I'm interrupting normal gratitude programming to bring you this extensive commentary -
I went to the public meeting on the proposed mining and land
exchange near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (Northern Minnesota). They didn’t clarify during the comment period
who the land exchange involved, but based on history I could venture a guess. There
was an open house before the public hearing where I guess I could have learned
this as well as other info; however, I didn’t know that was what the open house
meant.
It was that really cold Tuesday recently when schools were
closed etc. I’d made phone calls for the
Sierra Club the night before recruiting people and some had weather concerns
which I shared. So I was surprised to
say the least to see easily over 1000 people there.
I’ve mentioned to a few people recently that I’ve been a bit
obsessed with watching Byron Katie videos on YouTube. I was prepared to use her “The Work” strategy
with the stressful thoughts I expected to experience at the hearing. I exercised right before hand and came in
with my intention/hope to provide a more peaceful than frustrated presence.
As I mentioned the place was packed. I stood at the door and accessed the least
crowded portion of the room and headed there.
After finding a seat (most were filled), I soon came to realize I was in
the mining portion of the room. Most people
had stickers on that said either 500 (500 years of water monitoring/clean-up)
or “I support mining”. I hadn’t parked
in the typical locale (no surprise) so I guess I missed the sticker passer
outers.
The hearing was 3 hours of testimony – names drawn randomly
each had 3 minutes to comment. This was
the last of three public hearings. I’d
read online earlier that day that a previous one up North had been largely
supportive. I was surprised at how many
miners (with hard hats etc.) were there.
Later it was hinted at (unconfirmed) that some were being paid to be
there.
Either way I thought about how silly it is that we see this
issue as No NorthMet Mining versus Yes NorthMet mining, as if we are on
opposite sides. In fact – nearly everyone
– certainly everyone living locally – wants clean water. And nearly everyone wants sustainable jobs.
The number I heard was this may provide jobs for 20
years. And that is the story repeated
again and again throughout the world. Water
monitoring/clean-up/maintenance may need to occur for 500 years. As someone skillfully pointed out MN has been
a state for 155 years and the U.S. a country for 237 years and this
company expects to be a corporation for 500?
Someone else pointed out that 8000 pounds of copper is needed
for each wind turbine. You know how
people would say “save paper/environment” do it electronically? Well, yes logging is tough on the environment
but compared to mining for all our phone and computers and TVs – forget it. Anyway, windmills and solar panels and light
rail and electric car plug-ins need copper.
And the countries where that copper is being mined (Chile, Peru, China,
Russia) mostly have less environmental safeguards than we do.
However, once again someone point out – we only recycle 25%
of our electronics. We already have all
these mined material not being used.
So back and forth it goes.
Just waiting as each speaker began - to find out which side she/he is
on.
So it goes the drama of humanity, of engagement, of being
right. This story unfolds night after
night, hearing after hearing, room after room.
But here comes an another example -
A young man gets up to take his 3 minute turn. He is opposed to the mining – I don’t recall
the specific reasons he provided…He ends his time saying something like, “I
wish I could grab a beer after this with some of the miners here to talk. But I won’t be 21 for a few months.”
I have to reiterate how divided this
room is – not only divided by stickers worn, or where one was (which was clear
as ½ of the room or the other would applaud), but also in appearance. I was surrounded by barrel chested, somewhat
scruffy big men (and a few suits too), the other side had a completely different
look. When one of them mentioned owning
land or a cabin up North, I would inwardly cringe. The men around me saying “I live there!”
And here was this skinny 20 year old college student who
didn’t care about divisions.
For the future to look different – we have to BE different
and he was my shining example. He didn’t
have the best factual argument (which I give to the person who pointed out
that this is in the Great Lakes watershed where 20% of the world’s fresh
surface water is found) or the most powerful speaker (which I give to a First Nations
woman who moved me to tears), but he was a living embodiment of Rumi’s
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing
There is a field.
I’ll meet you there.”
I left the public hearing around 9:30pm – about ½ hour
before it ended. As I was walking out I
saw the college student, and guess who he was talking to?
A miner.
He reached out his hand, and someone took it, and there they
were opposite sides, talking and smiling.
I waited until they were done and then told him how
impressed I was by his lack of adversarial-ness in his comment. What can we/will we/could we all create
together?
In all the Byron Katie videos I’ve watched the most profound
concept she has seeded in me is –
“Defense is the first act of war.”
I won’t even attempt to explain that here as I am only at
the beginnings of grasping it. But she
demonstrated the concept and I could glimpse the truth.
My sister-in-law gave me 365 Dalai Lama – Daily Advice from the
Heart. This is my favorite so far
“Loving thoughts and actions are clearly beneficial for our
physical and mental health. They express
our true nature. On the contrary,
violent, cruel, and hateful acts shock us.
That is why we feel the need to talk about hem and why they make front-page
news. The problem is that little by
little, insidiously, we come to think that human nature is wicked. One day we might convince ourselves that
there is not hope for mankind.”
On a lighter note I just read a great article on all this by none other than
Aljazeera America
My favorite part -
"What we're seeing with the PolyMet proposal is kind of like their
Match.com profile," says Betsy Daub, policy director for Friends of the
Boundary Waters Wilderness. "They're going to put their best face
forward, and their best face is 500 years of water pollution."
The public has until March 13th to
comment. More info at the link. Here is the email for comments.
NorthMetSDEIS.dnr@state.mn.us
When the last tree has been cut down,
the last fish caught,
the last
river poisoned,
only then will we realize that one cannot eat money.
Native American saying
