Last week was a roller coaster week for the city of Airway Heights, which has been under the microscope due to the actions of Mayor Patrick Rushing. I won’t go into full detail because you can read on the front page of this week’s Cheney Free Press to learn what happened.
I could attack this issue from many angles. I could go on about First Amendment rights, which was something that was repeatedly brought up at Monday night’s City Council meeting. The First Amendment does give us the right to free speech but it doesn’t prevent others from disagreeing with us, nor does it protect us from the fallout of expressing our opinions and beliefs.
I could talk about how employees who represent a city, sports franchise or business should be held to a higher standard and be cautious of putting their personal opinions out there in the public eye for everyone to dissect.
However, I thought I would look at Airway Heights as a whole as its people and community are the ones who are most affected by this mess.
I always tell staff, elected officials and anyone who will listen that I lived in Airway Heights when I was younger. On my way to Airway Heights, I drive past the Lawson Trailer Park where I used to live. The open fields, where I used to ride my bike, are filled with businesses, as well as the wastewater reclamation plant. I remember when businesses like Yoke’s Pac’n and Save Foods — now Yoke’s Fresh Market — and McDonalds came into town.
Listening to a couple of residents last night, I too remember when you didn’t want to tell people you lived in Airway Heights.
The city has come a long way over the years. Housing developments are sprouting up on the north side of the city. Sunset Elementary and Sunset Park have undergone some improvements in the last year. Then there’s Northern Quest Casino.
In many instances there is one person or a small group of people that will do or say something that is not reflective of their country, race or religion. With this incident making national news, people are asking if the opinions and beliefs of Airway Heights’ residents reflect that of the mayor’s — even though the City Council members and staff have gone on record numerous times saying they don’t. And Rushing has repeatedly apologized and said he will reach out to the NAACP to learn about race relations. I hope he does this, not to improve his public image but to better himself.
The city has overcome a lot of adversity over the years and it will take some time for the city to come back from this. Some folks said Airway Heights cannot begin the healing process until Rushing is removed from office. Unfortunately, those people did not get their wish as the mayor has repeatedly said he will not resign and residents will have to recall him from office.
If a recall election to remove Rushing is what it will truly take for the city to heal, then it’s going to be a slow healing process as recalls don’t happen overnight. Judging by some of the comments at the meeting, there seems to be a committee that is taking on the effort to make the recall happen.
But should residents wait that long to start the own healing process for themselves?
The people of Airway Heights have a right to be angry, but holding in all of that hate and anger doesn’t erase the damage that’s been done and it won’t make the healing process any easier.
I’m not saying residents should simply get over this issue, or not recall the mayor from office if that’s what they want. I’m saying that when they see or hear something that’s hateful, whether it’s an offensive Facebook comment or an insult directed toward them, they should take some of that anger and frustration they feel and try to turn it into something positive. I understand it’s hard because we live in a society that puts as much effort — if not more — in putting people down than lifting them up.
But there’s enough negativity out there. Instead, be a shining light in this world.
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
Reader Comments(0)