TO SCOTT L. SMITH: Thanks for taking the time to meet with me yesterday when I came into your branch at 1501 Fourth Avenue to close my three Washington Mutual accounts.
I have banked with Washington Mutual for more than six years because it was a local bank, home of the "no fee" checking account. I do not care for Bank of America's style of banking where they charge the customer for every little thing, including the ability to talk to a customer service teller. However, I will gladly pay those service charges to avoid doing business with Washington Mutual. When I came to your branch to close my accounts, I wanted to fill out a form to let Washington Mutual know why I was closing my account. There were no forms available and you assured me you would forward my e-mail to your district manager. I would appreciate it if you could please cc me on the e-mail when you forward it to your district manager.
I just wanted to say one more thing. I read Josh Feit's October 14 article in The Stranger which referenced Washington Mutual's recent e-mail to its employees about how they should vote "yes" for I-83, the "monorail recall," and that Washington Mutual has recently donated over $80,000 to the Monorail Recall campaign. I strongly believe that businesses have no business pushing their political views on their employees.
Thank you again for taking the time to meet with me yesterday and for forwarding this to your district manager.
Katie Melchior
ANOTHER FORMER WAMU CUSTOMER
JOSH: Thank you for the article regarding WAMU's donation to the monorail recallers. When I found out about their support of Initiative 83, I was furious. I closed my checking/saving accounts at WaMu about a week and a half ago. I also called Suzanne Estey and (not so politely) explained why and that I was very angry at their support of I-83. I got their corporate BS rhetoric in return. I left comments on www.buildthemonorail.com encouraging others to also close their accounts at WaMu. I'm glad you are publicizing this issue more, and kudos indeed to Jan Drago!
Susan O'Connell
LOOKING FOR A NEW BANK?
TO THE EDITOR: If anyone withdrawing their business from WaMu is looking for an outstanding bank I highly recommend HomeStreet Bank. The people are wonderful, and they do cool things like donate money to the zoo when a new account is opened.
Michael Trepp
KERRY CAMP THANKS STRANGER
DEAR EDITOR: I am writing to thank your newspaper for its strong support of the Kerry campaign! It has pleased us so much to see, even though John Kerry has come out against equal rights for gays and lesbians and voiced support for a constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage in his home state, that The Stranger has been able to move past this small point and urge its gay and lesbian readers to vote for John Kerry!
Likewise, we have enjoyed reading your condemnations of the war in Iraq. We are also pleased to see that John Kerry's commitment to win the war, by sending in 40,000 more troops to Iraq, has not softened your support for his presidential bid.
And even though The Stranger and John Kerry disagree on the war on drugs, the PATRIOT Act, the WTO and NAFTA, the prison industry, and increases in the pentagon budget, we're proud to count your paper among our supporters. Thank you for assuring us of your votes and selflessly demanding nothing of John Kerry.
Mathew Kimbal
ASSHOLE THANKS STRANGER
TO THE EDITOR: Thank you for publishing the voter guide in today's Stranger. Now all I need to do is vote the opposite of your recommendations on almost every candidate and issue, and I will be doing a great service for our state and nation.
Paul Swifterone
NO REALLY,
THANKS STRANGER
TO THE STRANGER DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY: I want-ed to cast enlightened, progressive votes, but don't have time to sort things out beyond "Bush Must Go," so I voted as you told me to. Thanks for a great paper and the helpful election endorsements.
JJ
PRO-LIFE, PRO-CROOK
DEAR EDITOR: Your semi-enthusiastic endorsement of Terry Sebring for supreme court noted that his opponent, Richard Sanders, doesn't support gay rights. However, you left out two other critical facts about Sanders.
1. He's anti-choice. He was investigated by the Judicial Conduct Commission for speaking to a pro-life rally the day of his inauguration as a supreme court justice.
2. He's pro-criminal. He voted for the criminal about 90 percent of the time in his written opinions during his current term. He also voted to release sexually violent predators into our communities because he believes the law confining them is unconstitutional.
Just in case someone needed more reasons to vote for Terry Sebring, there you have them.
