The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation deputy director Sherwin Smith is warning citizens to think before they start raising concerns about water quality because they could be charged with making terroristic threats. Smith told Maury County resident that unfounded complaints could be considered an “act of terrorism” and turned over the the police and the FBI. The meeting followed complaints about water quality in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee where children have become ill drinking the water. That left residents with the sense that they were being given a Sophie’s Choice by the TDEC: live with sick children or face a possible charge of being a terrorist.
Smith warned residents “you need to make sure that when you make water quality complaints you have a basis, because federally, if there’s no water quality issues, that can be considered under homeland security an act of terrorism.” One audience member seemed to be in disbelief and asked “Can you say that again, please?” Smtih then repeated the warning.
The residents know something about terror. Joycelene Johns, 68, says that she has had no choice but to drink the cloudy, odd-tasting water for years. She added “I’ll drink it. but I pray before the first sip.”
The comments reflect a fear that the war on terror, like Saturn, inevitably devours its own. Criticism of the government is now viewed as a potentially terrorist act in our new society. The TDEC appears to be paraphrasing Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar: “The fault, dear Joycelene, is not in our water, But in ourselves.”
Of course, the worse thing is if Johns is arrested and water-boarded with the same contaminated water. The least they could do is use some bottled water so not to add insult to injury.
Source: Tennessee
Clashing was never the problem, nick. The problem has been explained many times at this point. However, the last few days you have been following the rules and as I said, I don’t care why so long as you do. And congratulations on that, by the way. You’ve been a fine contributor when you’re within the guidelines.
Easy with those Vicodin. They can be a bear. They make me horribly nauseous.
AY, I didn’t see the censored comment. But, you are righteous in your defense of free speech. Others have more caveats than a prenup.
You’re funny when you’re angry and projecting, AY. What’s even funnier is you think I had anything to do with slccobra’s comments. Here’s a hint: the first time I ever saw them was right before I asked via email why they were in the moderation and the trash. Watching assumptions bite people is the height of hilarity. You don’t like me so instantly everything you see that you don’t like you think is my fault. Well . . . isn’t that special. I suppose you need someone to blame for all the ills you perceive in the world since the fall of the Soviet Union.
A tortured response akin to “it depends on what the meaning of “is” is. Why don’t we let OS explain what he meant. I trust and respect him. Listen, I just had a cyst removed from my back this morning. I’m in pain, taking pain meds and freezing from ice packs. I have no intention to rehash the ugliness of that day. We’ll clash again so don’t break your arm patting yourself on the back for your demonstration of control. I’m not controlled easily, and never controlled by control freaks. Now, please for the love of God, lets end this parsing and let me go get a new ice pack, Vicodin, and some prune juice.
Gene,
You love drama, you create drama and yes, you are at your best playing the hypocrite… I wish you the best now as someone used to say to you…. Does your mommy know your playing on her computer… I forget whom said it… But, quit bullying folks, and deleting threads just because you can…. Just learn to ignore what you don’t like….I mostly do you…
That’s your opinion and you’re entitled to it, AY. You think I’m a bully – which is rich considering what got you that threat of action? Well I don’t care what you think about me personally. I might have when we were friends, but you lost that privilege all on your own. So I guess that too is a wash.
However, the record shows that the current issue has always been about the rules. Not just the comments here, but many out of camera discussion to which you were not privy. Whether you like it or not, the rules apply to the benefit of everyone, not just when they benefit you. Which they have. So the double standard is writ large in your complaint. The ad hominem rule is just great when it protected you, but if someone you don’t like is protected by it? Well that’s just a tragedy for you, isn’t it?
The hypocrisy is simply staggering.
Sherwin wants them to drink the kool-aid and stop complaining about the water.
I hear and obey Herr Gobbels…..and yes, you’re correct in whatever your mind tells you to say or to do…. But not all is a reality is as it is to others….. You’re still a bully…. But that’s besides the point…. And if I had my way…. You wouldn’t be guest blogging here… I am sorry I supported your request to do so….but, you did bring to light certain things I didn’t know….. So I guess it’s a wash…
You see Gene, you have been very good in helping me focus, pay attention and realize not everything being said or done is personal…you on the other hand can’t distinguish …. And yes, I’m forwarding a copy of this to the professor……
The true nature of your problem finally reveals itself.
Well, on a personal note, I’m not crazy about you either, AY.
But you’re still here.
Maybe that’s because you follow the rules. Mostly. Not that you always have, Mr “Somebody Else Is Using My IP”.
If I were truly “power hungry”, you wouldn’t be at all and you know why. So do the other people involved. If you recall, that behavior ended up with a real life legal threat to you by an aggrieved party. But please, continue to show you have an issue with people based on personality rather than the rules being applied.
Again, it’s not about personality. It’s not about power. It’s about the rules, equal protection and equal application.
Power corrupts …..and this is not the place for someone power hunger to have access with administrator rights… And yes I have no problem contacting the blog administrator when someone is being bullied…. I have no problem on that at all…. The rules get made up as it goes along….. Not all the GUEST Bloggers are bullies…. There are some that make mountains outta mole hills…..
nicK:
you got time out? Did you sit in the corner?
Mr. Sherwin Smith is an instant internet celebrity, although I dont think he is going to like his 15 minutes.
AY,
There are not a lot of rules. Basically the three as they are as stated above. They are as JT made them. A comment was deleted because it contained a threat but that is not the same thing as moderation. slccobra is free to comment as he likes provided he follows the few rules there are here. Comments containing threats have been deleted before. I’m sure they will be again. Personality hasn’t got anything to do with it.
Personally I’m puzzled why someone with your background would take issue with rules that mirror the jurisprudence surrounding free speech. Although you actually seem to have more of a problem in accepting that making those rules and blog administration aren’t yours to control and as you see fit. If you’d like to have more say in those matters, WordPress offers a solution for you.
Nick,
Now you know why I have been defending your right and everyone else’s to post on here…..
Bron,
I wouldn’t be surprised. Illegal dumping is not exactly a new problem nor are attempts to cover it up.
As a warning for you to learn to follow the rules after months of openly flaunting the prohibition on ad hominem attack despite being informed of the rule repeatedly and warned you were in violation. For many months. It was a demonstration that tools exist to force compliance with the rules we’d rather you follow of your own volition. Which you seem to be following now, nick. Neither you nor anyone else is currently in moderation so OS’ statement is correct.
The topic of how to deal with persistent rule breakers is an open topic among the GBs and the Prof right now.
And it wouldn’t be if persistent rule breakers hadn’t become an active problem other posters were complaining about.
apparently, according to the link above, there were disposal wells drilled in Maury County in the 60’s/70’s or possibly earlier. Interesting.
I wonder if the state of Tennessee and some other entities have some sort of exposure. I wonder what Mr. Smith knows?
I smell a cover-up.
OS, You’re incorrect. I was monitored and deleted by Gene two weekends ago for ~12 hours.
Bron,
I’d suspect that as far as water quality issues go that fracking and other gas/oil production byproducts are a problem of a smaller magnitude than agricultural run off, other forms of industrial run off and improper treatment for waste water. I know the vast majority of water issues around here are agricultural run off. That being said, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want a big ol’ glass of water used to frack.
Bron,
As I said it was over the top as well…. And this is not a site that generally censors posting….. I will do what I have to do in order to preserve the freedom of speech here…
I was just reseeding the deleted post and if we lived in Nazi Germany or under the direction of NSA I could see doing such a thing…..
For civil liberties to exist you have to know what you’re fighting…..
There are alot of made up rules and people being placed in moderation based upon personality…. That’s suppression of speech at its finest…it’d make Goebbels’ proud….