||| FROM FLETCHER DAE |||
My name is Fletcher and I have been a volunteer with Orcas Fire and Rescue since 2018. I have served as a First Responder and Firefighter and am a newly certified EMT. I am a board member of the Volunteer Firefighters Association. I am also the treasurer and one of the founding members of Orcas Island Pride and identify as trans non-binary. While I play other roles in my community, I am here today as a department member with deep and serious concerns regarding the safety and welfare of myself and my neighbors. I am aware of the risks I am taking by speaking out, including the possibility of losing my much-beloved volunteer position, but I would rather take the braver way out of such a double bind and stand in my integrity.
I have been made aware of the social media content of our recently selected Fire Commissioner, Rex Chadwell, which includes transphobia.
I understand the Commission was made aware of the content of his account prior to his selection, and there is record of this.
I also understand that even though there were no other candidates, the Board did not have to fill the vacancy as they had already met the quorum requirements, but chose to anyway.
I strongly believe his social media content and biases are harmful. I understand the grievance policy but have not filed one because I am hoping for a response of accountability from the Commision to the following:
1) Given that his social media reflects beliefs and biases that are contrary to the safety and welfare of department and community members such as myself, and appear to be a violation of the standards of conduct that all department members are expected to uphold, what are your plans to address these concerns? Without going into arguments around freedom of speech, identity politics, whataboutisms and other semantics, at the very least we need an accountability statement addressing the safety issues with Mr. Chadwell’s social media presence.
2) In my experience with people such as Mr. Chadwell, it is common to receive indigent rejection of requests asking them to take an honest look at harmful beliefs. I doubt Mr. Chadwell has ever sincerely tried to understand on a personal level the objects of his derision, such as people who have had to make the excruciating decision to have an abortion, or the experiences of non-binary people such as myself. However, beyond the allure of generalizations and in the interest of proactive dialogue, I am willing to ask this question:
What does Mr. Chadwell plan to do in order to grow as a person and commissioner in a way that will broaden his understanding and ensure the safety and well-being of the people he has chosen to serve? How will the Commission help him advance in this way?
I would like to remind everyone that we are all in a position of service to the community. No position is a position of power.
Finally, I do not need nor do I want this to be addressed privately. I want these questions to be addressed in the BOFC’s next public meeting.
Yours in service.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Rex Chadwell has tendered his resignation]
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Mr Chadwell resigned
This was the statement that Fletcher made at the OIFR Board of Commissioners meeting last month. I am deeply grateful for their brave and honest wisdom. I also recognize that in speaking up and out, they risk a punitive response from the administration of OIFR. I hope, if that is the case, that the community will have their back.
Our Fire Commission displaying terrible judgement and leadership? Well at least they are consistent.
“I would like to remind everyone that we are all in a position of service to the community. No position is a position of power.”
This should be repeated over and over again to the BOFC until maybe some inkling of the deeper meaning of these words sinks in to them. It might take a while.
Thanks Fletcher for your courage and integrity in speaking out!
And thank you, as ever, for all you do for the community.
Thank you writing this thoughtful and courageous letter Fletcher. Although I do not know you personally what you write is eloquent and on point. We do need to address and have strong policies for equality, respect and inclusion on this island, Diversity and the right to live In safely and kindness is an island tradition we do not want to lose.
I agree with Hilary: yes, the community needs to have Fletcher’s back, and even though it may be too late, I’d ask for the community to have Rex’s back as well. Both deserve support.
Thanks for speaking up with your personal concerns, Fletcher. To me, your use of the phrases
“In my experience with people such as Mr. Chadwell…” and “I doubt Mr. Chadwell has ever…” commits the same error you’re calling out, namely: making assumptions about another’s character and worth without knowing them.
I’ve always found Rex to be open-minded, and to enjoy talking with a wide range of people. While Rex and I have different political views, I honor his commitment to community service. I’ve directly experienced this as his neighbor for eight years, where Rex committed countless hours to an extensive road improvement project. For years, he responded quickly to emergencies such as downed trees, road washouts, and snowstorms, keeping roads safe and passable. When we left the island for a vacation, Rex emailed to say that a major rain had washed out our gravel driveway. He and his wife Susan spent hours clearing away the gravel which had covered our entryway deck. This kind of concern and regard for others is the best kind of politics.
These divisive times challenge us to make an extra effort to support each other’s humanity. On this small island, we can create the best of what this country claims to be.
The editor of the paper contacted me for my consent to publish this. I consented even though I was nervous because it’s important.
I want to remind everyone that I never once asked for a resignation. I asked for accountability and a conversation. Many people simply wanted a reversal of the appointment. I preferred a proactive approach. Mr. Chadwell chose instead to resign instead of engage. That’s fine.
When you offer someone a match they will either use it to create light, or to set themselves on fire.
I’m sure he has great qualities and experiences- no one is the sum of their bad parts and we are all capable of holding multiple complexities at once- and indeed I want someone with competent financial experience and a willingness to help on my team. However, when someone’s beliefs support the oppression of others- which is actually an inward anger turned outwards- it is no longer a simple difference of opinion, and that must be addressed before anything else. Be grateful for the privilege to not feel unsafe around people with those kinds of beliefs.
He chose not to address it which is his right.
I spoke, as always, solely from my experience. Nothing less or more than that. And to me, reality is not a zero-sum game. We have to be braver, kinder and more creative than that.
Thank you everyone.
“ We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.”
