In a Democratic stronghold like West Seattle, which has produced a mayor, state legislators and a county council member, it is difficult for citizens that are of the Republican persuasion to face another Democratic landslide.

Coming from a fundamental Christian father and a mother whose father was one of the founders of the first cooperative colony in Port Angeles, I personally inherited a wide perspective on the political scene. And West Seattle has shown its versatility in dealing with a variety of issues testing our voting mentality.

Recently, I attended a political fundraiser at the West Seattle Nursery, which turned out to be great fun with a wonderful band and a singer stimulating my urge to dance.

After a delicious locally catered meal I was swinging and swaying for over an hour, with only time out to visit occasionally

Between dance numbers, I checked out the silent auction where there was everything from commemorative wine glasses, Japanese jewel boxes that played tunes, and even large blown glass balls. The live auction gave bidders the opportunity to win a kayak trip with our own legislator Sharon Nelson, spending a day with candidate for King County Executive Dow Constantine, or eating a meal with Mayor Greg Nickels.

The thunder and lightning experienced the evening before this event gave way to salsa rhythms and a lingering sunset.

Quite a different scene from the Wednesday before when people holding signs picketed outside the 34th District Democratic monthly meeting and the Raging Grannies were invited in to sing about single payer healthcare.

Our own 7th district congress member Jim McDermott spoke eloquently about getting healthcare out of the hands of private insurance companies who spend 40 cents of every dollar for management costs. The public well knows how much advertising healthcare companies have spewed out without restrictions in peddling drugs on television.

Seattle has been the center for healthcare reform ever since Group Health Cooperative started many years ago. As early as the Kennedy administration it was visited more than once to learn about a plan-without-profit that works.

Healthcare improvement was squelched in 1993 and it has taken since then to mount a real move toward healthcare for everyone and not just the rich and upper middle class.

I had learned better than to argue with picketers but I couldn’t resist asking a fellow holding up a sign reading, “Keep government out of Health Care” whether he would also keep government out of making unilateral war. His answer was, “We need to kill anyone who threatens our country.”

The protagonist Greg Mortensen in the book "Three Cups of Tea," would disagree with the militant approaches which have dominated the thinking of extremist groups in the world. They have put killing those who do not agree with them as first priority.

When people are educated for cooperation and community sharing instead of being taught to hate and kill, their lives can be fulfilling and without the fear and terror of militaristic regimes.

In a so-called democracy we supposedly have a choice. Let’s hope that we continue to exercise our political freedom to choose the nurturing of life over killing and destruction.

Georgie Bright Kunkel is a freelance writer who can be reached at gnkunkel@comcast.net or 206-935-8663.