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Natural
Resistance : Maximum Protection How do we stop
a flawed process?
Letters:
EW readers sound off.
Maximum
Protection
How
do we stop a flawed process?
During the last days of election campaigning, I
was not present to help those who were working day and
night to retain some semblance of checks and balances in our government.
I was instead working day and night on a previous commitment to serve
as an expert witness in a state trial that turned out to coincide
with the election. The trial concerns how the U.S. Army will dispose
of one tiny portion of our nation's prodigious arsenal of weapons
of mass destruction.
If you drive east toward Hermiston on Highway 84 beyond
the Columbia River Gorge, you see miles of dirt "igloos" north of
the highway. They shelter more than 200,000 rockets, bombs, mines,
spray tanks and ton containers of mustard gas and two nerve gases,
VX and GB. Under an international treaty, signatory countries agreed
to destroy their chemical weapons, and the U.S. has eight such weapon
sites. (Meanwhile, the U.S. is free to produce new kinds of weapons
of mass destruction.)
The Army wants to incinerate these weapons, and the
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and Washington Demilitarization
Company (the incinerator corporation) are defending this incineration
in court. The Army pays for the DEQ staff who oversee the Army's incineration,
estimate its risks, and defend it in court.
One big problem is that incinerating the metal- and
chlorine-containing weapons sends toxic metals (e.g., mercury and
lead) and some nerve gas into the air, and produces and similarly
lofts harmful microscopic particulates, dioxins, furans, and several
hundred other chlorinated toxics into the air. It also produces contaminated
water and ash. To boot, the incinerators don't work well. (Nerve gas
weapons were first incinerated on a Pacific island; and now in Utah.
Big problems keep cropping up.)
The lead plaintiff is GASP, a Hermiston area
citizens' group. The Chemical Weapons Working Group, a national citizens'
organization in Kentucky, provides support. For 10 years, GASP members
have been showing DEQ that neutralization of the chemical weapons
is a better alternative than incineration. Neutralization breaks down
nerve gases in warm water and sodium hydroxide; and recycles most
of it, using far less water than incineration. Recently, neutralization
has been chosen for Colorado, Indiana, and Maryland chemical weapons
sites; and it will soon be chosen in Kentucky.
When the Army asked Oregon DEQ for an incineration
permit in the late 1980s, DEQ did what it knows best: It wrote a permit.
GASP members immediately objected. The incinerator has now been built,
but is currently shut down because it sent too much lead into the
air during its first two trial burns. ("Too much" is relative: The
smallest concentrations of lead cause damage to a developing embryo's
brain.).
GASP is asking the court to revoke the incineration
permit for several reasons, including misrepresentation by the Army
that the process would work as they were proposing; and that it will
cause unnecessary harm. By Oregon law, the DEQ is required to select
the technology that provides the "maximum possible protection."
As the last of the plaintiffs' witnesses, I
listened for eight days to the first nine witnesses. They included
a person who once was in charge of obtaining permit approval for weapons
incineration in Utah (the process wasn't honest); a person who explained
neutralization in simple English; a toxicologist who explained why
certain incinerator toxics and particulates cause harm at any exposure;
and an Oregon Health Sciences University public health professor who
showed how permitting incineration does not follow public health principles.
The judge is remarkable for his unflagging attention.
I then testified two and a half days. My task was
to critique the incinerator risk assessment and help show that if
the DEQ had considered neutralization alongside incineration, they
could never have opted to harm people and wildlife with dioxins, heavy
metals and particulates.
The trial will continue for weeks. A revocation request
places a high hurdle in front of a win, so I don't know what the outcome
will be. I do know that public process and community and environmental
health in our nation depend on 1) laws such as those requiring "maximum
possible protection;" 2) the appointment of judges who are not idealogues;
and 3) administrations that honor democracy more than money.
So much can be lost so quickly. There is room for
so many to help.
