We Stand In Solidarity Against Mine

This is the solidarity message I relayed to the People's Hearing on mining at the State Capitol yesterday from the community badly effected by mining in San Sebastian, El Salvador. A member of the pastoral team in San Sebastian had visited Ashland this past fall to discuss mining pollution in her community and to hear the concerns of the people of Ashland and the Bad River Reservation over proposed mining in their communities.

Signed,
Babette Grunow
Latin America Solidarity Committee


Dear friends from Wisconsin,

Receive our cordial greetings of solidarity, on behalf of the community San Sebastian de Santa Rosa de Lima, El Salvador. We wish to extend our solidarity with the people of Wisconsin in your struggle against the mine, it is not an individual struggle, if not collective, a struggle of the countries that we must always be alert and in the constant struggle against these mining companies that only cause damage and destruction, to the communities or peoples, we speak of these damages and destruction because we have lived it in our own flesh, have lived and are living the conseqences of the mining exploitation.

We wish to express our solidarity because you have a public hearing in the state capitol.

We just wish to say to you that we don't want any other community, nor any people to suffer that which we have suffered for the exploitation of the mining.

So Forward with your struggle,

Community of San Sebastian
24th of January 2012


Queridos amigos de Wisconsin,

Reciban un cordial saludo de solidaridad, de parte de la comunidad San Sebastián de Santa Rosa de Lima, El Salvador.

Queremos solidarizarnos con el pueblo de Wisconsin en su lucha contra la mína, ya que no es una lucha individual, si no colectiva, una lucha de países que debemos estar siempre alerta y en una lucha constante a estas empresas mineras, que solo causan daño y destrucción, a las comunidades o pueblos, nosotros hablamos de estos daños y destrucciones porque los hemos vivido en carne propia, hemos vivido y estamos viviendo las consecuencias de una explotación minera.

Nos comentan que ustedes tendrán una audiencia el miércoles en el capitolio estatal.

Solo queremos decirles que no quisiéramos que ninguna comunidad, ningún pueblo sufra lo que nosotros estamos sufriendo por la explotación de la minería.

Así que adelante con su lucha,

Comunidad de San Sebastián
24 de enero de 2012

"Perception is Reality"

"Money is a coward"- that is, when potential investers see instability an uncertainity, they tend to invest their money elsrwhere. If this is the business enviorment the people of northern Wisconsin are choosing to create. They will take the jobs elsewhere and Ashland will have their "BEAUTIFUL" casino and northland college.

"... this will build good

"... this will build good lakes for fish and wildlife to strive as they do in Northern Minnesotta."

Yes, let's sacrifice trout streams, our watershed, and the health of our already-built lake to build a sterile lake where fish will strive to do what, grow legs and skedaddle? Fish tainted by taconite mining pollution in Northern Minnesota are NOT EDIBLE due to high levels of mercury. The fish and wildlife we have here right now THRIVE in a natural habitat and are edible to boot.

The racism, greed, and radical pollutionism on the part of some of you loud pro-miners is really becoming quite nauseating.

Sarah Martines
Ashland

Dear Guest (not verified) |

Dear Guest (not verified) | January 27, 2012 - 9:08am
You said: (("Maybe in El Salvador you dont have any rules and regulations but here in America we do. This mine will not hurt the environment our health standards are high our ground water and lake will be safe if anythig this will build good lakes for fish and wildlife to strive as they do in Northern Minnesotta.

Go back to El Salvador and do your whining"))

Wow, to think there are women and men in uniform defending your right to spout off such ignorant drivel. You dishonor them.

Charlie Ortman

I equate money and power with

I equate money and power with evil. It seems we have two types of people. One group respects mankind and our earth and enviroment, The other group thinks wealth is their God. They have no concern for anything or anyone except their own selfish interests. They rear their ugly racist heads. To feel important they have to make others less imoortant. Someone from another country offers support and they are told to stop whining and go back home. What group do you belong to?

Gracias, Comunidad de San Sebasti

Queridos amigos de Comunidad de San Sebastián,

Gracias por su mensaje de solidaridad.
Estamos muy agradecidos por su apoyo. Nuestra comunidad y la suya—ambas afectadas por las compañías mineras—están unidas en esta lucha.

Siento mucho el daño que han causado al agua, a la tierra, al aire, y siento mucho lo que le han hecho a sus hijos.

En hermandad, de las comunidades alrededor del Lago Superior en Wisconsin, Estados Unidos:

¡Gracias por su respaldo!

Solidaridad,
Melissa Helman
Ashland, WI

Dear Guest (not verified) |

Dear Guest (not verified) | January 27, 2012 - 3:56am
You said; (("Perhaps Latin America is prosperous enough with full employment to not need further economic development. In Northern Wisconsin, un –necessary environmental regulation has strangled the economy while doing nothing to functionally protect the environment. As you can see, the protests have done nothing to slow the progress of the mining project. Lies, drumming and hysterics may get a lot of press but they don’t get a lot of respect, credibility or integrity."))
So are you suggesting that if you dont have full employment then pollution is OK? I'm trying to figure out why you would be so dismissive of the authors claims of environmental damage. And please source your assertions of un neccessary environmental regulation strangling our economy while doing nothing functional to protect the environment. In fact please provide supporting data for all your blanket statements. You radical pollutionists demand much evidence but seem willing to provide none for your own claims.

Charlie Ortman

This is America not El Salvador

Maybe in El Salvador you dont have any rules and regulations but here in America we do.
This mine will not hurt the environment our health standards are high our ground water and lake will be safe if anythig this will build good lakes for fish and wildlife to strive as they do in Northern Minnesotta.

Go back to El Salvador and do your whining

As anyone who's paying

As anyone who's paying attention can see, the hundreds of voices testifying against the proposed mining bill for a multitude of legitimate, fact-based reasons have fallen on the deaf ears of elected officials whose votes have been bought and paid for by. Their votes clearly belong to the mining company and other special interest, NOT by the people of Wisconsin. The only people in favor of this mine are those who stand to gain from it financially. It's all about money. Those opposing this mine see the loss of things far more valuable, but the Republican assembly obviously doesn't care about Wisconsin's soul. Let's hope the Senate does!

Sarah Martines
Ashland

Well said. It's time we look

Well said. It's time we look beyond the tactics of the radical environmentalists and get to work.

Perhaps Latin America is

Perhaps Latin America is prosperous enough with full employment to not need further economic development. In Northern Wisconsin, un –necessary environmental regulation has strangled the economy while doing nothing to functionally protect the environment. As you can see, the protests have done nothing to slow the progress of the mining project. Lies, drumming and hysterics may get a lot of press but they don’t get a lot of respect, credibility or integrity.