Greening Of America --James R. Wright

In a long-running email discussion that started with a post by Valdosta City Council member James R. Wright about switchgrass for biomass, Councilmember Wright wrote two messages on Saturday, 26 March 2011, each asking questions of Dr. Michael Noll. The first one contained this paragraph:

Economic development is a high priority on the mind of many people. If you read the local paper you will see page after page of foreclosures, failing businesses, and unemployment at a all time high. Please explain to me how we can address these problems through energy needs?

Councilmember Wright elaborated later that same day:

Who will retrofit the building you mention? Who will improve the infrastructure and provide public transit? I doubt very seriously that it will be the people who I am referring to.

My point being it is easy to tell a person they don't need work when you have work and can provide for your family. It is nearly impossible for people unemployed living in poverty everyday to understand the concept that they don't need a job when their family is being put out on the streets.

As a representative I feel my highest priority is providing opportunities for men and women to take care of themselves and their families. It is obvious that some do not feel that way. They have forgotten what it is like to be poor or never was. I feel that economic development is a top priority for many, and I would wager that all open minded people and all who do not have jobs and cannot provide for their families feel the same. I suggest that those who feel different, quit your job, become unemployed and come live in the areas where this is the norm and I promise you that their views will soon change. I humbly submit to you that our priorities or out of order. For the one thing worse than the things we are discussing, are those things that allow them to exist.

I doubt that this e-mail will change your view, as mine have not changed. As such, I will allow you the last response. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss our differences in a civil manner.

I will probably post more of this discussion later.

-jsq