I've been a supporter of Clean Water Action (CWA) for years; I believe clean water is vitally important to every human being and to our environment, no matter where we live on the planet.
CWA sent me this email just moments ago, asking for our urgent assistance with this matter. It looks like oppression now runs the gamut, from the government to the corporation, all acting in concert against the best interests of every American.
Apologies in advance to the diary police, but I'm reprinting this, word-for-word from the CWA email; it's their story and I'm going to let them make their case. Besides, I don't think I could do better:
Polluter Pressure Costs Board Member's Job
As reported in Louisiana-area newspapers, Willie Fontenot, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana was recently forced from his position as environmental community liaison for the state Attorney General's office. Fontenot is a long-time Board Member and former national Board Chair for Clean Water Action.
Fontenot's "crime?"
As part of his job, Fontenot was assisting Antioch New England Graduate School (ANE) environmental students visiting the state.
The students' "crime?"
According to Baton Rouge newspapers, they were standing on a public sidewalk and photographing ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge petrochemical facility. While taking the pictures, Fontenot and the students were detained by a security guard and an off-duty police officer working for ExxonMobil. The next day, acting in an official police capacity, one of the same officers filed a complaint with the office of state Attorney General Charles Foti about Fontenot's outspoken support of the students' legal rights. Two weeks later, and without any warning, Fontenot was given a choice: Either retire immediately, or face being fired without benefits, despite 27 years of service in the Attorney General's office.
Righting an Injustice
Clean Water Action has joined ANE and the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN) in a national campaign to persuade Attorney General Foti to do the right thing and re-hire Willie Fontenot. ANE and LEAN's efforts so far resulted in an April 27 meeting which opened dialogue on this possibility. A follow-up meeting is to be held within the next few days.
As a Clean Water Action member, you can help encourage Attorney General Foti to do the right thing and re-hire Willie Fontenot at their next meeting.
Act Now
Click here now to e-mail Attorney General Foti (and use or edit Clean Water Action's sample e-mail message).
SAMPLE E-MAIL MESSAGE FROM CWA MEMBERS TO AG's OFFICE
Subject: Rehire Mr. Fontenot
Dear Attorney General Foti:
Like many people around the country, I recently heard the news about Willie Fontenot's forced resignation following a complaint from an ExxonMobil employee.
Mr. Fontenot was assisting a student group engaged in legitimate, legal research activities.
Clean Water Action's 1,000,000 members are very concerned about this unjust dismissal.
Not only has Mr. Fontenot served on Clean Water Action's national board for more than 15 years, he has also provided exemplary service to the people of Louisiana through the Attorney General's office for 27 years.
While you may not have been aware of the circumstances underlying Mr. Fontenot's dismissal, I believe that it is your responsibility to do the right thing by offering to reinstate Mr. Fontenot to his position.
I also urge you to institute a training program that could help clarify the responsibilities and legal constraints governing the behavior of corporate security guards and local law enforcement officers moonlighting as security guards. Such a program could help ensure that unfortunate confrontations of the kind that happened on March 16 between ExxonMobil security guards and off-duty police and environmental studies students from Antioch New England Graduate School will be much less likely in the future.
I'm sure you agree that corporate harassment of students, academics, journalists and community members will not be tolerated in Louisiana. In the same spirit I urge you to stand up publicly for what's right, and reinstate Willie Fontenot to his job.
You have an opportunity to exert strong, ethical leadership and be a national role model of courageous public service. Please act now to correct the injustice done to Willie Fontenot and the students he was assisting as part of his work for your office.
Sincerely,
The e-mail addresses are:
To: wartellek@ag.state.la.us
Cc: ltgov@crt.state.la.us
I'd really be grateful if Kossacks could help with this matter by writing an email as requested by CWA. This is, after all, not just a matter of clean water but a matter of protecting our democracy -- and Kossacks do it better than anyone else.
If you'd like to learn more about Clean Water Action, visit their website at: http://www.cleanwateraction.org/
Thanks!