-James Baldwin
Times have changed.The first time I ever encountered “trans” people was in a book I read in 1952.”Orlando”by Virginia Woolf. She just accepted the change and moved on. I ran for public office in 1970 in this county. The people in this district (Orcas) treated me as Ms. Woolf treated Orlando. My life has not changed and this community has not changed. Remember the support we witnessed when the tourist pitched a fir over the rainbow flag in central Eastsound? We as a community should embrace the belief in the people here.The Fire Department did appoint someone of different beliefs than a member of the active responders. How Mr.Dae knew this is not the point. If being outed as homophobic or racist or Episcopalian effects Mr.Chadwell ability to serve the OIFD we should shake our fists. But the guy didn’t have a chance. He was outed and condemned. The very thing Mr. Dae feared. Where does that leave this community?
Fletcher expresses fears of losing his volunteer position and about his safety and welfare over concerns about issues outside the purview of OF&R. This is an unacceptable situation that does no one any good. Certainly OF&R has strict policies against actions or evaluations that are not focused entirely on the scope and responsibilities within OF&R. These should protect Fletcher and any other folks that have different views about issues outside the purview of OF&R.
The same should have applied to Mr. Chadwell. He had important qualifications and experience for the position including serving in Viet Nam as an Army helo pilot (pulling lots of troops out of harm’s way), safely flying for American Airlines for 32 years (piloting with other pilots of all sort of different points of view) and owning a successful ambulance business. Working with and being tolerant of others’ views was required in much of his career. He was willing to put in the time and effort to serve our community. He applied for the open position on the commission, interviewed and met with the current Commissioners and people working in OF&R. The Commission voted unanimously appointing him to the Commission. Fletcher and five other individuals then voiced concerns about issues outside OF&R concerning Mr. Chadwell. In my view, their concerns were over blown. The Commissioners then folded like a house of cards, withdrawing their support. Mr. Chadwell resigned.
Wouldn’t it be great if we as a community could select and rate the performance of people in public positions for their qualifications and performance for the job? Why not be tolerant of the views of others? No consideration should be given to personal views outside the purview of the organization. Any violations should be dealt with directly. Certainly, Fletcher should not fear retaliation for his personal views, just like Mr. Chadwell should not.
The problem with Mr. Chadwell’s appointment was far beyond Fletcher’s concerns—as justified as they were in their case. Mr. Chadwell’s social media presence was filled with vile, mocking, and bigoted posts. In fact, his posts were almost exclusively soaked in intolerance.
Whether it was mocking a trans person, calling colleges havens for communists while suggesting they should be shut down, misogynistic nonsense, arming teachers in classrooms as a solution to mass murders in schools, and promoting absurd conspiracy theories his political views are very far from the mainstream of the residents of Orcas which he was appointed to represent.
All of that put together paled in comparison to his views on science! His anti-mask and anti-vaccine opinions alone should have disqualified him as someone who would be making policy for OIFR who’s very mission it is to deliver medical care using the latest science we have available.
And if anyone needs more proof that this person, however “nice” a neighbor he may be, should have never been considered to serve the community, I point you to his unveiled threats of violence towards a public official (Dr. Fauci)!
Fletcher indeed never sought Mr. Chadwell’s resignation. Fletcher sought out an opportunity for communication and understanding. So please lay off targeting them. Knowing Fletcher as I do I am quite sure they would still be open to sharing with “good neighbor” Rex. I hope it happens. They both, along with the rest of us, have a lot to learn. It’s a glorious opportunity.
I don’t know Fletcher personally, but their letter is spot-on. It asked for dialogue and self-searching by the commissioners and the commissioner who resigned – but also, it asks this of us, the readers. Sadly. that path was not taken, but it’s nothing new with that particular commission. We ought to have Fletcher’s back, plus everyone else who’s been threatened, harassed, bullied, and driven out for continuing to ask questions and seek further dialogue. As some others have pointed out in the comments, we need to keep our own conclusion-jumping assumptions in check as well.
That said: several of the comments here are as troubling as learning about the now-resigned commissioner’s unfortunate and dangerous biases revealed on social media. Is there no face to face dialogue anymore? Do we all need mediators now just to have a respectful two-way conversation? We all have biases, whether publicly expressed or kept private. There’s been a lot of hate speech and self-righteousness going around on a lot of issues – especially on social media.
A house divided, falls. The pandemic has only deepened divides that were already festering, but it’s a symptom, not the cause, of our ongoing problems. We seem to be a house divided in more ways than we’re aware, as some of the comments show. It’s all too easy to completely throw away a person now, and not look at the whole of that person, the complexities, or their positive contributions.
We need strong protective policies against abuse of power, discrimination, and bullying by anyone holding any powerful position for any reason – that is the issue that has caused so much division in OIFR and elsewhere, and it needs fixing.
Dialogue could have helped this situation laid out by Fletcher. People can still point the finger of blame at anyone with different opinions than their own sacred-cow, often fear-based beliefs. It’s not just bigotry, trans-hate, or misogyny today. Hate speech became much worse and more dangerous in the pandemic. Please see Agenda 201 to understand the machinations of the mass psychosis operating today, creating fear and confusion and a new class of ‘untouchables’ while censoring free speech and any scientific or journalistic evidence countering The Narrative.
How will we stay solid as a community and put our imperfect humanity first so we can learn from each other? As Lesley Liddle said, we must not lose this. I can’t help feeling that our foundation as a coherent community has major cracks and fault lines in its foundation now. I feel tremendously sad.
Here’s where to find state laws on filling commission vacancies.
RCWs > Title 42 > Chapter 42.12 > Section 42.12.070
42.12.040 <> End of Chapter