I’ve spent more than a few years in the “political trenches” fighting the good fight for issues that I know the people in Federal Way and Auburn care about, so I am more than used to the normal slings and arrows from opponents in newspaper columns, letters to the editor, and editorial boards who strongly disagree with what I am doing.

Except for The Stranger, most newspapers have consistently avoided the ugly name-calling and vicious rhetoric that one normally sees in dark money campaign hit pieces, social media posts, and unregulated anonymous blog comments. I, and most savvy politicians, always ignore the ugliness that is directed at them from these “yellow journalism” type of sites.

However, I was very disappointed this past week when the Federal Way Mirror printed their latest anonymously written “Mr. Federal Way” column. Their comparison of my routine government accountability proposal to identify and ensure successful treatment for all homeless individuals receiving government-funded services, to policies made famous by Nazi Germany (“by having them sew a large “H” on their shirts… Maybe a tattoo’d ID number would work better…”) was insensitive and inappropriate.

On the one hand, I guess I should be pleased with this ugly comparison. When they start linking your policies that are standard practice in most other states to the Nazis, then one knows that one has reached the “big time” in politics and is starting to have a real effect on the public debate. On the other hand, it is still very disappointing when your local paper does it.

I hope that this is just a one-time, inadvertent mistake, and that the Federal Way Mirror can avoid the ugliness of the anonymous blogs and The Stranger.

Sen. Mark Miloscia, Federal Way