Polarization On Seneca Lake

It's very sad to see the polarization that is taking place on Seneca Lake about the storage of Liquid Propane Gas and Methane Gas in unlined salt caverns along the shores of this great body of water. I know so many of the people involved on both sides of the issue. Having worked in Schuyler County for so many years, I was a part of that community and I watched and I think helped it grow and develop. As I've said before, my own view of the lake and environment has evolved over the years and yes, I've become very concerned about maintaining the quality of this beautiful body of fresh water.

What's so sad about the polarization is that it has become so black and white. There is no middle ground. Locally you are on one side or the other. Clearly a them or us kind of discussion exists. The main actors on either side have always been at that point I'd guess, but now they expect their friends and neighbors, co-workers, colleagues, business partners to think the same way. Much of what I hear is like listening to parrots. The arguments have become carved in stone. There doesn't seem to be any room for real or meaningful discussion. In terms of the opponents it continues to be about fracking and for the supporters, the protesters are a bunch of out of town, Ithaca based weirdos who are just trying to make trouble. Buttons get pushed around language and how people are referred to.

People fall in step and everyone begins to make the same arguments. "They've been storing gas in salt caverns for 50 or more years and there's no problem." What this predominant point lacks is any understanding that risk usually increases over time. To others it's all about gas and fracking. I'm honestly disappointed that more people aren't concerned about the salinity of the lake. There have been issues over the years including a mining accident in Himrod, NY that damaged the aquifers and emptied huge amounts of salt into the lake. People who study the ecology of the lake are not sure though about why the salinity in general is rising and what's causing that steady increase. The ongoing study of the Seneca Lake watershed is of critical importance to all of the communities surrounding the lake and beyond.

For my own part I don't think government agencies or local officials have done the greatest job in approving the gas storage project or communicating about it. I'm also concerned about how and if corporate money plays a role, because I think that tips the scale in an unfair way when people are making decisions about a commodity (fresh water) that people depend on. The fact is that gas and oil companies do throw money at communities through Community Benefit Agreements, Payments In Lieu of Taxes and contributions to non-profit agencies as a way of garnering support for their projects and development. In many communities, government or quasi government agencies begin to naturally depend on these dollars. I would guess this may have happened in Schuyler County but have no real solid information.

Opponents have not always presented themselves well either, but on the positive side they seem to have evolved and are really trying to follow principles of non-violence and conflict negotiation. No one likes it when people have to resort to breaking the law but there are legitimate reasons for that to occur at times. Personally, I view it as a matter of conscience rather then a tactic. I think there is a certain solemnity to civil disobedience that goes with the territory. I haven't necessarily thought very highly of some of the 'themed' demonstrations that opponents of the gas storage project have held but that's a personal preference. As I said, they are evolving in their actions and arguments and seem to be really trying to convey a sense of legitimate concern, respect to local authorities and to law enforcement.

Using the court, the weather and law enforcement to make the activists as uncomfortable as possible has crossed the line in a number of instances. It's a double standard when people on the one hand decry civil disobedience and then seem comfortable breaking, bending or stretching the laws of due process and constitutional protections. In the end I think government officials will be made to regret these actions. In addition, I think these actions have in fact helped people make the determination that they should become more involved or speak up against what is perceived as injustice by people in power.* (see note below)

I think there is still room for a middle road. I think reasonable people should be able to reason with each other. I think government and law enforcement officials can act responsibly and courteously respecting the law, just as they expect others to act. I think government is in a position to converse with the corporation about their tactics, their safety records, their plans, etc. and modify some of government's role and expectations. In the absence of this, we have parties agreeing to no negotiation, no change and no one backing down.

I happen to think everyone would be better off if people could respect and understand that different points of view exist and that you don't become the enemy if you express concern about clean water, Seneca Lake or the legacy we leave for our grandchildren. There is an attempt at intimidation when an expectation is set that everyone should think and react the same way. That we should all band together against the 'outsiders' and protect our community from this onslaught. Our community has gotten bigger due to global reach and technology. As that has happened new ideas and beliefs have come with new people and new neighbors. We may not agree on everything but for better or worse, we're in this together.

* Note - For those who haven't followed this very closely, I thought a clarifying note may help. There have been over 200 arrests of people blockading the entrance to the Crestwood facility where storage of Methane has been approved. NYS DEC is still jn the process of making a decision about Propane. For the past number of weeks, defendants have had hearings or arraignments in front of the Town of Reading Judge who holds his Court in the Reading Town Hall. Supporters of the defendants have been refused entry to the court and the use of other areas of the building in what seems to be a clear attempt to discourage and disperse supporters. Parking has been restricted in the area as well. In some cases family members coming to witness and support individuals have been banned from the courtroom proceedings. All of this in extremely cold weather. A lot of information about the arrests and court process can be found at the website of We Are Seneca Lake. 

