This story has been updated from the original version with additional information.
Pat Race was among dozens speaking out against legislation they called harmful to LGBTQ+ students at the Capitol last Thursday, so he was shocked when an artist whose books he’s long featured at his shop allegedly spent time in the following few days posting transphobic notes at locations around town that referenced shooting kids.
“I think this was a complete surprise to everyone,” said Race, owner of Alaska Robotics, who quickly pulled merchandise featuring the artwork from his downtown Juneau store after Mitchell Watley was arrested Sunday on suspicion of posting the notes.
Other merchants responded rapidly as well by pulling their physical and online offerings of Watley’s works in what’s amounting to a collective community erasure of somebody who a few days ago was a highly acclaimed bestselling artist whose creations were highlighted in museum exhibitions and events such as Gallery Walk.
“We have pulled the books from the shelves as of today when we learned what happened,” said Olga Lijó Seráns, owner of Hearthside Books, adding cards Watley illustrated have also been removed. She said “we did have social media messages asking if we were going to pull the b0oks,” but by then the decision had already been made.
Similarly, Race said he’s received emails from several customers, but the removal “isn’t driven by people reaching out to us.”
Among other local businesses erasing Watley’s presence are Rainy Retreat Books downtown and Wild Spruce Art Works in the Mendenhall Mall. The latter is still carrying solo creations by his wife at the store’s website, but not their collaborative books and there is no mention of him in her online bio.
The erasure is also occurring on a personal level, including his wife Sarah Asper-Smith deleting her Instagram account that had pictures of them and their family.
Seráns, noting Watley illustrated the books written by his wife, said “there are a lot of innocents affected” by the arrest.
Watley, 47, is charged with one count of felony terroristic threatening for allegedly posting notes stating “Feeling Cute Might Shoot Some Children,” which also featured images of what police in court documents described as an “assault rifle” and transgender flag. The notes were found at Foodland IGA and the State Office Building on Friday, prompting the Juneau Police Department to send officers to schools to provide extra security, and at Costco on Sunday where police were able use security video to identify a suspect and arrest Watley.
His initial court hearing was Monday and his wife subsequently posted $10,000 bail to release him from Lemon Creek Correctional Center, according to the state courts system. Court-ordered conditions of release including avoiding places children frequent such as schools and parks, a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., electronic monitoring and turning in all weapons to authorities.
Watley faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, but that seems unlikely since he has no known criminal record aside from a minor traffic violation more than a decade ago.
Among the most strongly worded denunciations of Watley’s alleged actions came Kindred Post, another downtown store that pulled his works from shelves, which in an Instagram post asserted “these were not just threats against children. These fliers threatened trans children and the trans community.”
“We are sorry for whatever misinformation and motion sickness of spirit that drove Mitchell Watley to this moment, and we are sorry for the impact it is certainly having on his loved ones and collaborators as well. We welcome his future accountability and reparations, and a safe path to transformative justice, if there is one.”
Kindred Post owner Christy NaMee Eriksen said in an interview Tuesday the decision to pull the books and cards featuring Watley’s works, which she called best-sellers at the store, was quickly agreed upon during a discussion with store employees. As with other merchants, she expressed sympathy for Watley’s wife and would be open to selling works she’s authored that don’t include her husband’s contributions.
“I think it’s unfortunate she is having to bear the consequences because of a joint collaboration,” Eriksen said.
JPD, in an official report, stated Watley admitted to posting the notes because he feared a transgender person suspected of a mass shooting at a Tennessee school a week ago. The first notes were posted on the International Transgender Day of Visibility, which saw widespread national threats against transgender people and some school closures in the wake of the shooting.
Eriksen said one of her concerns is that the notes are part of a broader series of discriminatory actions that on a local level include legislation being considered at the Capitol. The most prominent bill generating controversy this session is a so-called “parental rights” bill by Gov. Mike Dunleavy that, mirroring similar proposals in numerous other states, restrict sex and gender references in public schools.
Dunleavy has disputed criticism of the bill that paints it as a so-called “don’t say gay” law, but the criticism has persisted.
That was the bill Race testified against last Thursday before the notes leading to Watley’s arrested started appearing the following day. In a statement posted on Alaska Robotics social media pages, Race noted they had carried Watley’s works for more than a decade and his arrest is “a deep disappointment.”
“The Alaska Robotics Gallery supports transgender and nonbinary members of our community in living their lives to the fullest, without persecution,” the statement notes. “To that end, we will be making a significant donation to a local facility serving transgender and gender non-conforming youth.”
The statement also notes the store “will reassess how to move forward as more details emerge,” but Race said during Tuesday’s interview “I think it would take a lot of rebuilding of trust” before he considers carrying Watley’s works again.
Watley still has plenty of presence locally and nationally including a collection of website photos from an exhibit featured at the Alaska State Museum a couple of years ago, at online retailers such as Amazon and — for now — Hearthside’s website. Seráns said she’s still unfamiliar with all details of Watley’s alleged actions and for now is reserving judgement on allowing customers to order items through the site.
On a personal level, Asper-Smith’s simple self-named WordPress site remained online as of midday Tuesday with pictures of the books she produced with her husband, but the links offering more information about them at Alaska Robotics’ website are no longer functional.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com