Mary O'Brien has worked as a public interest scientist
for the past 20 years. She can be reached at mob@efn.org
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MIDDLE
CLASS ON WHEELS
Like many people I go to work four days
a week and pay my bills and taxes. On my long weekend, I river raft,
bike, do volunteer work and support various political causes. In the
evenings I work out at the DAC, relax in the Jacuzzi, watch a little
TV. Being somewhat vain, I've had expensive plastic surgery, and plan
on more. Although I don't make much money and am in my late 40s, frugal
and clever, I'll be able to retire on my investments at 55, write
and relax in the cabin I'll build on the wooded mountain 10 acres
I own.
Sounds disgustingly middle class, doesn't it? Alas,
I'm not — at least according to the Eugene City Council, to
whom I'm criminal. Why? Because I'm "homeless." I live in a
van and have for many years.
Because of government intrusion (rent control, uniform
building codes, land use laws, contractor licensing and regulations,
minimum wage laws, zoning and on ad nauseum) into what should be a
free market in housing, the price of housing (a basic commodity
which Americans used to be able to build inexpensively themselves
with the help of a few friends) has skyrocketed to at least 10 times
what it would be if we still had our liberty. It is economic fascism
to criminalize "public sleeping," in effect legislatively mandating
the purchase of outrageously overpriced products, namely apartments
and houses. And it has devastating consequences for hard working but
low income folks, as well as retirees on fixed incomes: witness the
tragedy of people going without health care and even food, just to
pay the rent.
As a "low income person," I've chosen to break the
law, living simply and inexpensively in my van, and am vastly richer
for it. There are lots of people like me in Eugene, but you don't
usually see us because we quietly and unobtrusively go about our daily
business, obeying the law but for one ridiculous exception.
Most homeless people don't want handouts; they simply
want to be left alone, unharassed by cops and the government, so they
can work to better their lives — the birthright of every American.
Please call your city councilor and urge him/her to rescind the "camping"
ban and support the Eugene Homeless Initiative (a zero-taxpayer-cost
grassroots self-help effort by homeless people without vehicles to
create a safe living environment on private property); and God Bless
America, home of the free.
Arthur McCombs
Eugene
DIRTY
BELLY
Standing on street corners with a sign that
read, "VOTE! Your Voice Counts! Bradbury for U.S. Senate," I witnessed
the underbelly of politics like I'd never seen before. Apparently
that was all it took for many people to feel justified in screaming
obscenities, making slashing motions to their throats, yelling, "Bradbury
sucks!" and, of course, giving me the middle finger ad nauseaum.
Throughout many days of this behavior, I returned
a smile and friendly wave to every obscenity, every threatening gesture.
Why respond in any other manner, especially when it's clear that fear
is behind these acts. Extreme right-wing radio hosts drummed up this
fear and divisiveness prior to the elections. So in retrospect, I
should have expected it.
I've been involved in numerous campaigns these past
12 years, but this year the virulence was a true eye-opener. Why the
personal nature of these actions? Undoubtedly many Gordon Smith supporters
are so-called "patriots" — God, mom, apple pie and the flag.
Holding signs that encourage political participation, regardless of
the candidate, embraces the freedoms they purport to respect.
Has this experience dissuaded or discouraged me from
future political activity? Not a chance. Just keep on truckin'...
and smilin.'
Finally, I appreciated Gordon Smith's victory speech
and his kind words to his opponent, congratulating Bradbury on his
clean campaign. Smith's graciousness is something that his supporters,
or at least the many I encountered, might want to reflect on.
Carol Berg
Pleasant Hill
FLY
BEHAVIOR
Life imitates art, or literature as the
case may be. What story are we currently living out? Some say 1984.
I say, Lord of the Flies.
In that tale of human hearts of darkness, the truth-teller
— whose name happens to be Ralph — is murderously hunted
down by his own tribe. Its members have been whipped into a frenzy
of terror and violence by Jack, the power hungry potentate whose ascendancy
was accomplished by fraud and the skillful manipulation of his subjects'
primal fears.
The character known as Piggy offers morality and clarity
(symbolized by his eyeglasses, the tool used to start the fires which
ultimately lead to the boys' salvation), but little in the way of
personal courage. He is easily eliminated. The plainspoken mystic
Simon is a truth-teller like Ralph. His prophetic utterances cannot
be tolerated and so he is sacrificed. (Go in peace, Senator Wellstone.)
