Park Workers 'Openly' Opposing Bush Policies

[DUreader]

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1114-09.htm


Tension between the administration and government agencies
grows as two employees in disguise criticize environmental
stances.
by Elizabeth Shogren

WASHINGTON — For the first few months of the Bush administration, if career
employees at the agencies charged with protecting the environment disagreed with
the new president's agenda, they expressed their concerns primarily among
themselves — or sometimes, demanding anonymity, to reporters.

Then several left their government jobs and started openly criticizing the
administration, calling it hostile to wilderness, wildlife and clean air. Others stayed
— but tried to sabotage, or at least expose, administration initiatives by leaking
documents to the media.

On Thursday, disagreements between the administration's environmental officials
and some of their employees took a turn toward the bizarre.

Two longtime National Park Service workers — disguised by dark glasses, hats and
scarves — arrived at the National Press Building in a sedan with tinted windows.
Long before reporters filed in for a news conference, they hid behind a thick blue
curtain.

[DUreader]

1. kick

[KoKo]

2. Best news I've heard in awhile. Note Rockefeller Family fund Sponsored

the press conference. That's very interesting given that there's much speculation here on DU about Rockefeller's NOT happy with Shrub.

Quote from article:


"The environmental group that sponsored the news conference, the Campaign to Protect America's Lands, on Thursday released a survey of National Park Service employees that suggested broader dissatisfaction with the administration's leadership.

The Washington-based organization is a project of the Rockefeller Family Fund."

[radfringe]

3. caught the tailend of an "interview" with park worker

spoke from behind a curtain and voice altered

worker said "You can tell how bad things are since I have to be behind a curtain and have my voice altered..."

[alarimer]

4. I wish

The democratic candidates would start talking about the damage these coporate thugs are doing to the environment!!!!!! I have heard nothing so far. They are antienvronment and antiscience too. They have to be stopped.

[wabeewoman]

5. Did you ever think you'd see the day

when government employees have to be disguised in order to speak their mind? Free country, my ass!

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. This is not NEW to even me from here in Canukville

. . as and active person from day one in Health and Safety Issues

. . and in Union Activities

even in Canukville I was/am "blackballed" for my participation in criticizing government/employers treatment of employees

this seems to be Universal

However

up here in Canuckville I/we have recourses wich are not life threatening

and we don't have that big friggen WarMachine thingie to worry about

BUT - when we "speak out" we risk job losses from future employers

50 resumes, one job - a sh_t-disturber don't get put on the top of the pile ! !

that's the lot we have to live with -

(sigh)

[glitch]

6. bizarre - and brave

and a kick

[radfringe]

8. just my humble idea

Back in the 60's - JFK issued a national goal/challenge - by the end of the decade we would put a man on the moon and bring him back safely

We accomplished this and have benefited greatly from the technologies that were create and developed in order to meet this goal.

We know that the environment is in danger, and Baghdad-Bush values profits over clean air, clean water and the general health of people. We also know that energy sources such as oil are not in infinite supply.

I would like to see a NATIONAL GOAL / CHALLENGE to get off the fossile fuels and develope alternate/renewable/clean energy sources within 10 years.

The technology is there in an infancy stage - much like our space program was when JFK issued the challenge. It can be done, but we can't just rely on "private" corporations/businesses to develope this on it's own. It means taking a long hard look at the infrastructure, the way we do our business and making great changes across the board and in every aspect of our daily lives.

Lower emissions is good, but it's only a bandaid - we would still be putting out pollutants, just in smaller quantities.

A couple of the DEM candidate have briefly touched on this - but have not brought it to the level of calling it a national goal