I currently live most of the time in Bellingham, as I am a student at Western Washington University, and I came home for spring break to the headline, “Oak Harbor nude club plans unveiled,” and had to wonder, how long is Oak Harbor going to remain a place I am happy to come back to?

I, like many of my peers, berated this city for having so little to do in my high school years, but when the Element came in I was not pleased. This town, though not the liveliest, has always been safe for kids to play and safety to me is priceless. So yes, Ms. O’Kelley, you will likely make your millions in the sex industry if that’s what you choose, but at what price? Though I will not argue that the Red Tie is going to ruin this city all on its own, I ask, is this the precedent we want to set for future businesses?

Many people asked when the Element came in, what next? Well, here’s their answer, a place where men and women can go into the community, sit down with their friends, and have a nice time watching people sell the image of their bodies and allowing all who watch to degrade the meaning of sexuality.

Arianna Cane

Bellingham