Comment: Great Letter Mr. Dixon! No to Uranium Mining and Milling!
January 29, 2010
To The Editor:
I feel I must reply to Mr. Ingram’s letter, published in the Danville Register on Sunday, January 17, as it seems less a defense of his position on uranium mining in Pittsylvania County and more an assault on me personally. Of course, Mr. Ingram is entitled to his opinions, as I am to mine, it is a free country; but, just for the record, let the facts, as they say, be presented to a candid world.
I did not attack Mr. Ingram for working for Babcock and Wilcox. As he rightly states, it is a fine company and does provide many jobs in Central Virginia.
I merely pointed out the logic in his creeping support of uranium mining, as uranium is indeed linked to the nuclear power industry (of which Babcock and Wilcox is a part) and it takes a small degree of common sense to see the connection here.
A wise man once pointed out that it is difficult to convince someone of an obvious truth when his salary depends upon his not being convinced of it. My uncle worked for thirty years for Brown and Williamson, another fine company providing many solid jobs in the tobacco industry. When he died of lung cancer fifteen years ago, my uncle was still convinced that cancer was a disease of the nervous system.
Most of the time, what one thinks is linked to what one does. I did not “attack” Mr. Ingram for his honorable career at Babcock and Wilcox; I simply highlighted an obvious connection.
Mr. Ingram is worried about jobs. He is correct in being concerned about it. I share that worry. In fact, that is the point of my “foolish” letters. Almost thirty years ago, Henry Hurt spoke with a senior English class at Chatham Hall. I sat in on that class; I remember his excellent talk. One point especially has stayed with me all these years.
The major industry of Chatham, he explained, is education. We need to acknowledge that and protect that industry, as that industry (Hargrave and Chatham Hall) provides dozens, if not hundreds, of jobs to people in Chatham and Pittsylvania County. These are jobs which, were these school not here, would also not be available to the people of Pittsylvania County.
The prospect of uranium mining at Coles Hill jeopardizes that well-established and beneficial industry.
The loss of those schools would spell disaster, not only for the hundreds of people who depend on being “fed and clothed” by those schools, to use Mr. Ingram’s words, but for the intellectual and cultural life of the area as well. In 1981, Henry Hurt rightly saw the importance of those schools to our local economy.
In 2010, they are even more important. Chatham Hall has received a thirty-two million dollar gift this year. This money could catapult it to a leading position among girls’ schools, assuredly, and private schools in general, most probably.
A uranium mine six miles away from campus would have severe consequences in recruitment and retention of faculty and student alike. This is precisely the kind of serious economic situation that Mr. Ingram assures us he is concerned about.
Why would Mr. Ingram make fun of me for pointing out what he himself has established is an important issue?
Finally, a few answers for Mr. Ingram’s curious rhetorical questions about me.
Like Mr. Ingram, I am a citizen of Pittsylvania County. I have been here since 1980, and, although I was not born here, as my friend, historian Herman Melton once said, I got here as soon as I could.
I love this county, its people and resources as much as Mr. Ingram.
As a teacher, I have contributed indirectly to our common economic prosperity by sending out hundreds of qualified graduates from the schools where I have taught over a thirty-five year career, twenty-seven of which have been in Virginia.
The school where I teach now has educated the likes of a fine former Secretary of Transportation (Class of ’64) and our present state Senator (Class of ’87), as well as his sister and brother. As a teacher involved in educating students for the future, I see the world in those terms.
Mr. Ingram and I share a concern for the future of Pittsylvania County; it is unfortunate that he did not understand that from my letter.
Sincerely,
Richard Dixon
Supervisor defends mining stance
By Published by The Editorial Board
Published: January 17, 2010
To the editor:
I have no idea who Richard Dixon is or why he has chosen to attack me for expressing an opinion about the role of the Coles Hill uranium project in economic development for our region “Support for uranium is no surprise,” (Dec. 29, page A6).
Mr. Dixon laughingly ridicules me as having once been fed and clothed by the nuclear industry. Fact is, after growing up in Pittsylvania County, serving in the Marine Corps and getting my college education, I was fortunate enough to work for Babcock & Wilcox in Lynchburg. It is a wonderful company that has brought high paying jobs to people throughout Central Virginia.
I am proud to have worked for B&W, as well as to have worked in the nuclear industry. That industry has played a profound role in the defense of our country as well as in providing clean energy for millions of American homes and businesses.
The fuel for this industry happens to be uranium, and we happen to have a world-class deposit of it here in our county. We would be foolish indeed not to take advantage of this God-given natural resource if it can be done safely. And that will be determined by the science-based study being conducted now by the Virginia Legislature.
Whatever he does other than write foolish letters (the one attacking me was babbling about Sherman’s march through Georgia), Mr. Dixon clearly cares nothing about the economic plight of our region. He appears immune to the pressure most of us, particularly as elected officials, feel for finding ways to improve the lot of those who are struggling to find better jobs and greater prosperity for their families. And he claims to have scientific knowledge so superior that he can toss off our study as unnecessary.
I have no idea who feeds and clothes Richard Dixon, but I doubt that either they or Mr. Dixon spend much time working to improve economic conditions in our country and region.
As I told Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell when he was in Danville, if the study shows that mining and milling can be done safely, let’s go for it sooner than later. People are desperate for better jobs and new opportunities.
FRED INGRAM
Supervisor, Gretna-Callands District
http://www2.godanriver.com/gdr/news/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/danville_letters/article/supervisor_defends_mining_stance/17117/
