Published: October 19, 2012
To the editor:
I’m usually not one to argue for the sake of arguing. In fact, I
consider myself much more of a peacemaker. However, the most recent newsletter
sent out by Virginia Uranium needs to be addressed.
The headline read (and I am paraphrasing) that according to a
nuclear expert, stigma fears regarding uranium mining are not viable.
What? You mean to tell me that Virginia Uranium has found an
expert who says that my opinion and the opinion of the majority of citizens of
Southside Virginia are wrong? That would be like saying that they found an
expert who says that blue is prettier than green. Come on. They can argue a lot
of things, but telling me that they have a "nuclear expert" that says that
people really don’t feel the way they do is not one of them. It reminds me of
the teenager (and I’ve got one) who will argue with every thing the parent says.
How nice it would be to at least once hear, "You know, I never thought about
that … Perhaps you’ve got something there."
As I’ve said before, "Never trust anyone who is never wrong!"
To me, it simply illustrates how Virginia Uranium simply does not
care to hear any opinions contrary to theirs. Would you go into business with
someone like that? Would you trust the air you breathe or the water you drink to
someone like that? Put simply, Virginia Uranium knows one thing: The only things
they can hang their hat on right now are the jobs that may or may not be created
with the mine and the fact that energy independence is a "good vote." The fact
is, none of the other aspects of energy independence (wind, wood, solar, and
offshore drilling) are only isolated to one small area of Virginia. For the
record, I support all of them. VUI also knows that we are desperate for jobs —
and we are — and that maybe, just maybe, they can offer enough buffer to those
fence-riding legislators to vote to try it down here in Southside.
After all, there aren’t many of us here anyway.
Well, I can tell you that there might not be many of us left on
the Southside, but I, for one, am darn sure not ready to give up the quality of
life we have for anyone looking to put an "energy independence vote feather" in
their cap. I do not plan to quit fighting, and I believe that Virginia Uranium
will realize that they have "awakened a giant" that are the people of Southside
Virginia. The people here don’t need to read this in an expensive glossy
newsletter. We love our people and our land, and we don’t want uranium
mining.
That’s my opinion, and I dare Virginia Uranium to find an expert
to refute it.
DEL. JAMES EDMUNDS II
Halifax