Who do we want to be in this story? Mindless followers
and foot soldiers of George — oops, I mean Jack — or one
of the courageous truth-tellers? It's a jungle out there, the Beast
is not who/what we're told to think it is, and we are the only ones
who can save us.
Vip Short
Eugene
NONE
LEFT BEHIND
My 14-year-old son returned home with an
interesting document. It seems our current president and his administration
have deemed it necessary to collect information at the school district
level regarding our children as part of his "No Child Left Behind
Act of 2001." This document was handed out to children as young as
sixth graders. To say I'm disappointed in the government's attempt
to gather information about my son for use by the military would be
quite short of my true feelings.
This attempt to legitimize the intrusion of the military
into our elementary schools is further evidence of our president's
callous disregard for the diversity of opinions of the citizens of
this country. It is an appalling attempt to force parents to give
up personal information about our sons and daughters. How am I supposed
to trust that if I sign this document and say, "No, I do not give
my consent" (for military recruiting) that in fact the school district
can honor that? Or do they have to, under the new rules of the "Patriot
Act," not only turn over the information, but also report that I was
not supportive of the program? How do I know that the military has
not already received the information? By the time my son is a senior
in high school, the military will have information about his draft
registration. They will be recruiting him at that point.
The document reads like a court order: "the district
must provide upon request by military … the district
shall provide military recruiters … If you do not want
your student's name … return it to your child's school within
10 calendar days …"
The use of the word "child" with "military" is frightening.
When my son turns 18, he can make his own decisions regarding how
he feels about the use of force to maintain peace. Right now, he agrees
with me. "Force" and "peace" are not cooperative words.
John Barnum
Eugene
TRUE
WARRIORS
The political pundits are saying that the
Republican dominance of the election will bolster support for Bush's
invasion of Baghdad. The result would be the massive death of innocent
civilians. This would demonstrate the same callous disregard for human
life as the terrorists of 9/11 and Saddam, who uses civilians as his
shield. He would also undoubtedly unleash his biological arsenal on
the world.
If a war cannot be waged with zero tolerance for civilian
casualties, it must not happen. Yet the peaceful peoples of the world
must not cower before terrorists. Pleading, "Please stop," will not
help. It is time for true warriors, trained in stealth and armed with
the best intelligence and equipment, to find and capture the terrorists,
if possible, including Saddam, and bring them to justice before a
real world court.
Whatever it takes to accomplish this, no non-combatants
must die, or "we" are just like the terrorists! (Intent to kill innocents
has been called the "difference," but since we know civilians would
die as "acceptable collateral casualty levels," there is no difference.)
P.S. The 80/20 "no" vote against compassionate (civilized)
health care demonstrates that greed still rules our health care system,
and indifference to the essential needs of the poor still prevails
among mainstream voters. Let's change that next time!
Michael Mooney
Eugene
INFANTILE
RESPONSE
I'm pleased that EW published anti-war
articles by Brian Bogart and Mary O'Brien in recent weeks, but I should
like to add a few remarks of my own on war and the Middle East. Violence
is regression to the pre-Oedipal anal-sadistic stage and is accordingly
infantile. Violence is never an appropriate response to violence.
Saddam Hussein is certainly a dreadful nuisance, but he is someone
who the U.N. or Arabic nations should deal with. Junior Bush-leaguer's
concern about American security is preeminently a concern about the
security of hoggish American corporations. As I said in a letter to
him and as Barbara Boxer said a few days later, Junior Bush-leaguer
wants a war because he cannot handle a very sick economy.
In my view, the U.S. should get out of the Middle
East, which, despite kids in Nike shoes in Cairo, is a world quite
different from ours. The U.S. should throw its support to the ghettoized
Palestinians. To say that much is not to say anything against Jewish
people, and I am with Israeli leftists, but the fascist Israeli government
responds with heavy artillery to Palestinian acts of violence.
There have been peace demonstrations in Washington,
D.C., elsewhere in the country, and even in Portland. Eugeneans and
UO faculty and students likewise should mobilize against war.
Paul Green
Eugene
EEEK,
KILLER BEES!
