Strangers in a Strange Land - Democratic Underground

H2O Man

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Fri Mar-11-11 09:31 PM
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Strangers in a Strange Land

“I'm working for the Creation. I refuse to take part in its destruction.”
Tadodaho Leon Shenandoah (To Become a Human Being: The Message of Tadodaho Chief Leon Shenandoah; Steve Wall; Hampton Roads; 2001; page 36)

Earlier this week, I had a phone call from my Clan Mother. She asked me about my plans for the upcoming days. I told her that I had a few things to do, though nothing urgent. Then, as she has often done over the decades, she gently corrected me – there were some urgent tasks for me to do.

I'm not sure how many people on this forum read the 2-27-11 New York Times article by Ian Urbina, “Regulation Lax as Gas Wells' Tainted Water Hits Rivers” (pages 1, 16-17A). It is one of the most important environmental investigative reports in recent times. Briefly, it provides information that the US EPA had purposely concealed from the public and state officials, regarding the dangers posed by hydro-fracking for natural gas. Hundreds of thousands of gallons of toxic waste water, including radio-active materials, are being dumped into rivers in the northeast.

This lengthy article, combined with the powerful HBO documentary “Gasland,” provides more than enough evidence that the process of hydro-fracking is damaging the environment in a brutal, dangerous, and long-term manner. This obviously includes threats to human beings.

There are numerous “citizens groups” across the northeast, including some larger regional coalitions, than are fighting the energy corporations which are pushing this industry. It can be difficult, because in many small towns in upstate New York (where I reside), the local economy has shit the bed. People are desperate for income, and ignorant of the risks associated with signing a contract that allows drilling on their property.

Tensions are rising. A number of the “pro-drilling” folks are of the Tea Party mentality, saying that no one else can dictate what they will do on their property. The obvious counter to that is that hydro-fracking involves running horizontal lines under their neighbors' properties, and creates toxic wastes that poison the air, water, and land far beyond their properties. There are, of course, difficulties in communicating logical thought to greedy, desperate people; or conversing rationally with irrationally angry and paranoid people.

Thus, my assignment: to attend two public hearings in towns where conflicts over hydro-fracking were being held.

During both meetings, I gave about the same presentation. I waited quietly in the back of each hall, until the arguing become heated, and tempers were flaring. While most of the hostility came from the pro-frackers, it is fair to say that the environmental advocates are experiencing a high degree of frustration, as well. Long and acrimonious struggles often produce negative responses.

My talk was simple and relatively brief. I introduced myself, and spoke about the tiny hamlet where I grew up. A local businessman had allowed a “dump” on his private property nearby. Four area towns disposed of their municipal trash there. More, several large industries dumped toxic wastes at the site.

By the time that New York State mandated its clean-up, there was what numerically would meet the definition of a “cancer cluster” in our rural neighborhood. My parents, like virtually all of my friends' parents, would have one or more cancers. By adulthood, my friends and I all had one or more siblings fighting cancer. However, the NYS Department of Health “measures” cancer rates per township, rather than in specific neighborhoods. Hence, because two large, rural townships “meet” in that neighborhood, the state denied that there was a cancer cluster.

The industries in question were able to go to court, and avoid paying for the clean-up. The land owner was not held responsible. The citizens in the four communities were stuck with the bill.

Next, I discussed the similar circumstances on the 120-acre toxic waste dump site, that the US EPA had, for no good reason, drew an imaginary line through, and declared to be two “Super Fund” sites. Again, a private land owner ran an open dump on his property. Three towns dumped there. More, industries within a fifty mile radius illegally dumped toxic wastes there. The land owner lined his pockets. The neighborhood suffered a larger cancer cluster. The NYS Department of Health refused to consider the rates in that neighborhood, instead diluting it with three large surrounding townships.

The EPA attempted to force two industries with primary responsibility. They could document the illegal dumping of literally hundreds of thousands of barrels of PCB-contaminated oil and of trichlorethylene, along with hundreds of other dangerous chemical wastes, on the site. However, the two defense contractors fought the EPA in federal court, in what was the “test case” of the federal government's Municipal Solid Wastes Policy. (USA v Allied Signal & Amphenol; Allied Signal & Amphenol v Towns of Sidney, Masonville, & Tomkins; August and October, 1999; United States District Court, Northern District of New York). The industries won; the citizens of those three towns lost.

A couple of the pro-frackers attempted to argue with me about this case. It proved difficult for them for two reasons: I had been active in that struggle for twenty years, including bringing witnesses to Washington, DC, to meet with EPA and Department of justice attorneys; and I had brought some documents with me.

I then explained some simple truths. Water is the first law of life. All water on Etanoha (“Mother Earth”) contained some form of life, just as all forms of life contain some water, before human beings began polluting water. Polluted water brings about sickness and death.

What we put in water flows downstream. It flows to the next community, and to the next generation.

There are two types of laws. Man's laws, which powerful industries can ignore without consequence; and Natural Law, which one cannot plea bargain with. Natural Law is both beautiful, and without mercy.

I knew when I spoke that most, if not all, of the pro-frackers would ignore my words. John Mohawk had said this, when in September of 1977, the Haudenosaunee (Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy) delivered the position papers known as “A Basic Call to Consciousness” to the Non-Governmental Organizations of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Indeed, people mocked me for “advocating a return to the stone age.”

These confused people actually believe that not only am I all about the Stone Age, but that hydro-fracking will bring about a Golden Age for them. They remind me of the ancient Greek myth of King Midas. His greed resulted in his infamous “Golden Touch.” It took the life out of the water he touched. It turned his child into gold. Hydro-fracking will bring similar results to these people's lives.

It would be easy to hold these people in utter contempt. Likewise, because some are now attempting to physically intimidate the environmental activists, and because they all pose a serious threat to the environment, it would be even easier to view them as our enemy.

Yet when I spoke, I carried my “credentials” – a string with a single ancient wampum bead, signifying Water Awareness. And clean water is essential for all of us. Clean water is medicine: it can help cure sickness. And is not greed a sickness? Are not ignorance and hatred forms of illness? Contamination of the human consciousness?

We live in strange and dangerous times. I believe that by our individual and group efforts to raise to the higher levels of consciousness, that we might best help to heal our sick brothers and sisters. I see no other way. Now, I know that is difficult. Many of my closest friends and associates are feeling tired. And it would be impossible for them not to be drained. This is a hard struggle. Still, we must hold tightly to our values and beliefs, and move forward to that higher ground.

Peace,
H2O Man