May 17, 2016

Bishop Tobin has been a moral failure for RI

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“We need a moral leader of the church who will speak out against war and poverty, not gay marriage and marijuana,” I said about Bishop Thomas Tobin on NBC10 News Conference this weekend.

Tobin was in the news for a blog post he wrote calling on lawmakers to keep cannabis illegal in Rhode Island. “In opening the door to drug use even a little bit, we have so much to lose and absolutely nothing to gain,” he wrote. But as I responded on TV, “The Bishop is essentially siding with mass incarceration if he wants marijuana to stay illegal, and that’s a far greater sin than indulgence.”

I called him a “moral failure for our state and for the Catholic Church.”

In the online segment I made clear my harsh judgement is not for his position on drug policy. It’s also not for taking a strong position against abortion. It’s because he has been completely absent from the public discussion on poverty and war – issues that have been central to all Rhode Islanders lives during his tenure as bishop. “I want the Church to advocate for issues that matter to the people of Rhode Island,” I said.

In his interview with Bill Rappleye (about 3:10), Tobin expressed his views on war.

“Of course I’m against wars, I don’t know anyone who is in favor of wars,” Tobin said. “I think it was St. John Paul who said war is always a defeat for humanity. It’s never good.”

But, he added, “Sometimes there are prudential judgments.”

He continued, “The Catholic Church has a long tradition of talking about a ‘just war theory’. It is never to say someone is just in starting a war, but we certainly believe in the right of self defense. What would someone do to respond to the attacks of terrorism, of ISIS, the terrible persecution of Christians taking place in the Middle East, the attacks on our own country or in France or in Belgium? How do we respond to these violent terrorist attacks without having some means of self defense. That’s where I think someone providing legitimate armaments and self defense has a legitimate role to play. Again, no one is in favor of war.”

On transgender bathrooms, Tobin, a Republican who said he probably won’t vote for Donald Trump, showed some compassion before invoking a popular conservative talking point.

“I have no doubt there are some people for physiological or psychological reasons have to deal with being transgendered and those people deserve all the support and respect and cooperation and assistance we can offer them but I’m also concerned this seems to be becoming a politically-driven agenda. It does seem to me to be very sweeping and overarching and perhaps another intrusion of the federal government into areas that are best decided at the local level.”

May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

Conservation Law Foundation sues ExxonMobil

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Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) announced at a press conference today that it has served formal notice of a lawsuit against ExxonMobil for its decades-long campaign to discredit climate change and knowingly endanger people and communities. An exposé last September by InsideClimate News revealed that ExxonMobil has engaged in a deliberate cover-up of sound climate science for more than thirty years, prompting CLF to launch its own investigation. CLF’s work revealed that the corporation’s deceit spilled onto New England soil and is subjecting local communities to undisclosed and potentially catastrophic risks in violation of both the Clean Water Act (CWA) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

“ExxonMobil’s strategy of publicly denying the very risks its scientists have known for decades has direct impact on Greater Boston communities,” said CLF President Brad Campbell. “ExxonMobil knowingly and unlawfully misled regulators about whether its Everett facility can withstand rising seas, more intense precipitation, and other climate impacts without spewing oil and other toxic pollutants into adjoining neighborhoods, the Mystic River, and the Boston Harbor. Today’s lawsuit – the first of its kind – aims to hold ExxonMobil accountable for decades of dishonesty and require that the Everett facility meet the legal standards for climate-readiness.”

At today’s press conference on the shores of the Mystic River, Campbell stood with numerous local leaders and activists in declaring that ExxonMobil’s irresponsible and illegal actions would no longer be allowed to go unanswered.

Roseann Bongiovanni, Chelsea Green Space environmental justice advocate, commented, “I’ve lived in Chelsea my entire life, and for all that time there’s been imbalance between community members who desperately want waterfront access and the industries that dominate the water’s edge. A decade ago, ExxonMobil spilled thousands of gallons of oil into our river and denied its wrongdoing for months until confronted and forced to pay by the Department of Justice. Today, we have a greater understanding of the full extent of ExxonMobil’s climate denial and we have another opportunity to show the world that we won’t stand for it.”

