More Context: A Follow Up To My Apology from Yesterday

Yesterday, I published an apology on Live in Everett related to a blog post I had posted on my personal blog in February of this year.

I’ve reflected on some feedback about yesterday’s apology being too vague, and I wanted to share more context about what I had written on my personal blog, and also what I have learned through this. I was also on Dad-duty yesterday, so thankfully I have some time today to share a more thoughtful response.

To share a bit of context about the post I published on my personal blog in February, I admit I was going through a bit of a phase at that time researching different conspiracy theories. I went through a divorce this last year, and reflecting back to January and February when I was going down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole, I think in-part, it may have been a type of distraction, or maybe an escape for me to take my mind off my divorce, which got finalized in February.

I think I was also simply trying to make some sense of everything that has been going on in our world these last couple years. I’m not trying to use these personal matters as an excuse, or a scapegoat, but simply to give some more context to where my mind was while I was going through this phase of researching conspiracy theories.

The post I published on my personal blog on February 12 was about a very long 5+ hour conspiracy theory video about exposing freemasonry and a sinister global plot that the video claimed had been underway for a very long time. While, at the time, I found the video compelling enough to obviously share about on my personal blog and write a brief summary on, I was aware of the complex, and frankly, disturbing narratives it spoke to.

This is why in that original post I published, I did acknowledge I didn’t necessarily agree with the entire video. I acknowledged that I knew it sounded crazy. And I also acknowledged that I might be wrong about the video. I do admit, though, these qualifiers were very minor statements to the overall post that I wrote.

I also admit that my overall tone in what I wrote in that original post was that I clearly took the presented conspiracy theory seriously. The reason I was compelled to share about the conspiracy at the time, is because it presented a very grim secret plot being carried out by the world’s elite. I found the depth of grimness being presented so disturbing, that I wanted to share about it, as I wish for no one or their loved ones to be subjected to any form of horrific tragedy.

I have deep reverence for life, and moments in my life where loved ones have been horrifically taken from me are moments that stay very close to my heart, such as when my uncle Chuck Eagan was murdered in cold blood in 2016 at the Cascade Mall shooting in Mount Vernon, or when my best friend finally lost his 12 year battle with addiction and never got back up from the the train tracks.

Again, I am not sharing these personal details to make excuses or use them as scapegoats, but to give more context to my motivation as to why I shared on my personal blog what I shared. I wish for no one to see a tragic demise.

One of the things I touched on in that original blog post that I believe the anti-semitic accusations against me have arisen from, is the video touched on various different global elites as a part of the overall conspiracy the video was presenting, and one of the puzzle pieces to that conspiracy was related to a Jewish law that the video claimed had been legalized by the United States decades ago, to be a part of the forthcoming sinister plot that the video presented.

So yes, I admit I did comment about this law, and how the way I found the video to present the law would be used was very disturbing and alarming to me. The fact that that law was tied to being a Jewish law, to me at the time, was completely irrelevant. It was the nature of this specific law itself the video presented that I was commenting on, based on my reverence for life (the supposed law the video presented was about legalizing a particular method of death penalty). I was not in any way shape or form intentionally trying to bash Judaism or insinuate that there is anything wrong with Judaism in general or as a whole. As it relates to Judaism, it was honestly just this specific law the video presented that I found disturbing.

However, I can now understand how this type of rhetoric can be damaging and used as a form of anti-semitism, even if that was not my personal intent; that does not mean that people wont infer that, or take it that way (which is quite obvious to me now). I should have been more mindful about what I wrote and how it could come off and/or be interpreted by others. Because while sometimes I do believe it is hard to please everyone, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t at least try to be mindful of other people's feelings and perceptions. Especially when it comes to sensitive topics and what I am publishing publicly.

Ironically, while I have respect for all religions, Judaism is one of the few I have actually had an opportunity to interact with and learn from first hand, as a number of my roommates when I first moved to Everett were Jewish. I very much appreciated and enjoyed having Shabbat dinners with them on Fridays, their observance of Sukkot in the backyard, and being able to participate in a Passover Seder with them. I find Judaism to be filled with very rich and beautiful tradition, and I have nothing but respect for it. 

My post, and the video, also presented Satanism, or Luciferians, as a part of the supposed global plot, and this is another area I am simply ignorant to, as I honestly do not know very much about these topics. Which is another thing I have learned from this, is I should not be sharing about things I am not adequately familiar with.

My words that were brought into question that are being used to accuse me as an anti-semite, I feel, have been taken out of context and are a complete misunderstanding. My feelings, of course, are only my own. So this last Wednesday when I suddenly started receiving emails from people asking for any content related to them to be removed from Live in Everett and informing me of what a horrible person I am, I was very alarmed. While the people I first heard from did not seem open to any conversation with me, I still tried to sit with the feedback I could glean from their emails, and try and imagine the situation from their perspective, and try and understand how and why they found the nature of my post to be inappropriate and offensive.

That night, I decided to remove the post from my personal blog, and post an apology. As my intent of that original post was not to offend anyone or perpetuate hatred in any form. Ironically, my intention stemmed from my value of life itself. But, I now do understand why what I shared was dangerous and inappropriate. The post I wrote, and especially the video I wrote it about, touched on so many subjects and things outside of my realm of competence and understanding, I really do not have any business posting that type of content. Nor is that type of content ultimately helpful.

Another good point brought to my attention from this was how religious extremism can be a catalyst for hate crimes. Which is another topic I admit I am uninformed about. I am far from perfect, and so I am grateful for these things being brought to my attention. And I do intend to learn from them and to try and do better. I do feel I was ignorant and irresponsible in what I posted, and I am sorry for it.  

Just some of the responses to this matter I have heard these last couple of days, from asking me to resign from Live in Everett, asking me to shut Live in Everett down completely, or that I am wholly unfit to have any type of role in our community and/or that people should write to the mayor requesting that the city does not affiliate with Live in Everett- these claims and tactics, to me, feel unjustified. 

While I do feel sorry for the post I wrote, and admit I had ignorant blind spots in what I shared, I also believe each and every one of us is still learning, in process, and simply doing the best we can. Not only did I not mean any ill-will in the original post I wrote, I also seek to foster no-ill will toward anyone who has made any claims or accusations against me or slung hurtful words toward me or about me. 

I respect those willing to stand up for their convictions, and appreciate it when someone is willing to help illuminate a blind spot to a fellow human. But as we help each other learn, I do hope we can avoid further hyper-polarization within our community. I wish for no-thing to breed further disunity or disharmony within this community. 

My favorite thing about the word “community” is that it ends with “unity”. And I sincerely hope this all can end the same way.

Thank you to those who take the time to read this, and who are willing to understand the context of this situation rather than jumping to conclusions.

I can not know the extent of the damage that different rumors that have been going around have or may do, to myself, people associated with me, and/or to Live in Everett. For this, too, I will accept responsibility. I am very sorry to anyone else that this has, or will be, adversely affected by this. 

I genuinely meant no ill-will.

Thank you for your patience with me as I learn to do better. 

-Garret Hunt