Environmental Justice Needs To Be Addressed With Race Issues

Photo: Phyllis 7th Ward

Amid the protesting centered around the systemic racial violence aimed at black lives, other sources of injustice can be included to be addressed too.  One prevalent but silent issue is that of environmental justice.  An example would be to build low-income housing aimed at a specific race near a polluting power plant.



Recently, reporting by Politico Energy has raised the issue of addressing environmental justice while protesters gather policymakers attention with the senseless discriminatory violence:

ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE NETWORK RELAUNCHES: Activists revived the National Black Environmental Justice Network amid national attention to ongoing protests around police brutality and the raging coronavirus, both of which disproportionately affect black Americans. Environmental justice organizers said they hoped to provide a national platform for local groups whose communities are more likely to be located near sources of polluting and fossil fuel extraction, a result of decades-long systemic racism in zoning, housing, lending and permitting practices on which the country is currently focused.

"We have to force our elected officials starting at the local level all the way up to the national level," Robert Bullard, the network co-chair and a distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy at Texas Southern University, said on a media call. "We have a political agenda, but our agenda is longer than two years or four years. We need a 50-year plan."

WATER'S EQUITY PROBLEM: With the coronavirus pandemic ravaging the Navajo Nation, where one-third of homes lack access to running water, and Flint, Mich., still reeling from its lead contamination crisis, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) and water experts said during a POLITICO live event on water sustainability that national conversation over racial inequality needs to extend to the water space. "The history of water management in this country is that we haven't had the right people at the table, and so we continue to have suboptimal outcomes, whether it comes to Covid-19 recovery, drought management, how do we deal with flooding, emerging contaminants. And so if we're going to get the future of water right, we have to have more inclusive and diverse tables," said Radhika Fox, CEO of the U.S. Water Alliance. Find the full conversation moderated by Pro's Annie Snider here.

Why are minority communities disproportionately affected by chemical industries or other industries which pollute local areas?  One reason proposed is that these communities have little voices among the rich and powerful.  Although, if readers look to Porter Ranch in Southern California in the San Fernando Valley - a different story would be seen.



Porter Ranch is affluent and borders the Aliso Canyon Gas Storage field.  Residents were exposed to the most massive methane blowout in history a few years ago.  Additionally, residents have fought for years to close the facility with no luck in sight.



The majority of industries border poor and minority neighborhoods.  This should change.  Each person should live without fear of exposure to pollutants.  How does the world promote this change is an open-ended question?  And yes, the problem is directed at the world rather than the United States.   Business is global, and solutions are universal too.



Related Blog Posts:


Jocko Willink: A Message To All People


A Message from General James Mattis Regarding the Use of Military to Police the Streets of Washington D.C.


A Message from President Obama Regarding Recent Tragedies and Pandemics


CSUN Message Regarding The Senseless Killing Of George Floyd

Jocko Willink: A Message To All People

Photo: By U.S. Navy 

Some may interpret the current riots and protests as a 'war' -- but that would not be appropriate at this time in history.  For some, war has a different meaning, while others may continue to press that current times are a 'warlike'.  Below, is a message from a true patriot of the United States of America.  His message is regarding the times that we find ourselves in.  Jocko Willink is a decorated U.S. Navy Seal who has gone onto have a successful podcast and business centered around discipline and success at all levels.  The message is well worth the few minutes spent listening to this hero.



The video which is shown below is a message from Jocko Willink about the current protests and racial disparities/problems plaguing society at the moment:

Wow!

Ralph Nader: Readers think...Thinkers read!

Photo: Thumbs Dreams

Many readers including myself have consumed crazy amounts of Netflix series throughout this pandemic.  But what else is a reader/viewer to do to stay informed about current events?  Ralph Nader has compiled a list of good thought-provoking reads and interviews to help pass the time while staying informed on current happenings in the world.  Read and listen to the list below.  Enjoy!



Ralph Nader gives a list of thought-provoking reads and interviews shown below:

Readers think. Thinkers read.

