Shrimp fisher/activist urges students to make a difference

By Colleen Schmidt - For the Cal Times

The ADP is a college program that focuses on multiple concerns related to environmental issues. The purpose of this project is to inform and encourage members of the campus community to become actively involved with issues they are interested in.

This year’s event titled, “Unreasonable Woman” took place Nov. 19 in the Steele Hall main stage theatre.

The idea for the event title came from the book, “An Unreasonable Woman.” Diane Wilson is not only the author of this book, and was also the keynote speaker for this event.

After attending a presentation two years ago at an ADP conference, Melanie Blumberg, Cal U campus director of the ADP, decided to invite Wilson to speak at this year’s event.

“When I was trying to think of programming for this year, for a major event, I thought of her right away,” Blumberg said. “[Wilson’s focus] is a continuation of what we’re doing with deliberative polling and the whole issue of environmentalism.”

“An Unreasonable Woman,” is an account of Wilson’s fight against polluters in her hometown of Seadrift, Texas. The rural area is identified as leading the nation in toxic emissions from companies such as Alcoa, BP Chemical, Carbon Graphite, Dow/Union Carbid, and DuPont.

In her effort to stop pollution by Formosa Plastics, a multi-billion-dollar company, Wilson turned to civil disobedience. Eventually she spent 74 days in a Texas jail for her role in a protest outside a Dow chemical plant.

The ADP event was a full-day event, which was divided into several different components.

At 11 a.m. there was a panel discussion titled “River Health: Exposing Environmental Truths.” The panel discussion was facilitated by biology professor David Argent who specializes in river health.

Other individuals on the panel included biological and environmental sciences professor William Kimmel, East Carolina University biology professor David Kimmel, and J. Scott Bush, founder and president of J. Scott Bush Co. P.C., Earthology Inc. and Bush Drilling and Mineral Exploration Inc.

The day’s second panel discussion was “Issue Advocacy: Challenging the Status Quo.” The facilitator for this discussion was sociology professor Elizabeth Jones.

Other panelists for this discussion included Kent State University political science professor Patrick Coy, Baldwin-Wallace political science professor Thomas Sutton, and former Cal U student and campus activist Ebony Bates.

The goal for the second panel was to educate students on how to change the status quo. For those who do not like the way in which something is set up, they can learn how to go about changing it.

“Patrick Coy is an expert in civil disobedience,” Blumberg said. “He is probably the leading world expert on civil disobedience.”

Following the panel discussions, Wilson met with students, faculty, staff and other attendees to discuss the issues presented earlier in the day.

“[Wilson] likes to go to other universities and colleges,” Blumberg said. “According to her agent, it is one of her favorite audiences. In fact, it is interesting because she agreed right away to meet with students at the afternoon event.”

Wilson’s keynote address discussed her activities as an environmental activist and the importance of speaking up and out against issues that are concerning to a person’s view. According to Blumberg, there are different factors that can determine the success of these movements.

“There is also the possibility one person can make an enormous impact,” Blumberg said. “It would be my hope that people take advantage of meeting [Wilson] and also take away with them the idea that if something seems so terribly wrong in their community or in the country itself, that they should become an activist.”

“I’m not saying to engage in civil disobedience, but at least try to make a difference,” Blumberg said. “I mean civil disobedience is a great undertaking, but at least try to do something, whether it’s writing to legislators or even on a local level like going to city council meetings, those are the kinds of things that people should be doing. It is really their responsibility as a citizen.”