Harger: The Seattle Times wants to ban the Blue Angels. I’ve changed my mind. They’re right

I owe The Seattle Times Editorial Board an apology.

For years, I’ve defended the Blue Angels. Every August, people complain they’re too loud. Too disruptive. Too military. I always rolled my eyes. “It’s one weekend,” I’d say. “Lighten up.”

I was wrong. I read the editorial board’s recent piece about banning them. I thought about it. And I’ve changed my mind.

The Blue Angels don’t belong in modern Seattle.

Not because they’re loud. Not because they’re military. Because they’re just too exciting.

Six F/A-18 Super Hornets flying feet apart at hundreds of miles an hour. The Seattle Times Editorial Board calls that a problem. I’m starting to agree

Think about what we’re exposing people to. Six F/A-18 Super Hornets flying just a few feet apart at hundreds of miles an hour. The finest demonstration pilots on Earth. People call that inspiring. I call it reckless.

I’ve spent many summers in Seattle watching them fly. They hit those afterburners, and I could literally feel the adrenaline flood through my body. Then the testosterone kicked in.

It was terrible, those feelings.

I’m 51 years old. I should be thinking about retirement planning. Instead, for about 20 minutes, I became absolutely convinced I, too, could land a fighter jet on an aircraft carrier.

That’s not healthy.

The critics are right. No responsible city should expose middle-aged men to that kind of mental delusion.

Children are watching this. They might decide to become fighter pilots

And it’s not just us. Children are watching this. Little boys decide they want to become fighter pilots. Little girls decide they want to become fighter pilots. People stop mowing the lawn. Neighbors who haven’t spoken in years suddenly stand shoulder to shoulder looking at the sky. Complete strangers point at the same thing, smile at each other, and say “Whoaaaaaa!”

For four terrible afternoons every summer, Seattle experiences an outbreak of shared joy. Not here. Not in my town.

We’ve spent years trying to become a calmer, quieter, more thoughtful city. Then six fighter jets arrive and undo all of that work in twenty minutes. The critics deserve enormous credit for having the courage to finally say something.

Replace afterburners with guided breathing. Replace the sneak pass with a facilitated community conversation

Enough. It’s time Seafair evolved.

Instead of afterburners, guided breathing. Instead of a sneak pass, a facilitated community conversation. Instead of six fighter jets, six hobby drones flown by conflict-resolution specialists. Every few minutes, they can pause to remind us of the harm caused by plastic straws. Perhaps everyone could gather afterward in small discussion circles to process their feelings.

Once you start looking around, the Blue Angels aren’t the only problem around here. The hydroplanes are much too exciting. We could have kayak races. The Torchlight Parade encourages entirely too much civic pride. Worse, the carbon emissions from all those torches. And Pike Place Market has employees throwing fish through the air. Those salmon have families. Have we considered their feelings?

This city has become alarmingly entertaining. Seattle can do better.

If one little boy leaves Seafair dreaming of becoming a Blue Angel, we’ve failed him

I know some people are going to hear this and accuse me of wanting to take all the fun out of Seafair. Nothing could be further from the truth. I just think we should replace excitement with appropriateness. Wonder with deep reflection. Adrenaline with mindfulness. And testosterone? That has no place here.

And if one little boy leaves Seafair this weekend dreaming of becoming a Blue Angel, we’ve failed him. He should leave dreaming of someday moderating a community listening session about everything we’ve done wrong.

So yes, it’s time to ban the Blue Angels. We must never speak of fun or excitement again. The words “holy moly, did you just see that” must never be said to complete strangers. Bring in the hobby drones.

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle’s Morning News” on KIRO Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie on X and email him here. 

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