During this “sheltered summer” empower yourself with these highly recommended books by Ralph Nader, and listen to these authors interviewed on The Ralph Nader Radio Hour. A Short History of Presidential Election Crises (And How to Prevent the Next One) by Alan Hirsch. City Lights, 2020. Trump’s madness and lying ways makes Alan Hirsch’s fascinating history one that can alert us seriously between now and November. Link to interview. Genius of Earth Day How a 1970 Teach In Unexpectedly Made the First Green Generation by Adam Rome. North Point Press, 2014. Today’s citizens have much to learn from this April 22, 1970 mass mobilization that turned Congress around to enact our major environmental laws fast! Link to interview. Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor By Steven Greenhouse. Knopf, 2019. With raging documentation, cool Steven Greenhouse issues a wake-up call to what is really terrible treatment of tens of millions of American workers. Union leaders need this book as well. Link to interview. Beyond the Valley: How Innovators Around the World are Overcoming Inequality and Creating the Technologies of Tomorrow by Ramesh Srinivasan. MIT Press, 2019. Remarkably, grass root innovators in poor countries are using internet technology for important uses under their control.  Link to interview. All the President’s Women: Donald Trump and the Making of a Predator by Barry Levine and Monique El-Faizy. Hachette Books, 2019. The title tells the story. MeToo not withstanding, lawsuits not withstanding, the savage sexual predator has gotten away with all of it. Shame on Congress. Link to interview. The Triumph of Doubt: Dark Money and the Science of Deception by David Michaels. Oxford University Press, 2020 Former head of OSHA, Dr. Michaels names names as he exposes the corporate scientific distortion lobby that costs many lives. Link to interview. Plaintiff in Chief: A Portrait of Donald Trump in 3,500 Lawsuits by James D. Zirin. All Points Books, 2019. Yes, Trump is above the law, a recidivist fugitive from justice –civil, criminal and constitutional. Shame on the law enforcers. Link to interview. Our Future: The Basic Income Plan for Peace, Justice, Liberty, Democracy, and Personal Dignity by Steven Shafarman. RealClear Publishing. Release date: June, 2020 For years one of the lone voices, Shafarman’s proposals are fast gaining currency, especially in the COVID-19 era. Link to interview. The Case for a Maximum Wage by Sam Pizzigati. Polity, 2018. I wish some pompous, corporate bloviator would try to debate Sam Pizzigati. Read the book and you’ll see why no one has. Link to interview. Stealing Democracy: How the Political Assassination of a Governor Threatens Our Nation by Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman. NewSouth Books, 2020 The stunning story of how, with a corrupt judge, corporatists like Karl Rove railroaded to prison a rising progressive star in the South. Vindication came late for Siegelman. Link to interview. All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon’s Perspective on Climate Change by Michael T. Klare Metropolitan Books, 2019. When omnicide looms, even the Pentagon swings into action regarding climate devastation, regardless of denier Donald. Link to interview. "Profiteering Corruption and Fraud in U.S. Health Care" by practitioner and professor Dr. John Geyman. Nobody, I mean nobody, can calmly and precisely generate more reader rage about our pay or die, wasteful and maddening cruel corporate health care complex than this modest doctor for the people. Focused rage can produce action. Five stars. Link to interview. Money, Power, and the People: The American Struggle to Make Banking Democratic by Christopher W. Shaw. University of Chicago Press, 2019. Trillions of public dollars controlled by high fee Wall Street brokers instead can be deposited in public banks as exist in Republican North Dakota. Shaw shows the history when Americans were far more attuned to banking reforms than now. Link to interview. HIGH CRIMES: The Impeachment of Donald Trump by Former Congressman Alan Grayson. Waterside Productions, 2019. Too bad Grayson wasn’t in Congress to give the House Democrats more backbone for more impeachment counts beyond the Ukraine violation. (See Dec. 18 2019 Cong. Record.) Link to interview. The Machine Never Blinks: A Graphic History of Spying and Surveillance by Everett Patterson and Ivan Greenberg. Fantagraphics, 2020. This graphic history takes the reader through two thousand years of spying and surveillance. Today’s technology, portrayed by the author, takes it to new levels of domination. Citizens, beware. (Interview coming soon.)

Read, Read, and Read More!  Think, Eat, and Sleep in between reading time!

A Message from General James Mattis Regarding the Use of Military to Police the Streets of Washington D.C.

Photo: Business Insider

The United States Military should not be deployed to the streets of the United States to quell a protest.  In fact, there are very few instances in which the deployment of U.S. forces on American soil is justified.  These forces are used for specific purposes outlined by the government.  This opinion is not just my opinion but is shared by many others.  In fact, a statement by retired General Mattis is shown below which parallels the first couple of sentences above.



