Letter to the Editor

I want to start by thanking the City Manager, City Attorney and all of City personnel that organized the two special meetings to hear the appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision to reject the Orcem Project.  In my 30 plus years of attending Council meetings it was by far the most organized and fair processes I have ever seen. The addition of Vallejo Police officers instead of the normal security guards helped people feel safe and as it turned out they were much needed when forced to protect the council members from the angry mob who stormed the dais after the vote and again when they laid in wait for the members leaving the chambers.

But because a majority of the Council voted in favor of getting the facts maybe now we can begin to have an adult conversation on the Orcem project. Give the council the information to determine what is in the best interest of all of Vallejo citizens not the 1%. We can now count on a correct, up to date and certified EIR so that the public and City Council can make an informed decision based on facts. Now I realize that the small vocal minority, organized to attend every meeting, have been convinced that they know the facts. Their leaders have been recruiting for a couple of years, testing messaging, and have perfected the script. It goes something like this:

 “Mam/Sir, do you have a moment to help save the lives and the future of Vallejo from a Corporate Criminal? (Thank you, my name is Paula, I knew you were one of us) Did you know that an oversees Corporate conglomerate is attempting to bring a Toxic Cement Factory to Vallejo! They want to plant this monstrosity right in the middle of Vallejo’s pristine waterfront, and mere feet from a grammar school. (I know, children!) It will only provide 20 jobs and toxic dust will cover the entire community and with 500 trucks barreling through the peaceful residential neighborhood, kicking up dust and spewing exhaust, it will certainly cause our children to die from asthma! (Totally! I like children too.) They will ship other countries toxic garbage here by barge and then off- load the lethal poisonous toxins at a private industrial port. A port by the way that was allowed to come here thanks to a to an illegal shadow government committee set up by three council members to make sure…  (oh of course, sorry, thanx for being so patient, but we are after all saving children, right?) This port will allow cancer causing poisons to ooze into our straits. (I know! Can you believe it!) The deadly toxic impacts of this oozing poison will also affect our neighbors in Napa as it creeps its way upstream to destroy the wine industry! (right, less wine is bad) And these same corporate racists think they can get away with this because it is in a poor, economically challenged and mostly minority district! Well me and my friends on the hill have made it our mission to protect those poor souls because they do not have the where with all to realize what is in their best interests. (your welcome, but we all do what we can) So, are you in favor of this racist monster coming to Vallejo? No? I knew it! Sign here and here is your sign! Yoo-hoo! I forgot to say you have to visit our web page where there is a compelling blog on the certain destruction of dogs and Osprey if this factory is allowed …….. 

So, the propaganda machine employed by Fresh Air, Voices of and Citizens Deserve a Better Vallejo, while impressive, with the glossy fliers, expensive lawn signs, huge banners, even more enormous billboards, witty poems and professionally produced videos, cannot buy the facts. They have garnered support from the public and organizations with information that is disingenuous at best, and yes, often out and out lies. And while the above narrative may seem a bit outlandish it is no more so than the narrative put out by the opposition. 

Here is just one example: The information package put out by the anti-Orcem forces and used to sway public opinion shows a satellite image of an Orcem plant in France that looks as if a dust bomb went off. A visually disturbing picture of a filthy footprint that can be seen from space. Do we want this in our community? Hell no I say. Well a simple google search shows that this is not, as purported, an Orcem Mill but a Lime producing facility. A great graphic, but false. They say, we are at war, and in war a little lie, if for the greater good … Do you remember when you found out there was no Easter bunny? Same thing, a little lie, maybe made easier to swallow because you still got chocolate on Easter and still do to this day. Only in this case the little lie leaves Vallejo with a dilapidated facility that will continue to rot while we wait, perhaps for the tax money to transform it into dormitories for our students as Supervisor Brown suggested.  

All of this begs us to ask the questions: Who are the people and organizations funding this opposition? What could they possibly have to gain? Why could they be against the facts? What jobs have they brought? What have they ever done for South Vallejo?

A lot of us get swept up in the frenzy of the battle, us against them, win at all costs, a Pavlov’s dog response to the call against, well, them! Maybe never asking ourselves what the impacts this life or death battle, the most important one in a long list of past battles, have on our City? Lost trust? Lost image? Lost opportunity? A loss of community self-worth? 

Those of us who have been around awhile may say “same old same old”. After all, we have been living this ground hog day for decades, Lucy pulling the ball away from Charlie every time and yet we, always shocked, line up again and again for the good of the city we love. For those new to our community, who came here because of all the wonderful things Vallejo has to offer and finding themselves asked to pick a side in this death match? Welcome, we have a rich and storied history. We all love Vallejo. This is your City now as well, how can you help us make it the city we all remember and the City you have in your dreams? It always starts with honest conversation. Piece of cake, right?