Study Pollution, Go to Jail

Photo by: John D Murray May, 2013

     Did you hear the one where the state legislature that ensured people's rights by taking away their freedom?  The State of Wyoming recently passed a law that makes it a crime for citizens to take pictures of waterways or land, take samples of water or soil or to collect any other type of data that is considered pollution data from any public or private land. Only people granted special and specific permission will be allowed to do so. FREEDOM!!!!

     So, Wyoming, the home of Devil's Tower, the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone and  the head waters of the Missouri River has taken away the rights of their citizens. All this talk about freedom and liberty and putting an end to the government conspiracy to take away people's rights, and no one in Wyoming stood up to stop this? So now, in order to discover if a company is polluting a river or the State is not adhering to environmental regulations, a person has to get permission from the government to take water samples, take soil samples...shit, even take photos? Sorry, but that does not ring of freedom to me.

     Wyoming is a conservative state, with  a large group of people who are fighting to maintain gun ownership rights, to reduce government regulations and government influence on their everyday lives, as well as to ensure freedom for all their citizens. So for them to pass such a law that gives the government more power over the lives of their citizens is contradictory and hypocritical.

     And people wonder why we are falling behind the rest of the world when it comes to leadership, innovation and education?

...and the Supreme Court Taketh Away

     Last week, the Supreme Court took two GIANT steps forward, bringing our great nation closer to meeting the ideals set forth by our forefathers. Gay rights were finally recognized and healthcare was ensured for all. So naturally, Monday saw the Supreme Court rule that the President could not set new EPA regulations on Mercury emissions from coal power plants, tossing out the new EPA Mercury and Toxin emissions standards executive order. One giant step back.

     I mean, does the Supreme Court need a prescription for Lithium or what? The EPA emission ruling just doesn't jive with the Gay Rights and the Obamacare rulings. Right? It is incredible to me that this country can take such progressive steps one minute, only to turn around and do something so different. Coupled with Wyoming's new law that criminalizes the collecting evidence of pollution on public land, it hardly seems like the sane court.

     Where is the ruling that will finally get people to accept that Climate Change and pollution are real issues that need to be addressed? Probably sitting in the discard pile next to the reformed Campaign Finance proposal.