How can rural and urban communities unite, in the political climate we currently face under one-party rule and the pay-to-play politics of the Perry administration?
Note: We hope many folks from Hays County can attend this seminal water conference. The more who are informed the better. Just as an aside, here's an interesting website belonging to Republicans for Environmental Protection. REP was founded in 1995 as a grassroots movement dedicated "to restoring the Republican Party's great conservation tradition." See its Texas Chapter Page here. It says, "Texas, unfortunately, has environmental problems that match its size. Air quality in the major cities is frequently unhealthy. Many of our rivers and coastal waters have been degraded by pollution. Growth is putting pressure on water resources such as the famed Edwards Aquifer." Maybe someone from the Texas group will lend a hand at the conference in Bastrop.
Media Release from IndyTexans
March 11, 2011
Willie Nelson won't be there, so far as anyone knows, but the hippies and the rednecks will. The stage is getting set for a show in Bastrop County bringing together rural and urban citizens, similar to the coalition that killed the Trans-Texas Corridor, from throughout central Texas on Saturday, March 19th, to the "Texas Water War: Is there a solution and who decides?" Conference.
It is an all day event being held at McKinney Roughs Nature Trail, just 25 miles east of Austin off Highway 71.Local ranching and environmental activists have begun calling Bastrop a "crime scene." It is one of several regions where the Texas Water Development Board has lined up with private water vendors and special interests who want to conduct "water grabs," they also liken to the land grab behind the Trans-Texas Corridor.
Water activists, landowners and small farmers and ranchers from across central Texas, where water wars are heating up, are coming together at this event to craft a joint action plan to stop the "Trans-Texas Water Highway" plans of the state bureaucracy under Rick Perry's tutelage.
What's behind the curtains will be revealed at this conference such as answers to these questions: What is driving Texas to become the fastest growing state in the country, with 1000 people moving here per day? Who is paying for this growth? Is there enough water to go around? What is the impetus for the plans that are driving the mismanagement of critical resources, like groundwater in Texas? Who are the people who are doing this? What can ordinary citizens do to prepare for a growing water war in Texas, to protect local agriculture and quality of life in rural areas, and safe affordable drinking water in cities? How can rural and urban communities unite, in the political climate we currently face under one-party rule and the pay-to-play politics of the Perry administration?
Lea Silvernail, a Bastrop single-mother of two, who has been volunteering long hours to put the Water War event on said, "I've been on the phone with folks across the state – from the hippies to the rednecks, Republicans, Democrats and independents of all sorts. They're all saying the same thing – we all drink the same water. We cannot afford to let government or the political parties screw this up. We're going to fight side-by-side on this one because our very lives depend on it."
The conference is sponsored by Environmental Stewardship, Independent Texans, the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, Neighbors for Neighbors and the Texas Drought Project. Speakers include: Linda and David Stall of CorridorWatch.org, Larry Joe Doherty, wildlife advocate and judge from Washington County, David Baker, leader of efforts to protect the famed Jacob's well natural spring in Wimberley, Bill Bunch of Save Our Springs Alliance in Austin, Brian Rodgers of ChangeAustin.org and several groundwater district officials.
More information can be found here: IndyTexans.org/itblog or by calling 512-535-0989.
This event is free, but reservations are required due to limited seating. Contact Lea Silvernail at silvernaillea@yahoo.com or call 512-535-0989.
Linda Curtis
Independent Texans
IndyTexans.org
512-535-0989 office
512-657-2089 cell
15 comments:
For more details about the program
and topics to be covered at this
March 19 conference, go to
www.smithvilletimes.com and read
the short article "Groundwater
forum tackles pipeline" under
"News."
Another article on the March 19
water conference is "Water Wars:
Forming a Plan" under "News"
in The Bastrop Advertiser.
wwww.bastropadvertiser.com
That article says to bring a sack
lunch and a water bottle.
