May 24, 2016
During a January 8 broadcast of Democracy Now!, Amy Goodman asked Nayyirah Shariff, coordinator with the Flint Democracy Defense League, this essential question: “What does democracy have to do with clean water?” The story relates, of course, to the high level of lead and other toxic substances that were causing health complications to Flint residents, including children who may have been permanently impacted. Goodman’s question gets to the fundamental issue we all face as activists: getting elected officials to act in a manner that represents the interests of their constituents.
Flint teaches us the value of our right to self-governance and self-determination, which continues to be eroded and hijacked. Too many elected officials work for their campaign donors and lobbyists, who continuously come knocking, expecting eventual payback. The environmental consequences present themselves over and over again:
- TPP: The Trans-Pacific Partnership continues to move forward, even though previous trade deals have failed to keep their promises about “free” trade and economic benefits. Even as the strong opposition against TPP continues to grow, business as usual carries on, but we are having an impact as it becomes more and more difficult to defend this trade “deal.”
- GMO labeling: Numerous consumers, farmers, healthcare professionals, scientists, businesses, and food professionals (over 40,000 across the state and counting) have signed on in support of full disclosure and transparency regarding the presence of GMOs in our food supply through mandatory labeling. Yet campaign contributions and lobbying seem to speak louder than the wishes of constituents — see my article “XXX” in this issue for more about this fight.
- Gas infrastructure: Activists across the state celebrated as DEC Commissioner Martens, DOH Commissioner Zucker, and Governor Andrew Cuomo announced in December 2014 that they could not allow hydraulic fracturing to go forward in the state.
Extraction itself has been prohibited, but residents are still under assault as infrastructure continues to build out, private property is taken and destroyed through eminent domain, and people deal with health consequences resulting from such activities. In addition, several waste sites are accepting potentially radioactive waste from fracking sites in Pennsylvania for a lucrative profit, and water is sold to fracking companies in Pennsylvania, permanently removing it from the natural hydrological cycle. We must celebrate the victories, but still have to pay attention as corporate greed dominates our democratic process.
There are numerous other examples, of course — what’s happening in your community? Too often, elected officials care more about what the big spenders want than what their constituents need. The most powerful tool and leverage we have is people power, which emphasizes the importance and value of your getting involved and meeting others who are as mad as you are. You can be active in your community through your local group and at the state level, especially through the Atlantic Chapter.
Please indicate your interest in getting involved on our website (newyork.sierraclub.org) to ensure that our elected officials are held accountable and act in the best interest of our public health, environment and natural resources. What does democracy have to do with clean water? The answer is clear — protecting our water, along with other aspects of the environment, public health and natural resources for the use of all the people, not corporate self interest.. It is our task. We cannot count on elected officials to do it for us. This is what democracy looks like.