A derisive, divisive column

As someone who lives in rural Lincoln County, I’m writing to strongly disagree with Sue Lani Madsen’s column on Nov. 19 (“Seattle, convince us’backward-thinking people’”).

She either didn’t read the article she was attacking – a Seattle Times column titled “Dear Seattle: You can dismiss Trumpism. But how’s that working for you?” by Ms. Naomi Ishisaka – or purposefully manipulated its words so she could further divide our state and nation.

Madsen might have actually agreed with Ms. Ishisaka had she spent time reading the article instead of jumping to an overly simplistic rural-versus-urban argument. The title of Ishisaka’s article says it all: Dear Seattle: You can dismiss Trumpism. But how’s that working for you?

Madsen makes numerous assumptions that are unfair to fellow rural Washington residents and city dwellers alike.

She opens her column by writing that Lincoln County’s newspapers define inclusion as publishing complete results in a turkey raffle. That’s an insult to the important topic of ensuring equality for all people.

She goes on to write: “We forgive you for thinking King County is the center of the universe.” Ms. Ishisaka never said that. I’m sure many of your readers have close family and friends who live there. I do and I lived there for eight years too.

Derision does not heal the divide in our country. I am disappointed that Ms. Madsen appears to be picking fights with someone who was trying to build bridges across our differences.

Ann H. Harder

Sprague, Wash.