What all the supporters of the water profiteers cannot understand or justify is that God, or nature if you will, supplies us with our water. Water is a resource that by the laws of God and nature, can never be owned.
Almost all valid theories behind the human created concept of private property subscribe to the "labor theory of property." They hold that since you own your own life, then it follows that you must own the products CREATED as a result of that life, and that those products can be traded in free exchange with others.
As far as the creation of water goes, it is clearly not the CREATED product of human labor. It is, indisputably, a product created only by God or nature. Hence, any person or business entity that claims they own water, and hence it is theirs to sell for profit or to use unlimited, is in violation of the highest superior laws of God and nature.
In other words, any claim to ownership of water is a fallacious ownership law written under the erroneous assumption that man is God - as defined by man's arrogance inherent in the definition of what is and is not private property.
As a result, water profiteer utilities - whether co-op or corporate, have no right to control our water, because it is not a product of their labor, as they do not make or manufacture water.
This law includes an individual who thinks the water on their property can be used without limits no matter how it affects their neighbors. Those property owners are in violation of God's or natures' laws.
In summary, any laws created by man usurping God's or natural's laws regarding the existence of water are null and void, since man is not God and has no right to create such laws over a product that is not a result of man's labor.
In the end, civil disobedience and direct non-violent citizen action against water profiteers is justified - in the name of God's strictly intended and Supreme law.
That's funny Rocky. You said "What all the supporters of the water profiteers cannot understand or justify is that God, or nature if you will, supplies us with our water. Water is a resource that by the laws of God and nature, can never be owned."
Strong talk from an individual that supports the efforts of others to take from others under the theory that water cannot be owned by them. Seems like the theory should work both ways. If it cannot be owned then you cannot deny others from having it.
Rocky also said "As a result, water profiteer utilities - whether co-op or corporate, have no right to control our water, because it is not a product of their labor, as they do not make or manufacture water. "
Whoa - I thought you just said water cannot be owned - so who is this "our" you refer to when you now say "our water" after claiming it is not owned?
The "co-ops" and "utilities" you refer to Rocky are partly the product of a second best world since subdivisions are being platted so as to prevent owners from being able to access the groundwater beneath their property. Such provisions are forcing property owners to be held hostage to the utilities - and it is folks like yourself who have been promoting preventing those homeowners from having any choice.
Rocky, you need to re-think your position just a bit. If one were to accept your statements, then there isn't much that could be "owned".
For starters in your world you can't own the property that your house sits on because it was a "product of God or nature" in your book.
No one has promoted "unlimited" or wasteful use of water. However, if your definition of "wasteful" means allowing other property owners to have water then you are going to have problems even under your theory because those that would deny others have never had the "ownership", rights, or entitlements that they think they have under your theory either. Yet after claiming the wtaer is not owned you quickly segue into "our water" as the basis for denying others access to groundwater. Tsk. Tsk.
To the two Anonymouses above: This is common for the free markets ideologues to twist words around to prove their own point.
When I say "our" water, yes, I believe it is God's or nature's water that is given free to the larger community. I am not talking about WVWA or CARD, or whatever other liberal hating conspiracies you are encumbered with.
See, water will never be something that by its own God supplied or natural availability can ultimately belong to one individual or belong to one corporate entity.
And yes, private property is also clearly a human invention, not a God or nature creation. If you think it is, show us heathens where and how God wrote the first real estate contract or created the first water utility. Us liberal heathens are open-minded.
Yes, private property is by my simple logic and spirituality clearly a privilege created by man - often misstated under God's name; but it is not written by God or nature. Slaves were owned by man; does that make it a right - or an unholy privilege of immoral men? Slaves were in no way God's intention. So yes, private property can easily be a false "right" under God's law.
And in case you two didn't notice, land and water were here on earth long before man's mind came along with a real estate contract or a water utility connection truck.
But just to make sure you get it, since the human mind was created by God or nature, this also does not mean that man's ability to invent the contract of private property is a creation of God. Such illogic is clearly man's earthly illusion of some God-given ownership right.
