Keys and Controversy

Sehome High School-- my own alma mater, as well as controversial talk show host Glenn Beck's. There has been quite the brouhaha around here this weekend as the polarizing celebrity came to his hometown of Mount Vernon, 30 miles south of Bellingham, to accept the key to the city. Beck lived in Mount Vernon for most of his childhood before moving up to Bellingham for high school and then on to Salt Lake City and fame (or is it infamy?) and fortune.

The decision of Bud Norris, the mayor of Mount Vernon, to give Beck the key to the city was the cause of much debate around here, as many people disagree with rewarding such a controversial celebrity. Mount Vernon is rooted in agriculture, and like most farm towns, has a bigger share of conservatives. In contrast, Bellingham is a very liberal college town. Bellingham's mayor Dan Pike has responded to the Glenn Beck situation by offering Bellingham's key to the city to comedic (and liberal) talk show host Jon Stewart, who he went to high school with (albeit in New Jersey).

Other notable Sehome alumni include: Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank (who is not very popular with the locals because she never speaks fondly of her time in Bellingham), the members of the band The Posies, bestselling author Chelsea Cain, and the actor Billy Burke, who plays Bella's dad Charlie in the "Twilight" series.