[Vision2020] Corruption and Exploitation

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (August 12, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks to Robin and Cynthia Magnuson.

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Corruption and exploitation

With Big Oil's rigs passing through our community, this is a good time to reflect on what is actually happening.

The trimming of our trees, the traffic delays, the potential for street and highway damage or accidents are all bothersome, but they are but troublesome elements within what is being perpetrated.

Most of us who object to this business share a sense that, as citizens and stewards of our communities and our environment, we have a responsibility to protest against an international, highly organized, well-financed campaign of corruption and exploitation, a project that goes far beyond abuse of our North Idaho highways and communities.

This project includes not only our community here, but North America, for that is the exploitative goal of Imperial Oil/ExxonMobil. Those who have actively objected have so far delayed megaload traffic on the U.S. Highway 12 river corridor and forced the companies to cut their loads in Lewiston to half size.

It is these cut-down mini-megaloads that now plague Moscow on U.S. Highway 95. But mega or mini, these loads have one objective: tear apart both the land and the culture of the First Nations people of Northern Alberta, use tons of water and natural gas to process oil sands, and then - next big abuse - build pipelines south to Texas and west to the coast of British Columbia to sell their product of destruction.

For those who express confidence that this exploitative business will "work out for the best," consider what is happening now on the Yellowstone River in Montana. Oops. Pipeline under the river broke. The Yellowstone is contaminated by Exxon/Mobil oil for all to see. This is one of the inevitable consequences of the abusive corporate power driving oil rigs through our community. Their project is fully deserving of our continued objection and condemnation.

Robin Magnuson

Cynthia Magnuson

Moscow

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
 
"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown

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