Wow! It increasingly amazes me how much power the corporations have quietly gained in their acquiring the right to personhood. Their powerful voice, filled with propaganda, has the ears of all our governmental agencies and has masterminded immense destruction to our planet. Locally, we see it in First Light’s so called clean energy where they use fossil fuels to pump water from the Connecticut River up the mountain to release it for producing electricity. Not only is it using fossil fuels to accomplish this task, but it uses a process that is destroying the fish and livelihood of the river. Locally, we also are seeing the relentless control private logging companies have on state agencies which spread myths and false information to log and profit from our very special public forests in our state. They have become masters at using the right lingo to pretend that they’re doing so for the good of the forests, while their efforts are destroying these critical diverse and complex ecosystems, if one is to study the newest science put forth by independent scientists. We also continue to see gas corporations pushing to build new pipelines and infrastructure to continue to trap us into fossil fuel consumption and growth. For years, Gov. Charlie Baker has supported industry to exert their powers, influencing our state agencies and departments. Now we have a new governor who many of us hope will lead us into a new paradigm, where the health and well being of our citizens and planet are prioritized over the profits of a small number of loud and powerful voices. We hope Governor-elect Healey will heed to the voices of independent scientists in the actions she takes, rather than the scientists working for the private financial incentives that now have so much power locally and nationally. In fact, it would be helpful if the new governor finds a way to implement policies giving nature the rights of personhood to balance the intense damage being done by the corporation right to personhood.
Miriam Kurland
Williamsburg