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  • Writer's pictureNEMO Wind

Living Under Construction

An open letter from an affected citizen:


An Open Letter to the Work Force of Wind Energy,


I stepped outside of my home this evening and was struck by the impact the dark and quiet had on me. You see my home will quickly be invaded by 175, 500 foot wind turbines and each moment of this place as I have always known it has become a jewel I try to impact on my memory. For some reason I thought about all of you in that moment. What do you see here? Are you able to go about your day to day job of tearing up the soil, closing our roads to shave and cut the hills, pour concrete, haul steel, an unending list of duties among the unending line of equipment and massive amounts of material and not see the scars you are leaving? Do you see the value in this place? Do you ever stop to realize the significance this piece of Earth held before you came here to destroy it? I pass by trucks filled with workers each day and selfishly I can not bring myself to wave back. I hate that you are here. Do I understand why you are here? Yes. Do I think you are bad people because you are here? No. You are here to make money and forgive me for valuing my family and home over your income. This industry is evil and I hope someday you see that. I’m not sure many of you take the time to research who you are working for and honestly if you are people of integrity and morals I suggest you don’t or you will not report for work in the morning. I have time and again watched Facebook feeds of your work force demean, curse, laugh, attempt to invalidate, ignore and belittle those of us that do not welcome the industry your jobs depend on. I absolutely get your desperation. When our points are found to be true and more importantly we find someone with enough integrity and power to force an end to this madness, you will be out of a job. These days here can’t be easy. I pass by our small campground filled to the max for the first time in its existence, trailers decorated with Christmas lights still, a constant reminder of the sacrifices you are making for your families. The days are cold, wet, muddy, snowy, miserable honestly. I pass by you on my way home and a small fraction of the humanity left in me hurts for you. We can’t possibly be that different. I am fighting for the health, safety and future of my family as are you. The difference is I don’t have a choice. You do. None of this is easy. It would take a massive amount of pride and even more integrity for you to admit the job you are doing is going to destroy this country. It would take even more decency to walk away and find something different because it is the right thing to do. It is too late for my home, but the thing about those of us that are fighting this industry, we care more about others and the future of our counties and this country then ourselves. You may despise us for threatening your livelihood but if there is one thing you could learn from us it is to stop for a minute and value the communities you are forever changing. Value them enough to see beyond your ego, see the families here in a fraction of the light you see your own. I don’t wave back at you because I hate you, I don’t wave back because I fear if I do, the anger I feel for what is happening here will no longer protect me. Maybe just maybe if you lower your preconceived notions of those of us that oppose the wind industry you will see we don’t oppose you. We are simply fighting to take care of our homes and families against an industry that doesn’t care about either of us.


Sincerely,


A landowner in the footprint of the largest Missouri wind project

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