Defeat is in the Eye of the Beholder

Reading this chapter in From the Ground Up made me focus on how messed up it is that laws and rights we have as American citizens are rarely used in our favor but more in favor for larger, money powerful companies or corporations.

Chester, PA

Truckee, Ca 

This group of citizens from Chester Pennsylvania that fought and are still fighting for what is right in their community, which could be deemed the waste capital of the state of Pennsylvania. I could not imagine what life would be like there, after living in Truckee where the air is clean, water is clear and there is no constant smell of disgust. The fact that I don't live next to a landfill and the fact that most people don't realize what its like to live next to one, could be a case of the "out of sight out of mind" view that most people take. 

The group of Chester citizens decided that enough was enough. Several battles is what I've decided to call these cases, took place where the groups race and intelligence was belittled many times in the fight against the big bad wolfs (aka the waste companies and courts). It amazed me that no mater what happened, whether they won or lost the battle, the group of citizens did not stop trying to protect and better their community, even when powers were evoked on their case, like the "King's Bench". One, I've never heard this term before and I would just as well assume its the bench where the king sits.  

Kings Bench in England  

From what I gathered in the readings is that this is an controversial legal maneuver which did not help the citizens at all and only pushed them five steps back in their fight against the waste company. It makes me wonder if all courts in the U.S. would decided in favor of  companies that clearly damage peoples health and their lively hood? I think the more we know our rights and the laws will only help benefit our knowledge of how to use it in our favor if needed when having to fight against companies such as the waste company in Chester. 


 "Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent."
Marilyn vos Savant