Salem Harbor Power Plant

Today Sally, Mark and I decided to voyage to the local Salem Harbor Power Plant to exercise our freedom of expression, by taking pictures with our Repower America sign. As this power plant is one of four power plants  in Massachusetts which is still burning coal, we felt we couldn’t leave the town without a visit. After a quick ride over the bridge leading from Beverly to Salem, we arrived at the visitors’ parking lot and began to unravel our sign and position the camera for an up close and personal view of the plant.

Just as we got the camera at the perfect angle to take the picture, a middle aged woman came walking over to ask what we were up to. We told her we were there to snap a few photos! When she heard this, she instantly informed us that taking pictures of the power plant in a “post 9-11 world” was illegal. After a brief discussion of democracy and the Bill of Rights, she decided to question whether we were taking the pictures for “good or bad reasons.”

“Well,” I questioned, “what is your definition of good and bad reasons?”

The only response she was able to muster was “I’m not sure.”

Well, Salem Harbor Power Plant, since we were unable to answer your question today let us attempt to shed light on the mystery. If you were asking us whether we were doing this for the “good” reason of ending the alarmingly high breast cancer rates found in Marblehead, Beverly, and Salem due to the burning of coal at your power plant, then yes we were doing this for ‘good’ reasons.

If you were asking us whether we were doing this for the ‘good’ of 100% clean electricity in Massachusetts within 10 years, then yes we were doing this for a ‘good’ reason.

If you were asking us whether we were doing this for the ‘good’ of achieving an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually fulfilling presence on this earth, then yes we were doing this for a “good” reason.

But if you were asking us whether we were going to use the pictures for the ‘good’ of your own personal short term gains, we would have to respond with a resounding ‘No!’.

So, Salem Harbor Power Plant, you can continue to try to intimidate us with your threats of arrest and lies to the public about “clean coal” technology. But just remember, we are young and motivated youth and we are not going away! We will continue until you end the madness of poisoning us and the world we call home.

Sincerely yours,

The North Shore Team