Letter to the Editor: Time for an Allamakee County Revolution
To the Editor:
The American Revolution came about because the British Parliament denied local, community self-government to the colonies. Are we now being colonized by corporations masquerading as “family” farmers and denying our local rights to protect our water, air and property?
We already have enough local large confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to know the dangers to air, water, and neighboring property values. We do not need people from outside the area building here just because they can. My purpose here is not to enumerate the dangers of allowing CAFOs to be built in the Village Creek area. Others are doing that quite well.
My purpose here is to remind us all that we have the right and the obligation to take the matter into our own hands. It’s time for an Allamakee County Revolution!
The very first article of the Constitution of the State of Iowa says:
ARTICLE I. Section 2. All political power is inherent in the people. Government is instituted for the protection, security, and benefit of the people, and they have the right, at all times, to alter or reform the same, whenever the public good may require it.
How can we alter or reform government for the public good?
We can first claim our right to local self government and to the protection of our life, liberty and property. Let’s speak up and tell our leaders and community members that we know our rights and expect them.
We can pass local ordinances prohibiting activities which take away those rights. Over 200 local towns and counties across this country have successfully done just that to prohibit such activities as CAFOs and fracking.
We can elect government leaders - supervisors, legislators, presidents - who will protect our rights over those who wish to “colonize” us. Maybe we need to find the right people and encourage them to run for office.
We have legislators who have worked well with us and for us on frack sand mining issues and are concerned about issues surrounding CAFOs. There are also candidates who are for local control and adjustment to the master matrix (the rules allowing CAFO construction). Those rules were passed 14 years ago. They denied local control at that time and, if left unchanged, they will poison us now because they do not adequately address the unique issues of our county.
State laws should set standards to protect the state, but should encourage local communities to set more specific and/or stringent rules to protect local communities, not deny them the right to do that in the name of protecting corporations who wish to make a profit at our expense.
Yes. The rules definitely need to be changed, but we also need to stand up and take our rights back (and our duty to protect those rights).
I personally would like to see more discussion on what we can do to protect our rights!
Sincerely,
Mary Abbas
Dorchester
