What is normal?
I knew someone in a doctor's office who told me that many times, when
tests like blood tests and liver function and such are taken, you may be told you're
normal. What normal means is that you have levels of chemicals or metals or whatever in
your blood that are typical of people like you. And, that your vital organs function in a
normal fashion, for the same reason.
The problem is, "normal" doesn't necessarily mean healthy, is
can also simply mean levels of contamination or deterioration of organs that is typical,
even if it's unhealthy.
After all, if the environment introduces pollutants and toxins into our
systems equally, what's a doctor to do except report the results to national labs for
statistical analysis, as they do, and monitor the health effects?
After the Chernobyl disaster in Russia, I started noticing an unusual
pattern of cervical cancer amongst women I knew and knew of who got cervical cancer in
Humboldt County. Later, I heard of reports confirming my observation. Humboldt County was
the first "touch down" point for the radioactive cloud from Chernobyl when it
first hit the United States before making its way up the coast to Washington State.
Humboldt County is also the location of a nuclear reactor that had two near meltdowns
before it was shut down.
I was living in the Seattle area then, and my vegetable garden started
growing miniature - I assume mutated - vegtetables. Ronald Reagan canceled his scheduled
visit to the area indefinitely, and, at a certain point, people were even prohibited from
buying geiger counters.
Just down the road there is an old stack from one of 5 nuclear power
plants that used to be under construction or operational in the State of Washington under
Governor Dixie Lee Ray.
In Hanford, the Tri-Cities area of Washington, they have been
experimenting with radiation and nuclear devices for decades.
One time, while working as a radio program syndication sales person for a
program called "Future File" in Los Angeles, I called one of the stations in the
Tri-Cities, and the program director there told me that one of their favorite local jokes
is how they're all glowing examples of humanity.
It's not so funny. There has been an abundance of human suffereing and
environmental damage that the government hasn't wanted to publicly acknowledge or take
responsibility for. And the the last time I checked, the nuclear contamination of
groundwaters in that area should have the contamination reaching the Columbia River
sometime later this year.
Which means that Portland and a huge shipping lane to the ocean, the
farmlands along the river that leads all the way down to the Pacific Ocean will be
contaminated. And it's a shame. Portland not long ago finished cleaning up its port after
being one of the most contaminated ports in the United States.
That will also affect the coastal areas of Southern Washington, and then
travel southward to Northern California fishing waters and beyond.
Believe it or not, this is not about nuclear waste pollution in the United
States, at least it didn't begin as that.
I actually began looking at my map, thinking, "If I had to move to
another country where it would be environmentally better than normal, where would
I go?"
to be continued....