The problem with society and civilization is that we have come to believe the human construct of private property and water ownership gives man the right to abuse, deplete, and covet it at will. Anyone who has a normal cognitive process can see this is against the laws of God and nature.
Finally, if you two private property supplicants cannot see the inherent logic in the supreme truth that private ownership of water (or yes, land) is a privilege offered by God, and should be viewed in the responsible shared perspective of the larger community, go ahead and have a coffee clatch together and pretend that you are both God. I cannot and will not be so arrogant.
Finally, the one stupid comment about me supporting a group that controls "your" water? If you mean WVWA or CARD, prove it with more than just mindless accusations?
You Know Rocky, you evoke the name of “God” way too much in your rather panicky reply. Take God out of the equation because we both know he doesn’t exist. We are secular humanists and wish to eliminate personal ownership of land, water and all other things that people consider theirs. We will take these from the wealthy and then share them equally with all regardless of their worth.
Water and land should be the same as air in belonging to everyone equally. This is the method by which we can change the world for the people. No one should own land in any place on the earth. No one has a right to deprive anyone else of the things they have. We should re-read the works of Marx and Lenin.
Today (Monday, March 14) at 5 p.m.
is the last opportunity for anyone
to sign up to be on the May 14 ballot for a place on the HTGCD Board.
Greg Nesbitt is running for re-election to Place 2 (Dripping
Springs/Driftwood area) on the
HTGCD Board. Please, please
someone sign up to run against him!
We need a conserver on the Board--
not someone who has conflict of
interest (wanting water to flow
readily to the purchasers of his
septic tank and swimming pool
installation business).
Well Rocky, I'm no biblical scholar but perhaps the following (some of the Ten Commandments) would be acceptable evidence to you that property rights are recognized by the highest of powers.
From Exodus 20:2–17, we have:
"You shall not steal."
[Stealing implies that the property was owned by another - hence ownership]
"You shall not covet your neighbor’s house..."
[There again is that suggestion that the house is not "community" property]
And from Deuteronomy 5:6–21
"...Neither shall you desire your neighbor’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
[There is no question that private property is recognized in religious texts - and that a civil society must respect the private property rights of the individuals]
Whenever you tout the communitarian position that property "belongs" or is owned by some abstract concept like "community" is where your argument falls apart. After all, what you are really doing is using the myth of "community" to divest property from some individuals in this "community" to give to other individuals in the "community". The term "community" is used to mask the real party in interest behind these takings.
I'll also bet dollars to donuts that despite all your rantings about God and lack of support for real estate contracts - that if you live in a house as opposed to under a rock, you were party to a real estate contract. When the tax collector sends you the property tax bill, don't try the "it's God's property, send him the bill" defense.
re Anonymous who said: "We need a conserver on the Board--not someone who has conflict of interest (wanting water to flow readily to the purchasers of his septic tank and swimming pool installation business)."
Aside from the complete ignorance regarding conflict of interest, one must assume that this is another Wimberlian seeking to ensure that homes elsewhere do not have running water or septic systems. Why would the rest of the county want to turn itself into the cesspool that Wimberley is becoming? Try to explain this alleged "conflict" resulting from installation of septic systems or pools.
In contrast, David Baker is a walking conflict who has likely realized by now that he better get while the getting is good. Too many false representations to state agencies and governments that he was representing the HTGCD when in fact he was representing only the WVWA. He's been caught several times now - the gig is up. Can the Wimberlians try to elect someone that isn't an agent of the WVWA cult or will the rest of the HTGCD board have to spend more time finding and correcting all the instances where a WVWA member falsely held themselves out as representing the HTGCD board to promote WVWA's agenda.
to Anon 12:05 PM (who I bet is
Jimmy Skipton; Greg Nesbitt surely
couldn't have managed that post!):
Who said the Anon 9:55 AM you
quote is from Wimberley? Don't
you think the citizens of Dripping Springs have any gumption?
