Today, Patience and I celebrated our fourth, and hopefully last, "PATHaversary." It's been four years now since we walked into our first PATH "Open House," soon figured out not only was the project incredibly destructive, but that the "green-shirted goon" staff were callous and untruthful. And we made a game plan to stop PATH. So, this afternoon we hoisted a couple Raging Bitch Ales and bid PATH adieu.
We've learned a lot in the last four years. Unfortunately, we can't unlearn it again. We're not the same people we were four years ago and our work will continue.
One of the many news stories about PATH's cancellation drew some comments complaining that the real story had been missed, and it has. The real story is that David has beaten the corporate Goliath. Ordinary citizens coming together and fully participating in our democratic processes were more powerful than corporate greed in the end. You can fight corporate power and win, folks! If we'd individually concentrated on only our own backyards and let PATH intimidate us (oh, and how they tried!) the $2.1B, completely unnecessary, PATH project would be built by now. However, because of all of us, PATH has finally been chucked into the great scrap heap of stupid ideas that will never become reality, where it always rightfully belonged.
We developed new and effective methods of successfully fighting transmission lines, and we won. Our "best practices" will now be carried forward and applied elsewhere.
PATH didn't build a high voltage transmission line, instead we built something much more powerful. We built new friendships, both within our own immediate neighborhoods, as well as with others across the state, and even across the country. We began and continue to build a grassroots movement of citizens and consumers who are fed up with business as usual energy policy that benefits the few at the expense of the many, and are determined to change it for the better. We have a voice, and it roars!
One of the many news stories about PATH's cancellation drew some comments complaining that the real story had been missed, and it has. The real story is that David has beaten the corporate Goliath. Ordinary citizens coming together and fully participating in our democratic processes were more powerful than corporate greed in the end. You can fight corporate power and win, folks! If we'd individually concentrated on only our own backyards and let PATH intimidate us (oh, and how they tried!) the $2.1B, completely unnecessary, PATH project would be built by now. However, because of all of us, PATH has finally been chucked into the great scrap heap of stupid ideas that will never become reality, where it always rightfully belonged.
We developed new and effective methods of successfully fighting transmission lines, and we won. Our "best practices" will now be carried forward and applied elsewhere.
PATH didn't build a high voltage transmission line, instead we built something much more powerful. We built new friendships, both within our own immediate neighborhoods, as well as with others across the state, and even across the country. We began and continue to build a grassroots movement of citizens and consumers who are fed up with business as usual energy policy that benefits the few at the expense of the many, and are determined to change it for the better. We have a voice, and it roars!
RSS Feed