Democracy was in action in Anacortes the evening of July 19 as 60 people energetically participated in the second workshop on civil discourse sponsored by the Volunteers of America’s Skagit Dispute Resolution Center.

MaryLee Chamberlain was at least one La Conner participant.

“Doing [petitioning] for ballot initiative 1631, I ran into people in denial about climate change,” the town council member and school occupational therapist said. That unreality about reality prompted her attendance.

Jacquelyn Styrna, the Reso-lution Center’s regional director, and consultant Mary Dumas, an in...