MSNBC.com has a great article (and picture!) on the Fracking problems with OUR water. While it mostly pertains to our Northern friends, remember what happens when nothing is ever done...it just gets worse.
To supporters, it's a 21st century economic boom that will benefit millions across the Northeast. To critics, it could be this century's biggest national eco-disaster, tainting water supplies for tens of millions. Congress exempted fracking from federal clean water regulations in 2005.
I doubt we'll see that kind of gritty expression of free speech by the people in FW related to the dangers of gas drilling. Exceptions were the marches and protests by very homogeneous groups like the 9/12 March last year (metroplex-wide participants), the Mexican flag waving march by fired up Hispanic students demanding amnesty a couple years ago, and the GLBT group following the raid on the Rainbow Lounge last year.
ReplyDeleteA significant but underreported expression of a united community was the courthouse rally on that cold March morning earlier this year before Steve D.'s entrance to face CHK's team of slick lawyers in his fight against eminent domain abuse related to CHK and the City's plan to forcefully shove 16-inch diameter gas pipelines under families' front yards. I work around there and was a witness to this unusual rally for fundamental rights and protections as citizens. I was impressed by the diversity of American citizens there who represented the whole spectrum of partisan politics , racial groups, ages groups, religious and philosphical beliefs, rural and city dwellers,socio-economic levels, etc. Too bad the media chose not to report it. Even worse that the citizens, esp. activists/leaders, did not use it as an opportunity to organize and unify the people to "speak truth to power". Moncrief's so called FW Way is too entrenched, with petty and personal interests adding to the problem, so that little groups flail unsuccessfully against the well organized city- gas industry ruling junta.