Editor,

Well, well. Seems the COER has upped the ante in their attempts to close the base. A lawsuit. Honestly, this should be dismissed as frivolous, but we shall see.

This tiny group of NIMBYs seems bent on destroying this economy and our community. They “claim” they aren’t “anti-Navy” yet continue to denigrate our men and women at NAS Whidbey Island.

They use terms like, “bad neighbors,” “lazy,” “welfare in uniform” all because this tiny group of people have chosen to move into an area that contains an active airfield.

One has to wonder what part of air they did not understand about Naval Air Station?

While none of their grandiose claims have been proven true, they continue to force themselves against the community in the most divisive, corrosive ways. When they are called on their nonsense, they attempt to quash dissenting opinions (or facts) with thinly veiled threats of “libel.” Really?

It was when one of these COER lackeys attempted to co-opt the civil rights movement, as if their choice to move (or in some cases, have them or their spouse stationed at, NASWI) is a violation of their rights, I was at first highly offended.

But then, I looked at this more in depth and have come to the conclusion, as any reasoning person would, that this was yet another classic public relations blunder, one of many for this group.

Why? Well, when invoking the civil rights movement and your group continues to use terms like “bad neighbors,” “lazy,” “welfare in uniform,” and “depressing the economy” … gee, seems like the words used by Gov. George Wallace and his supporters.

Indeed, seems what they have done was switch to a different “N” word: Navy. So when you see that truck with the huge sign in back, maybe you will know what Coupeville’s “dirty little secret” is.

It sure isn’t jet noise.

It begs the question: Who is the real “bad neighbor”?

Tim Cook

Oak Harbor