Surviving Capitalism (Not) : Children given lifelong ban on talking about fracking

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Children given lifelong ban on talking about fracking

Click here to access article by Suzanne Goldenberg from The Guardian.

Goldenberg reports on a "legal" settlement of a lawsuit initiated by the Hallowich family against the Range Resources Corp, a leading oil and gas driller. Their lawsuit which was settled in the family's favor has raised fundamental questions about freedom of speech in this Pennsylvania community and beyond. What few Americans realize is that whenever Constitutional guarantees clash with capitalist interests, the former will always be ignored.

The sweeping gag order was imposed under a $750,000 settlement between the Hallowich family and Range Resources Corp, a leading oil and gas driller. It provoked outrage on Monday among environmental campaigners and free speech advocates.