In March of this year, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey joined a coalition of 17 attorneys general seeking to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for campaigns to deceive customers, shareholders, and the public about climate risk. While CLF is the first organization officially to begin a civil lawsuit against ExxonMobil for this deceit, many other legal actions are likely to follow.

EkOngKar Singh (EK) Khalsa, President of the Mystic River Watershed Association, added, “The Mystic is one of our state’s great treasures, where hundreds of thousands of fish spawn, wildlife seek refuge and eagles fly overhead. Unfortunately, we continuously battle against a history of industrial contamination. It is time for ExxonMobil to step up to the plate and take responsibility for the ongoing harm it is causing our river and our community.”

CLF’s trial team for the case will include nationally renowned attorney Allan Kanner of the Louisiana-based Kanner & Whitely, whose firm has represented states and other plaintiffs in landmark cases against major oil companies, including claims arising from BP’s Deepwater Horizon spill.

Campbell added, “A generation ago, the nation was appalled by the indifference to public safety and the environment that resulted in a drunk ship captain grounding the Exxon Valdez on Alaska’s Bligh Reef, spilling millions of gallons of crude oil into the Prince William Sound. Today in Everett, we must hold ExxonMobil accountable once again for its indifference to the public in the face of potential catastrophe.”

An interview with Roseann Bongiovanni, Chelsea Green Space environmental justice advocate, about a previous oil spill by ExxonMobil in the Mystic, the corporation’s denial of any wrongdoing, and the enormous cost to the Chelsea community and economy.

Another interview with Roseann Bongiovanni speaking about the respiratory problems and other serious health issues caused by air quality levels that far exceed the EPA’s standards for safety.

An interview with EkOngKar Singh (EK) Khalsa, President of the Mystic River Watershed Association, talking about the importance of the Mystic River to the local communities and the neighborhood impacts from continued pollution.

This video from 2007 shows polluted water flowing from a large pipe into the Island End River after a rain event. ExxonMobil discharges polluted water through this pipe every day of the year— up to 280 gallons per minute during dry weather and much more during rain events. The pollutants ExxonMobil is discharging are extremely hazardous, and ExxonMobil’s discharges often grossly exceed the waste limits set out in its discharge permit. The Island End River is water quality impaired, as is the Mystic River into which it flows, and ExxonMobil is contributing to those impairments by discharging toxic pollutants on a daily basis.

May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

What happens after prison depends on how we help inmates to succeed

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We must come up with a good program to put men and women into a position to reenter society after their prison sentences (because let’s face the truth, with a few exceptions, everyone has a release date). When this date comes, do we:

Want this released person believing in him/herself, knowing that it’s going to be hard, but also being prepared because they have a work and learning ethic and a sense of self worth so that we have a slight chance? Or do we
Want someone who has used their prison sentence to fine-tune their criminal ways? Most of society doesn’t bother to think about this until someone reoffends and it hits close to home.

Now, in order to construct a true re-entry program, it has to start with the courts, and in conjunction with the men and women that court affects. The courts should know what they need to see in a prisoner in order to not have to see them again. And we offenders should know what we need to do in order to not see the court again. What I am advising is a small-scale thing for now, to see if it would work.

Let’s start by having someone from an HR department come and teach us (prisoners) how to fill out a job application, how to dress for an interview, and how to research the company that you’re applying to. Second, let’s instill some type of skill in people who are going to be released. The state and the DOC subcontracts millions of dollars a year—why not have, as a part of the bidding process, that contract include teaching a few pre-release inmates? This training could be in anything: electricity, plumbing, computer repair. These are all things that each facility at the ACI could make room for.

Most of us could succeed upon release—we just need a fighting chance. Yes, we should have thought of the consequences before we committed our crime, and yes, there are citizens who should be put before us in programs like this. Many people would say “why should the taxpayers help? They will just mess up again!”. This line of thinking is understandable and valid.

But still, something needs to be done. If nothing is done, people will keep going back to prison at high rates. We also need something in this place to help us cope with re-entry. We do appreciate the programs that are offered to us, we just need some more that we can relate to (like a program that deals with special situations, like how to resolve conflicts before they get aggressive). We need to learn to be productive and responsible citizens. We need to know that we can atone for our mistakes, and we need to see that there are success stories. These are the people that we need to meet as we are preparing for release, like people from the small business community, so that they can teach us how to reintegrate! These are the people we should be learning from.

