An Incomplete Rant on Nuclear Testing and Government Responsibility

So, I'm not sure how I can do justice in my little humble blog and state how much my heart goes out to the people of the Marshall Islands. I finnished reading Bravo for the Marshallese last night-- and I'm just in awe- I never thought i could hate bush or rather the bush administration more than i already did-- but to learn that all the while as he/his administration was blatantly ignoring the outcry of many in the United States about being continually lied to and the outrage at puting our resources and military up to a fight that is clearly over oil-- which-- you know... may not have been so bad if they had at least been upfront about WHY they were going and then let the american people decide--- but.. back to my point-- ALL the while as this was going on-- he/his admin. was sitting on a petition from the RMI a Changed Circumstances Petition that called desperately for more assistance to the already vastly underfunded aid for a problem we created and then hurriedly tried to coverup.... They werent even insiting that other islands and atolls be added-- and the ammount they were asking for was barely what we already spend every 2 years on clean up efforts in Hanford that are inexcusably unsuccessful-- I just dont understand how anyone can sit back and actually still put ANY faith or trust in our government--
To make matters worse, as i was reaching the end of the book, I came upon a passage that was very new news to me (and if this shows how much in the dark i am so be it) The proposal for a Nuclear Waste facility on Yucca Mountain-- Just north of the Mojave Desert-- I was crushed-- much of my family from my father's side (the ONLY side of my family i actually have any association with) still lives in the mojave desert-- and my great gradnmother owns land in nearby mountains (on the california side though i believe)... (she just turned 100 this past year) and well.. since my family has not mentioned it-- due to the great threat it poses not only to the nation as a whole-- but to that area so important to our heritage and culture-- tells me that efforts to fully inform people are vastly inefficient-- (much as they were--though maybe not as much so-- in the Marshall Islands) My family seems at least outwardly to know nothing of this proposal-- and its nearing its final stages-- being fought by the local people-- but not necessarily by the people who that land means the most to-- much of my father's family has little to no education-- my father was the first person in our entire family to ever graduate from highschool-- I in turn am the first person to ever to go college--- so... even if they knew about it-- I'm not sure they would have the courage to or understand the great need to speak up and out against the proposal. I fear that they put trust where it is not deserved due to lack of educational attainment or even self educating activities-- The DOE has not had a very stellar track record in my humble opinion-- and I dont trust them as far as i can throw them-- They claim to have a failproof preparation plan for earthquakes (As this area is very high risk for such an occurance) and assure everyone that transport will not pose a threat to them (but-- as i saw in the case of the Marshallese-- they contiually assured people there was no danger KNOWING full well that there was danger simply as a means of obtaining test subjects) It seems to me-- that this-- in conjunction with Hanford and the impact that that whole mess had on native american populations-- is just one more deep backstabbing wound for the native american populous-- apparently-- their lands (those of the shoshone and piautes) are not worthy of maintaining-- are not hospitable or habitable places, and the people who subsist in those lands are apparently expendable..... I cant go on much more about this-- because i am only getting angry-- I instead have resolved to trying my best to help in the effort of the fight against the DOE's proposal--I contacted a man from nevada running a legal battle against the proposal today to see if i could get my hands on petitions/donation flyers/information packets ect... I will let you know if and when i hear back... Thanks for reading! :)

Picture Credit: http://www.pixelpress.org/chernobyl/screen8.html