Not just a “stringer” for The Mirror but the publisher himself, Rudi Alcott, seems to have gotten way off track in the “post tragedy breakdown” he has manufactured in his recent comments in The Mirror.

Anything to stir up dust, it seems. He feels a need to dictate who should have led a community meeting, in what order they should have spoken, what they should have said, and, by the way, that they should have had a follow-up meeting.

The meeting did not take an unusual turn at all, as Alcott alleges. At the beginning of the meeting, it was explained that there were two purposes for the meeting. The last part of the meeting was set aside for just the Pinewood Village Apartment residents. This was done specifically so the residents could have some private time with clergy and others there specifically to help in the “healing process.”

Why is that so hard for the publisher to understand or grasp? Alcott complains “…the city kept the press and the public from hearing any questions and answers the residents may have asked.” Really? Why can’t the residents have some private time? In an effort to “sensationalize” the whole situation, Alcott sadly and ineffectively tries to draw an analogy to the recent Boston tragedy.

If anyone is creating divisiveness out of this situation, it is Mr. Alcott. To use Mr. Alcott’s own words, I, too, am appalled. But I am appalled by Mr. Alcott’s negativity.

Unlike Mr. Alcott, I don’t feel a need to apologize to all Federal Way citizens for Mr. Alcott’s misunderstanding of what happened at the meeting. I’m guessing the more prudent people “got it” and weren’t upset at all. I feel offended that the publisher of The Mirror is involved in “digging up dirt” and being so transparent about his obvious distaste for the city. Hopefully people will be able to see through that.

Linda Purlee, Federal Way