Subject: FW: Northwoods Victory Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 16:35:21 -0600 Message-ID: <FEBBF51AFF7B8B4B8A2F32F6E63092AE021B9131@COKE.uwec.edu> From: "Drumm, Daniel L." <DRUMM@uwec.edu>
A report from the frontlines about the recent victory in Douglas County
against the proposed Northwoods Transmission Line from American
Transmission Co. ATC needs to cross county land with their line and has
been seeking a county easement. This is a battle that Northern Thunder
has periodically tried to publicize in our area and lend support to
those opposing the line.
This is a letter Sandy Lyon <mailto:sandy@protecttheearth.org> wrote
for the Save Our Unique Lands (SOUL) newsletter.
---------------------------
When you read this it is going to cost you $5.55, and youll happy to
spend it.
I have witnessed true courage and truth in government, on the night
Douglas County faced down the lies and the dragons breath, to stand
up
for the people of the north.
The hearing room was packed. The overflow atrium was filled. The night
was warm. As our supporters started to speak I heard a sound. I thought
it was hail on the roof. No, it was the roar of applause coming from the
over flow crowd. I held the door of the County Board meeting room open,
so the voice of the peoples applause could be heard by the board. It
also let some welcome fresh air in (which was sorely needed after ATC
spoke.....). I stood in the back of the room the whole night, with my
young daughter.
I didnt think we were going to win. A neighbor of mine from Washburn
County was sitting next to me and she looked at me with tears and said,
were losing arent we? She lives next to the proposed line
route and
is trapped by it.
She was about to leave, she couldnt take it anymore. And then Mark
Liebaert rose to speak and it changed her life.
Personally I have never before heard the voice of reason and justice
speak out so clearly like I did that night when our very own Hero, Mark
Liebaert of the Douglas County Board addressed his peers. They all had
respect for him, even the ones who disagreed with him. He spoke with
honor and dignity and passion. He spoke for his grandchildren and all of
our grandchildren when delivered the speech of a lifetime. The applause
rang on and on.
And an old man on the board spoke. Jack Shepard, sat crumpled over in
his wheelchair and spoke of his sons who had died of leukemia from
living next to a powerline and he spoke of the pressure the board had
been under. And then he said NO to the line. And then a woman on the
board spoke and said that the source of the electricity for this line (
the flooded Cree homelands in Manitoba ) was immoral and that she
couldnt support the line.
When the vote was called and Id found out that we had won I collapsed
to the floor in unhuman waling. Five and a half years of company lies
and torture had taken its toll on so many of us. Tears poured down my
face. And then hugging began and never ended.
Through my tears I made my way over to Jack Shepard as his elderly wife
was helping him with his wheel chair and I knelt before him and held his
hands in mine as our eyes touched soul to soul. Thank you, Jack,
Thank
you. My father too died of cancer from being near powerlines. Thank you,
Jack
Heroes often times are not often thanked. Jack cried through smiles. We
said we would dance together at the victory dance. His wife smiled and
wheeled Jack home.
And all the SOUL mates returned to hugging.
But, now for that $5.55.
Thats fifteen times 37 cents. Fifteen thank you letters that you will
send, to Jack and Mark and Karen and Keith and Kathryn and Dan and all
the other HEROES of Douglas County. Heroes who stood up for you and me
and all of our children. Take the time to thank them.....flood them with
gratitude. They need to know how you feel. Thank you.
Send them more cards and letters than they have ever seen in their
lives. They deserve that from everyone. They are the ones taking the
heat. Support them now.
Please forward this list to everyone that you and every group that you
know who supports bravery and courage for democracy and have them do the
same.
* Robert D. Browne 422 Fisher Avenue, Superior 54880
* Michael L. Glenn 1701 Iowa Avenue, Superior 54880
* Nick Baker 2623 Pennsylvania Avenue, Superior
54880
* Karen Livingston 1705 Banks Avenue, Superior 54880
* Bean C. Prettie 103 East 7th Street, Superior 54880
* David K. Conley 2406 Hughitt Avenue, Superior 54880
* Alan Jacques 401 - 16th Avenue East, Superior 54880
* James J. O'Brien 2914 Ogden Avenue, Superior 54880
* Kathryn McKenzie 202 North 58th Street, Superior 54880
* John R. Shepard, Sr. 302 - 17th Avenue East, Superior 54880
* Keith A. Allen 5220 East First Street, Superior 54880
* Susan A. Hendrickson 5070 South Stone Road, South Range 54874
* Mark Liebaert 7925 East Munnings Road, South Range
54874
* Carol J. Johnson 10719 East County Road B, Lake Nebagamon
54849
* Jan Jensen 16789 South Eagle Point Road, Minong
54859
........................................................................
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..
Oh, and if you too want to learn more about what Manitoba Hydro did to
the Crees in the name of selling electricity to us, visit,
www.greengreenwater.com <http://www.greengreenwater.com/> and
www.justenergy.org <http://www.justenergy.org/> and then know that they
want to add to the misery by building more dams, if the Arrowhead gets
built! Immoral. Tell others about it.
<file://c:\program%20files\qualcomm\eudora\attach\Liebaertrises.jpg>
