As a resident fully invested in my community of Ridgefield, I was disgusted to hear Eileen Quiring falsely claim that systemic racism does not exist in Clark County. By denying that such racism exists in the county, Quiring perpetuates white supremacist propaganda through the chair of Clark County Council. Quiring is abusing her public office by echoing this patent falsehood. Quiring is legitimizing and creating a platform in the county that the existence of racism is somehow a debatable opinion. Systemic racism is a fact in our country and has been so for over 400 years. Clark County is not an island of egalitarian paradise.
Quiring must resign as chair and resign from council as her remarks make it clear she cannot meet the demands of public service. This important public office must be held by an individual who is not willfully ignorant in protecting racist power structures in Clark County. The county’s work in addressing institutional racism cannot be impeded by a chair who brings such negative attention onto the Clark County Council and all Clark County residents by attracting scandalous national attention. Clark County deserves and must demand better.
Anything less is an ongoing insult to all Clark County citizens.
