Comments on: JMU students arrested in Dominion Power protest

By: eso

eso — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:11:29 +0000

The talk about AC is interesting …. The free magazine 81 had an article about Nancy Jones about life before AC. If I recall, she said you didn’t say women sweated, they perspired. And of more refined ladies, you would say they “glowed”.

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By: Brooke

Brooke — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:42:22 +0000

Thanks, David.

I would have been surprised if you were actually promoting those points you brought up, but thanks for confirming I was right and you were speaking rhetorically!

Unfortunately, the RTD article is a pretty clear example of your last point.

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By: David Miller

David Miller — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:43:16 +0000

Brooke, very good points. I didn’t mean for anyone to believe that I buy into those summary judgments. I just wanted to pose the questions and hear your interpretations. Also wanted to state that one technique used in marginalization is to focus upon the act within the media and law enforcement instead of the reason for the act.

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By: Brooke

Brooke — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:26:25 +0000

Dave, I’m sure that answer is as varied as the people who participate in protests, and the issues addressed. I don’t know about “stupid” but I’m sure there are those that just like to make a scene and get the attention. Some might be suffering from a marytr complex. Some are just dyed in the wool idealists, who truly believe in the cause and believe this will bring needed exposure to the issue/cause. Some maybe completely delusional. Could be some combination of all of the above.

Unfortunately I think one risk is that no matter how noble or worthy the cause, the message can very easily gets lost in the method. Instead of listening and thinking about the issue, some will just shake their heads and say, “Those crazy [insert organization of your choice] members”, write off the message, and instead focus on the disruption destruction and inconvenience that can result in these protests.

But perhaps for at least a few, like those of us discussing this right now, it will hopefully be a catalyst for constructive discussions about what viable alternatives there are, or even just exploring the idea further. I know a lot of people are talking about energy, but how many of us would have really taken that much notice of the addition of this power plant if not for the protest? I really hadn’t heard there was going to be a new coal fired power plant until I read about the protest, so I guess you could say their protest raised my own personal awareness.

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By: David Miller

David Miller — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:20:47 +0000

““There has to be a proper balance between the constitutional rights of expression on one hand, and public order and property on the other,” he said. “If a stay at the hot, uncomfortable city jail isn’t a deterrent, I don’t know that other penalties may be, either.””

This prosecutor obviously doesn’t understand their mentality. I would bet good money that they knew exactly what the end game would be, prior to their “expression”.

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By: David Miller

David Miller — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 20:12:28 +0000

One topic that has been brushed over is why people like this protest. Is it because they are stupid? Are they mis-informed? Are they anarchistic when convenient? Is it possible that they are frustrated with a system that has no room for their voice. Do they live in a state where government responds to their voices and hears their concerns or is something else that causes their “social disobedience”?

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By: Frank J Witt

Frank J Witt — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:00:33 +0000

Make sure to blast the AC at the beach…although you won’t see the “bill” it still is you nickel that pays for the luxury!

Have a safe holiday all…I’ll be at work…………..

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By: Emmy

Emmy — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:51:36 +0000

To be honest, I could probably deal but I have two of the most warm bodied little kids on the planet. It could be 40 in their room and they’d be sweating! I’ve been much more aware of my thermostat settings this year than in years past though. I’m getting ready to leave for the beach and the AC’s getting cut off so I’ll save a little energy!

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By: Brooke

Brooke — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:41:15 +0000

I’m with you Frank – our summertime thermostat setting is 78. Winter it’s 68 (and we throw on a sweater and/or slippers if we feel chilly). And even then, I’m sure that there are other ways we could be more efficient in our energy usage.

But this is America. We want what we want, how we want it, when we want it, as much as we want it. We like our vehicles and houses big and our climates perfectly controlled. Problem is that’s never been a sustainable lifestyle.

Certainly I don’t mean to in any way indicate that it’s somehow immoral or a crime to set your thermostat where you like it, all the same, I think Frank’s post underscores the fact that people have gotten accustomed to having things exactly the way they want them, down to the temperature of our houses and, regardless of whether you think the answer is coal, nuclear, oil, solar or wind, we’re heading for a time where the line between luxury and necessity is going to become painfully obvious for many more people.

I don’t have the answers. I’m not an expert in this realm. There aren’t any easy or quick answers, that’s for sure, and I’m as frustrated over all of this as the next person. But I find it really hard to believe the *best* answer, even in the short term, is a coal burning power plant, of all things.

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