If anyone’s gonna talk shit about our home, it’s gonna be us. by Stranger Staff Enough!  For years, delusional politicians, ass-kissing mainstream media talking heads, and professional liars have been misrepresenting Seattle to the masses: “It’s been taken over by antifa terrorists!” “Seattle is a lawless wasteland!” “The city is spiraling out of control!” We’ve heard them all before. But their criticisms got loud again during election season, as outsiders started to notice that our own mayoral race had a lot in common with New York’s historic election of Zohran Mamdani. Trump has implied that Seattle is too dangerous to host the 2026 World Cup matches (though violent crime is down), and our new mayor, Katie Wilson, is a “liberal slash communist.” But we are done being your punching bag, America! We love this city and we are proud to call this bewildering little corner of the country our home. And look, we know it’s not perfect. Our cost of living is about 45 percent higher than the national average. And we have fewer public bathrooms per capita compared to many other major US cities. We consistently rank in the top three “gloomiest” regions, with an average of 226 cloudy days and 156 rainy days per year; we have some of the worst traffic congestion in the country despite studies also claiming we’re one of the best cities for public transportation; and our professional baseball team is the only team in the league who has never made it to the World Series. But we love our rain. And our Mariners. And the local organized Antifa Cells, wherever they are. So if anyone’s gonna talk shit about our home, it’s gonna be us. We live in this city, we work in this city, we eat, drink, and fuck in this city. We see what makes it great, and we know what drives us crazy. We love it enough to want what’s best for it. Therefore, as we stand on the cusp of a new year, with a new mayor and a more progressive City Council incoming, we are submitting, for your consideration, our official list of grievances, delivered with love. Sincerely, The Stranger Hell Is a Grocery StoreThe Police State Is in Aisle 10 *** We Deserve Better City ParksSeattle Needs More Spaces That Celebrate the City, Not Run Away From It *** Seattle, Please Stay Open LaterI Know It’s Hard, But We Gotta Try *** Don’t Be an AssholeA Timeless Guide to Music-Show Etiquette *** But Wait, There's MoreWe Need to Talk About the Lack of Public Bathrooms, Sidewalk Etiquette, and That One Public Artist… You Know the One *** And You Know What Else???We Have Even More to Say About Restaurants, Neighborhoods, and Ghosts ...read more read less