Clearwater, IPSEC, and Riverkeeper-The Emperor Has No Clothes

If one follows the story, Governor Eliot Spitzer, Congressman Maurice Hinchey, Congressman John Hall, Congresswoman Nita Lowey, even Andy Spano want Indian Point shut down. Singing sensations like Pete Seeger, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt want the aging reactors that are Indian Point entombed and turned off forever. The big money players like Clearwater, IPSEC and Riverkeeper with their Hearst and Kennedy family ties want the reactors shut down...problem is, in their own naive ways, in their money, wealth and fame, are these people playing into Entergy's hands?

Let's look at IPSEC as one example. They want things handled locally, and quietly...GOD FORBID we put pickets out in front of the plant like the seven women in front of Vermont Yankee this week who successfully shut down the main entrance to that reactor for over one hour. Such antics would NOT LOOK GOOD in a wealthy affluent community like Westchester County, New York now would it? Let's not flood the public meetings with 2,500 ANGRY CITIZENS...we are more civilized than that. Curious here...how many PRO NUCLEAR people belong to IPSEC? How many members of IPSEC have no problems with nuclear, just problems with nuclear in their back yards? Perhaps this explains some of their civilized approach to the issue? Sure, they may think Indian Point should be shut down, point to its age and its deplorable safety record, mix that with its poor choice of location just 24 miles from New York and say SHUT IT DOWN, but they actually EMBRACE NUCLEAR...NIMBY fools if you ask this writer. Perhaps one could even consider the use of the term nuclear elitist?

Now Congressman John Hall has or had some serious ties to Clearwater...he, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt and others filled Battery Park with their anti nuke concert. So, where are they now in putting 50,000 people on the road in front of the Entergy reactors known as Indian Point. All they have to do is pick a day, and let EVERYONE KNOW they'll be there and the people would come. They could START A MOVEMENT! Problem is, that's so...so...so GOD DAMN ACTIVIST! What would the neighbors think? I'm sure John Hall could, might even organize a concert, and agree to donate the funds to Clearwater so that they could put another attorney on staff to go after Indian Point...problem is, that will not take this issue into the National Media, will not succeed in closing down the accident on the Hudson, just waiting to happen, that is Indian Point.

Riverkeeper...it's my understanding that one of Patty Hearst's daughters is intimately involved with the organization, and we all know the organization is a favorite play toy of at least one of the Kennedy clan. They have money, and surely can get more...but, whatever they do has to be socially correct...maybe they'll hold a HIGH TEA to discuss the matter of Indian Point, send their attorney to speak with Indian Point's attorney in the hopes of brokering a deal...GIVE US A BREAK, that is NOT GOING TO WORK.

Shutting down Indian Point is going to take protests, even civil disobedience, closing Indian Point is going to take bodies packing the meetings to standing room only. It's going to take awakening the masses and calling them to action. IPSEC, Clearwater and Riverkeeper have the ability to make that happen. These three organizations signing on to Green Nuclear Butterfly's open letter to Greenpeace would be enough to bring this National Organization, and probably several others into town in FULL FORCE. So folks, ask yourself why they are not taking BOLD STEPS, enacting innovative plans aimed at throwing road blocks in the way of Entergy's relicensing.

Win or lose, it appears that these groups want a NICE fight, don't want anything like protests to give their neighborhoods or Westchester County a BLACK EYE in the national press. Well, two black eyes, even a bloody lip are worth it if in the process we succeed in closing down Indian Point. Do your homework...if Indian Point gets relicensed, those aging reactors will be with us not for twenty more years, but forty years. One significant accident at Indian Point will ruin communities like Briarcliff, Pleasantville, Ossining, Croton, Peekskill, Garrison, Tarrytown, Cold Springs and others, all depending on which direction the wind is blowing...we need BOLD LEADERS, we need IPSEC, Clearwater and Riverkeeper to STEP UP LARGE, or step aside. We need Congressmen Hall and Hinchey and Congresswoman Lowey to step up large, need them to rally the forces in Washington DC like they have never been rallied before. Where is HILLARY? The Clintons could bring the NATIONAL SPOT LIGHT DOWN ON ENTERGY like no one's business...but GOD FORBID, that might dent Hilliary's presidential aspirations! WHO THE HELL CARES! She is supposed to be here for US, is supposed to be our Senator, and this is OUR HOUR OF NEED.

The old expression goes, lead, follow or get the hell out of the way...what's it going to be? A fight for all we are worth, or meek acceptance of 40 mores years of living in the shadow of Indian Point? We know who claims to be a player in this fight...IPSEC, Clearwater, Riverkeeper, Hall, Hinchey, Kennedy, Lowey, Spitzer, Hilliary, Spano and a few others...well, if they are serious, let's see them step forward, let's see them call the citizens to action. Anything short of that is nothing more than lip service while they quietly acquiesce to the wishes of big business. With these players doing everything they can, we can mobilize a citizen force against relicensing of over 10 MILLION people...question is, are these people and groups real and sincere LEADERS in the fight to close Indian Point, or Trojan horses ready to lead us to the gallows?