I have not written much of my own on this site.  There has been so much going on, I needed a place to just keep track of it all, or as much as I could cover by googling and pasting links.  But now, I will take a breath, and speak my thoughts.

First, I really wonder how far my head was up my ass to have become aware so late of this fracking issue, or really, the energy solution defined by this rabid quest for the 300 million year old stuff (shale) the earth has distributed across the globe, including our once-beautiful  land.  We are a culture well-immunized against conscience…

I have seen the No Fracking signs posted on neighbors yards – I did not even wonder, so full was I of concern for my schedule, running around, working, worried about my job, cleaning out the barn.   I only became aware when a friend asked me for help.   It took a-hold of me, this issue.  It seems so much more important than anything else.

I remember driving across the country, several times, traversing thru the south, the middle and the north.  Long trips on blue highways, avoiding as much as possible the interstates.   I saw rolling waves of grain, like the song says.  I saw moose and deer right on the road, cautiously casting a look at my slowly approaching car.  Marvelous spaces, wonderful towns, mysterious and moving vistas… If I was religious, I’d say God was especially kind in the gifts to this land, including it’s people.   My sadness wells at the abuses we (yes we)  have  committed, in the quest for money.

So, I became voracious in trying to understand this issue – it seems such an assault on our land, and seems to have such brutal consequences to our farms, homes, animals and families, especially because they are not able to escape.  A river cannot pick itself up and move to Switzerland.  The farm animals cannot buy airline tickets to the peaceful plains of some other place.  This is our home.

Some even in my own family say “It brings Jobs” like that is the reason it’s OK.  It’s not OK.   There is no amount of money that can replace what has been destroyed.   It cannot be about money.  Nothing ever is good when it’s just about money.

And so, it becomes war.  Someone wants something, and takes it.  To make it Legal Theft, laws have been changed.  Those laws that have not been changed are ignored by those charged with upholding them.  The system is corrupt.   Not being a trained warrior, I wanted to see how it is possible to fight for a just cause, with any hope.  Thus the Art of War.   I became a researcher.  I want to understand the enemy.  I know they are the enemy because they want to steal what I have, and it isn’t worth much until they want it.   But I have seen how many people feel the same way, we feel this is a just effort, not motivated by money, and mostly truly scared for our future.

There is an abundance of evidence of corruption, collusion, ineptitude, ignorance, greed, criminal behavior, bribery, bullying, name-calling –  masterful blows inflicted by deception, laziness, and bigotry – the enemy has employed all the above.

And so I call them out.  The people responsible for this travesty will be named.  It is war.  There are legions of newly armed warriors as well as seasoned veterans, of all stripes.   All victims, some came because they were deceived, some came because they know we are being deceived, all came because we cannot sell the soul of this land for money.   We are a powerful force, and there is still a chance we will prevail.

But we must be smart.  We must understand the enemy, his weapons, his strategy.  I am using the universal ‘his’ – no gender intended.

All I really know about abuse is that you first must recognize it – if you name it, call it what it is, study it’s motives and methods, realize it’s not personal,  stop blaming yourself, and get angry without losing compassion, which tempers action, you can return to sanity, and prevail against future abuse.

We’ve begged, are still begging, we’ve been mostly polite, mostly played by the rules…the enemy has not.  They operate in secret, making deals, paying bribes.  It is war.  They have money, and want more. They lie.   So many lies, so much corruption.  It boggles the mind.

Quality – a word that means something  important in this issue.  Quality of life, of spirit, of relationship, of conversation, of reason, of trust.  It sounds lofty, but it is something we all say we strive for, even the enemy says if they win, the Quality of Life will improve.   They lie.  It is war.