To the Editor:
(Brookfield, NY -May 2013) When the greedy and dangerous sly fox comes through the wide open hen house door it’s tragically, usually too late for the complacent hens who blissfully perch happy and contented; trusting that somebody else will keep the door closed and them safe from outside dangers.
We all should know from pasts experience that putting trust in others to do our bidding and protecting is seldom our wisest decision.
Libraries of books have been written trying to explain what motivates apathetic and poorly informed people to direct and forceful action before a crisis has overwhelmed them. All of us unfortunately tend to wait for a crisis to happen before we are spurred into action. While we may believe in the practice of prevention we seldom will act on it. It seems this is human nature and folly to hope a crisis will never occur. In the meantime we settle comfortably in ruts of self-centeredness, in bliss and often self imposed ignorance. When we do we leave the hen house door wide open ignoring the dangers until it is too late.
The apathy of most Brookfielders and probably all New Yorkers has opened the hen house door to the incredible threat of natural gas hydrofracking/drilling. Looming on the horizon is a monumental life and environmental changing crisis of historical implications. If we the people don’t “shut the hen house door,” our way of life and beautiful community and unique environment could be destroyed forever.
The ramifications of drilling are the greatest threat in the over 200 year history of this township and area. Any objective analysis of the potential impact on our way of life is absolutely staggering, frightening, shocking and horrible. Any right thinking person who looks at the huge volume of irrefutable facts can’t possibly think otherwise.
Setting aside self interests, this community and the overwhelming residents would be devastated by the negative impact of drilling in this township and area.
To prevent this we must become informed and elect people to office who put the interests of the people and the environment ahead of any personal or family gain. We must vote into office people who will seriously consider banning drilling in this township. It’s a preventive measure that must be taken before it is too late. Trusting the veracity of the gas company, state and now DEC could well be a fatal mistake.
We must light the fire under the politicos who all too frequently cave in special interests, money and pressure. It’s time to throw “those bums” out.
Let’s all make sure the hen house door is firmly closed and locked while we the people still can and have the power to do so. It’s time to keep the foxes out of Brookfield and the areas beyond. The choice is ours. Future generations of New Yorkers are depending on us.
Hobie Morris, Brookfield