The complete message from General Mattis was sent to Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic and is shown below:

IN UNION THERE IS STRENGTH

I have watched this week’s unfolding events, angry and appalled. The words “Equal Justice Under Law” are carved in the pediment of the United States Supreme Court. This is precisely what protesters are rightly demanding. It is a wholesome and unifying demand—one that all of us should be able to get behind. We must not be distracted by a small number of lawbreakers. The protests are defined by tens of thousands of people of conscience who are insisting that we live up to our values—our values as people and our values as a nation.

When I joined the military, some 50 years ago, I swore an oath to support and defend the Constitution. Never did I dream that troops taking that same oath would be ordered under any circumstance to violate the Constitutional rights of their fellow citizens—much less to provide a bizarre photo op for the elected commander-in-chief, with military leadership standing alongside.//

We must reject any thinking of our cities as a “battlespace” that our uniformed military is called upon to “dominate.” At home, we should use our military only when requested to do so, on very rare occasions, by state governors. Militarizing our response, as we witnessed in Washington, D.C., sets up a conflict—a false conflict—between the military and civilian society. It erodes the moral ground that ensures a trusted bond between men and women in uniform and the society they are sworn to protect, and of which they themselves are a part. Keeping public order rests with civilian state and local leaders who best understand their communities and are answerable to them.

James Madison wrote in Federalist 14 that “America united with a handful of troops, or without a single soldier, exhibits a more forbidding posture to foreign ambition than America disunited, with a hundred thousand veterans ready for combat.” We do not need to militarize our response to protests. We need to unite around a common purpose. And it starts by guaranteeing that all of us are equal before the law.//

Instructions given by the military departments to our troops before the Normandy invasion reminded soldiers that “The Nazi slogan for destroying us…was ‘Divide and Conquer.’ Our American answer is ‘In Union there is Strength.’” We must summon that unity to surmount this crisis—confident that we are better than our politics.

Donald Trump is the first president in my lifetime who does not try to unite the American people—does not even pretend to try. Instead he tries to divide us. We are witnessing the consequences of three years of this deliberate effort. We are witnessing the consequences of three years without mature leadership. We can unite without him, drawing on the strengths inherent in our civil society. This will not be easy, as the past few days have shown, but we owe it to our fellow citizens; to past generations that bled to defend our promise; and to our children.//

We can come through this trying time stronger, and with a renewed sense of purpose and respect for one another. The pandemic has shown us that it is not only our troops who are willing to offer the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of the community. Americans in hospitals, grocery stores, post offices, and elsewhere have put their lives on the line in order to serve their fellow citizens and their country. We know that we are better than the abuse of executive authority that we witnessed in Lafayette Square. We must reject and hold accountable those in office who would make a mockery of our Constitution. At the same time, we must remember Lincoln’s “better angels,” and listen to them, as we work to unite.

Only by adopting a new path—which means, in truth, returning to the original path of our founding ideals—will we again be a country admired and respected at home and abroad.

As mentioned above, Generals or even other high ranking military officials usually do not speak out against matters of the nation -- to avoid interfering with the political landscape.  Although, in matters which deeply impact the safety of the nation or of the American soldier, unofficial and official language from military officials is warranted. 



In the video below of interviews conducted by CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper, retired General Wesley Clark reiterates the importance of senior military officials speaking out to save the nation in times of trouble:

The current times qualify as troubled times.  We are a nation in a time of change, but a nation in need of direction from leadership above.  If the White House cannot provide such leadership, then the American people will head to the voting polls to change that in November.

A Message from President Obama Regarding Recent Tragedies and Pandemics

Photo: WAFB

What does true leadership look like up at the very top of the highest office in the country?  Has the leadership been present throughout the last few months?  The answer to the last question is, of course, yes.  But the degree to which the leadership has been effective in leading the country is questionable. 



In the turbulent times that Americans find themselves in, true leadership looks toward direction with empathy.  The opposite of which is emerging from the White House. President Trump lacks the ability to exude empathy.  With the terrible killing of George Floyd, the nation finds itself with a lack of leadership.  Below -- from President Obama is a message that is an example of leadership.  Take note President Trump of true leadership.