Frequently, program instructors in prison are teaching curriculums from a text. But we also need hands-on learning—believe it or not, we have people who are eager to learn if the right environment is provided! Overall, we need a program where the concept is rehabilitation and not incarceration. These are two vastly different ideas, and the powers that be will have to make that choice.

No matter what people in Rhode Island are sentenced for, 90% of them have release dates, and they will be back in the community at some point. The state has the wherewithal to put together a such a pilot program if it chooses.

The DOC alone has an annual budget of $211,537,766. All this money to incarcerate, and so little to rehabilitate! Why not use what we have to help those that want to help themselves?

The right people put together with the same common goal would be able to construct a pilot release program that benefits all—we just need one person in power to make it work.

May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

EnergizeRI responds to Heartland Institute attacks

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EnergizeRI and our carbon pricing proposal have recently come under attack from the Heartland Institute. We are taking this opportunity to reach out, set the record straight and shed some light on the work and reputation of this group as you consider their comments on carbon pricing legislation here in Rhode Island.

The Heartland Institute claims it was created to “discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems”. However, upon review of the organization’s body of work, it is clear they operate on a platform of climate change denial. In fact, the organization is well known as one of the nation’s leading climate change deniers.

They are funded by groups such as the Koch Brothers, Big Tobacco, and Exxon Mobile. The only thing that Heartland seems to promote is misinformation.

This is the same group that included scientists on a list of “climate deniers” even after they claimed they were being misrepresented and asked to be removed. This is the same group that to this day denies the link between secondhand smoke and cancer, claiming “smoking in moderation has few, if any, adverse health effects“. This is the same group that erected a billboard of the Unabomber with the caption “I still believe in global warming, do you?” and called it a success.

Heartland’s interest is clearly not in “finding and promoting ideas that empower people” as they claim but instead to allow their funders to manipulate credible sources and scientific facts. They manipulate the public to their own benefit and operate without repercussions.

To be very clear, we here at EnergizeRI are proud to have a group like the Heartland Institute as a critic. We are even prouder to share that distinction with people like Pope Francis and President Obama.

There are legitimate debates to be had about the best way to address climate change, but pretending it isn’t happening or that we are powerless to stop it helps no one. We are already seeing the effects of climate change here in our state. No Rhode Islander will deny the damage that was caused by Hurricane Sandy in Westerly and Charlestown. No one can deny the damage caused by the microbursts in Cranston or the severe flooding witnessed in Warwick. All over the state Rhode Islanders are dealing with the fallout and leading climate scientists believe it will only get worse. Climate change denial is no longer part of the national conversation and it should not be part of the policy debate here in Rhode Island.

All studies completed on our proposal to this point have shown that Carbon Pricing would create, not reduce jobs. The EnergizeRI Act is projected to add about 2,000 new jobs in the first few years alone and about 4,000 in total. The reasons for this are fairly simple. Rhode Islanders spend about three billion dollars a year to import the fossil fuels we use for our energy needs. The reality is that, every year, Rhode Islanders’ money is being sent to strengthen someone else’s economy. Think about that missed opportunity – three billion dollars that could be circulating in our local communities, that could be spent in our stores, that could be invested in our homes, that could create revenue for our state.

The EnergizeRI Act would create a new “Clean Energy and Jobs Fund” to make renewable energy and energy efficiency installations cheaper and more accessible to small businesses and low-income homes. By focusing more on energy efficiency and local renewable energy production, Rhode Island could keep a greater portion of those three billion dollars from flying off to Texas or Saudi Arabia and instead put those dollars to work strengthening our local economy. The choice between a strong economy and a safe environment is a false one. We can have both.

Finally, carbon pricing is recognized worldwide as one of the most effective emissions reductions tools. Seventy-four countries, 23 subnational jurisdictions, and more than 1,000 companies and investors expressed support for a price on carbon ahead of the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit. Locally, the REMI study estimates that carbon pricing, as proposed in the EnergizeRI Act, would get us halfway to the Resilient RI goals all on its own. Carbon pricing is an effective tool at both saving our environmental and strengthening our economy.

That’s why it’s so crucial that groups like Heartland not be allowed to control our future. We only have a small window to commit to bold action to fight climate change. Every minute that we spend listening to their misinformation just slows down our government taking the necessary steps and makes the consequences of our inaction more severe. We can’t allow that to happen.

