GUEST COMMENTARY

 

October 10, 2012



Community, Chamber and City Must Work Together

Dr. Suzanne De Benedittis

Processing the meta-communication of all the participants (Community, Chamber of Commerce, Council and Staff) at the Culver City Council's discussion regarding the formation of a City sponsored Fracking/Oil Field Safety committee, as a person of faith, the history of the Jews in Egypt comes to mind.

I can imagine that they debated and struggled whether to accept their plight as slaves to the dominant powers. After all, the Egyptians controlled their economics and seemingly had the power of life and death over them – just as Big Business and Big Oil seem to dominate our lives and our futures today.

This holy week of Sukkot reminds me of our fragile dwellings, made even more so by our oil field neighbor, PXP's intentions for potential resources hidden deep under our homes and businesses.

And just as the Light/God/the Ultimate Good rewarded those brave enough to pursue the Greater Good to a “land flowing with milk and honey,” so too I trust that with God's grace and our united determination we will demand all that contributes to the Greater Good of the people of Culver City.

It would be a wise investment for Culver City Chamber of Commerce leaders Steve Rose and Goran Eriksson to visit Love Canal, deemed by NY State Health Department as a "national symbol of a failure to exercise a sense of concern for future generations."

If the Chamber is truly concerned about Culver City's long range prosperity, it behooves them to find out the truth regarding the Gulf Coast’s small businesses vs. British Petroleum’s Public Relations hype. If the Chamber of Commerce cares to be proactive on behalf of the people who live and work in Culver City, it needs to speak with our neighbors in Carson's Carousel Tract.

Look into Wilmington's Ujima Village class action lawsuit. Wise leaders learn from others' disasters. Together let's find ways to avert potential risks and damages.

Let's not keep wandering in the desert of emotional fringe or industry hype. Let's not turn Culver City, now a destination spot into another Camelot. Given our City's constrained resources, I am hereby inviting our Culver City Chamber of Commerce to work closely with the citizenry to sponsor factual workshops that will inform the Public regarding the costs, risks and benefits of hydraulic fracturing and oil extraction in and contiguous to Culver City.

Let us together support Culver City remaining a “promised land” where real estate has maintained its values and everyone who moves in wants to stay. Let's not turn a destination city into dust. I do not think anyone wants those poignant lines from Camelot to prophesy Culver City's future: "Don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot."

Working together, let us in the words of our County Supervisor, Mark Ridley Thomas, “educate, engage and empower” our citizens so that democracy and prosperity prevails. Yes?

 

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