Rights for the Earth and those on it

Once in a while a person experiences a convergence of events and/or information that helps clarify things. This has happened to me over the past few weeks; watching the efforts of a few congressmen to rein in the reign of terror our government foments with extraordinary rendition and inhumane treatment of prisoners yet to be charged with, let alone found guilty of, anything and the efforts of the administration to pretend to be espousing rules against such things while continuing to practice them; reading a book titled “Overthrow” by Steven Kinzer which details an American history of bloody, under-the-table, below the belt gunboat diplomacy from the overthrow of Queen Lilliuokilani in Hawaii to give American fruit growers control there, and finally; catching an Amy Goodman interview with Marco Simons of Earth Rights International on LinkTV then tieing them altogether with a lifelong interest in ecological issues.

Those who don’t wear the government-issue blinders of flag waving, unquestioning “patriotism” understand that our political issues are closely tied to serious environmental concerns. Goodman and Simon were discussing an Earth Rights International lawsuit filed against Chiquita Fruit Co. for irresponsible pesticide use resulting in environmental degradation and sterility among field workers. At the same time, the government of Colombia is prosecuting Chiquita for using or allowing use of its private airstrip to smuggle guns in support of guerilla forces trying to oust the government. If Chiquita is engaged in, supporting, or even quietly ignoring gun smuggling and you think they are supporting insurrection without the knowledge of the U.S. government, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you.

On another front, ERI is looking at applying an old law, the Alien Tort Claims Act against BushCo. This law was created to allow suits for torture and other abuses ordered by foreign officials against U.S. citizens. The reasoning is that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, i.e. that it is just as wrong for the U.S. to do these things to foreigners as it is for foreigners to do them.

This group is worth watching and learning about. I highly recommend visiting them at http://www.earthrights.org/.

BTW – I will not be able to work on my blogs for the next week, but will return a week from today. Thanks to all of you who take the time to stop by. I shall return!!

Be the change you wish to see in the world. -- M. K. Gandhi

Individually we have little voice. Collectively we cannot be ignored.
But in silence we surrender our power. Yours in Peace -- BR