Anonymous of March 14, 8:43 AM said:
"You Know Rocky, you evoke the name of 'God' way too much in your rather panicky reply. Take God out of the equation because we both know he doesn’t exist. We are secular humanists and wish to eliminate personal ownership of land, water and all other things that people consider theirs."
First of all, you're fallacious in your assumption that 1) I am panicky (a projection maybe?) and 2) I do not believe in God. In my life view God certainly exists - as nature is a result of that existence. In fact, in my view, God and nature are one and the same.
Hence, I do not use God as a ruse to confiscate property from others - in the name of God. Your assumption is too self-absorbed, if you think you know me.
Which next brings me to “Moses” (Anonymous of March 14, 11:33 AM)?
Your attempt to prove me wrong ironically proves me right. Did God write both the Old and New Testament and the Ten Commandments? Or did man write those historical documents - that have numerous scholarly and religious interpretations - as earthly human interpreters of God's message? You can never prove that God “created” the rule of law of private property, since every document you bring forth was written by man.
Moreover, your specific quotes are man's construct of laws and rules based on his best interpretation of the Christian God. Even then, anything you quote me, whether Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindi, etc. will have been written by man strictly as interpreters of God’s intentions.
And yes, I own private property and a house. And I view my ability to own property as a luxury and a privilege offered by God - and nature – who has provided me with the materials and resources to have my physical needs met and to be comfortable. If a flood, fire or an earthquake destroys my property; I will be reminded again who the real owner of the property was?
Again, I hope the Water War conference attendees claim a thought out greater good sovereignty over the overuse and abuse of water by powerful special interests.
Here is where the word “commonwealth” comes from: “wealth for the greater good.” And yes, God is on their side.
From Anon 12:05 PM to Anon 1:26 PM:
Nope, not Jimmy Skipton and I doubt Nesbitt would waste time dealing with folks that write anonymously to the RoundUp.
You said: "Who said the Anon 9:55 AM you
quote is from Wimberley?"
Well if the author lived in Nesbitt's district then the author wouldn't have to plead for other people to run, would they? You are correct that the author could be from anywhere - but the mantra is the same false propaganda that has been touted by the anti-property rights Wimberlians.
You said: "Don't you think the citizens of Dripping Springs have any gumption?"
Absolutely! They are also educated and believe in property rights. This is in contrast to the activists from Wimberley that "believe" everyone else's property belongs to them. Generally the Dripping Springs group is a much more intelligent group!
To Anon 4:16 PM:
1) If you think it's a waste of
time "dealing with folks that write
anonymously," why are you posting
anonymously?
2) You say "if the Nesbitt's
author lived in Nesbitt's district...
[s/he] wouldn't have to plead for
other people to run [for Nesbitt's
slot]."
Well, YES, that poor soul who lived
in Nesbitt's district would have
MORE reason than anyone else to
want someone besides Nesbitt to
represent him or her!
3) You scorn "the activists from Wimberley that 'believe' everyone
else's property belongs to them."
That's preposterous! What possible
evidence do you have for such an
outlandish statement?
Mr. Skipton, Mr. Key, & Mr. Nesbitt:
A person can believe in property
rights -- as in, I can own a house
and the land it sits on --, but
not believe that such things as air and water are own-able. They belong to all the people who inhabit the earth.
No one should try to capture all the air and sell it to others who also need to breathe it. And no one should try to capture more water than he needs for himself and his family and try to sell it.
Ranchers are selling their so-called "water rights" to water
suppliers who don't give a hoot
whether the water is needed right
where it is. Such landowners have
no more right to suck up most of the water (which is NOT just under
their own land, as you try to say), than I have to move next door
to them, and drill a deeper well to
suck up all the water they formerly
had access to.
We've all got to share. Let's not
play the game of who's-got-the-
deepest-well.
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