YOUNG VOTERS LEAGUE TAKES ISSUE WITH PARTISAN FORUM OF
SEATTLE TIMES AND SEATTLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
CALLS FOR PUBLIC PROTEST
The Seattle Times is promoting and hosting a Mayoral candidate forum tonight at City Club in Rainier Square, 1333 Fifth Avenue, which being advertised as a non-partisan forum. The City Club maintains that they are a fiercely non-partisan organization.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "non-partisan" as "not partisan ; especially : free from party affiliation, bias, or designation". The problem with this forum is that it is partisan, as opposed to non-partisan. Eight candidates are running for mayor of Seattle. This forum designates only six as worthy of inclusion. Specifically, it excludes Elizabeth Campbell and K. Wyking Garrett. A non-partisan forum (i.e. one free from bias or designation) would include all eight Mayoral candidates.
The Young Voters League has invited ALL the Mayoral candidates to our non-partisan Mayoral candidates forum at the Umojafest Peace Center (2314 E. Spring Street) from 3 to 5 pm on Sunday, July 26th. The City Club has responded to Young Voters League's criticism by stating that their exclusion of Elizabeth and Wyking was entirely based on these two candidates having not raised enough money to be considered "viable" by City Club. They claim that since money, and not party affiliation, was the basis of this exclusion, that we are wrong to identify their forum as partisan.
In fact, this proves our point. Partisanship in favor of wealthy candidates and against poor ones is often veiled behind charades of party affiliation, but not in this case. We appreciate the clarity and upfrontness of this blatantness. However, we will continue to point out that this forum is partisan, and to take issue with that fact.We are therefore calling upon the young voters of Seattle, (young adults, youth, and supporters) as well as the two excluded Mayoral candidates and their supporters, to join us in excercising our first amendment rights in a peaceful and public protest outside of the City Club forum tonight.
Young Voters League Protest:
Outside City Club
1333 Fifth Avenue
Rainier Square, Seattle, WA 98101
