Get in the Door

There was a knock on our front door. Our neighbor introduced us to a little girl who was looking for a playground on our side of town. She had her bike, a round sparkling face, short hair and a stance that announced that she was eager to take on her new world she had moved into. She would find her place in that world today if she had her way.

She had moved from a "noisy" city filled with dogs and children, had been to her first day of school and was looking for playmates in our neighborhood. We talked for a while and I tried my best to think of another girl about nine years old who lived nearby. Most of our quiet neighborhood has retirees or residents with no children.

I was eager to help her. I was drawn to her "take charge" attitude, and in many ways she reminded me of myself at that age. Also I discovered that her folks were opening the restaurant that had been closed for about a year. It is two blocks from our house and we had been frequent customers for breakfast with the easy walk to its front door. I was delighted that it would be opening soon.

We wandered around to our alley where a new family had moved into a few months back. I was aware that they had children, but was uncertain of the ages.

"I think they are younger than you."

"That's okay", she said. We waited for a while, chatting about her two younger brothers, her first day at school, when a truck drove up to the house. A man got out, followed by a little girl of five or six. I suggested that she check it out.

"Wait up", she yelled at the man and girl as they were going in the back door. They stood waiting on the porch. She rode her bike up to them as I came back home. About a half hour later I was out in the yard when she rode by and told me that that girl was six, but there was an older girl about her age.

"I'm going to bring my little brother over to play with the little girl and I will play with the older one."

As she rode off she said, "When the door opens you got to jump right in."

What a philosopy from a ten year old! It was a powerful reminder that one is never to old to learn, even from a child. Sometimes all it takes is a bit of time, interest and an open mind to the world at hand.

Sometimes a positive change of pace from all of the issues in this world...Save our Water, Save our VA, Save our River...is all that is needed to put things back into perspective.

This night is going to be a good one.

Power to the People

They came from North Dakota, Nebraska, Pine Ridge, and from throughout the Hills. They were young, old, white and brown. They were doctors, journalists, ranchers, teachers, business owners and elected officials. They were retirees, bankers, geologists, chemists, lawyers and biologists. They were all filled with knowledge and passion. Their passion was for keeping the purity of the water for the ranchers, the tourists, the residents and the children up to the seventh generation.

This diverse group each took their turns standing before the state panel of nine white men who were sitting at tables wearing conservative suits and stoic faces. These men were from the mining board who were to give approval for the in-situ uranium mining permits in the Black Hills. The people spoke into the microphone so as to be heard by the others in the large room and they expressed their fears about the strong possibilities of the pollution of the water and the allowing of this permit to Powertech opening up to other companies, lying in wait to mine for uranium throughout all of the Black Hills.

The following are excerpts from several of the people speaking to the uranium mining board on September 23, 2013 in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Water is life. We cannot live without it. Our children cannot live without it. The wildlife, from the smallest of the insects, frogs and birds - to the coyotes, eagles,deer and cattle that drink the water, must have it unpolluted in order to survive. We cannot sell contaminated meat to the people. Our children cannot eat the fish that come from the rivers and lakes that have been touched by those contaminants.

Floods, earthquakes, winds and any form of natural disasters such as in Fukushimo and as recently as the foods in Colorado, can, and will occur. We do not know what lies beneath the ground and what may happen in the aquifers. Our earth changes and moves and so can water filled with the poisons. We do know that the discharge ponds polluted with selenium and other heavy metals cannot ever be safeguarded from the wildlife, the toxins increasing in intensity as they travel up the food chain.

My ranch is near the uranium mining operation by Crawford, Nebraska. They told me everything would be safe. Today they use that mine as a model for in-situ mining, but today my wells are polluted. How can you ranch with polluted wells?

You white people can take your money and move. I am poor. My people cannot move. We must remain on our land. You may be third generation on this land. We are one hundred generation on our land. It is all about the money for those who want this mining. It is greed for what is now and no care for the generations to come.

I believe that love will triumph over greed. It is stronger. Love for this land and our water is more powerful than this desire for short term "economic development". Love comes from us...the people. The love is for our land, our air, our water and for our children and their children. Our water is not for sale to foreign companies. They do not care about the purity of our water. They do not live here.

Some of you fighting for the mining company own stock. You have much to lose if these permits are not approved. What you lose is temporary. You cannot eat and drink uranium and other heavy metals. If these companies get the rights to our water, this beautiful land in these Hills will forever be polluted.  In time those who drink the water will die slow and painful deaths. We know that cancer follows the yellow cake as surely as the rivers flow and the aquifers bleed into our earth, our springs, and other aquifers - just as certain as the rains, the floods, the earthquakes, the wildfires and the winds will come to spread the contamination through the air, the water and the soil.

 It is our water, our air, our earth. Our politicians should not listen to the corporations who never clean up as they promised. If they did the research they would know that this type of mining will leave a mess for the taxpayers. On the other hand, it will leave increased jobs for the medical profession. They must listen to us, the people. They have been elected to represent the people. But when the money glistens, the leaders listen. It is all about the money.

There are those who seek the money and there are those who want an uncontaminated earth. It is long term versus short term. Which side will win out in the end?

For more details on the daily hearings go to http://denr.sd.gov/des/mm/powertechminepermitapp.aspx#audio

We Had a Celebration

Many of them came. They walked in quietly to our American Legion hall, ready to celebrate the publication of Reveille in Hot Springs, the book that they had each been involved in creating, if by their story or their quote, proofing, photo or inspiration.

There was one who drove up from Nebraska, one from Rapid City and one from Eagle Butte, a drive of more than three hours. The others were from the area. Those who were physically and emotionally able joined our celebration.

Most were veterans from WWII through Afghanistan who had shared their stories, some with great difficulty, with one thought in mind..."to save our VA and our benefits that we once earned serving our country".

I was proud and humbled in their presence. They had taught me so much, and by letting me enter into a part of their world, had changed me forevever. For this gift they have given me I am grateful.

They poured coffee, admired the large cake decorated with an exact replica of the cover of the book, selected food, sat down with other veterans and citizens from Hot Springs, read by way of the name tag that I had provided, the part that one another had played in this book of their battle, perhaps their last one, and gradually became close to one another through the common struggle they were sharing..

As the comfort levels increased, the conversation and laughter grew accordingly. By the time they were signing the 50 books that we were sending to our representatives in Washington, the warmth could be felt throughout the room. We, the regular folks, and the veterans, were united forever through this undertaking.

Last night we had a community celebration. Those veterans who could face large crowds came once again, proudly wearing their name tags identifying their part in this book, and signed books for the townspeople. They were proud, as they should have been.

As for me, so many came up and thanked me for writing this book. I could only reply, in honesty, "It has been an effort of love and I have been given far more in return than I could have ever imagined over a year ago when I began this project".

These veterans who brought me into their lives, took photos and purchased books. Some of them bought many copies of the book...to spread the word everwhere....in order to help fellow veterans everywhere. It is a battle they have chosen to fight for themselves and all veterans present and to come.

I am humbled in their presence. I am filled with wonder and love.