RE: [CPEO-MEF] threats

[kc2th@aol.com]

I have been away from here for quite a spell, watching and working in a
much reduced role. However, I am back and to friends and strangers I will
say this:

The new year comes with much work to be done in expanding all of our
vision, our ability to understand those we encounter and engage and our
ability to ask instead of assume, respect instead of antagonize.

As for Grace and the threats she has recieved. Sad indeed, but certainly
not surprising. I pray you are safe and I hope that others have considered
what you have revealed and that they are helping where they can. It is
important for us to combat the caveman mentality.

I have encountered great military and environmental minds in my experiences
to date, and I have encountered angry souls who have great difficulty
thinking outside of the box and who would rather lash out than work through
the challenges before us. I have seen this shortsightedness in the military
ranks, in the regulator, in the local politician and certainly among some
activists as well. 

It is time for change to come. It is time for people to be tired of
division, both between entities and within entities, and it is time for
recognition. It is time for those paid to do military contamination work to
recognize and respect the beautiful dedication that so many volunteers
demostrate day in and day out. And it is time for those volunteers to
recognize and respect the very difficult jobs military personnel, the
regulators and others are paid to do everyday. I, too, certainly have been
guilty of bad days and poorly focused energy, but I can and will evolve and
it is the responsibility of each of us to do so at every opportunity. And
for the naysayers out there, I hate to break it to you but the ability to
learn and evolve is not limited by, or a function of, age. So, for those
who hide behind the "Old Dogs Cant Learn" or "I have all the answers"
philosophies, you should make note that these are self-limiting and simply
not true.

Why write this? Because it is a holiday challenge to all of us to think now
about the new year and that which is coming. There are signs that better
days are coming in this arena, and it WILL come. While there are many days
where these signs are difficult to see, they are there. 

The future requires Commitment and Compromise more than what has been seen
to date, and while some may think they are mutually exclusive, they are
not, one actually requires the other. I believe the work in past years has
positioned the military, the regulaotrs and the activists for exciting
growth. So think long and hard about our assumptions to date about others
and about what can and connot be done. I believe you will see them change
in the not too distant future.

To all, I wish a safe and peaceful holiday season.

Oh yes, as for this response to the comment about the Donovan Chamber: 
<If you believe that the Donovan Blast Chamber is the solution to OB/OD,
I'm not sure you understand the problem.>

Certainly the Donovan Chamber is only one tool, and while certainly better
in some respects than OB/OD, it is primitive as well. But, we can only take
one step at a time and there are certainly other tools in the bag,
including Tent and Foam, Non-Stockpile's EDS, drill and drain capabilities
for explosively configured chemical filled rounds, etc, etc. OB/OD will
eventually be gone, but we are far from its extinction (or than again,
maybe not as far as some may think;-). So, the Donovan Chamber certainly is
not THE solution, though it is a small useful piece in an evolving field. 

Peace

Ted Henry 


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