Everywhere I look I see decisions and choices
being made based on fear. The media shows us all the day's tragic
events, sensationalizing the negative, making us all afraid of each
other. Automakers market through fear, you must own the biggest (safest)
SUV to protect your children. Many hold on to unwanted jobs for fear
of losing their health insurance. Insurance companies, need I say
anything more, are an entire industry based on fear. Never be without
health insurance, something catastrophic will come along and take
your home and savings. Life insurance; it doesn't even stop when you
die!
Pharmaceutical company commercials warn us of diseases
we might have and offer new wonder drugs. Our military madness is
outrageous. How many nuclear bombs till we feel safe? Fear of getting
wrinkles, of foreigners, of being stranded without a cell phone. Fear
of natural disasters and the weather (the dreaded El Nino). Fear of
bugs and wild things, lions and tigers and bears OH MY! Don's forget
about the West Nile virus, E. coli, anthrax and killer bees. Whew!
I could go on but am afraid I may develop carpal tunnel syndrome.
Maybe we should go back to the basics, reach out to
our neighbors, help those in need and here's a scary thought –
trust each other. All the stress these things cause will surely
kill us long before anything we fear does. Let us change this culture
of fear, guilt and greed to one of love, trust and caring.
Tim Boyden
Eugene
WHO
SHOULD FIGHT
I write this letter with great sadness the
day after our elected officials have, by majority, given the president
power to wage a preemptive war against another sovereign nation. My
sadness comes from my loss of faith in the ability of our leaders
to use good judgement, critical thinking, compassion and common sense.
The decision to start this progression toward war, and to give away
355.4 billion of our tax dollars to do so, cannot possibly be in the
best interest of national security, national economy, world peace
or human rights. It is also a blatant violation of international laws
put in place after WW II intended to protect nations from outside
aggression.
Since it is obvious to me that this is about oil,
power, greed and political gain, then I think it is time the people
of this country ask those who have the most to gain to pay the price.
Let the oil and military industries fund this action. Let them hire
recruits to fight. Let them see the dead and maimed victims, both
Iraqi and U.S., that will result. Then call the war what it really
is, "Oil Barons and Military Giants Attack Iraq for Their Natural
Resources," because there are millions of us across this nation marching
in the streets and crying out, "Attack Iraq, NO! Not in our name!"
Let your voices be heard, do what you can to stop
this before it starts. "It is our country. Don't let the big men take
it away from you!"
Dr. Roberta L. Boyden
Eugene
HOSTILE
CAPITAL
I would like to offer some additional insights
into the commuting statistics quoted in Alan Pittman's (10/17) article,
"Slow Going." "About 12 percent of Eugene-Springfield commuters carpool
to work. Portland is about the same, but Salem has 16 percent carpooling,"
says Pittman, seeming to suggest Salemites are more eco-friendly than
we are.
I firmly believe that the only reason Salem has a
higher percentage of commuters has nothing to do with altruism and
everything to do with quality of life. My family tried living in Salem
for a year and discovered, simply put, that our state's capital is
a hostile place to live. The state prison population there has resulted
in an astronomically high crime rate. We lived in one of the better
neighborhoods in south Salem, and in the year we were there, experienced
thefts from our front porch and auto, an attempted break-in, and shortly
thereafter, our neighbor's home was broken into and burglarized.
On top of the high crime, in comparison to Eugene
and Springfield, the streets of Salem were clogged and congested with
aggressive, speeding, ill-mannered drivers. You can almost feel the
energy "chill out" as you drive south on I-5.
Because of this, people who work in Salem carpool
there from points north (Portland), east (Stayton), west (Forest Grove),
and south (Corvallis, Eugene and Springfield). Get the picture?
Salem's high percentage of commuters is nothing more
than a sad indicator of how far people in Oregon have to go to stay
employed while raising their families in family-friendly communities.
I could go on and on about the lack of leadership our state's capital
seems to have, but I think I better stop here.
Cynthia Orlando
Springfield
LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and
will print as many as space allows. Please limit length to 250 words,
keep submissions to once a month, and include your address and phone
number. E-mail to editor@eugeneweekly.com,
fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401.
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