Yesterday I began my personal catharsis over the election disaster by writing a new blog. My first in a long time. I thought I was ready. I thought I could share my thoughts without getting too emotional. I thought I had become detached enough from what seemed like such a personal loss that I could begin to address issues that matter to me once again. But after reading today’s news headlines I feel that I simply picked off a scab and the pus is oozing. The wound is fresh all over again. And what I fear most in this new surreal world is that this will happen to me (and you) over and over again, like some really twisted politically charged Ground Hogs Day.
In that KOS blog from yesterday I wrote: “My dread comes for my grandchildren because there will be things they don’t get to see, things they don’t get to experience. Things like wilderness areas and public lands of all kinds are likely to become inaccessible to the general public as they become leased out to mining and drilling and grazing...I have fear that my grandchildren will have to fight—perhaps even literally—for clean air and fresh water while we continue to drill baby drill for the dirtiest possible fuel.” And today almost as if my comments willed it into existence, President Trump put his personal stamp of approval on my dread. By executive order he has re-approved two pipelines—Keystone XL and Dakota Access--that have been protested and rejected by the American people. The American people made incredible sacrifices, even shed blood, to stop both of these pipelines. Trump has ignored them all while pandering to the short sighted, greedy billionaires that make up his circle of “advisers.”
Ironically, this comes directly on the heels of a report on Monday about a new pipeline leak of over 50,000 gallons in Saskatchewan, Canada. Government officials don’t know which company is responsible. They don’t know which pipe among the many buried pipes is actually leaking. They didn’t even know it was leaking until, according to Reuters, a local resident reported smelling oil for nearly a week. But leaking pipes are nothing new. In fact, in the past two years there have been over 70 gas or oil pipeline leaks in the U.S. alone. The current administration can use all the “alternative facts” it wants but that is a lot of leaking fossil fuel that is contaminating a lot of our planet. Yes OUR planet.
So, I get back to thinking of my grandkids and...I think we’ll go sledding this weekend.