Kent ShoWare or nightmare?

When my teenager first saw the Kent Reporter issue covered with photos of the lingerie football players all I heard was, “what is this world coming to?” I too have to ask the same question, among many others…

Are you listening, Kent City Council? Surely you had to have read or heard of the many letters to the Kent Reporter expressing outrage and objection towards allowing this trash in our community? Perhaps you chose to ignore them? Have you asked yourselves what is the purpose of this offensive entertainment? What kind of audience are you hoping to attract? Are we in downtown Seattle or Kent? Do morals, values, or reputation mean anything to you? Are you simply just going to do nothing, laugh, and “move on” as one of your council members disturbingly said…because of a contract? I sure hope not!

I have been a proud citizen of Kent for over 10 years – until now. I even wrote an article a few years ago for the Kent Reporter on one of your fine organizations which got published. Now I’m shocked, dismayed, and disgusted over where we are at today. I was very excited during the construction and looking forward to when the ShoWare Center would open. I thought about when my teenager graduates high school in a few years that we wouldn’t have to drive down to Tacoma for the ceremony and now kind of wish we did. I also thought it was great to now have the opportunity to take family and friends to a concert in my backyard; after all it is a family center … but maybe not?

Well this is what the Kent leaders led us to believe when trying to get the center approved until this disappointing announcement. At first I was going to let this go and “move on,” but then as I read more of the Kent leaders comments I was outraged and just had to do something; if not for me; for my kids and perhaps for others.

What happened to the promoted ShoWare “FAMILY” center? Was this just a lie? Is it hiding in fine print in a contract somewhere? What are we teaching our kids? What happened to decent and normal family values being expressed in good clean entertainment?

Please don’t tell me that this is “show business,” because it’s not and you know it. I hope that we didn’t surrender Kent’s integrity to the ShoWare Center and “show business.” Yes, the circus may cause animal rights activists to protest, but this is way different and there is no comparison. The circus is everywhere and doesn’t humiliate, embarrass, and insult women and the game of football. In addition, the circus doesn’t let you in based on your “looks.” Contrary to the circus lingerie football is not everywhere and shouldn’t be anywhere. It’s not a sport – it’s pornography in action and has no place in our community.

Yes, it’s our choice as to whether we want to buy tickets to this event or not, but why have the option to begin with? We didn’t have a choice when the Kent Reporter showed up on our front lawn advertising this filth! How can a parent teach their children to live by certain standards when the very leaders of their own community (who they elected) support such offensive entertainment? Where do we draw the line? What’s next – attractive men mud wrestling in Speedos?!

I along with many others plead with you to please re-visit and review the contract with the ShoWare Center entertainment promotion company. This was actually suggested by one of your own council members and I echo it. This is the flicker of hope to extinguish this trash. Each of you representing us (the city of Kent) and the taxpayer should take some action. Please don’t excuse and rationalize this very serious moral issue and situation because it won’t go away. Sure it’s easy to turn away and just “move on” and not do anything. But you know that this would be wrong and a huge mistake for the many families and people living in Kent. We still take pride in our city and are hopeful and looking forward to the future filled with 100 percent good wholesome family entertainment at the new ShoWare Center.

Please do the right thing, step up, and lead by example. After all Kent is still our city – I think? Unless we were sold off and just got SACKED?

Joseph Seuferling

Kent