Evangelist Charlotte Keys
Jesus People Against Pollution
Columbia, MS
First giving honor to the Lord Jesus, who is my life, to the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign leaders, and other Human Rights, Environmental, Economic, Social Justice organizations. It gives me great honor to shine the light on so much injustice in MS and around the world. Jesus People Against Pollution formed and was birthed almost 15 years ago out of frustration with the poisoning of our community. Last year in August 2005 the hurricanes known as Katrina/Rita hit the south very hard. The storms only upsetted the poverty economic, environmental, health, death problems etc. As of now our community is dealing with a double whammy.
In 1975-1977 this community was ruined with environmental poisoning of 179 plus chemicals with the ingredients of Agent Orange Chemicals that was outlawed and/or banned during the first World War at the time of Geneva Convention according to an OSHA inspectors report. This was a rude awakening for the Columbia, MS community because we experience fish kill, cattle kill, human perceived to be killed as well from a march 1977 explosion. Please keep in mind that Reichold Chemical Company when they first started in 1975 did not have an official permit, but some 20-22 months later was given a permit to cause such catastrophe in the heart of our small rural town and community in Columbia, MS. As of today some cleanup took place but there are major concerns with the Superfund cleanup that started in October 1984. Also the community has dealt with a lot of flooding problems since 1975 until now which have helped to create a lot of health problems in washing toxins off-site into the community.
There are many problems that is associated with the environmental degradation conditions in Columbia, MS that is also connected to Katrina/Rita Hurricane. What our community is faced with now is a compound problem situation that deals with the type of cleanup or level of cleanup, environmental degradation conditions in Columbia, MS that is also cleanup, environmental health and death rate issues, deteriorating and dilapidated, run down houses filled with mold and other floodwater problems, fear of living in contaminated communities worse than before, ongoing poisoning of untested land, air, water and health concerns, o funds to keep their land and residents for restoration. The community feels strongly that the Bush Administration has abandoned the true mission of Democracy in the USA. Before Katrina/Rita Hurricanes, man problems had begun to occur with breaking down any/all Social Justice programs with our economy. Definitely now, after the hurricane, President Bush and his cabinet members showed their true concern about the welfare of the poor to no avail with FEMA which has been a terrorist attack with the high increase of gas and oil prices, high utilities, high food, high clothing and shelter bills, high increase with all cost of living needs and little to no resources for working class and poor that remain less than livable income. Today we need to pray like never before that God in heaven will turn everything around to give the righteous and poor people a better quality of living as his word has stated biblically so.
Let me add that there are so many communities in the South that had no attention or maybe a little attention brought to their isolated rural towns after the storms. Therefore, many of these places such as Columbia, MS, Tylertown, MS, McComb MS, Hattiesburg, MS, Laurel, MS, Meredian, MS, Macon, MS or Shuqualak, MS received no media or news coverage, but yet was damaged severely. Also in Angie, LA, Varnodo, LA, Cheraw or Foxworth, MS, Aliceville, AL, Selmer, TN all of which is places I traveled and saw first hand devastation. Many of these places don’t be in the media but was damaged by the storm. To the media, these are no-name small rural towns but yet deserve some media coverage because of the problems created by the storms. Today many of the homes still have blue tarps, people are misplaced and displaced, many families lives together and many are yet outdoors. These are real critical issues that need special attention. Please help us to help ourselves.