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rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
Mon Aug 31, 2015, 04:21 PM Aug 2015

“You Fly to the Edge of the Tar Sands, and ... No Life”

“You Fly to the Edge of the Tar Sands, and ... No Life”: A Montana Professor on the Issue of Our Time

“University of Montana professor George Price on permaculture, race, and how he's standing up to tar sands extraction.”


This article is an interview of George Price, “a University of Montana professor of African American and Native American Studies ...” by Sarah van Gelder for YES! Magazine.

The article tells about the struggles of Montana Native Americans and about coal tar sands extraction.
I think this article is important to show this specific struggle, which is almost invisible in the Corp-Media, but to also show that there are more and more individual protesting happening around the country and world of peoples fighting back against the oppression of uncontrolled capitalism.

George Price explains about the organization, Indian Peoples Action:
“ It's a Montana-based organization working on multiple fronts: native rights, anti-discrimination, the unjustice in the justice system. Native people make up a little over 6 percent of the population of the state of the Montana, but over 30 percent of the incarcerated”

In this quote, George Price speaks about the terrible ecological disaster of coal tar extraction:
“Anybody, no matter how much of a brainwashed capitalist you are, can see this from the air. You fly right to edge of the tar sands and see the beautiful boreal forest and the lakes everywhere up in that northern section, and then just miles and miles of total devastation. No life. I mean anybody with any sense that nature might be a little valuable, any sense that trees are kinda nice, looks at that and gets a message—a really strong message.”

In this quote George Price IMO makes it clear that fights for racial justice must include the fight for economic justice (“let's question the whole paradigm.”).
“I'm glad you brought that up, because what I said previously about equality almost sounded like I'd abandoned racial justice. And I haven't, you know. I was on the board of the Flathead Reservation human rights organization for years, and I've been teaching race and racism. But I go a little further than a lot of the racial justice advocates to say, let's question the whole paradigm.”

Please read the complete article here: http://www.yesmagazine.org/edge-of-change/you-fly-to-the-edge-of-the-tar-sands-and-no-life-20150828?utm_source=YTW&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=20150828
Please support YES! Magazine
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bvar22

(39,909 posts)
1. It is difficult to find photos that show all the damage because it covers so many square miles.
Mon Aug 31, 2015, 05:07 PM
Aug 2015

I thought this one would give some people an idea,

but the size of this destruction is unimaginable.
I'll bet you can see the Tar Sands destruction from space.

No wonder the Earth hates us.

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
15. Our culture is to revere wealth above all else. Above the health of our neighbors and
Tue Sep 1, 2015, 10:47 AM
Sep 2015

above the health of the planet. And the Corp-Media is complicit.

Mnemosyne

(21,363 posts)
16. Must be why GW Bush, War Criminal, was so excited about going to Mars. They shit up the world and
Tue Sep 1, 2015, 11:33 AM
Sep 2015

leave us peasants to suffer from it. Hope the Martians kick their asses off asap after they get there.

eppur_se_muova

(36,269 posts)
12. Here you go ...
Mon Aug 31, 2015, 08:04 PM
Aug 2015


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/12/pictures/111222-canada-oil-sands-satellite-images/#

Actually, the photos from the ground make the bigger impression ... for scale, note the four dumptrucks lining up to approach the huge orange cranes in the foreground ...

 

AlbertCat

(17,505 posts)
5. Unjustice?
Mon Aug 31, 2015, 05:37 PM
Aug 2015

Well, the "u" and the "i" are right next to each other...

Anyway..... even if one didn't now about this, tar sand oil is, I'm told, dirty and low grade and cost more to refine. And we're still running out sooner or later....

robertpaulsen

(8,632 posts)
6. There's a great implicit message in this piece.
Mon Aug 31, 2015, 05:40 PM
Aug 2015

That the health of our environment is tied directly to the health of our communities - that encompasses economic and racial justice. Our current paradigm is the reason why our environment and community is so unhealthy. Price is right to question it - as should we all.

rosesaylavee

(12,126 posts)
11. Are you familiar with Garth Lenz' work?
Mon Aug 31, 2015, 07:13 PM
Aug 2015

He is taking his photographs on tour and I think he replicates this TED talk as he goes around the continent talking about this absolutely horrifying thing we are not hearing about otherwise.

Check this out: http://www.ted.com/talks/garth_lenz_images_of_beauty_and_devastation



His photography website is: http://www.garthlenz.com/

According to friends of friends, the Canadian Govt follows him around, requesting he not communicate this issue so boldly. He's a brave man to stand up a trillion dollar business. We need more like him.

More info here: http://oilsandstruth.org/
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