Right now Heartland is requesting private meetings with our representatives. It’s important that they know the truth about who they are dealing with. Sign the petition and tell our elected officials that groups like Heartland have no place in conversations about our future.

Additional information about the EnergizeRI Act is available at EnergizeRI.org

May 17, 2016May 17, 2016

Rhode Islander Roz Raskin on her recent tour with the Rice Cakes

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Roz and the Rice Cakes is one of the major up-and-coming bands in the Rhode Island music scene of the past decade. Their plaudits include voted BEST LOCAL BAND by the Providence Phoenix Best of 2010 Reader’s Poll, they were winners of the 2012 WBRU Rock Hunt, winners of Best Female Vocalist by Motif Magazine 2012, and were nominated for Providence Phoenix 2012 Best Local Act and Best Female Vocalist.

Composed of keyboardist and vocalist Roz Raskin, bassist Justin Foster, and drummer Casey Belisle, they have a sound that is reminiscent in some ways of the early days of No Doubt, specifically the period when Eric Stefani was still in the band and his younger sister was not the absolute center of attention. But it also has elements not unlike some of the more fluid periods of Dave Matthews Band, a much smoother sound. They write as an artistic statement:

We come together to bring forth new, genre-blasting, rhythmically charged melodies, sounding somewhat like the apocalypse…but having the most fun anyone could ever have doing it. We are constantly manifesting new ideas not only musically, but thinking of ways to engage our awesome listeners.

Raskin recently was nice enough to answer some questions for me regarding their recent national tour. We talked about the open road, events in the news cycle, and plans for the summer.

What was the most interesting part of your tour?
There are a lot of interesting aspects of tour. Meeting new people and bands, seeing old friends, exploring new cities. Every city has a unique music community and each night of tour we get to see a little bit of what music scene is like there first hand.

Any new ideas in terms of where you want to go lyrically or musically come out of visiting different parts of the country?
I think I’m probably way more influenced by the music around me than I even know. There are some truly amazing bands hustling right now, it’s really a great time for the arts in general. People like to say “everything has been done” but I’m not too sure about that.

Do you have any stories of a venue that really impacted how you thought about the rest of the tour, be it funny, moving, or even boring?
I’m very lucky and privileged to say that I have had many great experiences at venues and DIY spaces while touring. One in particular is from this past tour. We played at a venue called Tubecats in Hadley, MA. The space is run by a wonderful person named Van Kolodin who is in a band called WYDEYED. During WYDEYED’s set, they stopped half way through and Van gave a rad speech about how important safe spaces are and how it’s essential for showgoers to look out for each other at shows. If you see something say something kind of thing. I think it’s really progressive and important to combat issues of injustice head on and it was really inspiring to hear that kind of thing at a basement show which in the past had been a typically white male dominated space.

What are your plans in this coming summer regarding performance and recording?
This summer Roz and the Rice Cakes are taking a bit of a show hiatus to write and record a new record. I’ll also we writing and recording my solo music and with my new band HOTT BOYZ (featuring Sarah Greenwell of GYMSHORTS, Kate Jones of the Sugar Honey Iced Tea, and Dylan Block-Harley of Horse-Eyed Men). Definitely excited to have some time to really think and write about this past year of my life and take it what is happening in the world today.

Some of the really classic albums and musicians in American history have come out of periods of political and social excitement, be it Pete Seeger and Woodie Guthrie during the Great Depression or Bob Dylan and Joan Baez during the 1960s. It seems quite obvious that America over the past 5+ years has been in such a period of social unrest. Did you see anything on the road that indicates we could see artists such as the aforementioned ones emerging soon with some really populist protest music? Do you think Providence could be a place to keep an ear out for such music?
I think more so than ever before, my music has personally become very much connected to socio political movements. A lot of the lyrics I have written in the past year or so have explored ideas of the “other”. I also think that the social unrest you speak of has definitely manifested itself in music, DIY, culture. Art and music always reflects the times. I think one of the more positive recent themes I’m seeing is the idea making spaces safe and inclusive. Folks are sick of feeling unsafe, disrespected, and marginalized at shows and there is a very real effort combat that prejudice and discrimination.