,000 person Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, 1,800 people in Shelter Bay or expanded out to Skagit County, the state of Washington or the whole country.

Reflect on these small acts and actions and this ongoing public, open and collaborative participation by your family, friends and neighbors. This is what democracy looks like. This is how the future comes about, with mostly small, incremental changes.

Please consider and compare the process of people in this community living together and making decisions to move forward together with the chaos at the start of the year: Thousands of people came to Washington, D.C., many with a variety of weapons, and many with the intent to change the national government through insurrection.

Is that what democracy looks like? How could it be that thousands were called to act violently, so certain that Donald Trump’s election victory was stolen and no alternative was available but violent government overthrow? Meanwhile hundreds of millions of citizens trust the system, however much or little they participate.

There is a great disconnect. People and society, as much as plants, grow in light and complex, diverse communities. There are choices to participate, or not, to speak openly, or not and to work peacefully in community or not. There is trust, or not.

- ken stern