Pushing Against The Status Quo

Pushing against the status quo always has its consequences. Some are bigger and more profound than others but you can pretty much count on something happening when you begin and continue that push. It's almost a natural phenomena perhaps founded in physics itself. But it's not just physics. Its sociology. It's political theory. You push, I stay put. You keep pushing, eventually I push back - and so it goes, sometimes leading to winners, losers or all out war.

I've seen a lot of it lately.

The folks putting pressure on state and local government, law enforcement, a private corporation and the courts relative to gas storage in salt caverns in and around Seneca Lake. These folks are pushing the status quo that says everyone's expected to be good, follow what government officials say and certainly obey the law. Their pushing has led to arrests, some seemingly poor and unfair treatment by officials and the town court, and by the old "outsider" and "rebel rouser" charge. I respect their push. I think it bodes well for democracy, debate and education about the environment.

We've seen the push in the film Selma. A director and cast told a story about a historical event with great meaning and significance, They pushed. The push back we saw was a bit unseemly. Loyalists to President Lyndon Johnson turned an important discussion that should have occurred about voting rights and the continuation of injustice fifty years later into a discussion about Johnson's legacy. A disservice to everyone but pushback to be sure.

Locally, a potential merger of two non-profits, something that was viewed as a very positive and visionary step, came to an end abruptly. The sense I got was that one of the potential partners was pushing very hard for change while the other wanted to cling to what was comfortable. Push and push back with little accommodation or thought for long term consequences of these actions. All the result of an attack on the status quo I think.

We also can't forget the people marching in the streets of Ferguson, NYC and across the country. People who are sick of the status quo of black lives being lost in the streets under questionable circumstances. The push back is swift. Questioning bad policing is presented as an attack on all policeman. Backs are turned on a mayor who states an obvious truth - that he has to have a conversation with his black son about being careful if confronted by the police.

So it goes. Sometimes we think conversations or positions are simple and that there are things that need to be said. Sometimes we are very well aware of the fact that we're pushing the status quo and sometimes we think we're just having a simple and logical conversation. But sometimes we're pushing against the status quo and we shouldn't be surprised when it pushes back. Keep on pushing.

Take Time To See Selma

I did just that this past weekend. I wasn't sure how I was going to react or view the movie. I went in with some trepidation. As some people know, I participated in the actual demonstrations and a number of the march attempts back in 1965 so I was going to this movie with some memories and notions of my own. In addition, I've been following some of the debate and conversation about Lyndon Johnson's role in supporting and promoting the march in Selma. I was also a little bit concerned about reliving some of the things I saw and experienced in Selma 50 years ago.

Here's some of my take. First, I think it's a great movie and I think everyone should see it. To me the Johnson controversy is way over blown and really is a distraction and disservice to everyone. The movie isn't about Johnson or his legacy. Maybe that's the reason some of his supporters are so upset. Perhaps they think every movie, every documentary or every historical drama has to have a white hero. Really, the discussion isn't that important in the scheme of things. The movie also isn't about Martin Luther King, Jr. Obviously he plays a significant role but it's not his story. It's the story of Selma, its people and their place in history.

There are historical issues that I saw in the movie but they aren't really important enough to make a big deal out of. They're the things that always happen when you're trying to compress days, weeks, months and years of struggle into a few hours. Sequences of events, character involvement, emphasis - all of these things come into play when telling a story that involves so many people and so many issues. Having said that, here are a couple of things that stood out to me that I missed or thought maybe would add something to the story. First, the music - the singing and chanting were such an important part of at least what I saw in Selma. The singing and chanting, the music of the movement brought people together and wrapped people in a cloak of togetherness and strength.  There were also many more attempts at marches and demonstrations between the turn around march, the court hearing and the final march to Montgomery. That atmosphere of demonstrators being held behind and between barriers in front of Brown Chapel was an important part of the story from my own expierience.

The story and characters in Selma though are real. The core of the story is about the reality of the hatred and violence that occurred in this country and the strength and unity of the people who stood up to it. The story is also about a movement, a political process, tactics and a belief in nonviolence. There's a lot more that the story is about and that's why people really need to see it. It's the story of strong black women. It's the story of Jimmie Lee Jackson and his murder. It's the story of the conflict between violent and nonviolent responses to horrific hatred and brutality. It's about the magnificent strength of local black citizens standing up to abusive authority. It's about good hearted white folks from all over the country who would come and yes, who would eventually go.

But it's also contemporary. The story of Selma should help put some things in perspective. It should help people understand Ferguson, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin. It should really make people think hard about the Voting Rights Act and voter id requirements that are being proposed, enacted and tested in the courts.

So go see the movie. Think about these things and understand that these were and are very real struggles. Also, if your interested, my recounting of my personal experiences in Selma can be found Here with a note at the beginning of Part 1 identifying where other parts of the series can be found.