Can Seattle’s leaders bridge the divide between protests and solutions?
Budget realities and the demand to defund SPD came to a head this week and the City Council was forced to blink. Cuts to SPD will fall short of 50% this year but the real story is the growing toxicity between City leaders that encourages unrest and does little to speed social justice and public safety reform.
The majority of the Council agreed to a 50% cut in 2020 before learning if it was legal and feasible. When the Council’s rebalanced budget plan fell short of that number, angry voices have accused the Council of selling out. Council Member Sawant joined in berating her colleagues.
On Monday Police Chief Carmen Best implored the Council to take action against mob rule after her house was targeted by a reported 200 protesters on Saturday. CM Morales, the only Council Member to comment on the incident, claimed without proof the Chief “celebrated” that protestors were met by neighbors with firearms. "We won't agree with everyone but should not be met with armed neighbors," she said.
Unfortunately, intimidation tactics aren't bound by rules, and missteps on either side can be fatal. Recent protests have also targeted the homes of the Mayor and Council Members with threats and graffiti for those who did not blindly agree to a 50% cut.
It may be legal but is this what we want our democracy to look like?
Council Member Strauss suggested the protesters who visited him were "young and learning to lead" adding "many people in the community don't understand how civics work."
If so, this is critical moment for the Council to start by modeling good leadership. Many on the Council have encouraged protesters to continue. Some have vilified the police and made excuses for violent incidents that marred otherwise peaceful protests.
They would be wise to channel the late John Lewis who told protesters in May, “I know your pain, your rage, your sense of despair and hopelessness. Justice has indeed been denied for far too long. Rioting, looting, and burning is not the way. Organize. Demonstrate. Sit-in. Stand-up. Vote. Be constructive, not destructive.”
It’s time to stop agitating and start collaborating. Our elected leaders and civil servants need to engage with each other. They may not agree with or like each other but that’s part of governing in our divided age.
After two months of daily protests the message has been received. Residents and businesses downtown are living in a war zone with buildings boarded or on standby to do so on a moment’s notice. The people suffering on our streets continue to wait for help while we argue over an arbitrary percentage.
There are differing views on how to achieve it but most people agree we need a new paradigm for social justice and public safety. We won’t get there by vilifying each other and making promises that can’t be kept. It’s time to acknowledge no side will get 100% of what it wants. And the continuing inability to work together prolongs unrest and desperately needed solutions.
The budget plan before the Council is just a stop gap. The real work begins next month when 2021 budget talks begin.
Before then we need our leaders to hit reset and set a new tone. They should be accountable to all voices, not just the loudest. Listen to everyone, manage expectations and lead us from protests into solutions.