MSNBC recently aired a Zoom message from President Obama regarding the recent tragedies that have emerged across the United States which is shown below:

CSUN Message Regarding The Senseless Killing Of George Floyd

Photo: NY Post

What started as a suspicious call for a check cashing fraud turned into a terrible abuse of power murder of an innocent man.  Innocent, that, no prisoner should be detained to the point of death before given due process in a court of law.  That is not the case for George Floyd.  The result has been widespread protests across the nation, which have caused lawmakers and law enforcement to enact local curfews.  In Los Angeles, on Tuesday, the curfew started at 6pm and ended at 6 am.



The California State University was used as a ground for peaceful protests on Tuesday.  Although, before that point, President Diane Harrison released the following statement:

The message below was posted on the University website May 29, 2020.

Statement from CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison on Senseless Killing of George Floyd

Like many of you, I have been heartbroken as I watched the news about the killing of George Floyd. The video of him gasping for breath as the knee of a police officer dug into his neck horrified me. We are in support of all of our students, in particular, our African American students who are witnessing another tragic death of an unarmed black man at the hands of those who have sworn to protect and serve. I wish I had an answer for why some act with such malice and carelessness.

I have hope there will be some measure of justice, but I am left with the hollow realization that full justice for Mr. Floyd, his friends and family, and so many African Americans continues to elude us. While not nearly enough, I ask that you take time to reflect on how you can bring justice and kindness to your neighborhood and in whatever groups or organizations you serve. At CSUN, we will continue to uphold and work to advance the values of diversity and inclusion so that all are treated with respect and dignity, but this death is a sad reminder that our work is not nearly done.

I want every member of our campus community to feel welcome and safe, and my heart goes out to our students, faculty, staff and alumni of color who again are reminded of the inequities and violence they continue to face. While we must do much more as a society and must do it now, CSUN supports all of you.

Here are a couple of videos showing a peaceful protest for the senseless death of George Floyd yesterday.  The peaceful protest was organized by CSUN students.

The Lack of Leadership at the Top Promotes Chaos -- which is unfolding now

Photo: The Verge

This morning while listening to the news, I could not help but remember a thought that used to run through my head while serving in the U.S. Military.  While serving in the military, a soldier cannot help but wonder how this massive military operation works on a global scale.  Furthermore, there is a tremendous disconnect between military soldiers and civilians in regards to understanding the military.  That is to be expected, given the undercover nature of the massive fighting force.



With that being said, one recurring thought that ran through my head was: when the military is unleashed on the streets of America, there is a real problem.



The last option that is necessary is military soldiers patrolling the streets of America.  


Civilians do not want to have the military patrol and keep order on the streets of America.  Why?  Because that is a sign of chaos.  America is amid a pandemic along with a race war.  The streets of America are being ravaged in rage by protesters.



Which throughout 24 hours with the terrible (and unjustified) killing of George Floyd has eclipsed any fear of being in close contact for reasons of spreading a potentially deadly virus?  Coronavirus disappeared -- was overshadowed by the rage of a race war?  Amazing.



The health of America is at stake.  And what is being done at the federal level?  Our Commander-in-Chief is doing precisely what is displayed in the picture below:

Photo: Politico Energy

The picture above shows a thousand words regarding President Trump's rumored inability to concentrate on presentations.  In the image, the President is clearly not paying attention to the display -- which could be potentially significant.  His Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross is looking at him in disbelief -- which is entirely concerning.



If President Trump displays the same inability to concentrate on important matters which impact global health or national security, what are we as citizens to think?  Is the Country safe under his leadership?  If an alien shot down from another world and observed the current state of affairs, what would they think? 



The affairs of the nation impact the relations of the world.  If the most powerful person on earth is not able to pay attention, then the current state of chaos should be of no surprise to those watching in disbelief.  I am personally shocked by the photo above.  Even though everything I read suggested that the content of the photo above was happening.  Welcome to the reality check.



Related Blog Posts:



Ralph Nader: Donald Trump, Resign Now for America’s Sake

Ralph Nader: Letting Big Corporations Get Away with Whatever They Want

Ralph Nader: We Honor What We Value – Entertainers Over Saviors

"I Have a Hunch" is NOT Real Science


What Are Some Issues With Opening Up Restaurants and Crowds with Respect to the Spread of Coronavirus


Trump Administration Cuts Coronavirus Research Funding for Wuhan China Research Institute?


Unscientific Advice from the Highest Office in the United States of America

Societies New Normal Post Coronavirus Pandemic

Ralph Nader: Calls Out Congress on a Poor Job Helping Americans During Coronavirus Pandemic