My attendance at the DSWA Sunset hearing last night made something perfectly clear: We the people, citizens, and members of the public are "still clinging on to the notion that [we] can make a diffirence- in other words- to the democratic process."
 
As long as the local enviro community remains fractured and disorganized, the 'opposition' will use firms such as Mongoven, Biscoe and Duchin. Founded in 1988, MBD "specializes in the resolution of public policy conflicts between corporations and activist groups" by "helping clients prepare comprehensive strategic plans to counter organizations which seek policy changes in opposition to [their] clients interests." MBD also "maintains extensive files on organizations and their leadership."
 
In a 1991 'speech to the National Cattlemans Association convention given by co-founder and vice president Ronald Duchin  titled "Take an Activist Apart and What Do You Have?" is very illuminating.  In his 'world there are four kinds of activists: opportunists, idealists, realists, and radicals."

1. Opportunists ' "exploit issues for their own personal agenda." '
2. Idealists ' "apply an ethical and moral standard" and are usually "naive." '
3. Realists ' "are not interested in radical change" and are "willing to work within the system."
4. Radicals ' "see multinational corporations as inherently" and "want to change the system." '

According to MDB, ' "the best way to deal with radicals is to form an alliance with the realists and co-opt the idealists. Then the opportunists will jump on board, leaving the radicals isolated." '

Does any of this sound familiar?

In closing, I come to one conclusion: the public got 'punked' last night... Public health be damned; Again, if you have asthma, your child has asthma, you know someone with lupus or sarcoidosis, they should be concerned..., especially if you live around or near Cherry Island dump.

don
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Comments from Alan Muller:

The techniques of manipulating and deceiving communities, controlling the press, etc, are constantly refined by the corporate PR industry. (The Delaware firm of Sam Waltz, the Solid Waste Authority flack, is a local manifestation of this evil industry.  http://www.samwaltz.com/)   

"Activists" and community-based organizations simply haven't kept up, at least in most of the US.  This is a key factor in our deteriorating political situation.

One should always be careful of generalizations, but the categorization of "activists" offered here does seem to fit my perceptions of many I know.  (For another brief discussion of these categories and approaches to "using" them, see http://mediafilter.org/CAQ/CAQ55prwar2.html ).  The real point is that they provide a practically useful framework for the guys on the dark site.

In this framework, we can understand the "citizens" waste task force as an efficient tool for "managing" Delaware's activists. 

And we can understand the campaign to isolate and marginalize Green Delaware:  Media blackouts, smear campaigns on local blogs, the hijacking of the "Progressive Voices" radio show, "don't deal with them" decrees from the Governor's office, suborning elements of our leadership, harassment by the County, and so on.

Understanding it, though, doesn't make it fun to deal with.  Green Delaware needs all our supporters these days.

am